Success in creating Stem Cells from Cloned Human Embryos

Scientists working for the New York Stem Cell Foundation Laboratory have successfully created embryonic stem cells with cloned human embryos. Growth of two lines of cells has been claimed by the team of scientists. This development is being proclaimed as having made science move closer to achieving what is called “regenerative medicine”.

By using somatic cell nuclear transfer, the other term for cloning, it would be possible to fuse a human cell with the stem cells that have been created for the patient. It is hoped that by using this cloning technology, it would be possible to treat and also cure diseases such as diabetes. The lead scientist of the study has brushed aside some cynics of the experiment who cited essential flaws in the developed embryo, saying that it gives the scientific community a good beginning to build on in the future.

The team of scientists lead by Dieter Egli used human cells from a diabetic adult and that from a healthy person as control. They were able to make the human cloning as efficient as animal cloning. There are some concerns over the ethical aspect of this experiment. Alan Trounsen, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has expressed his concerns over it. Since human eggs are hard to come by Trounsen expressed his doubts over the research. The New York based stem cell foundation has cleared their stand by saying that the since the women who donated eggs for the research were paid $8000, it cannot have been because of undue pressure on them.

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