UK stem cell research breakthrough

A British stem cell breakthrough has brought scientists within sight of the medical revolution which could lead to spare body tissue being mass-produced in laboratories.

The first clinical steps towards this goal could now be just five years away, according to one leading scientist.

Stem cells are immature cells which have not yet acquired a defined role.

Those produced from early-stage embryos are "pluripotent", having the potential to develop into almost any kind of body tissue, from brain to bone.

The ability to grow different types of cells which can be used to treat a host of diseases, including currently incurable conditions such as type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's and motor neuron disease, is the "Holy Grail" of stem cell research.

Two separate teams of scientists have announced a vital discovery which takes them closer to realising that ambition.

A new type of cell has been found in the embryos of mice and rats which is virtually indistinguishable from a human embryonic stem cell.

The Oxford and Cambridge scientists believe it will provide an invaluable model that is certain to accelerate research into basic stem cell biology.

The lessons learned should in future assist the creation of useful stem cell lines, both from humans and animals.

With the cells readily available from mice, researchers will also no longer have to rely on surplus human embryos from In-Vitro Fertilisation clinics, which are in very short supply. Ethical objections to experimenting with human embryos will cease to be relevant.

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