World Watch
March 2, 2009 8:31 AM

Stem Cell Research Breakthrough

By
Tucker Reals
Topics
World Watch
(AP)
Scientists have potentially discovered a way to make an almost endless supply of stem cells that could safely be used in patients and research, without any need to destroy human embryos.

According to an article in Monday's Guardian, British and Canadian scientists have found a way of taking adult skin cells and transforming them into embryonic form.

Stem cells can potentially be turned into any tissue in the body. According to the report, researchers believe they could be used to make "spare parts," to replace organs affected by disease and treat conditions such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

Scientists have been able to make stem cells from adult cells for more than a year now, but the procedure involved injecting viruses into the cells, which could cause cancer. Now, scientists at the universities of Edinburgh and Toronto have found a way to reach the same goal without depending on viruses.

Also, because the cells can be made from a patient's own skin, they carry the same DNA, therefore preventing the risk of being rejected by the immune system.

The breakthrough has been praised by abortion foes, who have long called for an end to research involving stem cells collected from human embryos.

Sir Ian Wilmut, who led the team that cloned Dolly the Sheep, heads the regenerative medicine department at Edinburgh University and took part in the research.

"This is a significant step in the right direction," Wilmut told The Guardian. "The team has made great progress and combining this work with that of other scientists working on stem cell differentiation, there is hope that the promise of regenerative medicine could soon be met."

  • Tucker Reals

    Tucker Reals is a senior news editor and overnight site editor for CBSNews.com, based at CBS News' London bureau.

Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
by Makiba08 March 15, 2009 5:06 PM EDT
This is wonderful news. Thank you for clearing up that stem cells are retreive from IVF and placentas instead of abortions. Religious people must allow science to progress after all do they want children to suffer with the many diseases and disorders that plague them. Christianity teaches that Jesus loves all people I am sure that he would not want humankind to suffer from diseases. He himself was a healer.
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by Makiba08 March 15, 2009 5:02 PM EDT
This is wonderful news. Whew about time scientists are allowed to work toward cures with stem cells. Thank you for clearing up that scientists use IVF or placenta cells not abortion to retreive stem cells. If people want to be religous more power, but stop getting in the way of progress - especially when science can cure childres' diseases. What would you rather have children suffer.
Christianity teaches that Jesus loves all people, well I am pretty sure that he don't want them to suffer with sicknesses also did not he himself heal disease.
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by rf35 March 3, 2009 7:06 AM EST
There are no victims in America where religion is concerned. Perhpas there are victims in countries where there is religious oppression, but not among adults in America.
Posted by leeanna59 at 8:25 AM : Mar 2, 2009

Every American killed or injured by a Muslim terrorist is a victim of religion. Religion poisons all that it touches.
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by gohan31 March 2, 2009 8:41 PM EST
Happy days are going to be here again!! now we can save 90% more lives than before. We can easily accept the good of this research, but are we ready for the bad!!!
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by labrat9999 March 2, 2009 7:13 PM EST
For all you out there who don't care for stem cell research...a good friend of mine's wife has recently had much success batteling cancer using stem cells. She has been fighting with cancer for over 2 years and finally this last month they used stem cells. Her husband said it was a miracle the improvement he has seen in just 3 weeks. Thank goodness Bushy and gang are out of the White House and now we can think about some serious research without the interferance of a bunch of religious zealots.
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by SusanStoHelit March 2, 2009 5:00 PM EST
Idiots - aborted fetuses are not used for stem cell research. It's not even possible! For stem cells, they need a mere hours or days old microscopic cluster of cells - a pregnant woman wouldn't even know she was pregnant then, nor would it be possible to even find during an abortion - it's microscopic.

Stem cells come from IVF - they make a bunch of embryos, and there are always a bunch left over. Your two choices - watch them go into the trash, as they normally do - or they can be used to cure sick people. That's the choice. Abortion has nothing at all to do with this.

Why don't people take 2 seconds to look up the facts, before they make up their minds?
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by texbelle123 March 2, 2009 12:43 PM EST
hate to burst your little conservative bubble there Mac,but the source of stem cells wasn't aborted fetus tissue, but rather in the medical waste of all pregnacies (placenta, afterbirth). The idea that researchers were "killing babies" is all part of the emotional sand storm stirred up by the rethoric of the religious right. Profit has never been a motive for those who suppost abortion. Go tune back into Fox noise and give your brain a rest from trying to think.
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by MacOO7 March 2, 2009 12:14 PM EST
This is very good news indeed. Now there is no need to use aborted babies which will take away one major profit motive to perform abortions.
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by jab232 March 2, 2009 10:39 AM EST
Great news if it is true. I would make medical research possible without the interference of the government for so-called "moral" reasons.
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by tangouniforn March 2, 2009 10:26 AM EST
This is good work but it seems to need some refining. I hope that it works out. The anti-scientists said they wanted to use a persons own cells for research. Now watch the anti-cloning creatures come out of the woodwork.
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