Biotech Updates

Cloned Embryo Makes Functional Stem Cells

October 14, 2011

Researchers at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Laboratory used cloning technology to create a self-reproducing line of embryonic stem cells from developing embryo. The team started from scratch by conducting a series of experiments using 270 eggs from 16 donors, isolating the three important events of conventional cloning techniques to see which caused the problem in previous cloning experiments done by other researchers. They found out that the source of error is the step that involves removal of the egg's DNA. They left it in, and an embryo developed to the blastocyst stage composed of 70-100 cells, from which stems can be derived. Dieter Egli, one of the authors of the study, was surprised with the result and said, "It actually worked. Our result really proves the technical hurdles can be overcome."

Read the rest of the story at http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111005/full/news.2011.578.html..