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Health - Reuters - updated 5:34 PM ET Oct 1
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Monday October 1 5:26 PM ET
Scientists Grow Stem Cells Without Feeder Cells
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Biotechnology company Geron Corp. announced the
publication on Monday of research demonstrating a way to grow human
embryonic stem cells without the typical layer of ``feeder cells'' from mice.
To date, all human cell lines have been developed using a layer of
so-called feeder cells from mice that supply components necessary to
sustain the human stem cells. This has raised concerns that any treatments
eventually derived using stem cell lines now in existence would be tainted
by restrictions on the use of animal tissue.
Stem cells retain the ability to develop into various kinds of tissues,
unlike other more developed cells, which can only serve one function once
they develop. Companies like Menlo Park, California-based Geron hope to
eventually clone stem cells that can develop into organs and tissues that
could cure diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's.
In early August, U.S. president George Bush announced for the first time
approval for government funding of research using stem cells. But several
conditions were put in place, including a restriction that public money be
spent only on research using the 64 stem cells lines already in
existence--a restriction that precludes federal funding on stem cell lines
that have yet to be created.
Geron's results were published on Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
``The finding greatly facilitates the development of scalable
manufacturing processes to enable commercialization of hES (human embryonic
stem) cell-based products,'' the company said in a statement.
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Ray Strand
Prairie Sky Design
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when the sky is clear
the ground is visible
49/dx PD 2 yrs/40? onset
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