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WISCONSIN: UW Plans To Grow New Stem-Cell Lines 10:35 PM 3/03/04 Ron Seely Wisconsin State Journal Despite federal funding restrictions on their use, UW-Madison researchers plan to grow new human embryonic stem-cell lines that could potentially be used to help cure a number of diseases. Such new lines will be necessary if stem cells are to fulfill their promise, said Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Currently, UW-Madison's WiCell Institute markets five lines of human embryonic stem cells that can be used for research supported by federal grants. Those lines were on the original list of 78 human embryonic stem-cell lines approved by President Bush for research supported by federal grants. While scientists can work with stem-cell lines not on the list, they would not be eligible for grants from funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation. Bush announced the restrictions on stem-cell lines in 2001 as a compromise to allow research but prevent further destruction of embryos. In most cases, the colonies of cells are grown from cells taken from donated human embryos, such as those from in vitro fertilization clinics. The embryos are destroyed in the process. Harvard University announced this week it is creating an institute devoted to stem-cell research. The university is also offering researchers free access to 17 new cell lines developed since Bush's restrictions were announced. Scientists can purchase cells from the WiCell Institute in Madison for a $900 fee, which includes a two-day instructional seminar. Meanwhile, problems with the federally approved stem-cell lines appear to be growing. An unpublished study by the National Institutes of Health, reported on by the Washington Post, shows at least 16 of the 78 approved colonies are useless for research because they have either died for failed to reproduce. Human embryonic stem cells are the body's building blocks. They are prized by researchers because they are very early stage, or undifferentiated, cells. They haven't yet begun to grow into specific tissues, such as those for the heart or the pancreas. Scientists hope to learn how to guide the growth of the cells so they can be used to replace diseased cells and treat diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes. New stem-cell lines would be derived by taking them from donated embryos. UW-Madison has been a leader in the research. Developmental biologist James Thomson was the first to grow and sustain human embryonic stem cells in the lab. The university has distributed cells from its existing lines to 180 U.S. researchers. Thomson and other UW-Madison scientists are now working to improve the cells and to learn how to coax them to grow into different tissues. Andy Cohn, a spokesman for WARF and the WiCell Institute, said it is only a matter of time before researchers here derive new stem-cell lines. UW-Madison scientists, he added, are already doing studies that will allow them to generate human embryonic stem cells without using animal cells, such as those from mice, as material to help the cells grow. All the federally approved lines have been derived using animal cells to help them grow. Some fear that using these cells in future human studies could transfer non-human viruses. Such problems with the federally approved lines are reason enough to derive new lines, Gulbrandsen said, especially as scientists move closer to clinical trials on humans. Gulbrandsen added that federal dollars will be necessary to move the research forward because not enough private funding is available. "Relative to what the federal government can spend, it's almost insignificant," he added. Contact Ron Seely at [log in to unmask] or 252-6131 SOURCE: Wisconsin State Journal, WI http://www.madison.com/wisconsinstatejournal/local/69378.php * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn