U.S. research challenges Bush over embryonic stem-cell research

Researchers in the U.S. appear all set to challenge President Bush's stand over the issue of embryonic stem-cell research.

Just last month George Bush vetoed an expansion of federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, saying that U.S. taxpayers who object to such research should not have to pay for it.

Opponents of such research say they object to the destruction of embryos, and their powerful voice has meant that embryonic stem cell research in the United States has almost ground to a halt since 2001.

At that time President Bush placed limits on federal funding and declared that the money could only be used to study stem cell lines derived from embryos that had been already been destroyed before the limit was set.

This resulted in fewer high-quality lines being available than originally thought and though some state and private money has been used to fill the gap in research funding, scientists say more federal money is needed for any credible research to happen.

Now researchers at Advanced Cell Technology, a biotechnology company with facilities in Alameda, California and Worcester, Massachusetts, say they have developed a way to make human embryonic stem cells without harming the original embryo.

They believe their discovery could settle the debate over the ethics of using such cells for research.

Chief scientist Dr. Robert Lanza says they have found it is possible to generate stem cells without destroying the embryo and without destroying its potential for life, and this removes the President's last excuse to oppose the research.

Stem cells are the body's master cells and are available from many sources but most experts believe the most powerful and versatile cells may be those taken from days-old embryos.

Scientists believe by studying these cells, they will discover what compounds enable them to produce any kind of body tissue, and replicate that to create tailored-made treatments for spinal injuries, Alzheimer's and diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Parkinson's.

The scientists used a method already employed in fertility treatments to remove one cell from a human embryo without harming it and then they grew stem cells from that single cell.

They used embryos taken from fertility clinics with the potential to develop normally.

As a rule clinics make many embryos for a couple using eggs and sperm, and implant a few to try to start a woman's pregnancy and the rest are frozen and eventually discarded.

Genetic experts are then able to take one cell from the embryos to test for inherited genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, and the embryos can still be safely implanted; Dr. Lanza says statistics suggest up to 1,500 healthy children are born this way every year.

For the research the scientists allowed the fertilised eggs grow to the 8- to 10-cell stage when they are no longer able to divide into twins but the cells can still form any cell or tissue in the body.

Dr. Lanza's team were able to get 19 different cells to grow and achieved two stem-cell batches, called lines which were genetically normal and retained their potential to form all of the cells in the human body, including nerve, liver, blood, vascular, and retinal cells that could potentially be used to treat a range of human diseases.

Ethical considerations still remain and many believe the debate will continue over the ethical issues.

Dr. Lanza says the promise of embryonic stem cells lies in their ability to be "pluripotent," and develop into any cell type in the body.

He says his team would make any stem-cell lines available to scientists for free.

The research is published in the journal Nature.