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the breakthrough on stem cells that lets embryo survive

Daily Mail, August 24th, 2006

Scientists yesterday announced a breakthrough in stem cell research they claim could end ethical debate in the field.

Until now, embryos have always died in such experiments because so many stem cells are extracted from them.

This has led to protests that human life, even in its earliest stages, is being sacrificed in the interests of medical research.

But scientists now say they need only a single cell from a three-day-old embryo to grow stem cells, allowing the embryo to live on.

Stem cells are the body's master cells and can develop into any type of tissue.

They offer a lifeline for patients with incurable conditions because the cells can help a body to repair itself.

George Bush and the Vatican have led the opposition to stem cell research with the U.S. president banning federal funding.

The latest research was conducted by scientists at Advanced Cell Technology of Massachusetts.

Company chief scientist Robert Lanza said yesterday: 'It is possible to generate stem cells without destroying the embryo and without destroying its potential for life.

'This will make it far more difficult to oppose this research. It takes away the president's last excuse to oppose the research.'

But the initial response from groups opposed to embryo research suggested the ethical battle would go on. The UK charity Life said all such research was wrong. Some experts cast doubt on the technique, claiming the success rate would be low and clinical usefulness limited.

Experts believe stem cells are at their most powerful when taken from days-old embryos rather than in later life.

Scientists want to work out how stem cells produce different types of body tissue so that they can repeat that process to make treatments for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Parkinson's.

Dr Lanza's team had been hinting for some time that it had an acceptable alternative to destroying embryos and yesterday published its work in the journal Nature. The scientists used a method already employed in fertility treatments to extract a cell from an embryo without harm to either.

Then they grew stem cells from that single cell through the use of chemicals and growth additives.

The team said the embryos they used could have been implanted into a woman with the potential to develop as a normal pregnancy.

The embryos were taken from fertility clinics that had developed them by bringing together a couple's eggs and sperm in a test tube.

Genetic experts commonly take one cell from embryos to test for inherited genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Dr Lanza said the fact that so many children are born healthy after this procedure meant the same could be expected of the embryos in his research.

Taken from children before they are born, stem cells can develop into eyes, liver, skin or nerves.

If stored, they could provide those children with 'spare parts' later in life.

David Macauley, of the UK Stem Cell Foundation, said of the new research: 'This is a remarkable achievement which addresses one of the major constraints to advancing research ñ the provision of reliable sources of clinical grade embryonic stem cells.

'It is inspiring to see scientific innovation being used to address ethical questions often associated with stem cell research.'

Professor John Harris, a medical ethics expert at Manchester University, described the work as ' wonderfully interesting and important'.

But Julia Millington, of the Pro-Life Alliance, said embryos might be harmed by the latest procedure.

'Would anyone want to implant an embryo that has been subjected to this sort of process?' she added.

Life spokesman Matthew O'Gorman said: 'While the embryo may not be destroyed during this procedure, the human being is still treated as a means to an end ñ a laboratory tool for us to use as we wish.'

Fiona MacRae