New evidence that stem cells contain immortal DNA

Source: EuroStemCell (the European Consortium for Stem Cell Research)
Posted: June 27, 2006

Summary:

EuroStemCell scientists at the Pasteur Institute in Paris have demonstrated one of the body’s most sophisticated ways of regulating the genetic material of stem cells. Their findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, show for the first time the mechanism that adult muscle stem cells use to protect their DNA from mutations. Understanding this has important implications for cancer research, the study of gene regulation, and ultimately growing stem cells of therapeutic potential in the laboratory.

Commentary: Hopefully this finding will provide researchers with insights into how to create patient-specific and disease-specific stem cells that will treat disease and injury while avoiding the risk of patient immune system rejection of the stem cells.