Monday, August 06, 2007

Not All Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Are Created Equal

Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: August 6, 2007

Summary:

When it comes to generating neurons, researchers have found that not all embryonic stem (ES) cell lines are equal. In comparing neurons generated from two NIH-approved embryonic stem cell lines, scientists have uncovered significant differences in the mature, functioning neurons generated from each line. The discovery implies that culture conditions during ES cell generation -- which have yet to be identified -- can influence the developmental properties of human ES cells.