Source: Reuters
Posted: April 23, 2008 6:28pm EDT
Summary:
Reuters reports scientists turned embryonic stem cells into three types of human heart cells:
"Scientists say they have coaxed human embryonic stem cells into becoming three of the major cell types in the human heart, and they improved cardiac function when transplanted into mice. The findings, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, showed that scientists can efficiently make different kinds of human heart cells for use in basic and clinical research. The researchers said that in the short term, they could be used to test how heart cells respond to different drugs. In the long term, the cells may be useful in developing new ways to repair damaged hearts following a heart attack. The study marks the latest step toward possibly using embryonic stem cells -- master cells that can transform into all types of cells in the body -- to treat disease in people."
