X-Message-Number: 25848
From: "Basie" <>
Subject: A method to mass produce stem cells 
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 19:29:36 -0500

A method to mass produce stem cells
Thursday, March 17, 2005
A method for mass producing embryonic stem cells has been developed by Ohio 
State University researchers. This method could make it easier and cheaper 
to meet the growing demand for stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells are unspecialised cells that can grow into any of the 
body's 200 different types of cells, experts say. Traditional laboratory 
techniques used to make these stem cells are expensive and don't produce 
stem cells quickly enough to fill anticipated need. There are currently 22 
embryonic stem cells lines on the US National Institutes of Health's Human 
Embryonic Stem Cell Registry.
"We have to find a way to mass produce them because traditional cell 
culturing methods can't meet the projected high market demand for stem 
cells," Shang-Tian Yang, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, 
said in a prepared statement.

He and a colleague grew mouse embryonic cells in a bioreactor and were able 
to produce hundreds of millions more stem cells in 15 days than could be 
produced using current conventional laboratory methods.

This new method requires less equipment and monitoring and could reduce stem 
cell production costs by at least 80 percent, Yang said.

The research was presented this week at the national meeting of the American 
Chemical Society in San Diego. - (HealthDayNews)


http://www.health24.com/news/Genetics/1-916,31224.asp 

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