Stem Cell Breakthrough Is Reported by Scientists

Harvard scientists say they have fused an adult skin cell with an embryonic stem cell, a development that could lead to the creation of useful stem cells without involving human embryos.

Preliminary results of the groundbreaking research were disclosed Sunday evening on the Science magazine website.

The Harvard researchers said they were able to show that the fused cell “was reprogrammed to its embryonic state.”

“If future experiments indicate that this reprogrammed state is retained after removing the embryonic stem cell DNA -- currently a formidable technical hurdle -- the hybrid cells could theoretically be used to produce embryonic stem cell lines that are tailored to individual patients without the need to create and destroy human embryos,” said a summary of the research reported on the Science site.

That could lead to creation of stem cells without having to use human eggs or make new human embryos in the process, thereby sidestepping much of the controversy over stem cell research.

The Harvard researchers used laboratory-grown human embryonic stem cells -- such as the ones that President Bush has already approved for use by federally funded researchers -- to essentially convert a skin cell into an embryonic stem cell.

If hurdles can be overcome, the technique “may circumvent some of the logistical and societal concerns” that have held up much of the research in this country, Chad A. Cowan, Kevin Eggan and colleagues from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute report in the Science article.