Stem cell breakthrough in Japan

KYOTO, Japan, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Japanese researchers have been able to make adult cells act like embryonic stem cells, at least in mice.

Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University said he believes the technique could end the debate on the destruction of embryos to obtain embryonic stem cells, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. If it is as successful with human cells as it is with mice, early embryos or blastocytes would no longer be needed.

Yamanaka and his colleague Kazutoshi Takahashi found 24 genes that are expressed in early embryos. They found that a combination of four of these cells could make adult cells "pluripotent."

In other words, they became like embryonic stem cells and capable of differentiating into many kinds of cells.

In addition to bypassing the ethical dilemmas of embryonic stem cell research, the technique could solve the problem of rejection by allowing a patient's own cells to be used for treatment.

But Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology, a Massachusetts biogenetics company, warned there are potential pitfalls. He told the Journal Sentinel one of the genes involved is associated with cancer and the genetic manipulation also makes cells more prone to become cancerous.

The research was published in the journal Cell.