New Stem Cell Collection Method

A new method of collecting stem cells from the IVF embryo prior to implantation.

Once a single cell has been removed from an eight-cell embryo, conceived by IVF, it would be grown into a colony of ES cells in the laboratory. These would be frozen and banked, or donated for medical research. The rest of the embryo would then be implanted into a womanÂ’s womb, where it would have a good chance of giving rise to a normal pregnancy. Single cells are already removed from embryos to screen for genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, without any known adverse effects.

Robert Lanza, of Advanced Cell Technologies in Worcester, Massachusetts, who led the research, said that children born in this way would grow up with a lifetime supply of perfectly matched stem cells that could be used to treat any diseases they might develop.

"“If the cells were taken from an embryo that resulted in a child when implanted, they would be a perfect genetic match,"” he said. "They could be frozen down and stored, and used throughout the child'’s lifetime if it developed diabetes or heart disease, or even if it was going bald and wanted a hair transplant."

They also discuss how this should allow harvesting without the ethical complaints from religious groups.