StemLifeLine generated human embryonic stem cell lines while leaving the development of embryos unaffected
A major step towards developing personalized embryonic stem cells for IVF babies
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., January 10, 2008. – StemLifeLine, Inc. is proud to announce that its scientific team is the first in the world to successfully validate a technology developed and first reported by Advanced Cell Technologies for derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines from extracted embryonic cells (blastomeres) while leaving the embryo intact. As reported today in the prestigious scientific journal, Cell Stem Cell (www.cellstemcell.com), StemLifeLine’s scientists and their collaborators have improved the technology by increasing the efficiency of the process ten-fold in comparison to the original report and eliminating the need for use of other embryonic stem cells to support the derivation.
The new technique is partly based on a common test done in fertility clinics, known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this procedure, one or sometimes, two cells are removed for genetic testing once the embryo has reached the eight-cell stage. The process leaves the development of the embryo unaffected. Embryos that have been subjected to the procedure and then implanted in the womb have yielded healthy babies.
“Reported improvements in technology pave the way for bringing this technique to the fertility clinics and will lead to the development of personalized embryonic stem cells for IVF babies.” stated Ana Krtolica, Ph.D., cofounder, CEO and chief scientific officer (CSO) of StemLifeLine. “We are intensely working on refining this technique in order to be able to offer it to the IVF patients in the not-so-distant future.”
The novel technique will allow IVF patients to create personalized embryonic stem cells for their children that will contain identical genetic material as child and therefore, be perfect immunologic match for any future cell therapy. While these published results represent a great step forward in achieving this goal, this ground-breaking service will not be immediately available to IVF patients.
Embryonic stem cells are the original building blocks of the body’s various organs and tissues. Unlike adult or cord blood stem cells, they can grow indefinitely and form virtually any cell type in the human body, a trait that is referred to as “pluripotency.” For example stem cells can form liver, muscle or brain cells and can have more than one potential outcome. Due to their unlimited growth potential, they can be propagated, or multiplied, to produce as many cells as needed.
About StemLifeLine
StemLifeLine is a San Francisco Bay Area life sciences company that offers individuals who have undergone in vitro fertilization a unique option to develop stem cell lines from their remaining stored embryos. In May 2007, StemLifeLine received notification of approval for a tissue bank license from the California Department of Health Services.
StemLifeLine was founded in 2005 by a group of internationally recognized experts in the study of human embryonic stem cell derivation and in vitro fertilization and a leading European business angel and entrepreneur
For additional information, please visit the StemLifeLine website at http://www.stemlifeline.com/
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