Understanding Embryonic Stem Cells

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EurekAlert! reports on an important advance in understanding just what makes an embryonic stem cell an embryonic stem cell: scientists "have found that the DNA of human embryonic stem cells is chemically modified in a characteristic, predictable pattern. This pattern distinguishes human embryonic stem cells from normal adult cells and cell lines, including cancer cells. ... Our results suggest that therapeutic cloning of patient-specific human embryonic stem cells will be an enormous challenge, as nuclei from adult cells will have to be epigenetically reprogrammed to reflect the specific DNA methylation signature of normal human embryonic stem cells. This reinforces the need for basic research directed at understanding the fundamental biology of human embryonic stem cells before therapeutic uses can be considered." Informed commentary on the difficulty of creating embryonic stem cells from adult cells is a big step up from not knowing how to do the job.

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/cshl-hes080106.php