Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells are a much more recent discovery than adult stem cells. They are found in the earliest stages of human development, when a fertilised egg is still dividing and only has between 20 and 500 cells.
Scientists and clinicians interested in tissue engineering are excited about these cells because they are pluripotent, which means they are a type of cell present in very early stage embryos which have the potential to become any cell in the body. Scientists are working out how to keep these stem cells in their pluripotent state and also how to turn these into specific types of cells. Take a look at our diagram to illustrate how we may be able to use embryonic stem cells.
We have had some successes in working on these types of cells. Working in partnership with the Fertility Centre at Life, scientists in Newcastle were amongst the first teams in the UK to derive a line of embryonic stem cells and one of the first to deposit them with the UK Stem Cell Bank for further research.
There is much work to do on embryonic stem cells. We need to understand what keeps them in their stem cell state ie what stops them becoming other types of cell. We also need to know what it is that turns them into specific cell types. We have already had some success in deriving blood cells and cartilage cells from embryonic stem cells. We are working on uncovering the mechanisms that transform them into islet cells, a type of cell found in the pancreas. These would be useful in replacing defective islet cells that are the cause of diabetes.
Therapies based on embryonic stem cells are likely to be further away than those based on adult stem cells. Because the science is so new, though, we are very hopeful that breakthroughs are on the horizon.
