X-Message-Number: 25848 From: "Basie" <> Subject: A method to mass produce stem cells Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 19:29:36 -0500 A method to mass produce stem cells Thursday, March 17, 2005 A method for mass producing embryonic stem cells has been developed by Ohio State University researchers. This method could make it easier and cheaper to meet the growing demand for stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are unspecialised cells that can grow into any of the body's 200 different types of cells, experts say. Traditional laboratory techniques used to make these stem cells are expensive and don't produce stem cells quickly enough to fill anticipated need. There are currently 22 embryonic stem cells lines on the US National Institutes of Health's Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry. "We have to find a way to mass produce them because traditional cell culturing methods can't meet the projected high market demand for stem cells," Shang-Tian Yang, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, said in a prepared statement. He and a colleague grew mouse embryonic cells in a bioreactor and were able to produce hundreds of millions more stem cells in 15 days than could be produced using current conventional laboratory methods. This new method requires less equipment and monitoring and could reduce stem cell production costs by at least 80 percent, Yang said. The research was presented this week at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego. - (HealthDayNews) http://www.health24.com/news/Genetics/1-916,31224.asp Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25848