ACTC discovers benign way of harvesting hES cells

The USA's Advanced Cell Technology says it has successfully generated human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) using an approach that does not harm embryos. The method, which is reported in an article appearing on-line in the journal Nature, derives stem cells from human blastomeres with a single-cell biopsy technique called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.

This technique is used in in vitro fertilization clinics to assess the genetic health of preimplantation embryos. The cell lines produced using this technique appear to be identical to hES cell lines derived from later-stage embryos using techniques that destroy the embryo's developmental potential. The firm had previously reported the successful use of a similar technique in mice in the science magazine, Nature in October 2005.