Research with human embryonic stem cells is in the news. On May 24, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to allow federal funding of research with new lines of human embryonic stem cells developed from excess embryos at in-vitro fertilization clinics. The bill is now being considered in the U.S. Senate. The Detroit Free Press examined the legal and political issues affecting what types of stem cell research can be conducted in the state of Michigan in front-page stories on May 25 and 26. (Read the May 25 and May 26 story here)

Research with human embyonic stem cells raises complex and sensitive questions that should be considered carefully and discussed widely. To weigh the arguments on both sides, it's important to know some basic facts about the different types of stem cells, where they come from and what scientists hope to learn by studying them. Here are answers to 15 questions about stem cells that will give you information you need to make an informed decision about this important social and scientific issue.

What are embryonic stem cells and where do they come from?

Embryonic stem cells, or ES cells, are primitive cells that develop inside a hollow sphere called a blastocyst (an early embryo), which forms shortly after an egg is fertilized by sperm. At this very early stage of development, the blastocyst has not yet implanted in the wall of the uterus. Scientists can remove stem cells from the blastocyst three to five days after fertilization and grow them in a culture dish in the laboratory. Under the right conditions, these cells will retain the ability to self-renew, or make copies of themselves, indefinitely. By treating them with specific growth factors, scientists are beginning to understand how to make them differentiate or change into any of the 200 different types of cells in the human body.

Do embryonic stem cells come from an aborted human fetus?

No, by the time a human embryo in the uterus has developed into a fetus (at the end of the eighth week after conception) all its embryonic stem cells are already “committed” to becoming a specific type of cell. There is no connection between abortion and human embryonic stem cells.

What’s the connection between in-vitro fertilization and embryonic stem cells?

People who are unable to conceive a child through sexual intercourse sometimes go to fertility clinics for a medical treatment called in-vitro fertilization. In IVF, eggs are removed from the woman’s body and fertilized with sperm in a culture dish. After the fertilized eggs develop into blastocysts, one or more are placed in the woman’s uterus. If a blastocyst implants in the uterine wall and continues to develop, it can result in a normal pregnancy. Extra blastocysts can be frozen for later use, destroyed, or donated for research. In this case, scientists can remove the stem cells inside the blastocyst and use them to create new lines of human embryonic stem cells for research.

Why is research with human ES cells important?

Scientists believe research with human embryonic stem cells could answer fundamental questions about how specialized cells develop in an embryo and how they communicate and work together to form all the organs and tissues in the human body. Research with embryonic stem cells also could lead to new, more effective treatments for serious human diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, heart attacks and spinal cord injuries. Human stem cell lines also will be useful in pharmacological testing and as models for drug discovery.

What about adult stem cells or stem cells from cord blood?

Unlike embryonic stem cells, which have the potential to give rise to every type of cell, adult stem cells (sometimes called tissue stem cells) have fewer options. Their development potential is limited to a few specific types of cells. Adult stem cells are found in many types of tissue – including blood, the peripheral nervous system, the brain, muscle, bone, liver and skin. Umbilical cords from newborn babies contain blood-forming stem cells, which can be used to treat patients with certain types of cancer. There are no federal, state or university restrictions on research with human adult stem cells or stem cells from umbilical cords.

Does the U-M have an official policy governing research with human ES cells?

All U-M research with human embryonic stem cells must be in compliance with the university’s official policy. The current policy is available on the U-M web site at: www.research.umich.edu/policies/um/ESCells.html. It was developed by a U-M faculty committee and adopted in January 2005. The policy complies with current NIH guidelines.

Is this policy in compliance with the guidelines for embryonic stem cell research issued by the National Academy of Sciences?

The U-M supports many of the recommendations outlined in the National Academy of Sciences report, which was released on April 26, 2005. The report provides guidelines for the ethical use of embryos in research. A committee of U-M scientists and administrators will review the guidelines to determine how to incorporate them into current U-M policies and procedures.

What kinds of human embryonic stem cells can be used in U-M research?

U-M research studies funded by the National Institutes of Health or other federal funding agencies are restricted to existing stem cell lines, created before August 9, 2001, and listed on the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry. Privately funded U-M research studies can be conducted with new cell lines not listed in the NIH registry, as long as they meet the conditions outlined in the university’s official policy statement, including:

• Embryos used to create new cell lines must come from fertility clinics
• Only embryos no longer needed for reproductive purposes can be donated for research
• Embryos cannot be purchased and there must be no incentive to donate
• Full informed consent from the donor is required
• The donor’s privacy and confidentiality must be protected

What kinds of research involving human embryonic stem cells are prohibited at U-M?

The laws of the state of Michigan prohibit: 1) human cloning, which is defined as a technique to create a human embryo, and 2) use of a live embryo for non-therapeutic research where the research will substantially jeopardize the embryo.

This means that U-M researchers can use human ES cell lines created by others – either the federally approved lines or new lines created elsewhere in accord with U-M policy. U-M scientists cannot create new human embryonic stem cell lines in the state of Michigan, if doing so would substantially jeopardize a live embryo.

Where do the human ES cells used in U-M research come from?

For federally funded research, U-M uses human embryonic stem cell lines from WiCell Research Institute in Madison, Wisconsin; BresaGen, Inc. of Athens, Georgia; and the University of California, San Francisco. They are all federally approved sources of stem cell lines listed on the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry. Since genetic diversity is important in stem cell research, the center will maintain at least five different cell lines for use by U-M scientists.

Who is responsible for reviewing and approving U-M research with human embryonic stem cells?

Institutional Review Boards are responsible for reviewing and approving research protocols to create new human embryonic stem cell lines, and the use of certain specified procedures involving ES cells.

What is the U-M Exploratory Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research?

The U-M Center contains a core laboratory that maintains human embryonic stem cells for use by the U-M scientific community. U-M scientists who want to use cell lines maintained in the center must sign a Materials Transfer Agreement.

Since human embryonic stem cells are more difficult to grow in culture than other types of cells, specialized training and experience are necessary to work with them effectively. Scientists and staff affiliated with the center help other U-M researchers learn how to work with these cells and use them in their research. Staff at the center monitors all stem cell colonies to ensure they remain free from chromosomal anomalies or infection.

How is the U-M center funded?

The U-M center is one of three Exploratory Centers for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in the United States. It was funded in 2003 with a $2.3-million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), one of the National Institutes of Health. The other two centers are at the University of Washington, Seattle/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the WiCell Research Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.

How many U-M scientists are involved in the center?

K. Sue O’Shea, Ph.D., professor of cell and developmental biology in the U-M Medical School, is principal investigator and directs work at the center. Over 20 U-M scientists, research fellows and graduate students have used the center’s services. Eight U-M scientists have received $75,000 pilot grants from the center to study how human ES cells differentiate into a variety of cell types – including bone, heart muscle cells, neurons and blood cells.

Where can I find additional information on stem cells?

For general information on stem cells, see the National Institute of Health’s web site at http://stemcells.nih.gov

For more information on stem cell research in the U-M Medical School, go to
http://www.medicineatmichigan.org/magazine/2002/winter/stemcell/default.asp

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