The first embryonic stem (ES) cells to be grown in the United Kingdom hit the headlines in mid-August. The new stem-cell lines — to be deposited at the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank — will ensure much easier access to ES cells for European researchers in particular (BBC News).

The Stem Cell Bank, which will open in autumn 2003 (Financial Times), will be a world first. This Medical Research Council initiative should be a source of quality-controlled stem cells for researchers worldwide. Having ES cells maintained in a centralized resource will also reduce the number of surplus embryos that are required by individual research teams.

The Financial Times reported that the ES cell lines produced by teams at King's College London and Newcastle University were generated from surplus in vitro fertilization embryos. Peter Braude from King's College said: “We are proud of the particular way that our lines have been generated.”

The King's College group is targeting Parkinson disease and type 1 diabetes as disorders that could benefit from ES cell research: “We already know that putting cells into patients with those diseases works but there is a significant shortage of transplantable material”, said Stephen Minger (BBC News).

Predictably, pro-life groups saw things differently: “It's forbidden fruit, playing with human life” said Jack Scarisbrook, chair of the group LIFE (The Guardian).

Media coverage elsewhere was muted, which is unsurprising given that many other countries including the United States, Australia, India and Sweden have already successfully grown ES cell lines (New Scientist). Despite this, the breakthrough, coupled with the imminent opening of the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank, should provide a significant spur to geneticists who are interested in using ES cells for their research.