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Published online 5 September 2005 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news050905-1

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Gene defects plague stem-cell lines

Cancerous mutations threaten therapeutic future for cells.

Embryonic stem cells that are cultured in the lab accumulate an alarming array of genetic changes, including mutations known to be linked to cancer. The finding throws into question whether such cells could eventually be used for therapy, unless they can be kept fresh and checked for mutations before use.

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