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Stem cells

Recycling the abnormal

Nature volume 447, pages 649–650 (2007)Cite this article

Using human eggs in the quest to make donor-specific embryonic stem cells is controversial. A method developed in mice, if applicable to humans, could eliminate the need to obtain eggs for this purpose.

On page 679 of this issue, Egli et al.1 describe a promising method for generating embryonic stem-cell (ESC) lineages using the technique of somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Conventional SCNT involves replacement of the nuclear genetic material of an unfertilized egg (oocyte), with that of a somatic (non-germ) cell. After 'fertilization', which is induced by chemical or electrical triggers, the embryo undergoes several rounds of cell division and, after implantation into a foster mother, may develop to term. So far, this technique has been used successfully to clone 12 species. It also has been used in mice to generate ESCs from a 3.5-day-old mouse embryo2 — a blastocyst.

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Figure 1: Somatic-cell nuclear transfer using abnormal embryos.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alan Colman is at ES Cell International and the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology, 11 Biopolis Way, 05-06 Helios, Singapore 138667. acolman@escellinternational.com,

    Alan Colman

  2. Justine Burley is in the Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, CeLS 05-01, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456.,

    Justine Burley

Authors
  1. Alan Colman
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  2. Justine Burley
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Colman, A., Burley, J. Recycling the abnormal. Nature 447, 649–650 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/447649a

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