[Science Report]:New Stem Cell Study


This is the VOA SpecialEnglish SCIENCE REPORT.

Researchers at an American medical center say special stem cellsin normal human blood can develop into other kinds of healthy, newtissue. The new findings could become important in forming publicpolicy concerning stem cell research.

Graphic Image
Graphic Image

Adult stem cells are unformedcells that exist in the blood and blood-making tissue of the body.Researchers at M-D Cancer Center in Houston, Texas say adult stemcells taken from blood can create new tissue in several organs.

They made the discovery after examining about twelve patients whohad received blood from family members. The blood was rich in therare stem cells that make red and white blood cells.

The patients needed the blood and stem cells after cancertreatments had destroyed the ability of their own bone marrow tomake new blood cells. The doctors had thought the stem cells wouldonly restore the patients' ability to make new blood cells.

However, they found that some of the stem cells spread to thepatients' livers and began to grow liver cells. Some of the stemcells also grew into skin cells and cells in the intestine. Theresearchers said some of the stem cells settled into the patients'organs within two weeks.

The research was published in the New England Journal ofMedicine.

The doctors who did the research say the tests prove that adultstem cells can become liver, skin and other kinds of cells. Theexperiment appears to show that adult stem cells are more usefulthan medical researchers had thought.

Until recently, doctors did not think that adult stem cells couldproduce new tissue in organs. For this reason, many people haveurged Congress to permit research on embryonic stem cells taken fromfertilized human eggs. These unformed embryonic stem cells arebelieved to be able to become any kind of tissue in the body.However, the Bush administration has put limits on embryonic stemcell research. President Bush believes it is not moral to experimenton fertilized human eggs.

If confirmed, the new discovery will add to the debate over stemcells. It will also strengthen the idea that adults have cells thatcan repair damage to organs. And experts say it could lead to newtreatments for diseases based on using the body's own cells.

This VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT was written by MarioRitter.

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