Monday, March 21, 2016
NY Stem Cell Foundation: New Type of Stem Cell Found that Will Accelerate Discovery
Normal human cells contain two copies of each gene – one inherited from a mother, and one from a father. An international collaboration of scientists including NYSCF Senior Research Fellow and NYSCF – Robertson Investigator Dr. Dieter Egli created human stem cells, cells that can mature into any type of cell in the body, with only one copy of each gene.
These cells are known as ‘haploid’ cells since they maintain only one set of the genome, half, as opposed to the normal two sets. The research, published in Nature, represents a landmark in research techniques and biotechnology. These haploid stem cells mark the first time scientists created cells that can grow and divide infinitely with only one copy of the human genome.
For scientists, this unprecedented achievement will accelerate the pace of biomedical research and potential cell-based therapies. . .