Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACTC.OB), a California based biotechnology company, announce today that they have successfully generated human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) using an approach that does not harm embryos – a breakthrough in the field of regenerative medicine. The technique will be reported today in an article appearing online (ahead of print) in the prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature.

William M. Caldwell, IV. Chief Executive Officer Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. says that they have demonstrated, for the very first time, that human embryonic stem cells can be derived from a single cell without interfering with the embryo’s potential for full development.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing human stem cell technology, is on the cutting-edge in this field and has been squarely focused on the derivation of embryonic stem cells using established methods. ACT willcontinue to pursue such methods and continue to support responsible research in the biology of human development. Such research is necessary, as has been emphasized by many groups including the National Academy of Science, the American Medical Association, and others, to treat a host of diseases potentially treatable in the emerging field of regenerative medicine.

According to William M. Caldwell, due to the current political climate surrounding embryonic stem cell research, they have also dedicated resources to the development of this alternative approach that does not interfere with the developmental potential of the embryo. they are, to say the least, excited to share with the world, the news that we have been successful in this endeavor. they believe this technique has the potential to play a critical role in the advancement of regenerative medicine, and possibly a way out of the current political impasse in this country and elsewhere.

The scientific paper, “Human embryonic stem cell lined derived from single blastomeres,” describes the method for deriving stem cells from human blastomeres with a single-cell biopsy technique, known as Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD. This technique has been used in in-vitro fertility (IVF) clinics around the world for more than a decade to assess the genetic health of pre-implantation embryos. In fact, more than 2,000 healthy children have been born following blastomere single cell biopsy for pre-implantation diagnosis.

The derivation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells currently requires the destruction of exutero embryos. A previous study in mice indicates that it might be possible to generate embryonic stem (ES) cells using a single-cell biopsy similar to that used in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which does not interfere with the embryo’s developmental potential. By growing the single blastomere overnight, the resulting cells could be used for both genetic testing and stem cell derivation without affecting the clinical outcome of the procedure.

A series of experiments was carried out to determine whether hES cells can be derived from single blastomeres . Unused embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) for clinical purposes were obtained with full informed consent and used in compliance with Advanced Cell Technology’s ethics advisory board and institutional review board. Sixteen pronuclear- and multicell-stage embryos were thawed and cultured to the 8–10-cell stage in 20-ml microdrops of Quinn’s cleavage medium under paraffin oil.

The CEO., Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. encourage the federal government to conclude that human embryonic stem cells derived using this technology that does not impair the development capacity of embryos should be approved for federal funding. they are confident that this support would present a genuine opportunity to advance the field of regenerative medicine in the United States.

Source: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.