Latest news reveals the opening of second National stem cell bank in Madison. This stem cell bank will offer special iPS, induced Pluripotent stem cells that has been taken from skin cells and genetically modified to behave exactly the same as embryonic stem cells.

WiCell Bank is the second bank of Madison, providing pluripotent stem cells all approved by federal funding. Previously in 2005 first stem cell national bank was opened offering 21 stem cell lines of embryonic cells.

Dr. Erik Forsberg, executive director of the WiCell research institute says that the idea of those iPS, induced pluripotent stem cells is that, you can take those iPS cells and direct them to the heart cells to treat heart disease, neuron cells to treat Parkinson’s disease, that sort of thing.

iPS cells were first created in the lab of UW (University of Washington). These stem cells are originally human skin cells which are reverted back into its embryonic state having all the characteristics of embryonic stem cells.

Source: http://badgerherald.com/