The potential of human embryonic stem cells

摘要

Human embryonic stem cells (HESCs) are pluripotent cells derived from blastocyte stage embryos. The special properties of these cells - self renewal and piuripo-tency - give them the potential of being used not only as a source of cells for transplantation therapy but also as powerful tools for the fundamental study of the processes involved in early human development. Utilisation of the potential of HESCs depends on our ability to induce specific cell differentiation and to manipulate the cells genetically. Many diseases currently regarded as incurable could be treatable if clinicians had a sufficiently large and diverse source of cells for transplantation purposes. Scientists and doctors are currently placing their hopes for such a source of cellson a special cell type, known as embryonic stem cells (ES cells). Describing these cells, no less an authority than the Director of the US National Institute of Health, Harold Varmus, prophesied that: "It is not too unrealistic to say that this research has the potential to revolutionise the practice of medicine…".