Embryonic Stem cells create tumours, says expert
EMBRYONIC stem cells turn into tumours when injected into human tissue and therefore cannot be used to treat diseases, a visiting US expert said today. Professor James Sherley, a researcher in the field of adult stem cells, is one of a series of experts in Canberra to lobby MPs ahead of a conscience vote on whether a ban on therapeutic cloning should be overturned. Prof Sherley, from Boston’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), today said scientists had failed to reveal problems with embryonic stem cells that would prevent them being used in humans. The unique feature of embryonic stem cells that allowed them to turn into any cell of the body, known as pluripotency, created a problem when researchers injected them into tissue, Prof Sherley said. “When you put them in an environment where they can grow and develop, they make lots of different kind of tissues,” Prof Sherley said.
“This tumour formation property is an inherent feature of the cells.”And all you have to do is simply inject them into an animal tissue – this happens at very high efficiency. “And although some might say we can solve the tumour problem down the road, that’s equivalent to saying we can solve the cancer problem and we may, but that’s a long time coming.” Prof Sherley said the tumours, called teratomas, were generally considered benign, but it was possible they could metastasize or produce chemicals such as enzymes and cytokines that affect other parts of the body.
Prof Sherley said many scientists agreed with his views but were too scared to speak out over concerns it could affect their funding and reputation. Adult stem cells were not known to form tumours, he said.
I think that this is just one thing that isn’t being reported. For all the hype of what the potential is with embryonic stem cells, we have yet to see any hard evidence…..
