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Article: Skin Cells Converted to Stem Cells; Scientists' Work Could Clear Moral Hurdle to Embryonic Research
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 22, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Scientists for the first time have turned ordinary skin cells into
what appear to be embryonic stem cells -- without having to use
human eggs or make new human embryos in the process, as has always
been required in the past, a Harvard research team announced
yesterday.
The technique uses laboratory-grown human embryonic stem cells --
such as the ones that President Bush has already approved for use by
federally funded researchers -- to "reprogram" the genes in a
person's skin cell, turning that skin cell into an embryonic stem
cell itself.
The approach -- details of which are to be published this week
in the journal Science but were made public on the journal's Web
site yesterday ...