Making stem cells in the lab: a training program and a study

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMay 5 2010

Training program

Young researchers will now be trained for the first time by the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC) in scientific techniques of using and growing human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in research. This training will be through StemCore iPS Cell Workshop, the ASCC's national facility for the provision of stem cells and advice.

This is a technique that was discovered by the Japanese in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka, who used four genes to turn a regular mouse cell into an embryo. Stem cell creating in this way does not impinge on the issues of killing an embryo when the latter is used for stem cells. This process essentially means that ordinary cells of the body like cells from the skin can be re-programmed to become stem cells. Stem cells are versatile cells that can grow into virtually all types of cells of the body like nerves, heart, liver, kidney etc. iPS technique has been used for treatment and understanding of diseases, testing of new drugs, and for various research purposes.

This training will be a hands-on laboratory based training course wherein participants will get a direct experience using technique. As expected researchers are flocking for seats and this week’s inaugural course is fully booked. There will be training accompanied by lectures at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology located within the University of Queensland.

The course will be headed by Associate Professor Ernst Wolvetang, an expert in embryonic stem cells, iPS cells, cell reprogramming and genetic stability. To cite an example of the various uses of the technique he said, “…the StemCore iPS laboratory is helping Professor’s Carolyn Sue and Alan MacKay-Sim to make iPS cell lines from patients with Parkinson’s disease and Schizophrenia, respectively”. Other speakers include Australian iPS cell scientists such as Dr Paul Verma from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, Dr Andrew Laslett of CSIRO, and Dr Jeremy Crook of the O’Brien Institute and Cytentia, an iPS cell bank.

Use of these stem cells

Scientists have made these pluripotent cells from pigs using this technique. According to Dr. Steve Stice, director of the University of Georgia Regenerative Bioscience Center, the bone marrow of the pigs was injected with five genes that made them act like embryos.

These stem cells were harvested and then injected in another pig embryo. The first of these piglets with lab-made stem cells were born on September 3rd, 2009. Stice says, “Physiologically, pigs are much closer to a human.”

He added that this technique has until now not shown an increased propensity to cause tumors or cancers in the pigs. He says that this technique could help research in heart disease, diabetes and other research and also pave way for artificially made bacon! The research will be published in the online journal Stem Cell and Development.