The Ministry of Health has recently reported success at the Stem
Cell Research Center of the Second Hospital attached to Zhongshan
University. The work at the center has led to China being one of
only a few countries where human embryonic stem cell systems have
been produced. The center has also succeeded in inducing mice
embryonic stem cells to develop on into hemopoietic stem cells,
associated with blood production, by using the "phasing method" for
the first time in China. These achievements are considered of
significant value to the development of hemopoietic stem cell
transplants in clinical practice.
Professor Huang Shaoliang, head of the Stem Cell Research Center
and researcher He Zhixu have succeeded in establishing three human
embryonic stem cell systems styled CHE1, CHE2 and CHE3. They used
material taken from the ball of cells known as the blastula that
develops out of the original single-cell or human zygote.
The center has now finished an appraisal of its work on embryonic
stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells are the most basic type of stem cells. They
are capable of regenerating themselves. Stem cells go on through
multiple divisions to develop into a total of 206 kinds of more
complex cells, which make up the human body.
According to Professor Huan Shaoliang, the self-regeneration,
proliferation and differentiation functions of stem cells make them
basis of life development. The various biological models based on
this can show all the biological status of human organs and
individual development.
Research in the field will serve to clarify the mechanisms of
cancer, hereditary disease, degeneration histopathology, diseases
of the immune system and even aging. It will provide an ideal
platform for the selection of new medicines and investigation of
their toxicity and efficacy. It will offer new insights into the
function of genes.
(China.org.cn, by Wang Qian, November 5, 2002)