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Eggs from embryonic stem cells could benefit sterile women
June 20, 2005Monash researchers have developed a process that causes embryonic stem (ES) cells to develop into ovarian structures containing eggs.
The researchers believe the process could in future be used to develop eggs for sterile women that contain the women's own genetic material.
In 2003, international scientists demonstrated that ES cells could spontaneously develop into structures containing eggs when maintained in a culture containing foetal calf serum. However the result has not been able to be replicated.
In response, Dr Orly Lacham-Kaplan from the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories has developed a simple, repeatable system to support the development of ES cells into ovarian structures containing eggs. The system has involved only mouse ES cells.
She presented her findings today at the annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.
"At this stage the eggs obtained from the process are at an early stage of development," Dr Lacham-Kaplan said. "Further studies are required to explore whether they're normal and able to mature and participate in fertilisation and embryo development."
Dr Lacham-Kaplan's ultimate goal is to find ways for infertile couples to have children. "Some people just don't have eggs or sperm and there's little we can do for them except use donor material. The ability to develop eggs in vitro could primarily assist sterile women but could also reduce the ongoing strain on donor egg programs." It could also help create a 'bank' of eggs that could be used for nuclear transfer - where an egg's genetic material is removed and replaced with that of a sterile woman.
For eggs, or oocytes, to develop from ES cells, proteins called growth factors are required. The testis is a good source of growth factors, acting as a nursery for the development of eggs and sperm.
Knowing this, Dr Lacham-Kaplan prepared a growth medium conditioned with testicular cells. Embryoid bodies-aggregates of cells derived from embryonic stem cells - were cultured in the medium and, after seven days, had transformed into ovarian-looking structures containing follicles.
"Further studies revealed that two genes specific to eggs were indeed expressed in the structures so we believe it is an ovary-type structure that contains oocytes," she said.
"Once the embryoid bodies were in an environment with growth factors sufficient for differentiation and they were not exposed to the factors responsible for the differentiation into male reproductive cells, they spontaneously differentiated into female reproductive cells even though they were originated from male ES cells."
Research Australia
She presented her findings today at the annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.
"At this stage the eggs obtained from the process are at an early stage of development," Dr Lacham-Kaplan said. "Further studies are required to explore whether they're normal and able to mature and participate in fertilisation and embryo development."
Dr Lacham-Kaplan's ultimate goal is to find ways for infertile couples to have children. "Some people just don't have eggs or sperm and there's little we can do for them except use donor material. The ability to develop eggs in vitro could primarily assist sterile women but could also reduce the ongoing strain on donor egg programs." It could also help create a 'bank' of eggs that could be used for nuclear transfer - where an egg's genetic material is removed and replaced with that of a sterile woman.
For eggs, or oocytes, to develop from ES cells, proteins called growth factors are required. The testis is a good source of growth factors, acting as a nursery for the development of eggs and sperm.
Knowing this, Dr Lacham-Kaplan prepared a growth medium conditioned with testicular cells. Embryoid bodies-aggregates of cells derived from embryonic stem cells - were cultured in the medium and, after seven days, had transformed into ovarian-looking structures containing follicles.
"Further studies revealed that two genes specific to eggs were indeed expressed in the structures so we believe it is an ovary-type structure that contains oocytes," she said.
"Once the embryoid bodies were in an environment with growth factors sufficient for differentiation and they were not exposed to the factors responsible for the differentiation into male reproductive cells, they spontaneously differentiated into female reproductive cells even though they were originated from male ES cells."
Research Australia
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For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.
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Stem cell research is making great strides. This is yet again illustrated by a study carried out by the I-STEM* Institute (I-STEM/ Inserm UEVE U861/AFM), published in the Lancet on 21 November 2009. The I-STEM team, directed by Marc Peschanski has just succeeded in recreating a whole epidermis from human embryonic stem cells.
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NIH-funded researchers transform embryonic stem cells into human germ cells
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Small mechanical forces have big impact on embryonic stem cells
Applying a small mechanical force to embryonic stem cells could be a new way of coaxing them into a specific direction of differentiation, researchers at the University of Illinois report. Applications for force-directed cell differentiation include therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.
Fate Therapeutics announces creation of small molecule platform for commercial-scale reprogramming
Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today the generation of human induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a combination of small molecules that significantly improves the speed and efficiency of reprogramming.
A major step in making better stem cells from adult tissue
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