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| Pioneering adult stem cell trial approved by Japan | Pioneering adult stem cell trial approved by Japan |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The first trial of stem cells produced from a patient's own body has been approved by the Japanese government. | The first trial of stem cells produced from a patient's own body has been approved by the Japanese government. |
| Stem cells can become any other part of the body - from nerve to bone to skin - and are touted as the future of medicine. | Stem cells can become any other part of the body - from nerve to bone to skin - and are touted as the future of medicine. |
| Researchers in Japan will use the cells to attempt to treat a form of blindness - age-related macular degeneration. | Researchers in Japan will use the cells to attempt to treat a form of blindness - age-related macular degeneration. |
| The announcement was described as "a major step forward" for research in the field. | The announcement was described as "a major step forward" for research in the field. |
| There are already trials taking place using stem cells taken from embryos. But this is ethically controversial and the cells will not match a patient's own tissues, so there is a risk of rejection. | There are already trials taking place using stem cells taken from embryos. But this is ethically controversial and the cells will not match a patient's own tissues, so there is a risk of rejection. |
| Induced pluripotent stem cells, however, are made by coaxing a sample of the patient's skin to become stem cells, so there should be no risk of rejection. | |
| Sight saving? | Sight saving? |
| Japan's health minister, Norihisa Tamura, has ruled that the cells can now be tested in patients. | Japan's health minister, Norihisa Tamura, has ruled that the cells can now be tested in patients. |
| The trial will by run by the Riken Center for Developmental Biology and the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation Hospital in Kobe. | The trial will by run by the Riken Center for Developmental Biology and the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation Hospital in Kobe. |
| Initially, six patients will receive transplants of cells to see if the procedure can restore their damaged vision. | Initially, six patients will receive transplants of cells to see if the procedure can restore their damaged vision. |
| Prof Chris Mason, an expert on regenerative medicine at University College London said: "This was expected, but it's obviously a major step forward. | Prof Chris Mason, an expert on regenerative medicine at University College London said: "This was expected, but it's obviously a major step forward. |
| "They are beneficial for two main reasons. One, they are from the patients themselves so the chance of rejection is greatly reduced and there are the ethical considerations - they do not have the baggage which comes with embryonic stem cells. | "They are beneficial for two main reasons. One, they are from the patients themselves so the chance of rejection is greatly reduced and there are the ethical considerations - they do not have the baggage which comes with embryonic stem cells. |
| "On the down side we are a decade behind on the science. Induced pluripotent stem cells were discovered much later, so we're behind on the safety." | "On the down side we are a decade behind on the science. Induced pluripotent stem cells were discovered much later, so we're behind on the safety." |
| In 2012, Prof Shinya Yamanaka shared the Nobel prize for medicine or physiology for his discovery that adult human tissue could be coaxed back into a stem cell state. | In 2012, Prof Shinya Yamanaka shared the Nobel prize for medicine or physiology for his discovery that adult human tissue could be coaxed back into a stem cell state. |