This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/6101420.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Liver cells grown from cord blood | Liver cells grown from cord blood |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Scientists in the UK say they have grown tiny sections of human liver. | Scientists in the UK say they have grown tiny sections of human liver. |
| The sections of liver were created using stem cells from umbilical cords by a team at Newcastle University. | The sections of liver were created using stem cells from umbilical cords by a team at Newcastle University. |
| It is hoped the "mini-livers" will be used to test drugs, avoiding incidents like the Northwick Park trial in which six patients became seriously ill. | It is hoped the "mini-livers" will be used to test drugs, avoiding incidents like the Northwick Park trial in which six patients became seriously ill. |
| But other experts warned, because the work was unpublished, it was not possible to assess its worth and that cells made in this way were unreliable. | But other experts warned, because the work was unpublished, it was not possible to assess its worth and that cells made in this way were unreliable. |
| Researchers Dr Nico Forraz and Professor Colin McGuckin have started a company called ConoStem in an effort to market their stem cell work. | Researchers Dr Nico Forraz and Professor Colin McGuckin have started a company called ConoStem in an effort to market their stem cell work. |
| They believe it will be decades before a grown liver can be used in a human transplant operation. | They believe it will be decades before a grown liver can be used in a human transplant operation. |
| But they say the use of small sections of liver, which are less than the size of a penny, could be used to treat patients within 10-15 years. | |
| We're a long way from producing a whole liver - the liver has its own blood supply, its own fibrous skeleton Professor Ian GilmoreLiver specialist | We're a long way from producing a whole liver - the liver has its own blood supply, its own fibrous skeleton Professor Ian GilmoreLiver specialist |
| A more realistic short-term use would be to replace some of the testing on humans and animals of pharmaceuticals. | A more realistic short-term use would be to replace some of the testing on humans and animals of pharmaceuticals. |
| The extent of the team's work emerged after publicity following a local business award. | The extent of the team's work emerged after publicity following a local business award. |
| The tissue is grown using a microgravity bioreactor, a piece of equipment derived from Nasa technology, which aids the creation of cells by mimicking weightlessness. | The tissue is grown using a microgravity bioreactor, a piece of equipment derived from Nasa technology, which aids the creation of cells by mimicking weightlessness. |
| Professor McGuckin said if human testing could be reduced by using organ cells grown from stem cells an incident like that at Northwick Park Hospital could be avoided. | Professor McGuckin said if human testing could be reduced by using organ cells grown from stem cells an incident like that at Northwick Park Hospital could be avoided. |
| Animal campaigners | Animal campaigners |
| "We take the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood and make small mini-livers," he said. | "We take the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood and make small mini-livers," he said. |
| "We then give them to pharmaceutical companies and they can use them to test new drugs on. | "We then give them to pharmaceutical companies and they can use them to test new drugs on. |
| "It could prevent the situation that happened earlier this year when those six patients had a massive reaction to the drugs they were testing." | "It could prevent the situation that happened earlier this year when those six patients had a massive reaction to the drugs they were testing." |
| It is impossible to know whether this work is meaningful or not Dr Stephen MingerStem cell biologist | It is impossible to know whether this work is meaningful or not Dr Stephen MingerStem cell biologist |
| The news was welcomed by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection which said the government should pump money into the creation of "ethically-sourced human tissue". | The news was welcomed by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection which said the government should pump money into the creation of "ethically-sourced human tissue". |
| But Professor Malcolm Alison, from the Centre for Diabetes and Metabolic Medicine at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, said the use of the term "mini-liver" constituted a bold claim. | But Professor Malcolm Alison, from the Centre for Diabetes and Metabolic Medicine at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, said the use of the term "mini-liver" constituted a bold claim. |
| "Many groups, including the Newcastle one, have been able to turn stem cells from the blood into cells that look like liver cells [hepatocytes], but these have been difficult to expand in culture into a mass of cells that was therapeutically useful." | "Many groups, including the Newcastle one, have been able to turn stem cells from the blood into cells that look like liver cells [hepatocytes], but these have been difficult to expand in culture into a mass of cells that was therapeutically useful." |
| And Dr Stephen Minger, director of the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Kings College London, said: "This research hasn't been through the proper scientific channels yet - it hasn't been peer reviewed. It is impossible to know whether this work is meaningful or not." | And Dr Stephen Minger, director of the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Kings College London, said: "This research hasn't been through the proper scientific channels yet - it hasn't been peer reviewed. It is impossible to know whether this work is meaningful or not." |
| Dr Mike Nicholds, acting chief executive of ConoStem, said peer-reviewed papers would be in the pipeline, and that it was hoped the first liver cells would be used in a drugs test within 12 months. | Dr Mike Nicholds, acting chief executive of ConoStem, said peer-reviewed papers would be in the pipeline, and that it was hoped the first liver cells would be used in a drugs test within 12 months. |
| Ethical leap | Ethical leap |
| Professor Ian Gilmore, a liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, told BBC News the team's work was significant. | Professor Ian Gilmore, a liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, told BBC News the team's work was significant. |
| "Firstly that they are able to do it from umbilical cord blood and not requiring embryos. That's quite a big ethical leap forward. | "Firstly that they are able to do it from umbilical cord blood and not requiring embryos. That's quite a big ethical leap forward. |
| Up to 10% of people in the UK have liver problems | Up to 10% of people in the UK have liver problems |
| "And they are producing such a significant amount of tissue." | "And they are producing such a significant amount of tissue." |
| But he said: "We're a long way from producing a whole liver. The liver has its own blood supply, its own fibrous skeleton, they are just producing the individual liver cells. | But he said: "We're a long way from producing a whole liver. The liver has its own blood supply, its own fibrous skeleton, they are just producing the individual liver cells. |
| "But nonetheless it is exciting because there is a real dearth of treatments available for people with liver disease." | "But nonetheless it is exciting because there is a real dearth of treatments available for people with liver disease." |
| It is estimated that up to 10% of the UK population have problems with their liver - most are linked to lifestyle factors, such as heavy drinking and obesity. | It is estimated that up to 10% of the UK population have problems with their liver - most are linked to lifestyle factors, such as heavy drinking and obesity. |