Super-efficient new stem cell creation technique discovered

Scientists have developed a new method of reprogramming human cells into stem cells in a far more efficient way than was previously thought possible.

A team led by staff at the UK's Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have utilised retinoic acid receptor gamma and liver receptor homolog as additional regulatory factors in the creation of stem cells, alongside the four standard regulatory proteins typically used in the process.

It was found that this technique was able to increase the effectiveness of the cell reprogramming process a hundredfold, allowing higher-quality stem cells to be produced at a faster rate.

This could represent a major breakthrough in stem cell technology, an area of research that is thought to have considerable potential in treating a wide array of diseases and conditions.

Wei Wang, first author on the research from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "This research is a milestone in human stem cells. Our technique provides a foundation to unlock the full potential of stem cells."

This comes after a team in Barcelona were able to create a means of identifying and growing human colon stem cells for the first time last month.