哺乳动物胚胎干细胞研究进展

胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells, ES)是指从桑椹胚或附植前囊胚内细胞团分离的多潜能细胞,它具有体外培养无限增殖、自我更新和多向分化的特性。无论在体外还是体内环境,ES细胞都能被诱导分化为机体几乎所有的细胞类型。自1981年Evans和Kaufman首次成功分离小鼠ES细胞,国内外研究人员已在仓鼠、大鼠、兔、猪、牛、绵羊、山羊、水貂、恒河猴、美洲长尾猴以及人类都分离获得了ES细胞,而且已经证明小鼠ES细胞可以分化为心肌细胞、造血细胞、卵黄囊细胞、骨髓细胞、平滑肌细胞、脂肪细胞、软骨细胞、成骨细胞、内皮细胞、黑素细胞、神经细胞、神经胶质细胞、少突胶质细胞、淋巴细胞、胰岛细胞、滋养层细胞等。人类ES细胞也可以分化为滋养层细胞、神经细胞、神经胶质细胞、造血细胞、心肌细胞等。ES细胞不仅可以作为体外研究细胞分化和发育调控机制的模型,而且还可以作为一种载体,将通过同源重组产生的基因组的定点突变导入个体,更重要的是,ES细胞将会给人类移植医学带来一场革命。     

Europe confronts the embryonic stem cell research challenge

Europe's historic plurality and the lack of a commonly accepted definition of the moral status of the embryo have led to varying regulation in European countries. Council of Europe and European Union legislation, based on fundamental ethical principles, does exist for specific issues, such as prohibition against producing embryos solely for research. Such principles have recently been elucidated by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies. Newly emerging research techniques are beginning to cause reconsideration of the regulation of embryo research in Europe.     

Medicine. Consent from donors for embryo and stem cell research

As research with human embryos and embryonic stem cells proceeds, the authors of this Policy Forum argue that all donors of biological materials should give informed consent, including oocyte and sperm donors. Informed consent is particularly important because of the diverse opinions and strong emotions that surround such research. Some gamete donors who are willing to help women and couples bear children may object to the use of their genetic materials for certain types of research.