Recent advancements towards the derivation of immune-compatible patient-specific human embryonic stem cell lines.
The derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines from blastocyst stage embryos, first achieved almost a decade ago, demonstrated the potential to prepare virtually unlimited numbers of therapeutically beneficial cells in vitro. Assuming that large-scale production of differentiated cells is attainable, it is imperative to develop strategies to prevent immune responses towards the grafted cells following transplantation. In this review, I will discuss recent advances in the production of pluripotent cell lines using three emerging techniques: somatic cell nuclear transfer into enucleated oocytes and zygotes, parthenogenetic activation of unfertilized oocytes and induction of pluripotency in somatic cells. Importantly, if these techniques can be harnessed for generating patient-specific pluripotent cell lines, then immunological processes are expected to be low or completely absent.
Drukker
Micha
M
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Beckman Center B261, Stanford, CA 94305-5323, USA. dmicha@stanford.edu
D000818:Animals; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002460:Cell Line / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010312:Parthenogenesis; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens