Safety test for stem cells is developed in Australia

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CSIRO scientists develop safety test for induced pluripotent stem cells
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( V! [. a: |2 l" v9 nAustralian scientists have created a test to work out whether certain types of stem cells are unsafe.4 X" E) O5 {6 i

# @! R3 a: r1 p% HThe CSIRO has spent five years developing a safety test for induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells.5 k4 N! g& ?1 Z" G# [

9 J9 r9 R: O, o/ ViPS stem cells do not require a human embryo and are considered an important research advance.
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1 c% ~( A' A5 Q& B" q2 P, M! W6 qLast month, scientists were able to use human skin cells to create early-stage embryos.
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There is much debate in the scientific community about the advantages of iPS stem cells over their embryonic counterparts.  y0 w% b; t! n9 f( v+ B; l
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The CSIRO's Andrew Laslett says there is still a number of question marks about the long term stability and safety of iPS cells.3 C0 w( {# [8 ^0 C
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"At this stage it appears that human embryonic stem cells may be slightly safer, but it's early days," he said.
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* n# S: G( ~9 j) wDr Laslett says the new test will provide more information about the quality of iPS and help identify unwanted cells that can mutate.) Q1 V# A( o' G0 a9 Y3 b8 b
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"Sometimes the cells that are made from the iPS cells change back into stem cells which are unwanted because these cells can form tumours called teratomas," he said.( g* [6 u$ e6 d' H/ q. H

+ d" \; F; x* q0 G% t! @Dr Laslett is hoping the research will be used to ensure stem cell therapies are safe for humans.
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' g% J. V. m; g- U" ["Any cell line that's going to be used for cell therapy has to go through a whole barrage of different tests to see whether they're safe," he said.1 a6 W' ]3 O3 h( e+ j
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"We hope that this one will be added to that number of tests... and it's really the first one that's entirely specific for human induced pluripotent stem cells."% b/ N. R/ h# K# D
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By science and technology reporter Jake Sturmer " t) z3 ]6 n- D7 G1 m. p. ~% y9 u
Posted Tue Jun 4, 2013 1:21pm AEST