Research and Markets: Opportunities in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Products

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5flxzm/opportunities_in) has announced the addition of the "Opportunities in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Products" report to their offering.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is a stage reached four to five days post-fertilization. Human embryonic stem cells are the most pluripotent of all stem cell types and can develop into over 200 different cell types of the human body.

Human embryonic stem cells were first derived from mouse embryos in 1981 by Martin Evans and Matthew Kaufman, and independently by Gail R. Martin. In 1995, the first successful culturing of embryonic stem cells from non-human primates occurred at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Another breakthrough followed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in November 1998 when a group led by Dr. James Thomson developed a technique to isolate and grow hESCs derived from human blastocysts. Federal funds to support hESC research became available on August 9, 2001, when President Bush announced his decision regarding federal funding for hESC research.

Because of their plasticity and unlimited capacity for self-renewal, hESCs have been proposed for use in wide range of applications, including toxicology testing, tissue engineering, cellular therapies, and basic stem cell biology research. Of particular interest to the medical community is the potential for use of hESCs to heal tissues with naturally limited capacity for renewal, such as the human heart, liver and brain.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Background

2. Available Stem Cell Lines

3. Applications

4. Application Priorities

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Research and Markets: Opportunities in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Products