Latest Individual Entry Comments RSS 2 Feed #comment19062 Latest comments for entry Potential of stem-cell-based therapies for heart disease - FREE ACCESS en Copyright 2008 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Robert Jacklin wrote #comment19062 >>improved understanding of developmental processes relevant to pluripotent embryonic stem cells may facilitate the generation of specific types of cell that can be used to treat human heart disease.

The statement "may facilitate the generation of specific types of cell that can be used to treat human heart disease." is already out of date according to Geron Corporation. They have shown slides at research meetings for the last couple of years of functioning Cardiomyocytes they derived from HESC's.
These same cells have been shown to improve function in vivo.

http://www.geron.com/pressview.asp?id=727

]]> Posted on June 29, 2006 10:28 PM in the category #comment19062 Latest Individual Entry Comments RSS 2 Feed #comment20602 Latest comments for entry Potential of stem-cell-based therapies for heart disease - FREE ACCESS en Copyright 2008 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Deepak Srivastava wrote #comment20602 We appreciate the comment on previous efforts to guide embryonic stem cells into the cardiomyocyte lineage. It is true that we and many other investigators are able to encourage cardiomyocyte differentiation in ES cells, however the process is very inefficient and time-consuming. Despite that, ES cells have been differentiated and introduced into rodent hearts and were able to integrate as mentioned. However, this has not yet been done in humans and it would be misleading and premature to state that specific ES cell derived cells are currently being used to treat human disease. While there is great promise that human disease will be treated with ES-derived cells, it is critical that scientific advances be portrayed in a realistic light without unnecessary “hype” and generation of unrealistic expectations.

]]> Posted on July 6, 2006 05:20 PM in the category #comment20602