Embryonic stem cells pass key safety test

2005

One of the major concerns about growing human embryonic stem cells in the lab to generate tissues for medical therapies can now be laid to rest, suggest the results of a new study. Among the safety fears of using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for therapies was that the process of “imprinting” - the switching off and on of genes during development - might be changed by growing the cells in culture rather than in the uterus.