International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) announced a new collaboration with leading stem cell researcher Jose Cibelli at Michigan State University as part of ISCO's ongoing strategy to work with scientific leaders across the world to expand the scientific data relating to parthenogenetic stem cells.
Professor Cibelli will study gene expression in several human parthenogenetic stem cell lines and compare the results with fertilized embryonic stem cells. According to Professor Cibelli, "We have observed in mouse and monkey that imprinting in parthenogenetic cells changes as the cells are cultured. This in vitro phenomenon can be advantageous for parthenogenetic cells."
ISCO is the first company in the world to perfect a process for creating human stem cells from unfertilized eggs. These cells are called "parthenogenetic" stem cells and they alleviate two critical problems inherent to the use of embryonic stem cells for cell transplantation, immune rejection and ethical issues associated with the use of fertilized human embryos. Such cells can be "matched" to the immune systems of millions of persons. ISCO's goal is to create a "cell bank" of clinical grade parthenogenetic cells available for immediate use without having to isolate cells from the patient's own body or depend on cells isolated from other living individuals.
"Collaborations with leading researchers such as Dr. Cibelli and Michigan State University generate important knowledge about these unique cells, helping in ISCO's goal of creating a true stem cell bank that could offer on-demand delivery of clinical grade cells matched to a patient's own immune system", said Jeffrey Janus, president of International Stem Cell Corporation.
ISCO's discovery of a way to make parthenogenetic cells that match the immune system of millions of persons was first announced in December, 2007 in a peer reviewed paper authored by ISCO's CSO, Dr. Elena Revazova, MD, PhD, entitled "HLA Homozygous Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Parthenogenetic Blastocysts", published in the online edition of Cloning and Stem Cells Journal.
International Stem Cell Corporation is a California biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutic and research products. ISCO's technology, Parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cell lines from unfertilized human eggs.