Embryonic stem cell breakthrough for liver failure

"Stem cells grown from mouse embryos helped power a liver replacement device, Japanese and U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.

"Their experiment suggests another use for the cells, controversial when taken from human embryos. They used the cells in a bioartificial liver, an implanted device that uses liver cells to replace some liver function."

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"'Use of this device in mice with acute liver failure, which uniformly die within 4 days of inducing hepatic (liver) failure, resulted in 90 percent long-term animal survival,' they wrote."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061105/sc_nm/...ce_stemcells_dc

With > 25,000 people a year dying of chronic liver disease, this is a great first step in providing a viable treatment for humans. Federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research would go a long way towards making this a reality.