Disease Focus: Fertility
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation to Trophoblast: Basic Biology and Clinical Translation to Improve Human Fertility
In addition to the important potential applications for transplantation and treatment of chronic diseases, human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are also a valuable resource to study early human development relevant to fertility and healthy pregnancies. After fertilization, the human zygote undergoes cell divisions and ultimately becomes the blastocyst that has an inner cell mass and […]
Maturation of Human Oocytes for SCNT and Embryonic Stem Cell Derivation
A major issue for tissue and cell therapy in regenerative medicine is the immune rejection of grafts originated from a non-compatible individual. Mature eggs contain factors essential for the re-programming of cell nuclei from patients to allow the establishment of patient-compatible pluripotent stem cells for the treatment of diverse degenerative diseases. Although up to half […]
Spotlight on The Human Embryo and Embryonic Stem Cell Research
On December 15, 2010, Renee Reijo Pera, PhD spoke to the CIRM Governing Board about her research studies of the human embryo and embryonic stem cells. Using time lapse video of the embryo’s initial cell divisions, Pera’s lab identified parameters that can accurately predict which embryos created through in vitro fertilization will be most likely […]