Store your induced pluripotent stem cells in a cryobank!
The French company Cellectis, specializing in genetic engineering and stem cell therapy, declares that the Sceil service launched by it is the world's first provider of a unique service: isolation of the client's skin cells and transportation to the company's laboratory, where specialists will carry out their conversion into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and subsequent cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen.
Two months ago, the opportunity to preserve their own stem cells until better times, when specialists are likely to develop effective and safe methods of using them for the treatment of various diseases, was given to those wishing from Switzerland, Dubai, Singapore and the USA. Now, for just 38,400 pounds, residents of the UK can join them. Paradoxically, this service is not yet available to residents of France due to the limitations of existing legislation.
According to the company's representative, induced pluripotent stem cells can be obtained from adult cells of any age. However, given the accumulation of DNA defects that occurs over time, if there is an interest, it is not worth delaying contacting Sceil.
Professor Wolf Reik from the University of Cambridge, in comments to the company's statement, notes that, although the production of induced pluripotent stem cells is no longer particularly difficult today, their use in medicine is associated with a number of potential risks to the health of patients. Firstly, the genes of viruses used for reprogramming are stored in the genome of such cells. So far, no one has been able to obtain cells completely purified from viral DNA. Secondly, today it is not completely clear to what extent such cells retain the "memory" of the tissue from which their predecessors were isolated. Such a memory means that there is a certain risk of malignancy of cells in the recipient's body.
However, in general, experts are quite optimistic about the prospects for the clinical use of induced pluripotent stem cells in the future.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to The Telegraph:
Stem-cell banks enable wealthy to free 'backup version' of their adult selves.
10.09.2013