Telegraph:
The process of adding thin layers of material on top of each
other to create a final product has been adapted for use with
human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Will Shu of Heriot-Watt
University in Edinburgh and his colleagues created an
adjustable microvalve that allowed them to produce clusters of
hESCs. Shu says that the process is gentle enough that it
doesn't destroy the cells or cause them to lose their ability
to differentiate into other types of cells, and it is accurate
enough to create a variety of sizes of spheroids. The
technology could be used to incorporate stem cells into
transplant-ready lab-grown organs and tissues. By using stem
cells cloned from the patient, the transplant should avoid
triggering a dangerous immune system response. The technique
could also be used to create tissues and organs for
pharmaceutical testing.
