Scientists in Japan have made an important new discovery which could result in the production of large numbers of stem cells in an efficient and more ethical way.
Researchers at the Riken Centre for Developmental Biology in Kobe have showed that stem cells, which are crucial for bodily repair, can now be made quickly, simply by dipping blood cells into acid.
The discovery could clear the way for scientists to develop "personalised medicine" whereby a person's own healthy skin or blood cells could be used to repair damaged tissues, such as that of the heart or brain.
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