Feds approve University of Michigan stem cell line

A University of Michigan stem cell line derived from a 5-day-old embryo has been approved for federally funded research -- a move that strengthens the state's foothold in the embryonic stem cell science world.

It's also a federal stamp of approval that Michigan's informed consent process -- an agreement from parents who donate embryos to such research -- is ethically and legally sound, said Sue O'Shea, codirector of the Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies.

"This opens the door for all kinds of spin-offs and companies," she said. "It has been such a long struggle."

In November 2008, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment, Proposal 2, that permitted researchers to use surplus embryos. There were protests from opponents who say the research destroys the embryos.

Gary Smith, the other codirector of the consortium, coaxed UM4-6 into an immortal mass of cells after drawing a tiny clump of about 30 cells from an embryo in 2010. The cells, nurtured in what Smith called "a very precise culture and the right nutrients," continued to replicate into millions, even as they remained in their embryonic state.

On Monday, UM4-6 appeared on the U.S. National Institutes of Health registry as its 147th available line, Smith said.

Other cell lines were contributed by Harvard and Stanford universities, the University of California, Los Angeles, and others.

Ed Rivet, legislative director of Right to Life of Michigan and an opponent of Proposal 2, said UM4-6's inclusion on the national registry wasn't a surprise. But proponents of embryonic stem cell research predicted "pent-up" research demand and an economic boon if the proposal passed, he said.

"One stem cell line after 3 1/2 years isn't a whole lot of product to talk about," he said.

UM4-6 is believed to be disease-free. In contrast, two other lines at U-M that were submitted to the national registry are disease-specific. Eight other lines -- three genetically normal and five with genetic defects -- are in development.

The UM4-6 cells, which will be a control line when comparing diseased cells, will be maintained by U-M, Smith said.

Though the university will charge a minimal fee to recoup costs for maintaining the line, the economic boost comes from "the research (UM4-6) enables and the discoveries that will occur," Smith said.

Contact Robin Erb: 313-222-2708 or rerb@freepress.com

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Feds approve University of Michigan stem cell line