A breakthrough in stem cell research has been achieved with scientists using cloning techniques to turn human skin cells into embryonic stem cells.
While scientists have previously been able to make embryonic stem cells using this approach in monkeys and mice, until now they have not been able to this with human cells.
Embryonic stem cells can turn into any other cell type in the body, raising the hope this new method could be used for developing personalised therapies, such as creating replacement organs.
While the study was lauded by Australian experts in the field, the ethics and cost of the process did raise concerns.
The work, published today in Cell, uses somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) - the process used to clone Dolly the Sheep.
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