Friday 19th January 2001 - Scientists have discovered a way of making cells immortal. A type of rat cell seems to go on forever if it is given a better type of food than occurs naturally.
If the process works in human cells, they say the discovery could lead to replacement limbs being grown to order. Dean Tang, formerly of University College London, said of his discovery: "The cells have a much greater capacity to grow than anyone imagined."
The New Scientist reports that cells taken from a severed arm could be used to grown a new one.
Cell biologist at the University of Texas, Woodring Wright is excited at the find. He said: "There may be no fundamental obstacles to tissue engineering with normal human cells."
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_179108.html
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