Human stem cell lines developed in India

'Mother of country's first scientifically documented test-tube baby, Indira Hinduja once again became the first Indian scientist to use human feeder layer as medium to develop three human embryonic stem cell lines.

Hinduja, along with colleagues, including IVF specialist Kusum Zaveri, has developed three human embryonic stem (HES) cell lines using the human feeder instead of usual mouse feeder (used in many of Indian and foreign research labs).

"We have developed these three cell lines using the human feeder instead of mouse feeder as it is expected to be free from any retroviral infection or any viral infection, the IVF specialist, Hinduja said today adding that immunologically also it was preferable to use human feeder.

When the stem cell lines are grown under this medium of human feeder, they could be passaged (reimplanted in fresh feeder layer for growth) at least 200 times compared to mouse feeder where passaging can be done only for 75 times," Hinduja said while showing this reporter the stem cell lines under the phase-contrast microscope.

Human embryonic stem cells are usually established and maintained on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEFs) feeder layers.

However, it is desirable to develop human feeder cells because animal feeder cells are associated with risks such as viral infection or pathogen transmission, she said adding the research was carried out in her clinic 'INKUS' without any external financial and technical assistance.

"The stem cell lines, which are being characterised and differentiated and karyotyped could be of great therapeutic applications", Kusum Zaveri said.