ABSTRACT
In 1981, Evans and Kaufman reported the establishment of pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), that is, they had the capacity to differentiate into all cell types of the mammalian body. In 1998, this achievement was translated into man, when Thompson et al. reported the establishment of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with similar differentiation capacity. These ¢ndings have sparked the research area of regenerative medicine, and over the past years, the potential of treating severe human diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, hepatitis, arthritis, and stroke by cell replacement therapy, has been the focus of immense research activities.
