Projekt

Although knowledge on stem cell biology is very limited at present, the employment of human stem cells offers novel therapeutic perspec- tives for a variety of different diseases. Human ES-cells are consid- ered as excellently suited for regenerative medicine due to their al- most unlimited potential for proliferation and differentiation. How- ever, the clinical use of existing (and NIH-registered) human ES-cell lines is hampered by the fact that the transplantation of allogeneic ES-cell derived cells may require life-long application of immunosup- pression. It is therefore suggested to establish rhesus ES-like cells (ELCs) from blastocystes produced by in vitro fertilisation (IVF). To establish the model of ES-cell mediated tolerance induction crude ELC cultures will be transplanted intraportally into a limited number of rhesus monkeys. Induction of mixed chimerism will be analysed in these animals. Moreover, ES-cell lines will be generated from the crude blastocyste-derived cell cultures which have been transplanted. Re- sulting cell lines will be characterized in detail. Embryoid bodies will be generated and grafted subcutaneously into those animals which received cell-transplants of the same genotype. Induction of long term graft acceptance will be analysed. The project shall help to establish an efficient research group and infrastructure at the IMP-RAMS.

• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Martin

  Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
  Zentrum Chirurgie
  Leibniz Forschungslaboratorien für Biotechnologie
  und künstliche Organe (LEBAO)
  Klinik für Thorax-, Herz- und Gefäßchirurgie
  Hannover
  

• Prof. Dr. Fred Fändrich

  Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein
  Campus Kiel
  Klinik für Allgemeine Chirurgie
  und Thoraxchirurgie
  Kiel
  

• Prof. Dr. Heiner Niemann

  Bundesforschungsanstalt für
  Landwirtschaft (FAL)
  Institut für Tierzucht & Tierverhalten Mariensee
  Forschungsbereich Biotechnologie
  Neustadt-Mariensee
  

• Prof. Dr. Boris Lapin

  Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
  Institut für Medizinische Primatologie
  Sochi-Adler
  Russland
  

• Dr. Merab Chikobava

  Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
  Institut für Medizinische Primatologie
  Sochi-Adler
  Russland