Human ES Cells Used To Generate Myelin-Producing Cells

Scientists in Wisconsin report that they have used human embryonic stem cells to generate oligodendrocytes, a type of cell that can make myelin.

The last paragraph of the article sums it up nicely:

“We are now able to generate a relatively enriched population of oligodendrocyte precursor cells that may be used to repair lost myelin sheaths,” Zhang said. “These findings also raise awareness of the direct translatability of animal studies to human biology. In this regard, the human oligodendrocytes generated from human ES cells or the generation of disease-induced pluripotent stem cells can provide a useful tool in the future for screening pharmaceuticals directly on human cells.”

Keep in mind, these are human cells, not mouse. This is very exciting.