Researchers at UW-Madison have developed two new stem cell lines which are the first of their kind to be grown without the use of animal protein.
Pioneer stem cell researcher James Thomson, working with a team from the private WiCell Research Institute, reported online Sunday in the journal Nature Biotechnology that the two stem cell lines, known as WA15 and WA16, were grown without the use of animal proteins or byproducts, meaning they are free of animal contamination, possibly paving the way for stem cell transplants into humans.