Cord Blood Stem Cells Information

What is the relationship between embryonic stem cells and DNA breaks? Can DNA breaks be engineered?

Can toxic studies on embryonic stem cells be used to genetically repair and/or create DNA breaks in sperm. eggs, at conception or during fetal development? Why or why not?

Public Comments

1. Our bodies already have inherent mechanisms to repair double stranded DNA breaks. The process takes place through homologous recombination (since it is a double stranded break, the template is achieved through the sister chromatid). This mechanism is actually a very very complicated mechanism with lots of proteins involved. But, that's the key player here: homologous recombination. If the toxic studies cause excessive double stranded DNA breaks, however, the cells actually undergo cell senescence and/or apoptosis. One of the requirements for entering the cell division cycle includes passing a checkpoint where there is no DNA damage - but if there is DNA damage, certain proteins are activated which alert the cell not to proceed into cell division/replication. Kevin