Researchers have recently developed stem cell lines from three animals used for meat without the use of antibiotics, feeder cells, and serum. Scientists at the University of Nottingham's School of Biosciences worked together with scientists at the Universities of Cambridge, Exeter, Meiji and Exeter Tokyo to grow stem cell lines from cattle, pigs, and sheep. Serums often have a batch-to-batch composition and have a risk of contamination which is not ideal for producing food products. This provides a much safer, chemically defined way to make lab grown food products. These stem cell lines can then be modified using CRISPR gene editing. This method can be used to improve productivity and adaptation to climate change in the meat industry. It can also allow these animals to be raised in a more environmentally-friendly way. Being able to culture meat in a lab may be very important in sustaining the growing population. When demands rise above the supply available, this new technology may be a solution to the problem.
Julia,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post was very insightful. It was interesting to learn about how scientists grew stem cell lines from cattle, pigs, and sheep. I was not aware of the usage of CRISPR gene editing on lab grown food products. It is interesting to note that this technology can be extremely useful in times of less supply. Great job, overall!