Link between mouse and human stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells are the source of every cell, tissue and organ in
the body. Scientists want to use them to find cures for diseases like
Parkinson's, cancer and diabetes, although critics say it is wrong to use
any embryo in this way.

Laboratory mice have long been a favourite model for human disease but
researchers have been frustrated by the fact that human and mouse stem cells
behave very differently.

Now scientists think they may have cracked the problem.

Two papers published in the journal Nature show that when mouse stem cells
are derived from the innermost cell layer -- or epiblast -- of a week-old
rodent embryo they are in many ways almost identical to human ones.