Researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, have made a breakthrough by creating blood stem cells grown in the lab that are nearly identical to those in the human body (pictured). This is a world-first that could lead to treatments for a number of disorders. These blood stem cells can be transplanted, opening up treatment options for children with leukemia and bone marrow failure disorders.

The team injected lab-grown blood stem cells into immunodeficient mice. They found that the cells became functional bone marrow to a similar degree to that seen in umbilical cord transplants. They also found that the lab-grown cells could be frozen before being transplanted into mice, mimicking the process of preserving donor cells before transplanting them into patients. Developing patient-specific blood cells would avoid complications associated with donor-to-patient transplants, according to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

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