Molecular medicine: a primer for clinicians. Part XIV: Stem cells.

Abstract

Earlier papers in this series have described many of the tools of molecular biology that are finding practical bedside applications. We have reviewed how molecular diagnostics, genetic testing, and DNA and protein microarrays all have become part of clinical medicine. We have also described the potential of the human genome project to impact the practice of medicine. Finally, we have discussed several ethical issues, including genetic screening, forensic DNA testing, and gene therapy. In this paper, and the next, we will discuss two topical areas in which molecular biology may influence how medicine is practiced in the future; stem cell research and cloning technology.