The new service is meant to take advantage of a growing interest in
the field of regenerative medicine. Stem cells from adult blood or
umbilical-cord blood are already used to treat some diseases,
including sickle-cell anemia and several forms of leukemia. But these
cells are largely limited to treating blood-related disorders and
can’t be grown in large numbers. Embryonic stem cells, on the other
hand, can be coaxed to form virtually any type of cell in the body and
can theoretically be replicated indefinitely. Scientists are
developing ways to use them to replenish cells lost or damaged in
ailments such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and heart disease. But
as of now, those treatments are limited to the lab: no embryonic stem-
cell-based therapies are approved for human use.