With the advent of microscope in the 1800’s followed by the discovery of cells, scientists indulged more in understanding the biochemistry of cell biology – how cell propagates, and how one cell gives rise to another cell and then tissues. History of stem cell research started in the late 1800’s when scientists tried to fertilize mammalian eggs in vitro but only slight success were achieved for want of advanced research tools. However, in 1959, in a breakthrough experiment, scientists produced rabbits using in-vitro fertilization technique. Another success was made when researchers in the early mid 1960’s revealed that sexual organs of mice possess some unique cells that could give rise to various other kinds of cells. With this finding, researchers first began to think about stem cells.
In the mid-1980’s, scientists researched on human testicles followed by human blastocysts. However, scientists achieved great success in 1995 and 1996 while studying on stem cells obtained from the embryos of rhesus monkeys. And finally in 1998, scientists at the University of Wisconsin isolated human embryo cells from a human blastocys -- a hollow structure, which is made up of outer layer of cells, a fluid cavity and the inner mass. Stem cells are found in the inner mass of blastocyst, which are removed and cultured in a culture dish where the stems cells grow over time.
