US Stem Cell Lines Contaminated?

Several news organizations are reporting that most if not all of the human embryonic stem cell lines that are available for US researchers are contaminated with nonhuman molecules. If this is accurate, it could pose a particular problem for US biotech leadership, as the Bush administration has denined federal funding for additional human embryonic stem cell harvesting. This could up the up the ante for states, notably California and New Jersey, that are seeking to fund their own stem cell initiatives. It could also reignite the general stem cell debate in the US, which would undoubtedly take on a different tone in the post-election environment.

Sources: Wired, Slashdot