Strategy of production and utilization of immortal cells

The current methods of production of conditionally immortal cells in vivo and in vitro have been considered, including the method based on transgenesis of animals. Examples are given for utilization of conditionally immortal cells obtained in vivo from tissues of transgenic mice and rats carrying the gene of mutant T-antigen tsA58 SV40. The recent studies were analyzed, which concern the investigation and utilization of embryonic and regional stem cells, as well as immortal cells obtained through transfection of the recombinant construct of telomerase gene into human cells. The main problems of cell biotechnology are discussed.