After spending months and long hours in University laboratories, University researchers announced yesterday that they have successfully created Michigan’s first human embryonic stem cell line.

Five researchers in the University’s Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies began working on the stem cell line, referred to as UM4-6, in March. The line — completed last month — was developed from donated embryos and will be used to study how embryonic stem cells grow.

Human embryonic stem cell lines are used by researchers throughout the country to study human development and potential treatments for fatal diseases and debilitating injuries. Few universities and institutions have successfully generated lines for research purposes.

In a press release issued yesterday, University President Mary Sue Coleman praised the researchers’ work and relentless effort to find cures for diseases.

“This historic achievement opens the door on a new era for U-M researchers, one that holds enormous promise for the treatment of many seriously debilitating and life-threatening diseases,” Coleman wrote. “This accomplishment will enable the University of Michigan to take its place among the world’s leaders in every aspect of stem cell research.”

Sean Morrison, director of the University’s Center for Stem Cell Biology, wrote in an e-mail interview that University scientists are “starting to deliver” on the human embryonic research Michigan voters approved in a 2008 ballot initiative.

“This is just the beginning, we have big plans,” Morrison wrote.

Gary Smith, co-director of the Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, said in an interview the stem cell line will be used for “basic work” like understanding how different culture conditions impact the derivation of human embryonic stem cells.

“This line in itself is what we could consider a normal embryonic stem cell line so it does not have any genetic abnormalities,” Smith said.

In the future, researchers hope to create lines that contain genetic defects, which can be used to study specific diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.

“There are very few, if any, disease specific lines on the registry,” Smith said.

The National Institutes of Health registry currently contains 75 human embryonic stem cell lines. Once University researchers generate enough cells for distribution, they plan to submit an application to the NIH and offer the line — which would become number 76 — for the registry.

Since U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth blocked federal funding for embryonic stem cell research in August, researchers have been concerned that scientists will not be able to use the line if the ruling remains in place. Smith said the field is “in a bit of turmoil,” and he hopes the U.S. Court of Appeals will overturn the decision so University researchers can carry on with their work.

“The responsible thing to do for us is to actually make these lines compatible with being on the registry and then let the politics make its way out,” he said.

Sue O’Shea, co-director of the Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies and a professor of cell and developmental biology, said in an interview the plan is to make the line available on the registry so researchers at the University and other institutions can use it.

“Otherwise, there is not much point in making the cell line,” O’Shea said.

While University researchers now know what it takes to produce a human embryonic stem cell line, Smith said all future lines are “going to take time.”

“The kind of the interesting thing here is that not many people have done this,” he said. “As you do it, you realize you can’t really speed up the process.”

However, Smith said the goal is to work on multiple lines at the same time so that more than one can be generated every few months.