China's database of immortalized cell samples of all Chinese ethnic groups has basically taken shape a decade after scientists' investigation and sampling throughout the country, sources with the Ministry of Health said Monday.

The research team, led by principal investigator Chu Jiayou and jointly supported by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has collected a total of 3,119 different strains of everlasting cells, and kept 6,010 DNA samples for further research.

The group has also developed a mature and stable technology to transform a lymph cell B into an immortalized cell by making use of Epstein-Barr virus, Chu said, quoted by the Health News newspaper.

Immortalized cells can be kept in labs for research for quite along time.

By observing the genomes of different ethnic groups, the technology helps scientists' study in pathogeneses, diseases-causing genes, genetic diagnoses and therapies, Chu said.

Having the world's largest population and 56 ethnic groups, China is rich in genetic resources. Different ethnic groups have different enzyme systems and human leukocyte antigens.

As a result of inter-marriage and migration among the ethnic groups, Chu said, some comparatively pure genomes are facing the danger of extinction. Preserving these genomes thus becomes an urgent task for maintaining complete and pure genes of different ethnic groups in China.

The Chinese immortalized cell database does not prohibit overseas use for lab research on such cell strains. Some 149 cell strains have been provided to a European human genome research center, according to the newspaper.

The Chinese research group are further studying the genetic diversity of those cell samples, including studies on chondriosome DNA, chromosome Y, and single nucleotide polymorphism, Chu said.

They have done genetic scanning and typing of 28 Chinese ethnic groups, built genetic trees for 32 East Asian peoples, and compared 15 global ethnic groups. Some of the research results have been published in prestigious scientific journals such as Nature and Human Genetics.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2006)