CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (USD $)	Common Shares [Member]	Treasury Shares [Member]	Contributed Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2009	$ 59,722,318	$ 0	$ 93,972	$ (52,769,891)	$ 4,000,590	$ 0	$ 11,046,989
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009	33,667,659	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Sale of ReCyte subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interest					2,300,000		2,300,000
Noncontrolling interest in Cell Cure					5,894,255		5,894,255
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of ESI	11,011,864						11,011,864
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of ESI (in shares)	1,383,400
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options	(249,978)						(249,978)
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options (in shares)	(40,125)
Exercise of options	855,977						855,977
Exercise of options (in shares)	526,410						125,000
Warrants exercised	22,861,458						22,861,458
Warrants exercised (in shares)	12,240,357
Warrants issued as part of acquisition of ESI	1,778,727						1,778,727
Warrants issued for services	1,979,036						1,979,036
Modification cost of warrants	2,142,202						2,142,202
Stock options granted for compensation	1,033,824						1,033,824
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary					61,172		61,172
Foreign currency translation gain						897,338	897,338
NET LOSS				(11,184,618)	(1,002,589)		(12,187,207)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2010	101,135,428	0	93,972	(63,954,509)	11,253,428	897,338	49,425,657
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010	47,777,701	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of CTI assets	2,300,000						2,300,000
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of CTI assets (in shares)	261,959
Common shares issued as part of merger	2,600,000						2,600,000
Common shares issued as part of merger (in shares)	332,903
Treasury shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary	6,000,000	(6,000,000)					0
Treasury shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary (in shares)	1,286,174	(1,286,174)
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options	(28,067)						(28,067)
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options (in shares)	(6,435)						(6,435)
Exercise of options	251,981						251,981
Exercise of options (in shares)	450,660
Warrants exercised	425,000						425,000
Warrants exercised (in shares)	219,000
Warrants issued as part of merger with Glycosan	954,879						954,879
Outside investment in subsidiaries					3,213,500		3,213,500
Stock options granted for compensation	1,505,566						1,505,566
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary					273,635		273,635
Outside investment in subsidiary with BioTime common shares (in shares)	(1,286,174)	1,286,174
Foreign currency translation gain						(1,020,087)	(1,020,087)
NET LOSS				(16,515,500)	(1,928,383)		(18,443,883)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2011	115,144,787	(6,000,000)	93,972	(80,470,009)	12,812,180	(122,749)	41,458,181
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	50,321,962	(1,286,174)					49,035,788
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common shares issued as part of merger	1,802,684						1,802,684
Common shares issued as part of merger (in shares)	448,429
Treasury shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary (in shares)							592,533
Sales of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized	1,002,220						1,002,220
Sales of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized (in shares)	314,386						314,386
Exercise of options	286,552						286,552
Exercise of options (in shares)	98,541
Subsidiary shares issued as part of merger					2,501,415		2,501,415
Stock options granted for compensation	1,560,469						1,560,469
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary	24,531				274,656		299,187
Outside investment in subsidiary with BioTime common shares		(2,750,003)			2,750,003		0
Outside investment in subsidiary with BioTime common shares (in shares)							(592,533)
Sales of treasury shares		374,606					374,606
Sales of treasury shares (in shares)		78,598
Outside investment in subsidiaries in cash					250,000		250,000
Outside investment in subsidiaries with stock					1,740		1,740
Foreign currency translation gain						63,179	63,179
NET LOSS				(21,425,703)	(3,880,157)		(25,305,860)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 119,821,243	$ (8,375,397)	$ 93,972	$ (101,895,712)	$ 14,709,837	$ (59,570)	$ 24,294,373
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	51,183,318	(1,800,109)					49,383,209