Source: Novocell Inc.
Date: August 30, 2007
Summary:
Novocell Inc., a stem cell engineering company, today announced research findings that for the first time identify two prominent cancer cell signaling pathways as essential for the efficient proliferation and self-renewal of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Diabetes Research Institute Invention Promotes Growth of Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Cells
Source: Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
Posted: August 30, 2007
Summary:
Diabetes Research Institute researchers have created a new cell culture device called the “oxygen sandwich” to provide the cells with a more natural oxygen environment than those used in traditional culture methods. New findings by researchers at the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami could represent a big step forward in possibly alleviating the need for a re-infusion of islet cells after the initial treatment, and this means another donor pancreas is needed to provide the fragile islet cells for transplant.
Posted: August 30, 2007
Summary:
Diabetes Research Institute researchers have created a new cell culture device called the “oxygen sandwich” to provide the cells with a more natural oxygen environment than those used in traditional culture methods. New findings by researchers at the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami could represent a big step forward in possibly alleviating the need for a re-infusion of islet cells after the initial treatment, and this means another donor pancreas is needed to provide the fragile islet cells for transplant.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Experimental anti-cancer drug made from corn lillies kills brain tumor stem cells
Source: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Date: August 29, 2007
Summary:
A drug that shuts down a critical cell-signaling pathway in the most common and aggressive type of adult brain cancer successfully kills cancer stem cells thought to fuel tumor growth and help cancers evade drug and radiation therapy, a Johns Hopkins study shows.
Date: August 29, 2007
Summary:
A drug that shuts down a critical cell-signaling pathway in the most common and aggressive type of adult brain cancer successfully kills cancer stem cells thought to fuel tumor growth and help cancers evade drug and radiation therapy, a Johns Hopkins study shows.
Researchers dispute widely held ideas about stem cells
Source: University of Michigan
Date: August 29, 2007
Summary:
How do adult stem cells protect themselves from accumulating genetic mutations that can lead to cancer? For more than three decades, many scientists have argued that the "immortal strand hypothesis" - which states that adult stem cells segregate their DNA in a non-random manner during cell division -- explains it. And several recent reports have presented evidence backing the idea.
Date: August 29, 2007
Summary:
How do adult stem cells protect themselves from accumulating genetic mutations that can lead to cancer? For more than three decades, many scientists have argued that the "immortal strand hypothesis" - which states that adult stem cells segregate their DNA in a non-random manner during cell division -- explains it. And several recent reports have presented evidence backing the idea.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Brain implants relieve Alzheimer's damage
Source: Harvard University
Date: August 28, 2007
Summary:
Genetically engineered cells implanted in mice have cleared away toxic plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The animals were sickened with a human gene that caused them to develop, at an accelerated rate, the disease that robs millions of elderly people of their memories. After receiving the doctored cells, the brain-muddling plaques melted away. If this works in humans, old age could be a much happier time of life.
Date: August 28, 2007
Summary:
Genetically engineered cells implanted in mice have cleared away toxic plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The animals were sickened with a human gene that caused them to develop, at an accelerated rate, the disease that robs millions of elderly people of their memories. After receiving the doctored cells, the brain-muddling plaques melted away. If this works in humans, old age could be a much happier time of life.
Geron study finds stem cells rebuild hearts
Source: Bloomberg News
Posted: August 28, 2007 04:36:34 AM PDT
Summary:
"Geron Corp. researchers reported that cardiac cells derived from human embryos helped rats recover from a heart attack. In the most recent research, published Sunday, the human cells formed cardiac muscle and kept the rats from getting heart failure, a chronic condition that damages the organ's ability to pump blood. The success was enabled by two cocktails the scientists mixed up — one that helped the stem cells turn into cardiac cells in large numbers in a laboratory dish, and another that let them survive in the rodents' hearts."
Posted: August 28, 2007 04:36:34 AM PDT
Summary:
"Geron Corp. researchers reported that cardiac cells derived from human embryos helped rats recover from a heart attack. In the most recent research, published Sunday, the human cells formed cardiac muscle and kept the rats from getting heart failure, a chronic condition that damages the organ's ability to pump blood. The success was enabled by two cocktails the scientists mixed up — one that helped the stem cells turn into cardiac cells in large numbers in a laboratory dish, and another that let them survive in the rodents' hearts."
Monday, August 27, 2007
New Video: CIRM Spotlight on Cerebral Palsy - August 8, 2007
Here is the video of my talk about cerebral palsy at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine's (CIRM's) Spotlight on Cerebral Palsy on August 8, 2007:
Scientists identify embryonic stem cells by appearance alone
Source: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
Some scientific results are hard to spot, especially in genetic research. Often scientists are unable to physically see if the gene they inserted into a cell has produced the desired trait. To overcome this problem researchers use various genetic markers that contain pieces of foreign DNA that cause cells to, for example, glow when exposed to ultraviolet light.
But scientists in the lab of Whitehead Member Rudolf Jaenisch didn’t have to resort to these genetic markers in their latest experiment because the results were easy to see. Building on their widely publicized June Nature paper, which demonstrated that it’s possible to convert specialized mouse skin cells into unspecialized stem cells, Whitehead postdoctoral researchers Alexander Meissner and Marius Wernig have now identified successfully reprogrammed cells by looks alone.
Their findings, which appear online in the journal Nature Biotechnology on Aug. 27, bring human stem cell therapies a step closer to reality. Before reprogramming can be applied to our own species to generate custom embryonic stem cells, scientists must be able to accomplish it without altering the DNA of the cells involved.
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
Some scientific results are hard to spot, especially in genetic research. Often scientists are unable to physically see if the gene they inserted into a cell has produced the desired trait. To overcome this problem researchers use various genetic markers that contain pieces of foreign DNA that cause cells to, for example, glow when exposed to ultraviolet light.
But scientists in the lab of Whitehead Member Rudolf Jaenisch didn’t have to resort to these genetic markers in their latest experiment because the results were easy to see. Building on their widely publicized June Nature paper, which demonstrated that it’s possible to convert specialized mouse skin cells into unspecialized stem cells, Whitehead postdoctoral researchers Alexander Meissner and Marius Wernig have now identified successfully reprogrammed cells by looks alone.
Their findings, which appear online in the journal Nature Biotechnology on Aug. 27, bring human stem cell therapies a step closer to reality. Before reprogramming can be applied to our own species to generate custom embryonic stem cells, scientists must be able to accomplish it without altering the DNA of the cells involved.
Stem Cells May Help After Heart Attack
Source: WebMD
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
In a new study, researchers tested human embryonic stem cells as a way to repair rats' hearts after heart attacks. First, the scientists coaxed human embryonic stem cells in a test tube into becoming heart cells. Next, they mixed those fledgling heart cells with a "cocktail" of chemicals made to help the heart cells stick to the rats' heart tissue. Not all of the stem-cell-derived heart cells survived. But some did, and those heart cells helped strengthen the rats' hearts four weeks after transplantation, the researchers reported.
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
In a new study, researchers tested human embryonic stem cells as a way to repair rats' hearts after heart attacks. First, the scientists coaxed human embryonic stem cells in a test tube into becoming heart cells. Next, they mixed those fledgling heart cells with a "cocktail" of chemicals made to help the heart cells stick to the rats' heart tissue. Not all of the stem-cell-derived heart cells survived. But some did, and those heart cells helped strengthen the rats' hearts four weeks after transplantation, the researchers reported.
GERON DEMONSTRATES HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL-DERIVED CARDIOMYOCYTES IMPROVE HEART FUNCTION
Source: Geron Corporation
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
In an official company news release, Geron Corporation reported its scientists and collaborators have demonstrated that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cardiomyocytes (heart cells) improve heart function when transplanted after myocardial infarction. Published online Aug. 26 in Nature Biotechnology, the landmark study is the first to document the potential clinical utility of regenerating damaged heart muscle by injecting hESC-derived cardiomyocytes directly into the site of the infarct. In addition, the research confirms the effectiveness of a scalable production system that enables Geron to manufacture the cardiomyocytes for use in ongoing large animal studies and, ultimately, testing in humans.
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
In an official company news release, Geron Corporation reported its scientists and collaborators have demonstrated that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cardiomyocytes (heart cells) improve heart function when transplanted after myocardial infarction. Published online Aug. 26 in Nature Biotechnology, the landmark study is the first to document the potential clinical utility of regenerating damaged heart muscle by injecting hESC-derived cardiomyocytes directly into the site of the infarct. In addition, the research confirms the effectiveness of a scalable production system that enables Geron to manufacture the cardiomyocytes for use in ongoing large animal studies and, ultimately, testing in humans.
Embryonic Human Stem Cells May Help Repair Heart Muscle, Lab Study Shows
Source: HealthDay News
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
Experiments in rats show that human embryonic stem cells can repair damaged heart muscle, improve heart function and slow the progression of heart failure.
Another publication of this article can be found here.
Date: August 27, 2007
Summary:
Experiments in rats show that human embryonic stem cells can repair damaged heart muscle, improve heart function and slow the progression of heart failure.
Another publication of this article can be found here.
Human stem cells heal the hearts of rats
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 27, 2007 11:27am ET
Summary:
Reuters reports on a new experiment using embryonic stem cells to repair heart damage in rats, which may have implications for repairing heart damage in humans:
"A nutritious cocktail helped human embryonic stem cells thrive and repair the damaged hearts of rats, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday. The experiment provides the best evidence yet that the powerful but controversial stem cells might be used to repair the ravages of heart attacks and heart failure, the researchers said."
Posted: August 27, 2007 11:27am ET
Summary:
Reuters reports on a new experiment using embryonic stem cells to repair heart damage in rats, which may have implications for repairing heart damage in humans:
"A nutritious cocktail helped human embryonic stem cells thrive and repair the damaged hearts of rats, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday. The experiment provides the best evidence yet that the powerful but controversial stem cells might be used to repair the ravages of heart attacks and heart failure, the researchers said."
Geron sees progress in stem-cell therapy
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Posted: August 27, 2007 01:37:54 AM PDT
Summary:
The San Jose Mercury News reports Geron Corporation announced progress in the development of a potential treatment for heart attack patients using embryonic stem cells:
"Geron, which hopes to soon begin human tests of its human embryonic stem-cell-derived treatment for damaged spinal cords, on Sunday reported progress with another potential stem-cell treatment for heart attack victims. In a study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the Menlo Park company and researchers at the University of Washington said they had used human embryonic stem cells for the first time to help regrow heart muscles in rats that had suffered heart attacks."
The article also mentions that Geron intends to seek federal regulatory approval to begin human trials for a treatment for spinal cord injuries derived from embryonic stem cells:
"Geron is even closer to seeking FDA approval for an unprecedented human test of another treatment it is developing from human embryonic stem cells for spinal injuries..." Although Geron executives had hoped to begin such a test last year, Okarma said the company now plans to ask the FDA in the next couple of months for permission to start it."
Posted: August 27, 2007 01:37:54 AM PDT
Summary:
The San Jose Mercury News reports Geron Corporation announced progress in the development of a potential treatment for heart attack patients using embryonic stem cells:
"Geron, which hopes to soon begin human tests of its human embryonic stem-cell-derived treatment for damaged spinal cords, on Sunday reported progress with another potential stem-cell treatment for heart attack victims. In a study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the Menlo Park company and researchers at the University of Washington said they had used human embryonic stem cells for the first time to help regrow heart muscles in rats that had suffered heart attacks."
The article also mentions that Geron intends to seek federal regulatory approval to begin human trials for a treatment for spinal cord injuries derived from embryonic stem cells:
"Geron is even closer to seeking FDA approval for an unprecedented human test of another treatment it is developing from human embryonic stem cells for spinal injuries..." Although Geron executives had hoped to begin such a test last year, Okarma said the company now plans to ask the FDA in the next couple of months for permission to start it."
Stem cell transplant advance `thrilling': U.S. scientists use embryonic tissue from humans to repair hearts in rats
Source: Toronto Star
Posted: August 27, 2007 4:30 AM ET
Summary:
In a major scientific advance, U.S. researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to repair damaged heart tissue in rats that had suffered cardiac arrests.
Posted: August 27, 2007 4:30 AM ET
Summary:
In a major scientific advance, U.S. researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to repair damaged heart tissue in rats that had suffered cardiac arrests.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Stem cell advance warms the heart
Source: Financial Times
Published: August 27 2007 03:00 | Last updated: August 27 2007 03:00
Summary:
Human embryonic stem cells can repair damaged hearts, according to new animal research. If the results are confirmed in clinical trials, heart disease may be a multibillion dollar market for stem cell therapies. Scientists at the University of Washington and Geron, the California-based biotechnology company, implanted cardiac cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into rats four days after a heart attack. They helped rebuild the animals’ heart muscles and improved the functioning of the whole heart.
Published: August 27 2007 03:00 | Last updated: August 27 2007 03:00
Summary:
Human embryonic stem cells can repair damaged hearts, according to new animal research. If the results are confirmed in clinical trials, heart disease may be a multibillion dollar market for stem cell therapies. Scientists at the University of Washington and Geron, the California-based biotechnology company, implanted cardiac cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into rats four days after a heart attack. They helped rebuild the animals’ heart muscles and improved the functioning of the whole heart.
Stem-Cell Procedure Could Rebuild Heart Tissue
Source: NPR - All Things Considered
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
Heart muscle doesn't regenerate when it's damaged, one reason heart attacks are so debilitating. A dream of researchers is to build new heart muscle using transplanted cardiac stem cells. Scientists at the University of Washington have taken a potentially important step in that direction, using embryonic stem cells as their starting material.
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
Heart muscle doesn't regenerate when it's damaged, one reason heart attacks are so debilitating. A dream of researchers is to build new heart muscle using transplanted cardiac stem cells. Scientists at the University of Washington have taken a potentially important step in that direction, using embryonic stem cells as their starting material.
Stem cells proved effective in regrowing heart muscle in rats
Source: Seattle Times
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
The Seattle Times reports on new experiments using human embryonic stem cells to re-grow heart muscles in rats:
"Human embryonic stem cells have been used to regrow the heart muscles of rats that had survived lab-induced heart attacks, scientists from the University of Washington and Geron, a biotechnology company in Menlo Park, Calif. reported. The scientists found a process to coax as many as half the cells into becoming heart-muscle cells, and secondly, a way to keep the cells alive. Not only did all the rats start getting new heart muscle, but they were protected from the progression of heart failure, Murry said. private biotechnology company reported."
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
The Seattle Times reports on new experiments using human embryonic stem cells to re-grow heart muscles in rats:
"Human embryonic stem cells have been used to regrow the heart muscles of rats that had survived lab-induced heart attacks, scientists from the University of Washington and Geron, a biotechnology company in Menlo Park, Calif. reported. The scientists found a process to coax as many as half the cells into becoming heart-muscle cells, and secondly, a way to keep the cells alive. Not only did all the rats start getting new heart muscle, but they were protected from the progression of heart failure, Murry said. private biotechnology company reported."
Human stem cells heal the hearts of rats
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 26, 2007 2:51pm ET
Summary:
A nutritious cocktail helped human embryonic stem cells thrive and repair the damaged hearts of rats, U.S. researchers reported. The experiment provides the best evidence yet that the powerful but controversial stem cells might be used to repair the ravages of heart attacks and heart failure,
Posted: August 26, 2007 2:51pm ET
Summary:
A nutritious cocktail helped human embryonic stem cells thrive and repair the damaged hearts of rats, U.S. researchers reported. The experiment provides the best evidence yet that the powerful but controversial stem cells might be used to repair the ravages of heart attacks and heart failure,
Human derived stem cells can repair rat hearts damaged by heart attack
Source: University of Washington
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
When human heart muscle cells derived from embryonic stem cells are implanted into a rat after a heart attack, they can help rebuild the animal's heart muscle and improve function of the organ, scientists report in the September issue of Nature Biotechnology. The researchers also developed a new process that greatly improves how stem cells are turned into heart muscle cells and then survive after being implanted in the damaged rat heart. The findings suggest that stem-cell-based treatments might one day help people suffering from heart disease, the leading cause of death in most of the world.
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
When human heart muscle cells derived from embryonic stem cells are implanted into a rat after a heart attack, they can help rebuild the animal's heart muscle and improve function of the organ, scientists report in the September issue of Nature Biotechnology. The researchers also developed a new process that greatly improves how stem cells are turned into heart muscle cells and then survive after being implanted in the damaged rat heart. The findings suggest that stem-cell-based treatments might one day help people suffering from heart disease, the leading cause of death in most of the world.
When is a stem cell not really a stem cell?
Source: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
Working with embryonic mouse brains, a team of Johns Hopkins scientists seems to have discovered an almost-too-easy way to distinguish between “true” neural stem cells and similar, but less potent versions. Their finding, reported this week in Nature, could simplify the isolation of stem cells not only from brain but also other body tissues.
Date: August 26, 2007
Summary:
Working with embryonic mouse brains, a team of Johns Hopkins scientists seems to have discovered an almost-too-easy way to distinguish between “true” neural stem cells and similar, but less potent versions. Their finding, reported this week in Nature, could simplify the isolation of stem cells not only from brain but also other body tissues.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Researchers use novel approach to uncover genetic components of aging
Source: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Date: August 24, 2007
Summary:
People who live to 100 or more are known to have just as many—and sometimes even more—harmful gene variants compared with younger people. Now, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered the secret behind this paradox: favorable “longevity” genes that protect very old people from the bad genes’ harmful effects. The novel method used by the researchers could lead to new drugs to protect against age-related diseases.
Date: August 24, 2007
Summary:
People who live to 100 or more are known to have just as many—and sometimes even more—harmful gene variants compared with younger people. Now, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered the secret behind this paradox: favorable “longevity” genes that protect very old people from the bad genes’ harmful effects. The novel method used by the researchers could lead to new drugs to protect against age-related diseases.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Social habits of cells may hold key to fighting diseases
Source: University of Manchester
Date: August 22, 2007
Summary:
Scientists in Manchester are working to change the social habits of living cells – an innovation that could bring about cleaner and greener fuel and help fight diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Scientists have recently discovered that networking in living cells may determine whether a cell causes diabetes or cancer or helps to maintain our health. By adjusting and modifying the way cells network, researchers believe it’s possible to adjust the behaviour of living cells and reduce the chances of disease occurring.
Date: August 22, 2007
Summary:
Scientists in Manchester are working to change the social habits of living cells – an innovation that could bring about cleaner and greener fuel and help fight diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Scientists have recently discovered that networking in living cells may determine whether a cell causes diabetes or cancer or helps to maintain our health. By adjusting and modifying the way cells network, researchers believe it’s possible to adjust the behaviour of living cells and reduce the chances of disease occurring.
Isolation of a new gene family essential for early development
Source: University of Copenhagen
Date: August 22, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at BRIC, University of Copenhagen, have identified a new gene family (UTX-JMJD3) essential for embryonic development. The family controls the expression of genes crucial for stem cell maintenance and differentiation, and the results may contribute sig-nificantly to the understanding of the development of cancer.
Date: August 22, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at BRIC, University of Copenhagen, have identified a new gene family (UTX-JMJD3) essential for embryonic development. The family controls the expression of genes crucial for stem cell maintenance and differentiation, and the results may contribute sig-nificantly to the understanding of the development of cancer.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Natural protection provides possible new treatments for stroke
Source: Goteborg University
Date: 21 August 2007
Summary:
Two substances that occur naturally in the brain act to protect the brain during a stroke. This is the conclusion of a dissertation published at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and the discovery may lead to new treatments for stroke patients. One potential treatment involves the activation of stem cells in the damaged brain so the brain can be repaired and regain its function. Stem cells are immature cells that reside in selected regions of the adult brain. These cells can develop either into nerve cells or into other cells that are important in the brain, such as astrocytes. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain, and they play an important role when the brain is damaged. The dissertation shows that activated astrocytes release substances that activate stem cells within the brain.
Date: 21 August 2007
Summary:
Two substances that occur naturally in the brain act to protect the brain during a stroke. This is the conclusion of a dissertation published at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and the discovery may lead to new treatments for stroke patients. One potential treatment involves the activation of stem cells in the damaged brain so the brain can be repaired and regain its function. Stem cells are immature cells that reside in selected regions of the adult brain. These cells can develop either into nerve cells or into other cells that are important in the brain, such as astrocytes. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain, and they play an important role when the brain is damaged. The dissertation shows that activated astrocytes release substances that activate stem cells within the brain.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Study: A common virus may be contributing to obesity in some people
Source: Associated Press
Posted: August 20, 2007 3:10 p.m. PDT
Summary:
New research found that when human stem cells – the blank slate of the cell world – were exposed to a common virus they turned into fat cells. They didn't just change, they stored fat, too.
Posted: August 20, 2007 3:10 p.m. PDT
Summary:
New research found that when human stem cells – the blank slate of the cell world – were exposed to a common virus they turned into fat cells. They didn't just change, they stored fat, too.
Too fat? Common virus may be to blame: study
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 20, 2007 3:54PM EDT
Summary:
A common virus caused human adult stem cells to turn into fat cells and could explain why some people become obese, U.S. researchers said.
Posted: August 20, 2007 3:54PM EDT
Summary:
A common virus caused human adult stem cells to turn into fat cells and could explain why some people become obese, U.S. researchers said.
Common Virus May Contribute To Obesity In Some People, New Study Shows
Source: American Chemical Society
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
Scientists today reported new evidence that infection with a common virus may be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic sweeping through the United States and other countries. In laboratory experiments they showed that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), long recognized as a cause of respiratory and eye infections in humans, transforms adult stem cells obtained from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells not exposed to the virus, in contrast, were unchanged.
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
Scientists today reported new evidence that infection with a common virus may be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic sweeping through the United States and other countries. In laboratory experiments they showed that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), long recognized as a cause of respiratory and eye infections in humans, transforms adult stem cells obtained from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells not exposed to the virus, in contrast, were unchanged.
Milestone In The Regeneration Of Brain Cells
Source: GSF - National Research Center for Environment and Health
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
The research group of Prof. Dr. Magdalena Götz at the Institute of Stem Cell Research of the GSF – National Research Centre for Environment and Health, and the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, has achieved an additional step for the potential replacement of damaged brain cells after injury or disease: functional nerve cells can be generated from astroglia, a type of supportive cells in the brain by means of special regulator proteins.
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
The research group of Prof. Dr. Magdalena Götz at the Institute of Stem Cell Research of the GSF – National Research Centre for Environment and Health, and the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, has achieved an additional step for the potential replacement of damaged brain cells after injury or disease: functional nerve cells can be generated from astroglia, a type of supportive cells in the brain by means of special regulator proteins.
Mesoblast's Stem Cells Protect Knee Cartilage in Osteoarthritis
Source: Mesoblast Limited
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
Australian Adult stem cell company Mesoblast Limited announced that preclinical trials using adult stem cells significantly protected knee cartilage against damage in osteoarthritis.
Date: August 20, 2007
Summary:
Australian Adult stem cell company Mesoblast Limited announced that preclinical trials using adult stem cells significantly protected knee cartilage against damage in osteoarthritis.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Brain cells work differently than previously thought
Source: University of California - Irvine
Date: August 19, 2007
Summary:
Scientists know that information travels between brain cells along hairlike extensions called axons. For the first time, researchers have found that axons don’t just transmit information – they can turn the signal up or down with the right stimulation. This finding may help scientists develop treatments for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia in which it is thought that different parts of the brain do not communicate correctly with each other.
Date: August 19, 2007
Summary:
Scientists know that information travels between brain cells along hairlike extensions called axons. For the first time, researchers have found that axons don’t just transmit information – they can turn the signal up or down with the right stimulation. This finding may help scientists develop treatments for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia in which it is thought that different parts of the brain do not communicate correctly with each other.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
One Step Closer To Transplanting Stem Cells In The Brain
Source: Göteborg University
Date: August 18, 2007
Summary:
Stem cells transplanted into the brains of mice generate more numerous and more mature nerve cells if the brain cells called astrocytes are not activated. This discovery at the Sahlgrenska Academy is an important step forward for stem cell research. The study was performed by a research team at the Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at the Sahlgrenska Academy. The findings are being presented in the prestigious scientific journal Stem Cells. Many see the transplantation of stem cells and activation of the body's own stem cells as a promising future treatment for several neurological disorders.
Date: August 18, 2007
Summary:
Stem cells transplanted into the brains of mice generate more numerous and more mature nerve cells if the brain cells called astrocytes are not activated. This discovery at the Sahlgrenska Academy is an important step forward for stem cell research. The study was performed by a research team at the Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at the Sahlgrenska Academy. The findings are being presented in the prestigious scientific journal Stem Cells. Many see the transplantation of stem cells and activation of the body's own stem cells as a promising future treatment for several neurological disorders.
HIV stops new brain cells from growing
Source: New Scientist
Date: 18 August 2007
Summary:
HIV doesn't just destroy the immune system, it may also stop new brain cells from growing. It has been known for some time that HIV can cause a form of dementia, but this had been attributed to the loss of mature brain cells, killed off by an HIV protein called gp120. Now researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research have found that gp120 also slows down the division of adult stem cells called neural progenitor cells (aNPCs), thought to be important for memory and learning.
Date: 18 August 2007
Summary:
HIV doesn't just destroy the immune system, it may also stop new brain cells from growing. It has been known for some time that HIV can cause a form of dementia, but this had been attributed to the loss of mature brain cells, killed off by an HIV protein called gp120. Now researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research have found that gp120 also slows down the division of adult stem cells called neural progenitor cells (aNPCs), thought to be important for memory and learning.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Stem cell find promising for leukemia
Source: Vancouver Sun
Date: August 16, 2007
Summary:
The Vancouver Sun reports scientists have discovered subtypes of blood stem cells, potentially enabling tailored leukemia treatments:
"B.C. Cancer Agency scientists have found there are multiple subtypes of blood stem cells, a discovery that could eventually lead to customized bone marrow transplants for leukemia patients. It was previously thought that blood stem cells -- master cells that generate other types of cells that make up blood, such as immune system cells, platelet-producing cells, infection-fighting white cells and red blood cells -- were virtually the same."
Date: August 16, 2007
Summary:
The Vancouver Sun reports scientists have discovered subtypes of blood stem cells, potentially enabling tailored leukemia treatments:
"B.C. Cancer Agency scientists have found there are multiple subtypes of blood stem cells, a discovery that could eventually lead to customized bone marrow transplants for leukemia patients. It was previously thought that blood stem cells -- master cells that generate other types of cells that make up blood, such as immune system cells, platelet-producing cells, infection-fighting white cells and red blood cells -- were virtually the same."
Blood stem-cell discovery hailed
Source: Vancouver Province
Date: August 16, 2007
Summary:
A breakthrough discovery by B.C. Cancer Agency scientists that not all blood stem cells are created equal may lead to improved treatment of leukemia patients. The findings, published yesterday in the Cell Stem Cell scientific journal, identify four subtypes of blood stem cells in adult mice.
Date: August 16, 2007
Summary:
A breakthrough discovery by B.C. Cancer Agency scientists that not all blood stem cells are created equal may lead to improved treatment of leukemia patients. The findings, published yesterday in the Cell Stem Cell scientific journal, identify four subtypes of blood stem cells in adult mice.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Can the Ravages of Dementia in HIV/AIDS Be Arrested?
Source: Scientific American
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research's Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience and Aging Research report in the journal Cell Stem Cell that HIV-associated dementia is triggered by the death of adult neurons in patients' brains as well as by the arrested development of neural stem cells, which normally would mature and replace the disabled nerve cells. Perhaps more compelling, he says, is that the deadly virus uses a protein on its surface to attack the same molecular pathway in both the nascent and fully developed cells.
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research's Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience and Aging Research report in the journal Cell Stem Cell that HIV-associated dementia is triggered by the death of adult neurons in patients' brains as well as by the arrested development of neural stem cells, which normally would mature and replace the disabled nerve cells. Perhaps more compelling, he says, is that the deadly virus uses a protein on its surface to attack the same molecular pathway in both the nascent and fully developed cells.
HIV's double hit on brain cells
Source: BBC News
Posted: 15 August 2007, 23:57 GMT 00:57 UK
Summary:
HIV can trigger learning and memory deficits by launching a double attack on the brain, research shows. It was already known that a protein on the surface of the virus could kill off mature brain cells. But the latest study shows it also prevents the production of replacements by crippling cells with the potential to step in and take their place. The University of California at San Diego study appears in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The researchers hope their work, which was carried out on mice, will aid efforts to find new ways to combat HIV-associated dementia.
Posted: 15 August 2007, 23:57 GMT 00:57 UK
Summary:
HIV can trigger learning and memory deficits by launching a double attack on the brain, research shows. It was already known that a protein on the surface of the virus could kill off mature brain cells. But the latest study shows it also prevents the production of replacements by crippling cells with the potential to step in and take their place. The University of California at San Diego study appears in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The researchers hope their work, which was carried out on mice, will aid efforts to find new ways to combat HIV-associated dementia.
BC researchers say stem cell discovery may help treat leukemia patients
Source: Canadian Press
Posted: August 15, 2007 | 5:49 PM ET
Summary:
Researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency say they've discovered that not all stem cells in mice are created equal and different cells behave in different ways, which could explain why some kinds of leukemia are harder to treat. If the discovery holds true for humans, the agency says researchers may be able to use different subtypes of stem cells to produce more effective bone marrow transplants in leukemia patients.
Posted: August 15, 2007 | 5:49 PM ET
Summary:
Researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency say they've discovered that not all stem cells in mice are created equal and different cells behave in different ways, which could explain why some kinds of leukemia are harder to treat. If the discovery holds true for humans, the agency says researchers may be able to use different subtypes of stem cells to produce more effective bone marrow transplants in leukemia patients.
Stem cell subtypes discovered by BC Cancer Agency: Could Lead To Improved Leukemia Treatments
Source: BC Cancer Agency
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
In a landmark study, researchers at the BC Cancer Agency have discovered that all blood stem cells are not created equal. The discovery adds another layer of understanding about the basic biology of blood stem cells, which may lead to improved treatments for leukemia patients. Published in the August edition of the new scientific journal Cell Stem Cell, the study by Dr. Connie Eaves and her team at the BC Cancer Agency’s Terry Fox Laboratory identified distinct subtypes of blood stem cells in the adult mouse. Each stem cell subtype behaves uniquely and produces different types of mature blood cells in a transplant setting.
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
In a landmark study, researchers at the BC Cancer Agency have discovered that all blood stem cells are not created equal. The discovery adds another layer of understanding about the basic biology of blood stem cells, which may lead to improved treatments for leukemia patients. Published in the August edition of the new scientific journal Cell Stem Cell, the study by Dr. Connie Eaves and her team at the BC Cancer Agency’s Terry Fox Laboratory identified distinct subtypes of blood stem cells in the adult mouse. Each stem cell subtype behaves uniquely and produces different types of mature blood cells in a transplant setting.
AIDS virus is a ‘double hit’ on the brain
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 15, 2007 11:25 a.m. PT
Summary:
Reuters reports on new findings showing that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, effects brain cells in two ways:
"The AIDS virus damages the brain in two ways, by not only killing brain cells but by preventing the birth of new cells, U.S. researchers reported... The study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, helps shed light on a condition known as HIV-associated dementia, which can cause confusion, sleep disturbances and memory loss in people infected with the virus."
Posted: August 15, 2007 11:25 a.m. PT
Summary:
Reuters reports on new findings showing that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, effects brain cells in two ways:
"The AIDS virus damages the brain in two ways, by not only killing brain cells but by preventing the birth of new cells, U.S. researchers reported... The study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, helps shed light on a condition known as HIV-associated dementia, which can cause confusion, sleep disturbances and memory loss in people infected with the virus."
HIV Delivers 'Double Whammy' to Brain
Source: HealthDay News
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, often infiltrates the brains of infected patients, causing everything from cognitive decline to death. Now, new research in mice suggests the virus doesn't just kill brain cells but also prevents replacement cells from developing.
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, often infiltrates the brains of infected patients, causing everything from cognitive decline to death. Now, new research in mice suggests the virus doesn't just kill brain cells but also prevents replacement cells from developing.
HIV triggers the 'opposite of cancer' in the brain: Study unpicks how AIDS causes dementia.
Source: Nature
Date: 15 August 2007
Summary:
A study showing how HIV could prevent the brain from making new neurons offers an explanation for why some AIDS patients get dementia — and suggests a possible treatment.
Date: 15 August 2007
Summary:
A study showing how HIV could prevent the brain from making new neurons offers an explanation for why some AIDS patients get dementia — and suggests a possible treatment.
AIDS Interferes with Stem Cells in the Brain
Source: Burnham Institute
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
A prominent problem in AIDS is a form of dementia that robs one's ability to concentrate and perform normal movements. Scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have discovered how HIV/AIDS disrupts the normal replication of stem cells in the adult brain, preventing new nerve cells from forming. Drs. Stuart Lipton, Marcus Kaul, Shu-ichi Okamoto and their colleagues uncovered a novel molecular mechanism that inhibits stem cell proliferation and that could possibly be triggered in other neurodegenerative diseases as well. These findings were made available to medical researchers today through priority publication online by the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
A prominent problem in AIDS is a form of dementia that robs one's ability to concentrate and perform normal movements. Scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have discovered how HIV/AIDS disrupts the normal replication of stem cells in the adult brain, preventing new nerve cells from forming. Drs. Stuart Lipton, Marcus Kaul, Shu-ichi Okamoto and their colleagues uncovered a novel molecular mechanism that inhibits stem cell proliferation and that could possibly be triggered in other neurodegenerative diseases as well. These findings were made available to medical researchers today through priority publication online by the journal Cell Stem Cell.
HIV is a 'double hit' to the brain
Source: Cell Press
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
New evidence reported in the August issue of Cell Stem Cell, a publication of Cell Press, offers a novel perspective on how the HIV/AIDS virus leads to learning and memory deficits, a condition known as HIV-associated dementia. A protein found on the surface of the virus not only kills some mature brain cells, as earlier studies had shown, but it also prevents the birth of new brain cells by crippling “adult neural progenitors,” the new study finds. Those progenitor cells are the closest thing to stem cells that have been found in the adult brain.
Date: August 15, 2007
Summary:
New evidence reported in the August issue of Cell Stem Cell, a publication of Cell Press, offers a novel perspective on how the HIV/AIDS virus leads to learning and memory deficits, a condition known as HIV-associated dementia. A protein found on the surface of the virus not only kills some mature brain cells, as earlier studies had shown, but it also prevents the birth of new brain cells by crippling “adult neural progenitors,” the new study finds. Those progenitor cells are the closest thing to stem cells that have been found in the adult brain.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Team finds way to create cancer stem cells: MIT achievement could aid cancer research
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
MIT scientists and colleagues have found a way to create in the lab large amounts of cancer stem cells, or cells that can initiate tumors. The work, reported in the August 13 issue of Cancer Cell, could be a boon to researchers who study these elusive cells. Labs could easily grow them for use in experiments.
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
MIT scientists and colleagues have found a way to create in the lab large amounts of cancer stem cells, or cells that can initiate tumors. The work, reported in the August 13 issue of Cancer Cell, could be a boon to researchers who study these elusive cells. Labs could easily grow them for use in experiments.
Fingering the Neural Perp in Parkinson's
Source: Scientific American
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
Scientific American reports researchers have gained new insights into possible causes of Parkinson's Disease:
Neuroscientists have long believed that the tremors, stiffness and sluggish gait characteristic of Parkinson's disease resulted from the death of neurons in a section of the midbrain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps to maintain proper motion control. A new study in mice, however, suggests that the disorder may actually be caused not only by hobbled dopamine-producing cells but also by neurons in the locus coeruleus region of the brain stem that produce norepinephrine, a chemical related to dopamine and associated with everything from anxiety to attention to blood pressure regulation. The new finding could lead to new therapies for combating the debilitating condition.
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
Scientific American reports researchers have gained new insights into possible causes of Parkinson's Disease:
Neuroscientists have long believed that the tremors, stiffness and sluggish gait characteristic of Parkinson's disease resulted from the death of neurons in a section of the midbrain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps to maintain proper motion control. A new study in mice, however, suggests that the disorder may actually be caused not only by hobbled dopamine-producing cells but also by neurons in the locus coeruleus region of the brain stem that produce norepinephrine, a chemical related to dopamine and associated with everything from anxiety to attention to blood pressure regulation. The new finding could lead to new therapies for combating the debilitating condition.
National Stem Cell Holding, Inc. Discovers Non-Embryonic Biomaterials that Promote Tissue Repair
Source: National Stem Cell Holding, Inc.
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
National Stem Cell Holding, Inc. announced that Michael Cohen, CEO of the Company, and Jacob Cohen, have discovered biomaterial derived from non- embryonic stem cells, which appears to promote tissue repair in various wound care applications.
Date: August 14, 2007
Summary:
National Stem Cell Holding, Inc. announced that Michael Cohen, CEO of the Company, and Jacob Cohen, have discovered biomaterial derived from non- embryonic stem cells, which appears to promote tissue repair in various wound care applications.
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutic on the road to Clinical Studies in Parkinson's Disease
Source: BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.
Posted: August 14, 2007 8:30 am ET
Summary:
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (OTCBB: BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, is pleased to announce preliminary results from its first safety supporting experiment. On February 8, 2007 in laboratories at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, Prof. Jose Obeso transplanted the subject, a healthy monkey, with BrainStorm`s human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. The stem cells had been induced to differentiate into neurotrophic factor-producing cells, according to the protocol developed at the Company`s laboratories in Israel.
Posted: August 14, 2007 8:30 am ET
Summary:
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (OTCBB: BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, is pleased to announce preliminary results from its first safety supporting experiment. On February 8, 2007 in laboratories at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, Prof. Jose Obeso transplanted the subject, a healthy monkey, with BrainStorm`s human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. The stem cells had been induced to differentiate into neurotrophic factor-producing cells, according to the protocol developed at the Company`s laboratories in Israel.
Monday, August 13, 2007
DNA Vaccine May Stop MS
Source: WebMD
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
A new kind of vaccine promises to halt the destructive immune responses behind multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases. In MS patients, T cells attack the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers. One of the T cells targets is a specific myelin protein -- an antigen -- called myelin basic protein or MBP. The new vaccine is made of genetically engineered DNA that encodes MBP. Normal vaccines provoke immune responses against the antigens in the vaccine. But the Bayhill vaccine attaches the MBP DNA to a "backbone" cleverly designed to turn off immune responses instead of turning them on.
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
A new kind of vaccine promises to halt the destructive immune responses behind multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases. In MS patients, T cells attack the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers. One of the T cells targets is a specific myelin protein -- an antigen -- called myelin basic protein or MBP. The new vaccine is made of genetically engineered DNA that encodes MBP. Normal vaccines provoke immune responses against the antigens in the vaccine. But the Bayhill vaccine attaches the MBP DNA to a "backbone" cleverly designed to turn off immune responses instead of turning them on.
Scientists Create Breast Tumor Stem Cells
Source: HealthDay News
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
U.S. scientists say they've succeeded in growing breast cancer stem cells from normal tissue. Since it is suspected that these types of cells give rise to cancer's spread, isolating them could prove invaluable in the fight against the disease, experts say.
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
U.S. scientists say they've succeeded in growing breast cancer stem cells from normal tissue. Since it is suspected that these types of cells give rise to cancer's spread, isolating them could prove invaluable in the fight against the disease, experts say.
Newly created cancer stem cells could aid breast cancer research
Source: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
In some ways, certain tumors resemble bee colonies, says pathologist Tan Ince. Each cancer cell in the tumor plays a specific role, and just a fraction of the cells serve as “queens,” possessing the unique ability to maintain themselves in an unspecialized state and seed new tumors. These cells can also divide and produce the “worker” cells that form the bulk of the tumor. Now an independent investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, Ince developed a recipe for a new chemically defined culture medium and managed to grow a different type of human breast cell that ordinarily dies in culture. He transformed it into a cancer cell by inserting specific genes through a standard procedure.
Date: August 13, 2007
Summary:
In some ways, certain tumors resemble bee colonies, says pathologist Tan Ince. Each cancer cell in the tumor plays a specific role, and just a fraction of the cells serve as “queens,” possessing the unique ability to maintain themselves in an unspecialized state and seed new tumors. These cells can also divide and produce the “worker” cells that form the bulk of the tumor. Now an independent investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, Ince developed a recipe for a new chemically defined culture medium and managed to grow a different type of human breast cell that ordinarily dies in culture. He transformed it into a cancer cell by inserting specific genes through a standard procedure.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
COMMENTARY: CIRM Spotlight on Cerebral Palsy
On Wednesday August 8, I attended the meeting of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Independent Citizens Oversight Committee's "Spotlight on Cerebral Palsy." I was invited to speak and share my experience as a patient and person living with cerebral palsy. Dr. David Rowitch, Professor of Pediatrics and Neurological Surgery of the Children’s Hospital at UCSF Medical Center, gave an overview of medical and health aspects of cerebral palsy and explained how stem cells could potentially be applied to treat or reduce symptoms of the condition.
As someone who has left hemiplegia cerebral palsy, paralysis and weakness on the left side of my body, I gave a short talk about my experience living with cerebral palsy. I began by giving an overview of what cerebral palsy (CP) is: paralysis resulting from brain injury during birth and childhood, and the specific type of cerebral palsy I have, called left hemiplegia. I mentioned how it makes it hard for me to do things that most people don't worry about: opening cans, cutting food, and tying my shoes.
In addition, I talked about how having CP and hemiplegia has created significant barriers for me to obtaining long-term, gainful employment. Weakness in my left hand has reduced my employment opportunities by limiting the types of jobs I can pursue and do, and makes it hard for me to compete in the “fast-paced, multi-tasking” labor market. Because the visual field in my left eye is limited, driving long distances is difficult. This means I can only work at companies that are accessible by public transportation, limiting my employment opportunities. Getting dressed is also challenging. In order to join the workforce,it is important to dress appropriately. It's hard for me to dress myself in business attire find pants and put on dress socks, which is important in order to effectively present myself as a strong candidate to prospective employers.
In conclusion, I emphasized how stem cell research could dramatically reduce, or even eliminate, my symptoms of cerebral palsy based on current evidence from recently published scientific studies. Scientists from Stanford and Johns Hopkins Universities found that neural stem cells injected in rats with a condition similar to CP automatically traveled to the damaged part of the brain and repaired it. Researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC Irvine demonstrated that paralyzed rats injected with stem cells regained mobility. I find these results very encouraging, as they could enable me to have real improvement in my physical condition that will enable me to do things that are presently very difficult, if not impossible, and dramatically improve my overall health and quality of life.
As someone who has left hemiplegia cerebral palsy, paralysis and weakness on the left side of my body, I gave a short talk about my experience living with cerebral palsy. I began by giving an overview of what cerebral palsy (CP) is: paralysis resulting from brain injury during birth and childhood, and the specific type of cerebral palsy I have, called left hemiplegia. I mentioned how it makes it hard for me to do things that most people don't worry about: opening cans, cutting food, and tying my shoes.
In addition, I talked about how having CP and hemiplegia has created significant barriers for me to obtaining long-term, gainful employment. Weakness in my left hand has reduced my employment opportunities by limiting the types of jobs I can pursue and do, and makes it hard for me to compete in the “fast-paced, multi-tasking” labor market. Because the visual field in my left eye is limited, driving long distances is difficult. This means I can only work at companies that are accessible by public transportation, limiting my employment opportunities. Getting dressed is also challenging. In order to join the workforce,it is important to dress appropriately. It's hard for me to dress myself in business attire find pants and put on dress socks, which is important in order to effectively present myself as a strong candidate to prospective employers.
In conclusion, I emphasized how stem cell research could dramatically reduce, or even eliminate, my symptoms of cerebral palsy based on current evidence from recently published scientific studies. Scientists from Stanford and Johns Hopkins Universities found that neural stem cells injected in rats with a condition similar to CP automatically traveled to the damaged part of the brain and repaired it. Researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC Irvine demonstrated that paralyzed rats injected with stem cells regained mobility. I find these results very encouraging, as they could enable me to have real improvement in my physical condition that will enable me to do things that are presently very difficult, if not impossible, and dramatically improve my overall health and quality of life.
Friday, August 10, 2007
SUCCESSFUL CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN STEM CELL HEART TRIAL: Heart Muscle Recovery Shown In All Patients
Source: Mesoblast Limited
Date: August 10, 2007
Summary:
Mesoblast Limited has announced the successful conclusion of the Australian Cardiac Pilot Trial it had been conducting together with its United States-based sister company Angioblast Systems Inc. at John Hunter Hospital in New South Wales. All patients injected with their own, or autologous, stem cells showed improvement in either symptoms of heart failure or function.
Date: August 10, 2007
Summary:
Mesoblast Limited has announced the successful conclusion of the Australian Cardiac Pilot Trial it had been conducting together with its United States-based sister company Angioblast Systems Inc. at John Hunter Hospital in New South Wales. All patients injected with their own, or autologous, stem cells showed improvement in either symptoms of heart failure or function.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Stem cell transplantation boosts survival of amyloidosis patients
Source: Pharmaceutical Business Review
Date: 9 August 2007
Summary:
High-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in better long-term survival for patients diagnosed with primary systemic light chain amyloidosis, according to researchers.
Date: 9 August 2007
Summary:
High-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in better long-term survival for patients diagnosed with primary systemic light chain amyloidosis, according to researchers.
OHSU Turns Mouse into Factory for Human Liver Cells
Source: Oregon Health & Science University
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Oregon Health & Science University researchers have figured out how to turn a mouse into a factory for human liver cells that can be used to test how pharmaceuticals are metabolized. The technique, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, could soon become the gold standard not only for examining drug metabolism in the liver, which helps scientists determine a drug's toxicity. But it also can be used as a platform for testing new therapies against infectious diseases that attack the liver, such as hepatitis C and malaria.
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Oregon Health & Science University researchers have figured out how to turn a mouse into a factory for human liver cells that can be used to test how pharmaceuticals are metabolized. The technique, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, could soon become the gold standard not only for examining drug metabolism in the liver, which helps scientists determine a drug's toxicity. But it also can be used as a platform for testing new therapies against infectious diseases that attack the liver, such as hepatitis C and malaria.
Stem Cell Trouble Slows Healing of Aging Muscle
Source: HealthDay News
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Poor stem cell communication causes the slow, incomplete muscle healing associated with aging, a new study suggests. Publishing in the Aug. 10 issue of the journal Science, researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine found an age-related decline in the lines of communication to the stem cells of muscles. The stem cells receive garbled messages about muscle repair, which leads to slower and poorer quality healing.
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Poor stem cell communication causes the slow, incomplete muscle healing associated with aging, a new study suggests. Publishing in the Aug. 10 issue of the journal Science, researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine found an age-related decline in the lines of communication to the stem cells of muscles. The stem cells receive garbled messages about muscle repair, which leads to slower and poorer quality healing.
Stem cell therapy good for amyloidosis
Source: United Press International
Posted: August 9, 2007 at 2:15 PM EDT
Summary:
BOSTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have found high-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in long-term survival for light chain amyloidosis patients.
Posted: August 9, 2007 at 2:15 PM EDT
Summary:
BOSTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have found high-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in long-term survival for light chain amyloidosis patients.
Stanford researchers find culprit in aging muscles that heal poorly
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Communication is critical. Garbled in, garbled out, so to (mis-)speak. Workers who get incomplete instructions produce an incomplete product, and that's exactly what happens with the stem cells in our aging muscles, according to researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Date: August 9, 2007
Summary:
Communication is critical. Garbled in, garbled out, so to (mis-)speak. Workers who get incomplete instructions produce an incomplete product, and that's exactly what happens with the stem cells in our aging muscles, according to researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Publisher of Ben's Stem Cell News To Address California Stem Cell Institute
Ben Kaplan, publisher of Ben's Stem Cell News and an advocate for stem cell research who has cerebral palsy, will be speaking at the upcoming Spotlight on Cerebral Palsy hosted by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state stem cell agency created by the passage of Proposition 71 in 2004, and sponsored by the Children's Neurobiological Solutions Foundation and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) on Wednesday, August 8, 2007. Ben and his family were involved in the campaign for Proposition 71. He and his twin brother Oliver starred in a successful TV spot for the campaign entitled “Twins.” Ben and Oliver are presently featured in a video on stem cell research airing on the Current TV cable network. He will talk about his experience living with cerebral palsy and the potential application of stem cell therapy to treat the condition, which could improve his health and quality of life. A flyer and official news release for the event follow below:
CLICK ON THE NEWS RELEASE FOR A LARGER IMAGE:
CLICK ON THE FLYER FOR A LARGER IMAGE:
CLICK ON THE NEWS RELEASE FOR A LARGER IMAGE:
CLICK ON THE FLYER FOR A LARGER IMAGE:
STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION PROCEDURE RESULTS IN LONG-TERM SURVIVAL FOR AMYLOIDOSIS PATIENTS
Source: Boston University
Date: August 7, 2007
Summary:
(Boston) – Researchers from the Stem Cell Transplant Program and the Amyloid Treatment and Research Program at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) have found that high-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in long-term survival for patients diagnosed with primary systemic light chain (AL) Amyloidosis, a condition that occurs when plasma cells in bone marrow produce proteins that misfold and deposit in tissues, leading to organ failure and death.
Date: August 7, 2007
Summary:
(Boston) – Researchers from the Stem Cell Transplant Program and the Amyloid Treatment and Research Program at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) have found that high-dose chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplantation can result in long-term survival for patients diagnosed with primary systemic light chain (AL) Amyloidosis, a condition that occurs when plasma cells in bone marrow produce proteins that misfold and deposit in tissues, leading to organ failure and death.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Alternative brain disease treatment found
Source: United Press International
Posted: August 6, 2007 5:00 PM EDT
Summary:
South Korean scientists have developed an alternative to the use of stem cells for treating chronic brain diseases. With ethical issues concerning use of discarded embryos and technical problems hindering development of stem cell therapies, the Korean scientists reported the first successful use of a drug-like molecule to transform human muscle cells into nerve cells.
Posted: August 6, 2007 5:00 PM EDT
Summary:
South Korean scientists have developed an alternative to the use of stem cells for treating chronic brain diseases. With ethical issues concerning use of discarded embryos and technical problems hindering development of stem cell therapies, the Korean scientists reported the first successful use of a drug-like molecule to transform human muscle cells into nerve cells.
Teamwork between two key proteins necessary for normal development and regulation of red blood cells
Source: Virginia Commonwealth University
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers studying hemoglobin genes, mutations of which play a role in genetic blood disorders like sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, have identified two proteins that are responsible for regulating overlapping groups of genes during the development of red blood cells. The findings may point researchers to future gene therapies for patients with sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia.
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers studying hemoglobin genes, mutations of which play a role in genetic blood disorders like sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, have identified two proteins that are responsible for regulating overlapping groups of genes during the development of red blood cells. The findings may point researchers to future gene therapies for patients with sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia.
Disputed Korean Stem Cell Line Comes From An Unfertilized Egg And Not Cloning, Scientists Find
Source: Cell Press
Date: August 6, 2007 - 13:00 PDT
Summary:
Can a genetic signature identify the origin of a human stem cell line? Scientists report that a widely available method for comprehensive genetic analysis can help distinguish the type of human embryo that stem cells come from. The research, published online by the journal Cell Stem Cell, published by Cell Press, also provides an intriguing new insight into the largest scandal in the history of human stem cell research.
Date: August 6, 2007 - 13:00 PDT
Summary:
Can a genetic signature identify the origin of a human stem cell line? Scientists report that a widely available method for comprehensive genetic analysis can help distinguish the type of human embryo that stem cells come from. The research, published online by the journal Cell Stem Cell, published by Cell Press, also provides an intriguing new insight into the largest scandal in the history of human stem cell research.
Not All Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Are Created Equal
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
When it comes to generating neurons, researchers have found that not all embryonic stem (ES) cell lines are equal. In comparing neurons generated from two NIH-approved embryonic stem cell lines, scientists have uncovered significant differences in the mature, functioning neurons generated from each line. The discovery implies that culture conditions during ES cell generation -- which have yet to be identified -- can influence the developmental properties of human ES cells.
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
When it comes to generating neurons, researchers have found that not all embryonic stem (ES) cell lines are equal. In comparing neurons generated from two NIH-approved embryonic stem cell lines, scientists have uncovered significant differences in the mature, functioning neurons generated from each line. The discovery implies that culture conditions during ES cell generation -- which have yet to be identified -- can influence the developmental properties of human ES cells.
New research links proteins, stem cells and potential Alzheimer's treatment
Source: University of Central Florida
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
A team of scientists led by professor Kiminobu Sugaya at the University of Central Florida may have found a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The team, which also included researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the National Institutes of Health, combined a technique for transplanting stem cells into rats and a newly discovered compound, phenserine. It reduces the amount of a plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The combination triggered the regeneration of neurons that are destroyed by Alzheimer’s and are necessary for healthy brain functions.
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
A team of scientists led by professor Kiminobu Sugaya at the University of Central Florida may have found a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The team, which also included researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the National Institutes of Health, combined a technique for transplanting stem cells into rats and a newly discovered compound, phenserine. It reduces the amount of a plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The combination triggered the regeneration of neurons that are destroyed by Alzheimer’s and are necessary for healthy brain functions.
Scientists produce functioning neurons from human embryonic stem cells
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
Scientists with the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at UCLA were able to produce from human embryonic stem cells a highly pure, large quantity of functioning neurons that will allow them to create models of and study diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, prefrontal dementia and schizophrenia.
Date: August 6, 2007
Summary:
Scientists with the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at UCLA were able to produce from human embryonic stem cells a highly pure, large quantity of functioning neurons that will allow them to create models of and study diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, prefrontal dementia and schizophrenia.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Shamed scientist's 'breakthrough'
Source: BBC News
Posted: 3 August 2007, 09:58 GMT 10:58 UK
Summary:
"A scientist who faked his research may have actually made a groundbreaking advance - without even realising it.
South Korean Woo Suk Hwang became famous after claiming to have extracted the world's first stem cells from a cloned embryo. It emerged he had lied about his work, and the source of the cells. But analysis in the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals he may have produced stem cells from human eggs alone - potentially even more useful."
Posted: 3 August 2007, 09:58 GMT 10:58 UK
Summary:
"A scientist who faked his research may have actually made a groundbreaking advance - without even realising it.
South Korean Woo Suk Hwang became famous after claiming to have extracted the world's first stem cells from a cloned embryo. It emerged he had lied about his work, and the source of the cells. But analysis in the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals he may have produced stem cells from human eggs alone - potentially even more useful."
Fraud scientist made unwitting discovery, say researchers
Source: Guardian Unlimited
Date: August 3, 2007
Summary:
"Scientists at the heart of one of the greatest scandals in modern scienc made a dramatic leap forward in stem cell research without realising it, a investigation into their work revealed yesterday. Hwang Woo-suk, leading stem cell scientist, from South Korea, fell from grace last year when a official inquest found he had faked data on human cloning. The fraud severel dented hopes for treatments based on embryonic stem cells, which in principl can grow into any tissue in the body. But it appears he has inadvertently achieve a world first, according to researchers who studied his work."
"Dr Hwang's team had succeeded in extracting stem cells from human eggs forced to undergo parthenogenesis, where eggs develop into early-stage embryos despite not being fertilised by sperm. The feat has been a much sought goal for stem cell scientists, since it paves the way for the creation of human tissues that are genetically identical to those of the egg donor. Replacement organ tissues or nerve fibres grown from a woman's stem cells could be used to treat serious diseases or injuries without fear of rejection from the immunity system of the recipient."
Date: August 3, 2007
Summary:
"Scientists at the heart of one of the greatest scandals in modern scienc made a dramatic leap forward in stem cell research without realising it, a investigation into their work revealed yesterday. Hwang Woo-suk, leading stem cell scientist, from South Korea, fell from grace last year when a official inquest found he had faked data on human cloning. The fraud severel dented hopes for treatments based on embryonic stem cells, which in principl can grow into any tissue in the body. But it appears he has inadvertently achieve a world first, according to researchers who studied his work."
"Dr Hwang's team had succeeded in extracting stem cells from human eggs forced to undergo parthenogenesis, where eggs develop into early-stage embryos despite not being fertilised by sperm. The feat has been a much sought goal for stem cell scientists, since it paves the way for the creation of human tissues that are genetically identical to those of the egg donor. Replacement organ tissues or nerve fibres grown from a woman's stem cells could be used to treat serious diseases or injuries without fear of rejection from the immunity system of the recipient."
Within Discredited Stem Cell Research, a True Scientific First
Source: New York Times
Date: August 3, 2007
Summary:
The New York Times reports on a potentially ground-breaking advance in creating embryonic-like stem cells without using embryos:
"The world of stem cell research was set reeling two years ago when its most successful practitioner, the Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, was found to have fabricated much of his work. But according to a new post-mortem of his research, he did achieve a scientific first, though not the one he claimed."
"Dr. Hwang said he had derived embryonic stem cells from the adult cells of a patient, but the claim was discredited after parts of his research were found to have been faked. A team of Boston scientists has now re-examined stocks of Dr. Hwang’s purported embryonic stem cells and arrived at a surprising conclusion: His embryonic stem cells were the product of parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, meaning they were derived from an unfertilized egg."
"A team led by Kitai Kim and George Q. Daley of Children’s Hospital Boston reports this conclusion today in the journal Cell Stem Cell."
Date: August 3, 2007
Summary:
The New York Times reports on a potentially ground-breaking advance in creating embryonic-like stem cells without using embryos:
"The world of stem cell research was set reeling two years ago when its most successful practitioner, the Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, was found to have fabricated much of his work. But according to a new post-mortem of his research, he did achieve a scientific first, though not the one he claimed."
"Dr. Hwang said he had derived embryonic stem cells from the adult cells of a patient, but the claim was discredited after parts of his research were found to have been faked. A team of Boston scientists has now re-examined stocks of Dr. Hwang’s purported embryonic stem cells and arrived at a surprising conclusion: His embryonic stem cells were the product of parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, meaning they were derived from an unfertilized egg."
"A team led by Kitai Kim and George Q. Daley of Children’s Hospital Boston reports this conclusion today in the journal Cell Stem Cell."
Thursday, August 02, 2007
S. Korean stem cells derived from eggs alone: study
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 2, 2007 12:28PM EDT
Summary:
Reuters reports scientists have potentially created first human embryonic stem cells from human eggs alone, without using embryos:
"An analysis of a now-discredited South Korean stem cell line suggests the scientists may have inadvertently created the first human embryonic stem cells derived from human eggs alone, U.S. researchers said. But researchers at the Harvard University Stem Cell Institute and Children's Hospital Boston Stem Cell Program believe the South Korean scientists unwittingly may have made a significant discovery. Using a new genetic sleuthing method derived by Daley and colleagues, he said they have determined that the South Korean cell line was derived from parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction in which an egg develops into an embryo without sperm."
Posted: August 2, 2007 12:28PM EDT
Summary:
Reuters reports scientists have potentially created first human embryonic stem cells from human eggs alone, without using embryos:
"An analysis of a now-discredited South Korean stem cell line suggests the scientists may have inadvertently created the first human embryonic stem cells derived from human eggs alone, U.S. researchers said. But researchers at the Harvard University Stem Cell Institute and Children's Hospital Boston Stem Cell Program believe the South Korean scientists unwittingly may have made a significant discovery. Using a new genetic sleuthing method derived by Daley and colleagues, he said they have determined that the South Korean cell line was derived from parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction in which an egg develops into an embryo without sperm."
Unlocking proteins from their cellular shell
Source: University of Pennsylvania
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Applying physical stress to cells, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated that everyday forces can alter the structure of proteins tucked within cells, unfold them and expose new targets in the fight against disease.
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Applying physical stress to cells, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated that everyday forces can alter the structure of proteins tucked within cells, unfold them and expose new targets in the fight against disease.
Initial trigger is not enough to determine a stem cell’s fate
Source: Rockefeller University
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Disturbing a stem cell from its initial quiescent state was once thought to taint its gold-standard properties. However, research uncovering how a signaling pathway regulates stem cell behavior reveals that stem cells, once activated, enter a window of time during which they respond to their environment and retain their ability to alter their developmental path.
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Disturbing a stem cell from its initial quiescent state was once thought to taint its gold-standard properties. However, research uncovering how a signaling pathway regulates stem cell behavior reveals that stem cells, once activated, enter a window of time during which they respond to their environment and retain their ability to alter their developmental path.
Stem cell case may have missed advance
Source: Associated Press
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Remember the spectacular South Korean stem cell fraud of a few years ago? A new analysis says the disgraced scientist actually did reach a long-sought scientific goal. It's just not the one he claimed. The new study suggests Hwang Woo-suk and his team produced stem cells -- not through cloning as they contended -- but through a different process called parthenogenesis.
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
Remember the spectacular South Korean stem cell fraud of a few years ago? A new analysis says the disgraced scientist actually did reach a long-sought scientific goal. It's just not the one he claimed. The new study suggests Hwang Woo-suk and his team produced stem cells -- not through cloning as they contended -- but through a different process called parthenogenesis.
Discredited Korean embryonic stem cells' true origins revealed
Source: Children's Hospital Boston
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
A report from researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute sheds new light on a now-discredited Korean embryonic stem cell line, setting the historical record straight and also establishing a much-needed set of standards for characterizing human embryonic stem cells. The report was published online August 2 by the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Date: August 2, 2007
Summary:
A report from researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute sheds new light on a now-discredited Korean embryonic stem cell line, setting the historical record straight and also establishing a much-needed set of standards for characterizing human embryonic stem cells. The report was published online August 2 by the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Fetal tissue shows promise for ALS in study
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted: August 1, 2007
Summary:
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports on a new study that could hasten treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease:
"A University of Wisconsin-Madison study could be an important development in finding new treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science (PloS) One, found that genetically engineered fetal stem cells implanted in rats with ALS provided substantial protection for motor neurons, the nerve cells that die in ALS."
Posted: August 1, 2007
Summary:
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports on a new study that could hasten treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease:
"A University of Wisconsin-Madison study could be an important development in finding new treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science (PloS) One, found that genetically engineered fetal stem cells implanted in rats with ALS provided substantial protection for motor neurons, the nerve cells that die in ALS."
New Treatment For Glaucoma Shows Promise In Laboratory, Say Researchers
Source: Iowa State University
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Iowa State University researchers have developed a new technique that successfully treated rats for blindness caused by glaucoma. Their experimental treatment will be used on canine patients in the next year. If successful, it is expected to move to human trials. The researchers previously determined that animals with glaucoma increase production of proteins with neuron-protective capabilities (neurotrophins) in an attempt to shield against blindness. So, they imitated that process in the laboratory, modifying bone marrow-derived stem cells. Then they transplanted the cells into the eyes.
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Iowa State University researchers have developed a new technique that successfully treated rats for blindness caused by glaucoma. Their experimental treatment will be used on canine patients in the next year. If successful, it is expected to move to human trials. The researchers previously determined that animals with glaucoma increase production of proteins with neuron-protective capabilities (neurotrophins) in an attempt to shield against blindness. So, they imitated that process in the laboratory, modifying bone marrow-derived stem cells. Then they transplanted the cells into the eyes.
Eye cells could be harnessed to fight blindness: study
Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Posted: August 1, 2007 | 1:30 PM ET
Summary:
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports researchers have discovered a type of cell in the eye that could be used to re-grow and repair damaged retinas:
"A type of cell found in the eye has stem cell properties and could be used within the next decade to regrow damaged retinas and restore vision, British researchers say. Certain Muller glial cells can migrate to the retina and morph into different retinal cells, potentially rebuilding damaged tissue, according to the study, published in the journal Stem Cells. Retinal disease is one of the primary causes of blindness. Researchers were able to extract the cells from deceased adult donors and develop them in vitro into all the types of neurons found in the retina. In studies on rats with diseased retinas, the grafted cells travelled to the retina and took on the characteristics of surrounding neurons."
Posted: August 1, 2007 | 1:30 PM ET
Summary:
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports researchers have discovered a type of cell in the eye that could be used to re-grow and repair damaged retinas:
"A type of cell found in the eye has stem cell properties and could be used within the next decade to regrow damaged retinas and restore vision, British researchers say. Certain Muller glial cells can migrate to the retina and morph into different retinal cells, potentially rebuilding damaged tissue, according to the study, published in the journal Stem Cells. Retinal disease is one of the primary causes of blindness. Researchers were able to extract the cells from deceased adult donors and develop them in vitro into all the types of neurons found in the retina. In studies on rats with diseased retinas, the grafted cells travelled to the retina and took on the characteristics of surrounding neurons."
Scientists move closer to bio-engineered bladders
Source: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at the University of York are using an understanding of the special cells that line the bladder to develop ways of restoring continence to patients with serious bladder conditions, including cancer.
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Researchers at the University of York are using an understanding of the special cells that line the bladder to develop ways of restoring continence to patients with serious bladder conditions, including cancer.
Mechanism Discovered In Adult Stem Cell Regulation
Source: Forsyth Institute
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Forsyth Institute scientists have discovered an important mechanism for controlling the behavior of adult stem cells. Research with the flatworm, planaria, found a novel role for the proteins involved in cell-to-cell communication. This work has the potential to help scientists understand the nature of the messages that control stem cell regulation - such as the message that maintain and tells a stem cell to specialize and to become part of an organ e.g.: liver or skin.
Date: August 1, 2007
Summary:
Forsyth Institute scientists have discovered an important mechanism for controlling the behavior of adult stem cells. Research with the flatworm, planaria, found a novel role for the proteins involved in cell-to-cell communication. This work has the potential to help scientists understand the nature of the messages that control stem cell regulation - such as the message that maintain and tells a stem cell to specialize and to become part of an organ e.g.: liver or skin.
Zebrafish study may point way to blindness cure
Source: Reuters
Posted: August 1, 2007 3:03AM EDT
Summary:
The ability of zebrafish to regenerate damaged retinas has given scientists a clue about restoring human vision and could lead to an experimental treatment for blindness within five years. British researchers reported they had successfully grown a type of adult stem cell found in the eyes of both fish and mammals that develops into neurons in the retina in the laboratory. In the future, these cells could be injected into the eye as a treatment for diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes-related blindness, according to Astrid Limb of University College London's (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology.
Posted: August 1, 2007 3:03AM EDT
Summary:
The ability of zebrafish to regenerate damaged retinas has given scientists a clue about restoring human vision and could lead to an experimental treatment for blindness within five years. British researchers reported they had successfully grown a type of adult stem cell found in the eyes of both fish and mammals that develops into neurons in the retina in the laboratory. In the future, these cells could be injected into the eye as a treatment for diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes-related blindness, according to Astrid Limb of University College London's (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology.
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