Source: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Date: February 29, 2008
Summary:
Investigators have discovered a dance of proteins that protects certain cells from undergoing apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death. Understanding the fine points of apoptosis is important to researchers seeking ways to control this process. In a series of experiments, St. Jude researchers found that if any one of three molecules is missing, certain cells lose the ability to protect themselves from apoptosis. A report on this work appears in the advance online publication of Nature.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Device allows scientists to control gene activity across generations of cells
Source: Rockefeller University
Date: February 28, 2008
Summary:
Just as cells inherit genes, they also inherit a set of instructions that tell genes when to become active, in which tissues and to what extent. Now, Rockefeller University researchers have built a device that, by allowing scientists to turn genes on and off in actively multiplying budding yeast cells, will help them figure out more precisely than before how genes and proteins interact with one another and how these interactions drive cellular functions.
Date: February 28, 2008
Summary:
Just as cells inherit genes, they also inherit a set of instructions that tell genes when to become active, in which tissues and to what extent. Now, Rockefeller University researchers have built a device that, by allowing scientists to turn genes on and off in actively multiplying budding yeast cells, will help them figure out more precisely than before how genes and proteins interact with one another and how these interactions drive cellular functions.
PrimeGen Biotech: Stem-cell progress
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Date: February 28, 2008
Summary:
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports stem cell biotechnology company PrimeGen Biotech created stem cells with traits of embryonic stem cells without using embryos:
"Just three months after leading scientists turned ordinary skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells - easing an ethical storm - a small biotech company says it has removed a major safety obstacle to this new approach. PrimeGen Biotech of Irvine, Calif., says its embryonic-like stem cells are created without human eggs or embryos - as were the cells reported by researchers in Wisconsin and Japan last fall. The difference is that PrimeGen has shortcut the process of turning a cell's developmental clock backward, using what it calls 'purified proteins.' That not only hastens the reprogramming - a week or two instead of a month - but also avoids the theoretical danger of triggering cancer, ...'"
Date: February 28, 2008
Summary:
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports stem cell biotechnology company PrimeGen Biotech created stem cells with traits of embryonic stem cells without using embryos:
"Just three months after leading scientists turned ordinary skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells - easing an ethical storm - a small biotech company says it has removed a major safety obstacle to this new approach. PrimeGen Biotech of Irvine, Calif., says its embryonic-like stem cells are created without human eggs or embryos - as were the cells reported by researchers in Wisconsin and Japan last fall. The difference is that PrimeGen has shortcut the process of turning a cell's developmental clock backward, using what it calls 'purified proteins.' That not only hastens the reprogramming - a week or two instead of a month - but also avoids the theoretical danger of triggering cancer, ...'"
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Stem Cell Trial Offers Hope for Patients with Severe Ischemic Heart Disease
Source: Massachusetts General Hospital
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Patients with ischemic heart disease, a serious condition that occurs when the heart's arteries become clogged with cholesterol plaque, may have new options if they have exhausted traditional cardiovascular therapies. A clinical trial at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Heart Center is using patients' own stem cells to improve circulation in hearts damaged by inadequate blood flow, by promoting the growth of new, microscopic blood vessels.
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Patients with ischemic heart disease, a serious condition that occurs when the heart's arteries become clogged with cholesterol plaque, may have new options if they have exhausted traditional cardiovascular therapies. A clinical trial at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Heart Center is using patients' own stem cells to improve circulation in hearts damaged by inadequate blood flow, by promoting the growth of new, microscopic blood vessels.
Adult stem cells may be beneficial for certain cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases
Source: JAMA and Archives Journals
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult’s blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders, according to an article in the February 27 issue of JAMA.
HealthDay News also published an item on this story:
"Treatment with adult stem cells harvested from blood or bone marrow may benefit some patients with certain kinds of cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases, a new U.S. analysis shows."
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult’s blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders, according to an article in the February 27 issue of JAMA.
HealthDay News also published an item on this story:
"Treatment with adult stem cells harvested from blood or bone marrow may benefit some patients with certain kinds of cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases, a new U.S. analysis shows."
Yale Scientists Create Artificial “Cells” that Boost the Immune Response to Cancer
Source: Yale University
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Using artificial cell-like particles, Yale biomedical engineers have devised a rapid and efficient way to produce a 45-fold enhancement of T cell activation and expansion, an immune response important for a patient’s ability to fight cancer and infectious diseases, according to an advance on line report in Molecular Therapy.
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Using artificial cell-like particles, Yale biomedical engineers have devised a rapid and efficient way to produce a 45-fold enhancement of T cell activation and expansion, an immune response important for a patient’s ability to fight cancer and infectious diseases, according to an advance on line report in Molecular Therapy.
Penn researchers engineer first system of human nerve-cell tissue
Source: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated that living human nerve cells can be engineered into a network that could one day be used for transplants to repair damaged to the nervous system. They report their findings in the February issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Date: February 26, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated that living human nerve cells can be engineered into a network that could one day be used for transplants to repair damaged to the nervous system. They report their findings in the February issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Building Brains: Mammalian-like Neurogenesis In Fruit Flies
Source: University of Basel
Date: February 25, 2008
Summary:
The nerve cells in the brain of Drosophila are generated by neural stem cell-like progenitor cells called neuroblasts. In the currently accepted model of neurogenesis, these neuroblast divide asymmetrically both to self renew and to produce a smaller progenitor cell. This smaller cell then divides only once into two daughter cells, which receive cell fate determinants, causing them to exit the cell cycle and differentiate into postmitotic neural cells.
A previous entry on this item was posted on February 18 and can be viewed by clicking here.
Date: February 25, 2008
Summary:
The nerve cells in the brain of Drosophila are generated by neural stem cell-like progenitor cells called neuroblasts. In the currently accepted model of neurogenesis, these neuroblast divide asymmetrically both to self renew and to produce a smaller progenitor cell. This smaller cell then divides only once into two daughter cells, which receive cell fate determinants, causing them to exit the cell cycle and differentiate into postmitotic neural cells.
A previous entry on this item was posted on February 18 and can be viewed by clicking here.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Stem Cell-based Therapy May Be Able To Treat Muscular Dystrophy
Source: Nature Medicine
Date: February 24, 2008
Summary:
A new way to manipulate human embryonic stem cells offers hope for an eventual cell-based therapy to treat muscular dystrophies. Muscular dystrophies, such as Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy (DMD), are caused by genetic mutations that lead to a loss of expression of dystrophin, a key structural protein of muscle cells, which results in cell dysfunction. When this occurs the cells can no longer regenerate after injury, resulting in progressive muscle weakness and eventual death. One hope for therapy has been to replenish these defective cells with ESCs that produce normal dystrophin).
Date: February 24, 2008
Summary:
A new way to manipulate human embryonic stem cells offers hope for an eventual cell-based therapy to treat muscular dystrophies. Muscular dystrophies, such as Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy (DMD), are caused by genetic mutations that lead to a loss of expression of dystrophin, a key structural protein of muscle cells, which results in cell dysfunction. When this occurs the cells can no longer regenerate after injury, resulting in progressive muscle weakness and eventual death. One hope for therapy has been to replenish these defective cells with ESCs that produce normal dystrophin).
One big step for Geron: Therapy that enabled paralyzed rats to walk ready for test on humans, stem-cell firm says.
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Posted: February 24, 2008 01:39:43 AM PST
Summary:
The San Jose Mercury News reports that Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced that its embryonic stem cell therapy for treating spinal cord injuries is ready for tests in humans with spinal cord injuries:
"After 13 years of research costing more than $150 million, Geron says it is finally ready to conduct an unprecedented test in people with a treatment made from one of the most controversial substances in science. Using human embryonic stem cells, the Menlo Park company has developed a therapy that enables paralyzed rats to walk and that it claims shows no dangerous side effects in experiments with about 2,000 animals. Others also are studying such cells for medical uses, including Stanford University scientists, who last week said they had used them to help stroke-disabled lab rats walk better. But none are as close to seeking permission for human tests as Geron, whose treatment is for spinal injuries."
Posted: February 24, 2008 01:39:43 AM PST
Summary:
The San Jose Mercury News reports that Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced that its embryonic stem cell therapy for treating spinal cord injuries is ready for tests in humans with spinal cord injuries:
"After 13 years of research costing more than $150 million, Geron says it is finally ready to conduct an unprecedented test in people with a treatment made from one of the most controversial substances in science. Using human embryonic stem cells, the Menlo Park company has developed a therapy that enables paralyzed rats to walk and that it claims shows no dangerous side effects in experiments with about 2,000 animals. Others also are studying such cells for medical uses, including Stanford University scientists, who last week said they had used them to help stroke-disabled lab rats walk better. But none are as close to seeking permission for human tests as Geron, whose treatment is for spinal injuries."
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Scientists Use Embryonic Stem Cells To Make Insulin-Secreting Cells In Mice
Source: Medical News Today
Article Date: 21 February 2008 - 3:00 PDT
Summary:
Scientists at Novocell Inc,, a biotechnology company in the field of embryonic stem cell research, implanted immature beta-cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) into mice and showed that they generated insulin-secreting cells that responded to raised blood sugar. The study is published in the early online 20 February issue of Nature Biotechnology. They hope the discovery will one day lead to a renewable source of insulin-producing cells for the treatment of diabetes.
Article Date: 21 February 2008 - 3:00 PDT
Summary:
Scientists at Novocell Inc,, a biotechnology company in the field of embryonic stem cell research, implanted immature beta-cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) into mice and showed that they generated insulin-secreting cells that responded to raised blood sugar. The study is published in the early online 20 February issue of Nature Biotechnology. They hope the discovery will one day lead to a renewable source of insulin-producing cells for the treatment of diabetes.
Scientists reactivate immune
Source: Gladstone Institutes
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have found that therapy can be used to stimulate the production of vital immune cells, called “T- cells,” in adults with HIV infection.
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have found that therapy can be used to stimulate the production of vital immune cells, called “T- cells,” in adults with HIV infection.
Stem Cell Therapeutics Announces Favorable Results From the Phase IIa BETAS Stroke Trial
Source: Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp.
Posted: February 20, 2008 - 10:32 ET
In an official company news release, Stem Cell Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology focused on the development of drug-based therapies to treat central nervous system diseases, reported favorable results from a safety trial of a treatment for ischemic stroke:
" Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. is pleased to announce favorable results from the investigator led BETAS (Beta-hCG + Erythropoietin in Acute Stroke), Phase IIa, open label, safety trial conducted at the University of California, Irvine and Hoag Presbyterian Memorial Hospital, Newport Beach, CA. This trial is the first to test the safety of NTxTM-265 in patients suffering acute ischemic stroke and to conduct a preliminary assessment of functional recovery in this patient population. Results from the BETAS trial showed no serious adverse events related to NTxTM-265 in the 13 patients enrolled. Of these, 8 patients completed the 90 day assessment term and each of them showed a clinically relevant improvement in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 4 points or greater."
Posted: February 20, 2008 - 10:32 ET
In an official company news release, Stem Cell Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology focused on the development of drug-based therapies to treat central nervous system diseases, reported favorable results from a safety trial of a treatment for ischemic stroke:
" Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. is pleased to announce favorable results from the investigator led BETAS (Beta-hCG + Erythropoietin in Acute Stroke), Phase IIa, open label, safety trial conducted at the University of California, Irvine and Hoag Presbyterian Memorial Hospital, Newport Beach, CA. This trial is the first to test the safety of NTxTM-265 in patients suffering acute ischemic stroke and to conduct a preliminary assessment of functional recovery in this patient population. Results from the BETAS trial showed no serious adverse events related to NTxTM-265 in the 13 patients enrolled. Of these, 8 patients completed the 90 day assessment term and each of them showed a clinically relevant improvement in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 4 points or greater."
Advanced Cell Technology Demonstrates Efficient Generation of Functional Hepatocytes (Liver Cells) From Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Source: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. reported today for the first time a robust and highly efficient process for the generation of high-purity hepatocytes (liver cells). The research, described online (ahead of print) in the journal STEM CELLS, signifies a significant step towards the efficient generation of hepatocytes for use in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. (Click Here to link to the Paper) Moreover, the research represents another one of Advanced Cell Technology’s efforts aimed at the large-scale differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into critical replacement cell types.
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. reported today for the first time a robust and highly efficient process for the generation of high-purity hepatocytes (liver cells). The research, described online (ahead of print) in the journal STEM CELLS, signifies a significant step towards the efficient generation of hepatocytes for use in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. (Click Here to link to the Paper) Moreover, the research represents another one of Advanced Cell Technology’s efforts aimed at the large-scale differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into critical replacement cell types.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Stem cells successfully treat diabetes in mice
Source: Reuters
Posted: February 20, 2008 5:14pm EST
Summary:
Reuters reports biotechnology researchers turned human embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing cells in mice:
"Human stem cells transformed into nearly normal insulin-producing cells when implanted into mice, possibly offering a way to treat diabetes long-term, researchers at a U.S. company reported... Writing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the team at San Diego, California-based Novocell Inc said their work showed that human embryonic stem cells might fulfill the promise of treating or perhaps even curing diabetes."
Posted: February 20, 2008 5:14pm EST
Summary:
Reuters reports biotechnology researchers turned human embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing cells in mice:
"Human stem cells transformed into nearly normal insulin-producing cells when implanted into mice, possibly offering a way to treat diabetes long-term, researchers at a U.S. company reported... Writing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the team at San Diego, California-based Novocell Inc said their work showed that human embryonic stem cells might fulfill the promise of treating or perhaps even curing diabetes."
Stem Cell Therapy Controls Diabetes in Mice, Scientists Report
Source: New York Times
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
The New York Times reports Novcell, Inc., used embryonic stem cells to successfully treat diabetes in mice:
"Scientists reported on Wednesday that they were able to control diabetes in mice by harnessing human embryonic stem cells. The work raised the prospect that the embryonic cells might one day be used to provide insulin-producing replacement cells to treat the disease in people. The scientists, at the biotechnology company Novocell, turned the stem cells into cells that produced insulin in the mice. Those cells kept blood sugar in check after the mice’s own insulin-producing cells were destroyed."
Date: February 21, 2008
Summary:
The New York Times reports Novcell, Inc., used embryonic stem cells to successfully treat diabetes in mice:
"Scientists reported on Wednesday that they were able to control diabetes in mice by harnessing human embryonic stem cells. The work raised the prospect that the embryonic cells might one day be used to provide insulin-producing replacement cells to treat the disease in people. The scientists, at the biotechnology company Novocell, turned the stem cells into cells that produced insulin in the mice. Those cells kept blood sugar in check after the mice’s own insulin-producing cells were destroyed."
Novocell Reports Successful Use of Stem Cells to Generate Insulin in Mice
Source: Novocell, Inc.
Posted: February 20, 2008 3:00 pm ET
Summary:
In an official company news release, Novocell, Inc., a stem cell engineering biotechnology company, reported it successfully turned embryonic stem cells into pancreatic cells that can produce insulin mice:
"announced data demonstrating for the first time that human embryonic stem (hES) cells can be turned into pancreatic cells capable of producing insulin in mice. The findings are reported in an article appearing on-line today, in advance of print publication, in the journal Nature Biotechnology. This research provides evidence supporting the potential future use of hES cells to replace insulin-producing pancreatic cells that are destroyed in people with Type 1 diabetes, requiring them to receive regular insulin treatment."
Posted: February 20, 2008 3:00 pm ET
Summary:
In an official company news release, Novocell, Inc., a stem cell engineering biotechnology company, reported it successfully turned embryonic stem cells into pancreatic cells that can produce insulin mice:
"announced data demonstrating for the first time that human embryonic stem (hES) cells can be turned into pancreatic cells capable of producing insulin in mice. The findings are reported in an article appearing on-line today, in advance of print publication, in the journal Nature Biotechnology. This research provides evidence supporting the potential future use of hES cells to replace insulin-producing pancreatic cells that are destroyed in people with Type 1 diabetes, requiring them to receive regular insulin treatment."
Stem cells help rats recover function after stroke
Source: Reuters
Posted: February 19, 2008 8:06pm ET
Summary:
Reuters reports brain cells from human embryonic stem cells treated stroke damage in rats:
"Transplanting brain cells produced from human embryonic stem cells helped fix stroke damage in the brains of rats, according to scientists who hope to test the same thing in people within about five years. Researchers have been looking for ways to repair the brain damage from a stroke, which can cause permanent disability. In a study published on Tuesday, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine in California reported that treatment involving human embryonic stem cells may be a solution."
Below is additional coverage of this news story from various sources:
HealthDay News:
"Stem Cells Repair Stroke Damage in Rats: Study suggests same technique might one day work in humans"
"Human stem cells helped repair stroke-related brain damage in rats, Stanford University researchers report. The use of neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells led to improvements in the rats' physical abilities, according to the study, which is published in the Feb. 20 issue of Public Library of Science ONE. The stroke damage induced by the researchers left the rats with a weakened forelimb."
Scientific American: "Human Embryonic Stem Cells Fix Stroke-Afflicted Rats":
"In a new study, rats were spared the limb-weakening effects of a stroke if they were treated with brain tissue cultivated from human embryonic stem cells. But unlike similar experiments, the transplanted cells gave no sign of causing tumors, according to a report this week in the online journal PLoS One."
San Jose Mercury News: "Stroke therapy shows promise":
"Stroke-disabled animals improved their ability to walk after getting transplants derived from human embryonic stem cells, raising the prospect that it may someday be possible to help heal victims of the devastating brain injury. A new study from a team of researchers at Stanford University offers tantalizing hope for recovery from an injury that disables 750,000 Americans every year - and for which there is no substantive treatment."
The Guardian: "Stem cell jabs reverse damage after strokes, doctors claim":
"Stroke patients could receive stem cell injections to help repair damage to their brains within the next five years, a team of American doctors claimed yesterday. Hopes that a therapy may be on the horizon were boosted by experiments which showed human embryonic stem cells could be turned into a variety of brain cells, which helped animals recover from strokes without causing dangerous side effects. Researchers led by Gary Steinberg at Stanford University took a dish of human embryonic stem cells and treated them with natural chemicals called growth factors, to nudge them into forming early-stage neurons and other brain cells called astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The scientists screened these cells to make sure that any genes which could make them grow into cancers were switched off."
Public Library of Science, 19 February 2008 - 17:00 PST
"Human Stem Cells Aid Stroke Recovery In Rats":
"Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in the brains of rats and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. This study, to be published in the Feb. 20 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, marks the first time researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells that grow well in the lab, improve a rat's physical abilities and consistently don't form tumors when transplanted."
Posted: February 19, 2008 8:06pm ET
Summary:
Reuters reports brain cells from human embryonic stem cells treated stroke damage in rats:
"Transplanting brain cells produced from human embryonic stem cells helped fix stroke damage in the brains of rats, according to scientists who hope to test the same thing in people within about five years. Researchers have been looking for ways to repair the brain damage from a stroke, which can cause permanent disability. In a study published on Tuesday, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine in California reported that treatment involving human embryonic stem cells may be a solution."
Below is additional coverage of this news story from various sources:
HealthDay News:
"Stem Cells Repair Stroke Damage in Rats: Study suggests same technique might one day work in humans"
"Human stem cells helped repair stroke-related brain damage in rats, Stanford University researchers report. The use of neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells led to improvements in the rats' physical abilities, according to the study, which is published in the Feb. 20 issue of Public Library of Science ONE. The stroke damage induced by the researchers left the rats with a weakened forelimb."
Scientific American: "Human Embryonic Stem Cells Fix Stroke-Afflicted Rats":
"In a new study, rats were spared the limb-weakening effects of a stroke if they were treated with brain tissue cultivated from human embryonic stem cells. But unlike similar experiments, the transplanted cells gave no sign of causing tumors, according to a report this week in the online journal PLoS One."
San Jose Mercury News: "Stroke therapy shows promise":
"Stroke-disabled animals improved their ability to walk after getting transplants derived from human embryonic stem cells, raising the prospect that it may someday be possible to help heal victims of the devastating brain injury. A new study from a team of researchers at Stanford University offers tantalizing hope for recovery from an injury that disables 750,000 Americans every year - and for which there is no substantive treatment."
The Guardian: "Stem cell jabs reverse damage after strokes, doctors claim":
"Stroke patients could receive stem cell injections to help repair damage to their brains within the next five years, a team of American doctors claimed yesterday. Hopes that a therapy may be on the horizon were boosted by experiments which showed human embryonic stem cells could be turned into a variety of brain cells, which helped animals recover from strokes without causing dangerous side effects. Researchers led by Gary Steinberg at Stanford University took a dish of human embryonic stem cells and treated them with natural chemicals called growth factors, to nudge them into forming early-stage neurons and other brain cells called astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The scientists screened these cells to make sure that any genes which could make them grow into cancers were switched off."
Public Library of Science, 19 February 2008 - 17:00 PST
"Human Stem Cells Aid Stroke Recovery In Rats":
"Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in the brains of rats and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. This study, to be published in the Feb. 20 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, marks the first time researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells that grow well in the lab, improve a rat's physical abilities and consistently don't form tumors when transplanted."
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Human Stem Cells Aid Stroke Recovery In Rats
Source: Stanford University School of Medicine
Date: February 19, 2008
Summary:
Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in rats' brains and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. This study, published in the Feb. 20 issue of the journal Public Library of Science-ONE, marks the first time researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells that grow well in the lab, improve a rat’s physical abilities and consistently don’t form tumors when transplanted.
Date: February 19, 2008
Summary:
Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in rats' brains and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. This study, published in the Feb. 20 issue of the journal Public Library of Science-ONE, marks the first time researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells that grow well in the lab, improve a rat’s physical abilities and consistently don’t form tumors when transplanted.
Precancerous Stem Cells Can Form Tumor Blood Vessels
Source: Public Library of Science
Article Date: 19 Feb 2008 - 17:00 PST
Summary:
Tumors require a blood supply to grow, but how they acquire their network of blood vessels is poorly understood. A new study here shows that tumor blood vessels can develop from precancerous stem cells, a recently discovered type of cell that can either remain benign or become malignant. Researchers say the findings provide new information about how tumors develop blood vessels, and why new drugs designed to block tumor blood-vessel growth are often less effective than expected.
Article Date: 19 Feb 2008 - 17:00 PST
Summary:
Tumors require a blood supply to grow, but how they acquire their network of blood vessels is poorly understood. A new study here shows that tumor blood vessels can develop from precancerous stem cells, a recently discovered type of cell that can either remain benign or become malignant. Researchers say the findings provide new information about how tumors develop blood vessels, and why new drugs designed to block tumor blood-vessel growth are often less effective than expected.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Building brains: Mammalian-like neurogenesis in fruit flies
Source: BioMed Central
Date: February 18, 2008
Summary:
A new way of generating brain cells has been uncovered in Drosophila. The findings, published this week in the online open access journal Neural Development, reveal that this novel mode of neurogenesis is very similar to that seen in mammalian brains, suggesting that key aspects of neural development could be shared by insects and mammals.
Date: February 18, 2008
Summary:
A new way of generating brain cells has been uncovered in Drosophila. The findings, published this week in the online open access journal Neural Development, reveal that this novel mode of neurogenesis is very similar to that seen in mammalian brains, suggesting that key aspects of neural development could be shared by insects and mammals.
Scientists move towards stem cell therapy trials to mend shattered bones
Source: University of Edinburgh
Date: 18 February 2008
Summary:
The UK Stem Cell Foundation, the Medical Research Council and Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with the Chief Scientist’s Office, are funding a £1.4 million project to further the research at the University of Edinburgh with a view to setting up a clinical trial within two years. The initiative could have a major impact on treating conditions such as osteoarthritis as well as treating trauma victims whose bones have been shattered beyond repair.
Date: 18 February 2008
Summary:
The UK Stem Cell Foundation, the Medical Research Council and Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with the Chief Scientist’s Office, are funding a £1.4 million project to further the research at the University of Edinburgh with a view to setting up a clinical trial within two years. The initiative could have a major impact on treating conditions such as osteoarthritis as well as treating trauma victims whose bones have been shattered beyond repair.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
UI study: embryonic stem cells may benefit Leukemia patients
Source: Associated Press
Date: February 16, 2008
Summary:
The Associated Press reports scientists at the University of Iowa have created functioning white blood cells that fight infection from embryonic stem cells:
"University of Iowa researchers say Leukemia patients may soon have another way to boost their immune systems -- embryonic stem cells. For the first time, scientists used embryonic stem cells in mice to develop functioning white blood cells that fight infection. The breakthrough may help doctors eventually use the cells as an alternative source for bone marrow transplants."
Date: February 16, 2008
Summary:
The Associated Press reports scientists at the University of Iowa have created functioning white blood cells that fight infection from embryonic stem cells:
"University of Iowa researchers say Leukemia patients may soon have another way to boost their immune systems -- embryonic stem cells. For the first time, scientists used embryonic stem cells in mice to develop functioning white blood cells that fight infection. The breakthrough may help doctors eventually use the cells as an alternative source for bone marrow transplants."
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Protein maintains cross talk between cells that control hair growth
Source: Rockefeller University
Date: February 14, 2008
Summary:
Genes, it turns out, are only as active as the signals that turn them on and off. Now scientists from Rockefeller University and the Howard Hughes Institute have identified the signaling molecule that ratchets up and clamps down the activity of key genes in dermal papilla, a type of skin cell whose unique collection of proteins ultimately instruct epithelial stem cells to make hair. The research, which will be published in the February 15 issue of Genes & Development, highlights the cross talk between these two cell types and how this signaling molecule, a protein called BMP, is crucial for this exchange.
Date: February 14, 2008
Summary:
Genes, it turns out, are only as active as the signals that turn them on and off. Now scientists from Rockefeller University and the Howard Hughes Institute have identified the signaling molecule that ratchets up and clamps down the activity of key genes in dermal papilla, a type of skin cell whose unique collection of proteins ultimately instruct epithelial stem cells to make hair. The research, which will be published in the February 15 issue of Genes & Development, highlights the cross talk between these two cell types and how this signaling molecule, a protein called BMP, is crucial for this exchange.
Researchers get closer to safe stem cell treatments
Source: Agence France Presse (AFP)
Posted: February 14, 2008 3:16 PM ET
Summary:
Researchers came a step closer to finding a safe way to use stem cells in clinical treatment Thursday when a team of Japanese scientists announced they found a way to induce stem cells without triggering tumors.
Posted: February 14, 2008 3:16 PM ET
Summary:
Researchers came a step closer to finding a safe way to use stem cells in clinical treatment Thursday when a team of Japanese scientists announced they found a way to induce stem cells without triggering tumors.
Major step forward in understanding cell reprogramming
Source: Harvard University
Date: February 14, 2008
Summary:
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Researchers have taken a major step toward eventually being able to reprogram adult cells to an embryonic stem cell-like state without the use of viruses or cancer-causing genes. In a paper released on-line today by the journal Cell Stem Cell, Konrad Hochedlinger and colleagues report that they have both discovered how long adult cells need to be exposed to reprogramming factors before they convert to an embryonic-like state, and have “defined the sequence of events that occur during reprogramming.”
Date: February 14, 2008
Summary:
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Researchers have taken a major step toward eventually being able to reprogram adult cells to an embryonic stem cell-like state without the use of viruses or cancer-causing genes. In a paper released on-line today by the journal Cell Stem Cell, Konrad Hochedlinger and colleagues report that they have both discovered how long adult cells need to be exposed to reprogramming factors before they convert to an embryonic-like state, and have “defined the sequence of events that occur during reprogramming.”
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Experimental HIV vaccine gets a boost from ’70s-era discovery
Source: Rockefeller University
Date: February 13, 2008
Summary:
Although science is known for being a forward-looking field, researchers have found that they can often benefit from a glance over their shoulders. By combining an experimental AIDS vaccine with a long-neglected molecule called poly-IC, Rockefeller University scientists discovered that they were able to significantly improve its effectiveness. Their new, bolstered vaccine not only stimulated the production of HIV-attacking immune cells in mice, but also allowed the rodents to maintain immunity over a significantly longer period of time.
Date: February 13, 2008
Summary:
Although science is known for being a forward-looking field, researchers have found that they can often benefit from a glance over their shoulders. By combining an experimental AIDS vaccine with a long-neglected molecule called poly-IC, Rockefeller University scientists discovered that they were able to significantly improve its effectiveness. Their new, bolstered vaccine not only stimulated the production of HIV-attacking immune cells in mice, but also allowed the rodents to maintain immunity over a significantly longer period of time.
Stem cells pave the way for safer drug screening
Source: University of Edinburgh
Date: 13 February 2008
Summary:
Scientists have generated human liver cells from embryonic stem cells that could be used to screen potentially harmful side-effects of drugs before they are trialled in patients. The research, led by the University of Edinburgh, focuses on certain enzymes within the liver cells that play a key role in processing drugs.
Date: 13 February 2008
Summary:
Scientists have generated human liver cells from embryonic stem cells that could be used to screen potentially harmful side-effects of drugs before they are trialled in patients. The research, led by the University of Edinburgh, focuses on certain enzymes within the liver cells that play a key role in processing drugs.
Stem cells give clues to understanding cancer; make breakthrough in childhood leukaemia
Source: European Science Foundation
Date: 13. February 2008 07:00
Summary:
Scientists in Switzerland are uncovering new clues about how cancer cells grow -- and how they can be killed -- by studying stem cells, 'blank' cells that have the potential to develop into fully mature or 'differentiated' cells and other scientists in UK have made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The research should lead to less aggressive treatment for the disease and could result in the development of new and more effective drugs, an international conference on stem cell biology was told last month.
Date: 13. February 2008 07:00
Summary:
Scientists in Switzerland are uncovering new clues about how cancer cells grow -- and how they can be killed -- by studying stem cells, 'blank' cells that have the potential to develop into fully mature or 'differentiated' cells and other scientists in UK have made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The research should lead to less aggressive treatment for the disease and could result in the development of new and more effective drugs, an international conference on stem cell biology was told last month.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Geron: 'Human stem cell tests could begin this summer'
Source: CNNMoney.com
Posted: February 12, 2008: 12:05 PM EST
CNNMoney.com reports Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company in the field of embryonic stem cell research, is preparing to begin embryonic stem cell studies humans with spinal cord injuries, pending FDA approval:
"The first experiments using human embryonic stem cells in human subjects could begin within a few months, the chief executive of biotech Geron said Monday. At the annual BIO CEO conference in New York, Dr. Thomas Okarma said Geron plans to start embryonic stem-cell studies in humans with spinal cord injuries toward the end of the second quarter. Okarma said the tests would involve up to 40 human patients, while all prior tests involved rats."
Posted: February 12, 2008: 12:05 PM EST
CNNMoney.com reports Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company in the field of embryonic stem cell research, is preparing to begin embryonic stem cell studies humans with spinal cord injuries, pending FDA approval:
"The first experiments using human embryonic stem cells in human subjects could begin within a few months, the chief executive of biotech Geron said Monday. At the annual BIO CEO conference in New York, Dr. Thomas Okarma said Geron plans to start embryonic stem-cell studies in humans with spinal cord injuries toward the end of the second quarter. Okarma said the tests would involve up to 40 human patients, while all prior tests involved rats."
A functional immune system can be derived from embryonic stem cells, preliminary study finds
Source: American Society of Hematology
Date: February 12, 2008
Summary:
A new study demonstrates for the first time that embryonic stem cells can be used to create functional immune system blood cells, a finding which is an important step in the utilization of embryonic stem cells as an alternative source of cells for bone marrow transplantation. This hopeful news for patients with severe blood and immune disorders, who need these transplants for treatment, was prepublished online in Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Date: February 12, 2008
Summary:
A new study demonstrates for the first time that embryonic stem cells can be used to create functional immune system blood cells, a finding which is an important step in the utilization of embryonic stem cells as an alternative source of cells for bone marrow transplantation. This hopeful news for patients with severe blood and immune disorders, who need these transplants for treatment, was prepublished online in Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Monday, February 11, 2008
UCLA scientists reprogram human skin cells into embryonic stem cells
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: February 11, 2008
Summary:
UCLA stem cell scientists have reprogrammed human skin cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells without using embryos or eggs. The UCLA study confirms the work first reported in late November of researcher Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin. The UCLA research appears Feb. 11, 2008, in an early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences.
Date: February 11, 2008
Summary:
UCLA stem cell scientists have reprogrammed human skin cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells without using embryos or eggs. The UCLA study confirms the work first reported in late November of researcher Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin. The UCLA research appears Feb. 11, 2008, in an early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Release Regulated By Brain's Biological Clock
Source: Mount Sinai Medical Center
Date: February 7, 2008
Summary:
Researchers have discovered that the release of blood stem cells from bone marrow is regulated by the brain through the cyclical human biological clock, via adrenergic signals transmitted by the sympathetic nervous system. These new findings point out that the harvest of stem cells for transplantation may be improved by timing it at the peak of their release.
Date: February 7, 2008
Summary:
Researchers have discovered that the release of blood stem cells from bone marrow is regulated by the brain through the cyclical human biological clock, via adrenergic signals transmitted by the sympathetic nervous system. These new findings point out that the harvest of stem cells for transplantation may be improved by timing it at the peak of their release.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Grow Your Own Replacement Parts
Source:CBS News
Date: February 6, 2008
CBS News reports researchers at Wake Forest University are working on using stem cells to grow organs for transplants. A streaming CBS News video accompanies this story.
Date: February 6, 2008
CBS News reports researchers at Wake Forest University are working on using stem cells to grow organs for transplants. A streaming CBS News video accompanies this story.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Discovery Of Good -- And Bad -- Liver Stem Cells Raises Possibility Of New Treatment
Source: Georgetown University
Date: February 5, 2008
Summary:
Many scientists believe up to 40 percent of liver cancer is caused by stem cells gone wild – master cells in the organ that have lost all growth control. But, despite years spent looking, no one has ever found these liver “cancer stem cells” – or even normal stem cells in the organ. Until now. In the February 19, 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center report discovering both types of stem cells, and by comparing their genetic “signatures,” they found evidence to suggest that a new type of experimental drug now being tested in other cancers might offer benefit in treating liver cancer.
Date: February 5, 2008
Summary:
Many scientists believe up to 40 percent of liver cancer is caused by stem cells gone wild – master cells in the organ that have lost all growth control. But, despite years spent looking, no one has ever found these liver “cancer stem cells” – or even normal stem cells in the organ. Until now. In the February 19, 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center report discovering both types of stem cells, and by comparing their genetic “signatures,” they found evidence to suggest that a new type of experimental drug now being tested in other cancers might offer benefit in treating liver cancer.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Targeting Astrocytes Slows Disease Progression In Lou Gehrig's Disease, Study Shows
Source: University of California - San Diego
February 3, 2008
Summary:
In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.
February 3, 2008
Summary:
In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Carbohydrate Regulates Stem Cell Potency
Source: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Date: February 1, 2008
Summary:
A carbohydrate molecule that coats certain proteins on the cell surface, is critical for the proper proliferation and potency of embryonic stem cells, researchers report. Stem cells' tremendous therapeutic potential arises from their ability to continually self-renew and turn into any adult cell type. Researchers have long been trying to uncover the basis of these abilities, but while several proteins and growth factors are known to play a role both inside and outside the cell, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.
Date: February 1, 2008
Summary:
A carbohydrate molecule that coats certain proteins on the cell surface, is critical for the proper proliferation and potency of embryonic stem cells, researchers report. Stem cells' tremendous therapeutic potential arises from their ability to continually self-renew and turn into any adult cell type. Researchers have long been trying to uncover the basis of these abilities, but while several proteins and growth factors are known to play a role both inside and outside the cell, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.
Finnish patient gets new jaw from own stem cells
Source: Reuters
Posted: February 1, 2008 1:46pm EST
Summary:
Reuters reports scientists have created a new jaw made from bone transplanted derived from a patient's own fat tissue:
"Scientists in Finland said they had replaced a 65-year-old patient's upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen. Researchers said on Friday the breakthrough opened up new ways to treat severe tissue damage and made the prospect of custom-made living spares parts for humans a step closer to reality."
Posted: February 1, 2008 1:46pm EST
Summary:
Reuters reports scientists have created a new jaw made from bone transplanted derived from a patient's own fat tissue:
"Scientists in Finland said they had replaced a 65-year-old patient's upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen. Researchers said on Friday the breakthrough opened up new ways to treat severe tissue damage and made the prospect of custom-made living spares parts for humans a step closer to reality."
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