Reversible 3-D cell culture gel invented

Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
Date: September 28, 2008

Summary:

Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, has invented a unique user-friendly gel that can liquefy on demand, with the potential to revolutionize three-dimensional (3D) cell culture for medical research. As reported in Nature Nanotechnology (Y.S. Pek, A. C. A. Wan, A. Shekaran, L. Zhuo and J. Y. Ying, "A Thixotropic Nanocomposite Gel for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture"), IBN's novel gel media has the unique ability to liquefy when it is subjected to a moderate shear force and rapidly resolidifies into a gel within one minute upon removal of the force. This phenomenon of reverting between a gel and a liquid state is known as thixotropy.

Another key feature of IBN's gel is the ease with which researchers can transfer the cultured cells from the matrix by pipetting the required amount from the liquefied gel. Unlike conventional cell culture, trypsin is not required to detach the cultured cells from the solid media. As trypsin is an enzyme that is known to damage cells, especially in stem cell cultures, the long-term quality and viability of cells cultured using IBN's thixotropic gel would improve substantially without the exposure to this enzyme. Researchers are also able to control the gel's stiffness, thus facilitating the differentiation of stem cells into specific cell types.

Important new step toward producing stem cells for human treatment

Source: Harvard University
Date: September 25, 2008

Summary:

A team of Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) scientists has taken an important step toward producing induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that are safe to transplant into patients to treat diseases. Excitement over the ability of researchers to create this form of stem cell by inserting four genes into adults cells has thus far been tempered by the fact that the genes have been inserted using retroviruses, which have the potential to turn on cancer genes and trigger tumor growth. But today Konrad Hochedlinger and HSCI colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital and Joslin Diabetes Center report having created mouse iPS cells using harmless adenoviruses that ultimately disappear from the new cells and therefore do not integrate into their DNA like the retroviruses.

Key Advance In Treating Spinal Cord Injuries Found In Manipulating Stem Cells

Source: University of Rochester Medical Center
Date: September 18, 2008

Summary:

Manipulating embryo-derived stem cells prior to transplantation may hold the key to overcoming a critical obstacle to using stem cell technology to repair spinal cord injuries, scientists have shown. Research from a team of scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, published today in the online Journal of Biology, may lead to improved spinal cord repair methods that pave the way for victims of paralysis to recover the use of their bodies without the risk of transplant-induced pain syndromes.

Different stem cell types defined by exclusive combinations of genes working together

Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
Date: September 18, 2008

Summary:

In the new issue of Cell Stem Cell, scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore report that the same transcription factor, which is crucial for the survival of different stem cell types, can behave differently. This study clearly showed for the first time that different types of stem cells are defined by exclusive combinations of genes working together, and this is under the influence of a single key stem cell factor (called Sall4).

The finding is timely since other researchers have recently revealed that specific genetic recipes can be used to turn non-stem cells into different stem cells that can be useful clinically. This finding reveals important insights about how scientists may be able to manipulate and engineer different stem cells for the treatment of human degenerative disorders. Understanding the behaviour of transcription factors, a class of gene regulators, helps pave the way for important advancements in stem cell technology and clinical research.

Scientists turn human skin cells into insulin-producing cells

Source: University of North Carolina
Date: September 17, 2008

Summary:

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have transformed cells from human skin into cells that produce insulin, the hormone used to treat diabetes. The breakthrough may one day lead to new treatments or even a cure for the millions of people affected by the disease, researchers say.

The approach involves reprogramming skin cells into pluripotent stem cells, or cells that can give rise to any other fetal or adult cell type, and then inducing them to differentiate, or transform, into cells that perform a particular function – in this case, secreting insulin. Several recent studies have shown that cells can be returned to pluripotent state using "defined factors" (specific proteins that control which genes are active in a cell), a technique pioneered by Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, a professor at Kyoto University in Japan. However, the UNC study is the first to demonstrate that cells reprogrammed in this way can be coaxed to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells. Results of the study are published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Scientists identify genes capable of regulating stem cell function

Source: Forsyth Institute
Date: September 17, 2008

Summary:

Scientists from The Forsyth Institute, Boston, MA, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Utah School of Medicine have developed a new system in which to study known mammalian adult stem cell disorders. This research, conducted with the flatworm planaria, highlights the genetic similarity between these invertebrates and mammals in the mechanisms by which stem cell regulatory pathways are used during adult tissue maintenance and regeneration. It is expected that this work may help scientists pursue pharmacological, genetic, and physiological approaches to develop potential therapeutic targets that could repair or prevent abnormal stem cell growth which can lead to cancer.

Muscle stem cell identity confirmed by Stanford researchers

Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: September 17, 2008

Summary:

A single cell can repopulate damaged skeletal muscle in mice, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who devised a way to track the cell's fate in living animals. The research is the first to confirm that so-called satellite cells encircling muscle fibers harbor an elusive muscle stem cell. Identifying and isolating such a cell in humans would have profound therapeutic implications for disorders such as muscular dystrophy, injury and muscle wasting due to aging, disuse or disease.

Engineered stem cells carry promising ALS therapy

Source: University of Wisconsin
Date: September 16, 2008

Summary:

Using adult stem cells from bone marrow as "Trojan horses"to deliver a nurturing growth factor to atrophied muscles, Wisconsin scientists have successfully slowed the progression of ALS in rats. The work, published this week (Sept. 16) in the journal Molecular Therapy, provides a tantalizing hint that the approach may provide a new therapy for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Embryonic stem cells might help reduce transplantation rejection

Source: University of Iowa
Date: September 15, 2008

Summary:

Researchers have shown that immune-defense cells influenced by embryonic stem cell-derived cells can help prevent the rejection of hearts transplanted into mice, all without the use of immunosuppressive drugs. The University of Iowa and the Iowa City Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center finding has implications for possible improvements in organ and bone marrow transplantation for humans. The study results appeared Friday in the online journal PLoS ONE.

DNA "Tattoos" Link Adult, Daughter Stem Cells...

Source: University of Utah Health Sciences
Date: September 11, 2008

Summary:

Unlike some parents, adult stem cells don’t seem to mind when their daughters get a tattoo. In fact, they’re willing to pass them along. Using the molecular equivalent of a tattoo on DNA that adult stem cells (ASC) pass to their “daughter” cells in combination with gene expression profiles, University of Utah. researchers have identified two early steps in adult stem cell differentiation—the process that determines whether cells will form muscle, neurons, skin, etc., in people and animals. The U of U researchers, led by Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology and anatomy, identified 259 genes that help defined the earliest steps in the differentiation of adult stem cells in planarians—tiny flatworms that have the uncanny ability to regenerate cells and may have much to teach about human stem cell biology. The findings, reported in the Sept. 11 issue of Cell Stem Cell establish planarians as an excellent model for studying adult stem cells in a live animal, rather than a laboratory culture dish.

Stem cell regeneration repairs congenital heart defect

Source: Mayo Clinic
Date: September 11, 2008


Mayo Clinic investigators have demonstrated that stem cells can be used to regenerate heart tissue to treat dilated cardiomyopathy, a congenital defect. Publication of the discovery was expedited by the editors of Stem Cells and appeared online in the "express" section of the journal's Web site. The study expands on the use of embryonic stem cells to regenerate tissue and repair damage after heart attacks and demonstrates that stem cells also can repair the inherited causes of heart failure.

Scientists isolate cancer stem cells

Source: University of Oklahoma
Date: September 11, 2008

Summary:

After years of working toward this goal, scientists at the OU Cancer Institute have found a way to isolate cancer stem cells in tumors so they can target the cells and kill them, keeping cancer from returning. A research team at the University of Oklahoma led by Courtney Houchen, M.D., and Shrikant Anant, Ph.D., discovered that a particular protein only appears in stem cells. Until now, researchers knew of proteins that appeared in both regular cancer cells and stem cells, but none that just identified a stem cell. The group has already begun work to use the protein as a target for a new compound that once developed would kill the stem cells and kill the cancer. By targeting the stem cells, scientists and physicians also would be able to stop the cancer from returning.

Human embryonic stem cell secretions minimized tissue injury after heart attack

Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
Date: September 9, 2008

Summary:

A novel way to improve survival and recovery rate after a heart attack was reported in the journal Stem Cell Research by scientists at Singapore's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) and Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) and The Netherlands' University Medical Center Utrecht. This method, developed in laboratory research with pigs, is the first non-cell based therapeutic application of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). It entails using secretions from stem cells.

In their studies with pigs, the researchers found that the administration of secretion from stem cells minimized heart injury by enhancing reperfusion therapy (angioplasty and cardiac bypass surgery) and reducing tissue death by another 60%. Heart function was also markedly improved, the scientists report in the paper, published in the June 2008 issue of the journal. By demonstrating the efficacy of this secretion in an experimental pig model, currently the best approximation to a human heart attack patient undergoing reperfusion therapy, the researchers say that they have addressed the longstanding problem of reperfusion injury in the most clinically relevant experimental setting.

Hadassah Hospital Study Shows That Neural Cells Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reduce Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Symptoms

Source: Hadasit
Date: September 8, 2008

Summary:

Hadassah University Hospital and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of Hadassah Medical Organization, announced today that scientists at Hadassah University Hospital have discovered a new application for human embryonic stem cells. They have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells can reduce the clinical symptoms in animals with a form of multiple sclerosis.

Scientists reveal changes to embryonic stem cells caused by Down syndrome

Source: Queen Mary, University of London
Date: 4 September 2008

Summary:

Scientists investigating the mechanisms of Down Syndrome (DS) have revealed the earliest developmental changes in embryonic stem cells caused by an extra copy of human chromosome 21 – the aberrant inheritance of which results in the condition. Their study is published online today (Thursday 4 September) in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Lead by Dean Nizetic, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, the team utilised embryonic stem cells from a previously genetically engineered species of mice carrying a copy of human chromosome 21. They discovered that extra chromosome 21 - a genetic state known as trisomy 21 - disturbs a key regulating gene called NRSF or REST, which in turn disturbs the cascade of other genes that control normal development at the embryonic stem cell stage. Furthermore, they identified one gene (DYRK1A) on human chromosome 21, whose overdose in trisomy (DS), is responsible for the observed effects.

Hearing Restoration May Be Possible With Cochlear Repair After Transplant Of Human Cord Blood Cells

Source: Cell Transplantation Center
Date: September 3, 2008

Summary:

Hearing loss due to cochlear damage may be repaired by transplanting human umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cells. This study, using animal models of chemical and auditory cochlear damage, found that when transplanted stem cells migrated to the damaged area, "surprisingly few" transplanted cells were necessary to help repair sensory hair cells and neurons. Researchers say transplanting umbilical cord stem cells provides hope for the repair of human hearing impairments rising from cochlear damage.

Sangamo BioSciences Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Treatment for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Source: Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
Date: September 3, 2008

Summary:

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced that it has opened a Phase 2 clinical trial (SB-509-801) to evaluate its drug, SB-509, in subjects with ALS, a progressive, degenerative motor-neuron disease for which there are limited treatment options and no cure. Sangamo's drug, SB-509, is an injectable formulation of a plasmid encoding a zinc finger DNA-binding protein transcription factor (ZFP TF(TM)) designed to upregulate the expression of the gene encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A). SB-509 is also in three additional Phase 2 clinical trials for diabetic neuropathy and stem cell mobilization. VEGF-A has been shown to have nerve protection properties as well as promoting nerve, blood vessel and muscle growth.

Two studies involving cardiac cell transplantation have shown an evolving role for bone marrow cells in cardiac cell therapy

Source: Cell Transplantation: The Regenerative Medicine Journal
Date: September 3, 2008

Summary:

Two studies involving cardiac cell transplantation have shown an evolving role for bone marrow cells in cardiac cell therapy. The implantation of heart muscle cells and subsequent restoration of cardiac function was enhanced when bone marrow cells were implanted along with the cardiomyocytes. Researchers also found that mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow provided an advantage over fetal amniotic fluid derived cells when differentiating into appropriate cells for cardiac cell transplantation and repair.

New stem cell tools to aid drug development

Source: Durham University
Date: September 2, 2008

Summary:

Scientists have designed, developed and tested new molecular tools for stem cell research to direct the formation of certain tissue types for use in drug development programmes. A collaborative team of scientists from Durham University and the North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) have developed two synthetic molecules which can be used to coax stem cells to 'differentiate' - that is, transform into other forms of tissue. Their use could also help reduce the number of animals used in laboratory research. The team's results are published in the current issue of the scientific journal, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.

Blood vessel cells are instructed to form tube-like structures

Source: Uppsala University
Date: August 29, 2008

Summary:

How do blood vessel cells understand that they should organise themselves in tubes and not in layers? A research group from Uppsala University shows for the first time that a special type of "instructor" molecule is needed to accomplish this. These findings, published in the scientific journal Blood, might be an important step towards using stem cells to build new organs.

Researchers Devise Means to Create Blood by Identifying Earliest Stem Cells

Source: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Date: August 28, 2008

Summary:

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered the earliest form of human blood stem cells and deciphered the mechanism by which these embryonic stem cells replicate and grow. They also found a surprising biological marker that pinpoints these stem cells, which serve as the progenitors for red blood cells and lymphocytes.

Army researchers try to regrow fingers from 'pixie dust'

Source: United States Army
Date: August 28, 2008

Summary:

A powder that regrows limbs sounds like the stuff of fairy tales, but medical experts here are hoping they can use it to make magic happen for wounded warriors. Doctors from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research are trying a regenerative medicine powder in hopes of stimulating tissue growth in Soldiers with missing extremities.

Coverage of Harvard Conversion of Pancreatic Cells Into Insulin-Producing Cells

Below is a summary of media coverage from various sources of recent studies by researchers at Harvard University in which pancreatic cells were converted Into insulin-producing cells:

Boston Globe, August 28, 2008: "New technique finds a faster way to change one cell type into another":

"Harvard researchers have transformed one type of pancreas cell in living mice into another - the insulin- producing cells that are destroyed in type 1 diabetes - potentially giving stem cell scientists a powerful new way to one day grow replacement tissues for patients. The technique, which the researchers said improved diabetic symptoms in the mice, is faster than another pioneering method, in which scientists turn mature adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells that have the capacity to become any cell in the body."

New York Times, August 28, 2008: "Researchers Report Advances in Cell Conversion Technique":

"Biologists at Harvard have converted cells from a mouse’s pancreas into the insulin-producing cells that are destroyed in diabetes, suggesting that the natural barriers between the body’s cell types may not be as immutable as supposed. This and other recent experiments raise the possibility that a patient’s healthy cells might be transformed into the type lost to a disease far more simply and cheaply than in the cumbersome proposals involving stem cells."

Financial Times, August 27 2008 20:53 | Last updated: August 27 2008 20:53: "Cell advance offers medical benefits":

"Biologists have for the first time transformed one type of adult cell directly into another, without using stem cells en route. This latest tour de force in the fastest-moving field of biology – reprogramming of living cells – was carried out by Douglas Melton and Joe Zhou of Harvard University. They made insulin-producing “beta cells” in living mice, by injecting a combination of three genes into other cells in the pancreas. ...The discovery could lead to a cure for diabetes, and it has profound implications for regenerative medicine – replacing diseased or injured tissues with new ones in good working order."

Milwaukee Journal Setinel, August 27, 2008: "'Makeover' sidesteps stem cells":

"After more than a decade of trying to harvest the promise of embryonic stem cells, scientists have hit on a fascinating new approach that sidesteps them entirely. By adding genes to targeted cells in the body, they have been able change the basic makeup of those cells, turning them into potential disease-curing cells. The feat, which was performed in mice, involved reprogramming cells in the pancreas that normally do not produce insulin so that they began producing the sugar-regulating hormone, opening the door to a potential new approach to treating diabetes."

HealthDay News, August 27, 2008: "Pancreatic Cells Turned Into Insulin-Producing Beta Cells":

"Scientists have succeeded in transforming pancreatic cells from adult mice into insulin-producing beta cells, a feat they call an 'extreme makeover.' The achievement is a step toward finding a treatment or even a cure for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, both of which involve problems with either insulin production or uptake."

Associated Press, August 27, 2008: "Cells change identity in promising breakthrough":

"...Scientists have transformed one type of cell into another in living mice, a big step toward the goal of growing replacement tissues to treat a variety of diseases. The cell identity switch turned ordinary pancreas cells into the rarer type that churns out insulin, essential for preventing diabetes. But its implications go beyond diabetes to a host of possibilities, scientists said."

Technology Review, August 27, 2008: "A Stem-Cell Revolution":

"Scientists at Harvard University recently announced a much anticipated milestone in regenerative medicine: the creation of stem cells from patients with a variety of diseases. The cells, which can be encouraged to develop into cell types damaged by disease, such as the insulin-producing cells in diabetes or neurons in Parkinson's, are poised to give scientists an unprecedented view of disease."

United Press International, August 27, 2008: "Stunning regenerative medicine study cited":

"U.S. scientists, in what's called a stunning achievement, have transformed one type of adult mouse cell directly into another type inside a living animal. ...Using a technique they call 'direct reprogramming,' the team transformed mouse exocrine cells, which make up about 95 percent of the pancreas, into insulin-producing beta cells."

Reuters, August 27, 2008 256 p, EDT: "Researchers turn living cells into insulin-makers":

"Researchers have transformed ordinary cells into insulin-producing cells in a living mouse, improving symptoms of diabetes in a major step towards regenerative medicine. The technique, called direct reprogramming, bypasses the need for stem cells -- the body's master cells which, until now, have been indispensable to efforts to custom-make tissue and organ transplants."

Bloomberg News, August 27, 2008: "Harvard's Cell `Makeover' May Spur Diabetes Therapy":

"Using a kind of biological alchemy, Harvard University researchers have turned one type of cell found in the pancreas of mice into the variety that secretes the hormone insulin. If the technique can be used safely in humans, it may one day provide a treatment for diabetes, which occurs when the body either can't produce, or else makes too little of, the insulin needed to process blood sugar."

Researchers Create Insulin-Producing Cells from Adult Pancreatic Cells

Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: August 27, 2008

Summary:

Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have converted adult pancreatic cells into insulin-producing beta cells in living mice. This is a first because the researchers directly changed the functional identity of adult cells without using embryonic stem cells or relying on techniques that reverse a cell's genetic programming to its earliest stages. The investigators repurposed the adult cells quickly by using viruses to shuttle just three regulatory genes that triggered the remarkable developmental changes. It took only a brief blip of activity by the regulatory genes to imbue the cells with their new job descriptions, which they have retained for as long as nine months. The experiments, which are reported on August 27, 2008, in an advance online publication in the journal Nature, realize a longtime goal in regenerative medicine: To produce specialized repair cells directly from a pool of adult cells that are healthy, abundant and easily obtained. Until now, repair cells have been generated from embryonic stem cells or more recently from pluripotent stem cells created by fully reprogramming adult cells.

Researchers turn one form of adult mouse cell directly into another

Source: Harvard University
Date: August 27, 2008

Summary:

In a feat of biological prestidigitation likely to turn the field of regenerative medicine on its head, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) co-director Doug Melton and post doctoral fellow Qiao "Joe" Zhou report having achieved what has long been a dream and ultimate goal of developmental biologists – directly turning one type of fully formed adult cell into another type of adult cell. The Melton team reports in today's online edition of the journal Nature that, using a technique it is calling "direct reprogramming," the team is able to turn mouse exocrine cells, which make up about 95 percent of the pancreas, into precious and rare insulin-producing beta cells. These beta cells, which comrpise about one percent of the pancreas, are the cells that die off in Type I diabetes.

Stem cells stand up for themselves

Source: Rockefeller University
Date: August 25, 2008

Summary:

Adult stem cells are not pampered pushovers. O'Reilly et al. report that certain stem cells take charge of their surroundings, molding their environment to control their division and differentiation. Some stem cells are cosseted like newborns. Neighboring cells cradle them in a structure called the niche. The niche not only nurtures its charges, it also dictates their behavior, determining whether they reproduce and specialize. The standard view is that the niche shapes stem cells, not vice versa.

O'Reilly et al. found evidence for more active stem cells while studying how the cells anchor themselves in the Drosophila ovary. Previous work indicated that ovary stem cells attach to the niche through the protein E-cadherin. O'Reilly et al. tested whether the stem cells also depend on integrins, cell surface proteins that link molecules in the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton. They found that follicle stem cells (FSC)—one type of ovary stem cell—drifted away from their niche when they carried mutant integrins.

Coverage of Advanced Cell Technology Generation of red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells

Below is a summary of media coverage from various sources of an announcement by stem cell biotechnology company Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. in which red blood cells were created from human embryonic stem cells:

New Scientist19:30 19 August 2008: "First red blood cells grown in the lab":

"Blood donations may one day be a thing of the past thanks to the creation of the first functional red blood cells grown in the lab. The cells were grown from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). ...The breakthrough raises the prospect of mass-producing supplies of the "universal donor" blood type O-negative, which is prized because it can be safely transfused into any patient, whatever their blood group. This type of blood is in short supply – around 8% of Caucasians have it, and just 0.3% of Asians. ...Making blood from a few ESC lines instead of obtaining it from countless donors may also help to stop the spread of disease, as it is easier to ensure such artficial blood is free of pathogens such as HIV and the viruses that cause hepatitis."

Boston Globe, August 20, 2008: "Stem cells may bring bottomless blood bank: ACT says it made billions of viable cells":

"Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology Inc., the Worcester stem cell company that is running out of cash, reported yesterday that they have created large numbers of red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells. ...Such a supply could be a useful solution to the nation's chronic problems with blood shortages and ease worries about contamination."

Associated Press, August 19, 2008: Stem cell advance may help transfusion supplies":

"Scientists say they've found an efficient way to make red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells, a possible step toward making transfusion supplies in the laboratory. The promise of a virtually limitless supply is tantalizing because of blood donor shortages and disappointments in creating blood substitutes. Red blood cells are a key component of blood because they carry oxygen throughout the body. Experts called the new work an advance, but cautioned that major questions had yet to be answered."

Bone marrow stem cells may help control inflammatory bowel disease

Source: Massachusetts General Hospital
Date: August 20, 2008

Summary:

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model. In their report published in the journal Stem Cells, the team from the MGH Center for Engineering in Medicine report that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), known to control several immune system activities, allowed the regeneration of the gastrointestinal lining in mice with a genetic mutation leading to multiorgan autoimmune disease.

Stem cell indicator for bowel cancer should lead to better survival rates

Source: Durham University
Date: August 20, 2008

Summary:

Stem cell scientists have developed a more accurate way of identifying aggressive forms of bowel cancer, which should eventually lead to better treatment and survival rates. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK. The UK-led team, headed by scientists from Durham University and the North East England Stem Cell Institute, (NESCI), studied tissue samples from 700 colorectal (bowel) cancer patients and tracked their progress.

They found that patients who had a stem cell marker protein called Lamin A present in their tissue were more likely to have an aggressive form of the disease. The team concluded that if the marker is detected in the early forms of colorectal cancer, these patients should be given chemotherapy in addition to the surgery normally offered to ensure a better survival predicament. The team now aims to develop a robust prognostic tool for use in the health service. The study, funded by the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR) and NHS Research and Development funds, is published in the open-access scientific journal Public Library of Science One (PLOS One).

UCR Researcher Develops Novel Method to Grow Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Source: University of California - Riverside
Date: August 19, 2008

Summary:

The majority of researchers working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) – cells which produce any type of specialized adult cells in the human body – use animal-based materials for culturing the cells. But because these materials are animal-based, they could transmit viruses and other pathogens to the hESCs, making the cells unsuitable for medical use. Now, a stem-cell scientist at UC Riverside has devised a method of growing hESCs in the lab that uses no animal-derived materials – an important advance in the use of hESCs for future medical purposes.

Clinical-Scale Generation of Functional Red Blood Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Source: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
Posted: August 19, 2008 3:09 pm ET

Summary:

In an official news release, Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a biotechology company in the field of stem cell research, reports it has generated red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells:

" Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (“ACT”) (OTC: ACTC.PK) reported that it is feasible to differentiate and mature human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into functional oxygen-carrying red blood cells (RBCs) under conditions suitable for scale-up. The research, which appears online (pre-published ahead of print) in the journal Blood –the leading publication in the field—by ACTC and its collaborators at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Illinois, shows for the first time that the oxygen-carrying capacity of hESC-derived blood cells is comparable to normal transfusable RBCs, and that the cells respond to biochemical changes in a physiologically effective manner."

Universal Gene Signaling Mechanism Identified by UB Molecular Researchers

Source: University at Buffalo
Date: August 14, 2008

Summary:

A novel gene signaling mechanism that controls whether a stem cell develops into its destined tissue or fails to differentiate and becomes cancer has been identified by researchers in the multi-laboratory Molecular and Structural Neurobiology and Gene Therapy Program based at the University at Buffalo. The new pathway, identified as Integrative FGFR1 Signaling (INFS), presents a new and promising target for in vivo neural stem cell therapies and anticancer strategies.

Childhood brain tumor traced to normal stem cells gone bad

Source: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Date: August 12, 2008

Summary:

An aggressive childhood brain tumor known as medulloblastoma originates in normal brain "stem" cells that turn malignant when acted on by a known mutant, cancer-causing oncogene, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Reporting in the August 12 issue of Cancer Cell, the scientists say they have uncovered new origins for these tumors from early stem cells as well as more mature cells. Previously, scientists had assumed the tumors might only come from a single source: more mature cells which become neurons and do not have "stem" cell properties. The findings hint at potential new treatment approaches for medulloblastoma by targeting the origins of the tumors, and further suggest that not all patients tumors may be born from the same cells.

Yale Researchers Discover Tiny Cellular Antennae Trigger Neural Stem Cells

Source: Yale University
Date: August 11, 2008

Summary:

Yale University scientists today reported evidence suggesting that the tiny cilia found on brain cells of mammals, thought to be vestiges of a primeval past, actually play a critical role in relaying molecular signals that spur creation of neurons in an area of the brain involved in mood, learning and memory. The findings are published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

QLD scientists' stem cell breakthrough

Source: Brisbane Times
Posted: August 11, 2008 - 3:43PM ADT

Summary:

The Brisbane Times reports scientists created an embryonic stem cell from synthetic material:

"Queensland scientists have successfully turned synthetic material into an embryonic stem cell, in a research breakthrough that may one day quell the debate over stem cell therapies. The process, which derives embryonic stem cells from chemically-synthesised proteins, may eventually eliminate the controversial step of destroying human embryos for stem cell therapies, scientists from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) say."

Childhood brain tumor traced to normal stem cells gone bad

Source: University of California - San Francisco
Date: August 11, 2008

Summary:

An aggressive childhood brain tumor known as medulloblastoma originates in normal brain “stem” cells that turn malignant when acted on by a known mutant, cancer-causing oncogene, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Reporting in the Aug. 12 issue of Cancer Cell, the scientists say they have uncovered new origins for these tumors from early stem cells as well as more mature cells. Previously, scientists had assumed the tumors might only come from a single source: more mature cells which become neurons and do not have “stem” cell properties. The findings hint at potential new treatment approaches for medulloblastoma by targeting the origins of the tumors, and further suggest that not all patients’ tumors may be born from the same cells.

Scientists identify single microRNA that controls blood vessel development

Source: Gladstone Institutes
Date: August 11, 2008

Summary:

Scientists from the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GICD) and UCSF have identified a key regulatory factor that controls development of the human vascular system, the extensive network of arteries, veins, and capillaries that allow blood to reach all tissues and organs. The research, published in the latest issue of Developmental Cell, may offer clues to potential therapeutic targets for a wide variety of diseases, such as heart disease or cancer, that are impacted by or affect the vascular system.

Pluristem's PLX-MS Shows Potential Benefit in the Prevention of Multiple Sclerosis

Source: Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.
Posted: August 11, 2008 7:00 am ET

Summary:

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc., a bio-therapeutics company dedicated to the commercialization of non-personalized (allogeneic) cell therapy products for a variety of degenerative, ischemic and autoimmune indications, today announced that the Company’s PLacental eXpanded (PLX-MS) cells have demonstrated in vivo efficacy in the prevention of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). PLX cells are Pluristem’s placental-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) that have been expanded in the Company’s proprietary PluriX™ 3-D bioreactor.

Scientists uncover the key to controlling how stem cells develop

Source: McMaster University
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

The results of a new study involving a McMaster University researcher provide insight into how scientists might control human embryonic stem cell differentiation. In collaboration with researchers from SickKids and Mount Sinai hospitals, Dr. Jon Draper, a scientist in the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, focused on producing early endoderm cells from human embryonic stem cells. The research is published in the August issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press journal.

Scientists produce stem cells for 10 diseases

Source: Associated Press
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

The Associated Press reports researchers at Harvard University created stem cell lines for 10 genetic diseases:

"Harvard scientists say they have created stems cells for 10 genetic disorders, which will allow researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab dish. This early step, using a new technique, could help speed up efforts to find treatments for some of the most confounding ailments, the scientists said."

Below is a summary of additional media coverage of this story from various news sources:

Canwest News Service, August 8, 2008: "Scientists use stem cells to help decipher diseases: Process may make it possible to find new drugs and treatments":

In what could be the first step toward recreating a disease in a Petri dish, scientists have created a new set of stem cell lines that contain the basic genetic components of 10 incurable diseases, from Down syndrome to diabetes and Parkinson's.
The newly created trove of stem cell lines will allow researchers "to watch the disease progress in a dish, to watch what goes right or wrong," says Doug Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Agence France Presse (AFP), August 8, 2008 6:42 PM ET: "US team creates stem cells of 10 incurable diseases":

"US scientists have cultivated a new line of stem cells that reproduce the genetic defects responsible for 10 incurable diseases such as muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease, a study said. The team managed to convert ordinary skin and bone tissue cells from patients with these diseases into stem cells which contain the same genetic fault. This could help step up research into finding an eventual cure, the study said in the latest edition of Cell magazine.


HealthDay News, August 7, 2008: "Disease-Specific Stem Cell Lines Developed: Should advance both research and future treatments, scientists say"

"Researchers in Massachusetts have succeeded in generating several disease-specific stem cell lines which should advance both research and, one day, treatment. ...The current paper in Cell describes a similar process, taking cells from patients aged 1 month to 57 years and suffering from one of 10 conditions including Down Syndrome, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes, and using iPS to produce pluripotent, undifferentiated stem cells."

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, August 7, 2008: "Scientists Replicate Diseases in the Lab with New Stem Cell Lines":

A set of new stem cell lines will make it possible for researchers to explore ten different genetic disorders—including muscular dystrophy, juvenile diabetes, and Parkinson's disease—in a variety of cell and tissue types as they develop in laboratory cultures. Researchers led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator George Q. Daley have converted cells from individuals with the diseases into stem cells with the same genetic errors. These newly-created stem cells will allow researchers to reproduce human tissue formation in a Petri dish as it occurs in individuals with any of the ten diseases, a vast improvement over current technology. Like all stem cells, these disease-specific stem cells grow indefinitely, and scientists can coax them into becoming a variety of cell types."

Medical News Today, 07 August 2008 - 12:00 PDT: "Scientists Create Disease-Specific Stem Cell Lines":

"US researchers have found a way to produce immortal cell strains and tissue types from diseased patients by converting their cells into pluripotent stem cells with the same genetic errors. The new cell lines will enable scientists to investigate ten different genetic disorders like Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, and type 1 diabetes in the test tube instead of in the patient, a huge step forward compared to current methods."

Reuters, August 7, 2008 12:00pm EDT: "Skin cells produce library of diseased stem cells":

"U.S. stem cell experts have produced a library of the powerful cells using ordinary skin and bone marrow cells from patients, and said on Thursday they would share them freely with other researchers. They used a new method to re-program ordinary cells so they look and act like embryonic stem cells -- the master cells of the body with the ability to produce any type of tissue or blood cell."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 7, 2008: "Harvard scientists create new stem cell lines: Advance could further research into 10 diseases":

"Harvard scientists have reprogrammed the cells of patients with various genetic illnesses back to an embryonic state, creating a bank of cells that researchers can use to study and fight disease. The 20 new cell lines span 10 different diseases and conditions, including Parkinson’s and Down syndrome. They will offer scientists the chance to watch diseases progress in a laboratory dish and give researchers new targets for drugs."

The Press Association, August 7, 2008: "Experts in stem cell breakthrough":

"Scientists say they have created stem cells for 10 genetic disorders, which will allow researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab dish. This early step, using a new technique, could help speed up efforts to find treatments for some of the most confounding ailments, the Harvard scientists said."

Bloomberg News, August 7, 2008: "Harvard Team Makes 10 Disease-Bearing Stem Cell Lines":

"Harvard University scientists have made lines of stem cells, able to turn into any other cell in the body, from bits of skin or blood of 10 patients with genetic diseases including muscular dystrophy and juvenile diabetes. The findings will help researchers decipher the workings of these diseases, enabling them to study what happens as cells that carry a condition's genetic seeds develop and age. The lines will be made available for a 'nominal fee' to researchers around the world, the Harvard scientists said."

Nature, 7 August 2008: "Ten diseases in a dish: Disease-specific cell lines will help the study and treatment of medical conditions.":

"It is “the beginning of studying thousands of diseases in a Petri dish,” according to researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who have reprogrammed cells from patients with a wide range of diseases into stem cells. They promise to provide these stem-cell lines — cultures of constantly-dividing cells — “virtually free” to researchers across the world."

Trigger for brain plasticity identified. Signal comes, surprisingly, from outside the brain

Source: Children's Hospital Boston
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

Researchers have long sought a factor that can trigger the brain's ability to learn - and perhaps recapture the "sponge-like" quality of childhood. In the August 8 issue of the journal Cell, neuroscientists at Children's Hospital Boston report that they've identified such a factor, a protein called Otx 2.

Scientists create 20 disease-specific stem cell lines

Source: Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researcher George Q. Daley, associate director of the Stem Cell Program at Children's Hospital Boston, has with HSCI colleagues Chad Cowan and Konrad Hochedlinger of Massachusetts General Hospital produced a robust new collection of disease-specific stem cell lines, all of which were developed using the new induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) technique. The work is described in a paper published in today's online edition of the journal Cell.

Putting microRNAs on the stem cell map

Source: Whitehead Institute for Medical Research
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

Short snippets of RNA called microRNAs help to keep embryonic stem cells in their stem cell state. Researchers now have discovered the gene circuitry that controls microRNAs in embryonic stem cells. Whitehead Institute researchers mapped the control circuitry of stem cells, revealing how they maintain themselves or decide to differentiate, providing key clues for regenerative medicine and reprogramming of adult cells to a stem cell state. These maps also aid in the understanding of human development and diseases such as cancer.

Scientists Replicate Diseases in the Lab with New Stem Cell Lines

Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: August 7, 2008

Summary:

A set of new stem cell lines will make it possible for researchers to explore ten different genetic disorders—including muscular dystrophy, juvenile diabetes, and Parkinson's disease—in a variety of cell and tissue types as they develop in laboratory cultures. Researchers led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator George Q. Daley have converted cells from individuals with the diseases into stem cells with the same genetic errors. These newly-created stem cells will allow researchers to reproduce human tissue formation in a Petri dish as it occurs in individuals with any of the ten diseases, a vast improvement over current technology. Like all stem cells, these disease-specific stem cells grow indefinitely, and scientists can coax them into becoming a variety of cell types.

Recipe for cell reprogramming adds protein

Source: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Date: August 6, 2008

Summary:

A drug-like molecule called Wnt can be substituted for the cancer gene c-Myc, one of four genes added to adult cells to reprogram them to an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, according to Whitehead researchers. Researchers hope that such embryonic stem-cell-like cells, known as induced pluripotent (IPS) cells, eventually may treat diseases such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

Scientists uncover the key to controlling how stem cells develop

Source: The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
Date: August 6, 2008

Summary:

Canadian researchers are one step closer to controlling human embryonic stem cell differentiation thanks to the work of scientists Dr. Cheryle Séguin and Dr. Janet Rossant of the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Séguin and Rossant, along with their colleagues Dr. Jonathan Draper of the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University , and Dr. Andras Nagy, of Mount Sinai Hospital published these groundbreaking findings in the Cell Press journal, Stem Cell.

Protein Key to Control Growth of Blood Cells. Findings May Aid in Bone Marrow Transplants, Blood Diseases

Source: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Date: August 5, 2008

Summary:

New research sheds light on the biological events by which stem cells in the bone marrow develop into the broad variety of cells that circulate in the blood. The findings may help improve the success of bone marrow transplants and develop better treatments for life-threatening blood diseases. In a study conducted in mice, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia focused on a protein called Lnk that helps control HSC expansion. When a growth factor in the blood called thrombopoietin (TPO) acts on its cell receptor, it triggers signals along a pathway that includes another protein, JAK2. JAK2, in turn, causes stem cells to increase their numbers.

Coverage of ALS treatment from reprogrammed skin cells

Below is a summary of media coverage from various sources of recent studies by researchers at Harvard and Columbia Universities in which adult skin cells taken from two patients with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, were reprogrammed into nerve cells in hopes that they might be able to treat the disease:

Boston Globe, August 1, 2008: "Scientists report a breakthrough in stem cell production"":

"Reaching a milestone in stem cell research, scientists at Harvard and Columbia universities reported yesterday that they created the first stem cell lines from a sick person, then coaxed these cells to become nerve cells genetically matched to those that had gone bad in a patient's spinal cord. In a paper published online in the journal Science, the team claimed success at what researchers have long been racing to do: create in the laboratory a plentiful supply of cells that have the same genetic makeup as a patient with a particular disease."

Medical News Today, 01 August 2008, 10:00 PDT: "ALS Stem Cell Breakthrough":

"Scientists in the US have converted skin cells from an 82-year-old woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) into stem cells that formed motor neurons with the same genetic make up as the patient. The breakthrough opens the possibility of modelling a patient's specific disease outside of the patient, to improve investigation and drug screening, and perhaps even to develop new neurons to replace the damaged ones in the patient."

Nature, 31 July 2008: "Nerve cells made from elderly patient’s skin cells":

"Skin cells from an elderly patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been ‘reprogrammed’ to generate motor neurons, the type of nerve cells that die as the disease progresses. It is the first time that an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line has been created from a patient with a genetic illness (J. T. Dimos et al. Science doi:10.1126/science.1158799; 2008). Like embryonic stem cells, iPS cells have the potential to develop into almost any of the body’s cell types and offer new disease insights. The researchers, led by Kevin Eggan of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Christopher Henderson of Columbia University’s Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease in New York, made the iPS cells using viral vectors to introduce four genes into skin cells taken from two elderly patients with a mild form of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)."

Time, July 31, 2008: "Scientists Achieve Stem-Cell Milestone":

"After nearly a decade of setbacks and false starts, stem-cell science finally seems to be hitting its stride. Just a year after Japanese scientists first reported that they had generated stem cells by reprogramming adult skin cells — without using embryos — American researchers have managed to use that groundbreaking technique to achieve another scientific milestone. They created the first nerve cells from reprogrammed stem cells — an important demonstration of the potential power of stem-cell-based treatments to cure disease."

HealthDay News, July 31, 2008: "Scientists Turn Skin Cells Into Motor Neurons in ALS Patients":

"Scientists have turned skin cells from patients with Lou Gehrig's disease into motor neurons that are genetically identical to the patients' own neurons. An unlimited number of these neurons can now be created and studied in the laboratory, a capability which should result in a better understanding of the disease and, one day, lead to new treatments or even the production of healthy cells that can replace the diseased ones."

The Independent, 1 August 2008: "Stem-cell advance for motor neurone disease":

"Scientists have succeeded in transforming skin cells from two sisters with motor neurone disease into the same kind of nerve cells being destroyed by their illness, raising the possibility that the new cells can be transplanted back into them to offset the degenerative condition. In a major breakthrough, the skin cells of the two women, aged 82 and 89, were turned into mature nerve cells. The achievement promises to revolutionise the understanding and treatment of a range of incurable illnesses. The skin cells were genetically altered by a laboratory technique that "reprogrammed" them back to their original embryonic state, before being grown into the specialised motor neurons that carry signals from brain to muscles."

National Public Radio, July 31, 2008: "Scientists Make Stem Cells From ALS Patient". A streaming NPR radio broadcast accompanies this story.

Los Angeles Times, 10:29 PM PDT, July 31, 2008: "Scientists create first personalized stem cells in ALS patients":

"Scientists have created the first personalized stem cells for patients with a genetic disease by rewinding their skin cells to an embryonic state, according to a study published today in the online edition of Science. The researchers then converted some of those stem cells into the two kinds of brain cells that cause their crippling disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 31, 2008: "Stem cell advance could help Lou Gehrig's disease":

"Researchers are one step closer to reprogramming skin cells into tailor-made, healthy replacements for diseased cells. Applying the technique first developed by James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, scientists at Harvard and Columbia universities reported online today in the journal Science that they had turned skin cells from two elderly patients with the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) into motor neurons, the nerve cells that become damaged in ALS. This is the first time that scientists have coaxed embryonic-like cells from adult patients suffering from a genetic-based disease, then induced the cells to form the specific cell types that would be needed to study and treat the disease."

Associated Press, July 31, 2008: "Cell changes may help Lou Gehrig's research":

"Using a new technique to reprogram cells, scientists are growing neurons from people with Lou Gehrig's disease, a possible first step in understanding how the deadly illness develops. Technically known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the disease damages the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, eventually leading to death. The ALS Association estimates that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time."

ABC News, July 31, 2008: "Personalized Stem Cells One Step Closer to Reality":

"For the first time, scientists have proven that embryonic-like stem cells that are specific to both a person and to a disease can be manufactured using adult human cells. ...Researchers from Harvard and Columbia Universities used skin cells from two patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, to create stem cells and then reprogrammed them to morph into replacement motor neurons."

New Scientist, 19:00 31 July 2008: "Scientists 'reprogram' cells from sick, elderly patients":

"Scientists have grown motor neurons by "reprogramming" skin cells taken from a patient with the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Now they aim to study the cells to gain a better understanding of what goes wrong in the condition, and to screen for drugs that might help prevent the damage."

Reuters, July 31, 2008 2:27pm EDT: "Nerve cells grown from new-style stem cells":

"Ordinary skin cells taken from patients with a fatal and incurable nerve disease have been transformed into nerve cells in a first step toward treating them, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday. They transformed the cells from two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, into motor neurons -- the cells that waste away and die in ALS. There is no immediate medical use for the cells, taken from two sisters aged 82 and 89, the researchers reported in the journal Science."

Fruit-fly study bolsters theories about another type of adult stem cell

Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: July 31, 2008

Summary:

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that mature, specialized cells naturally regress to serve as a kind of de facto stem cell during the fruit-fly life cycle. The surprising discovery counters the common belief that the ability to form new cell types or tissues wanes as a cell becomes more specialized. Harnessing this type of developmental backtracking in adult human cells would allow researchers to explore new avenues for treating many human diseases. The research is published online Aug. 1 in Science Express.

Neurons Created from ALS Patient’s Skin Cells

Source: Columbia University
Date: July 31, 2008

Summary:

Harvard and Columbia scientists have for the first time used a new technique to transform an ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) patient’s skin cells into motor neurons, a process that may be used in the future to create tailor-made cells to treat the debilitating disease. The research – led by Kevin Eggan, Ph.D. of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Chief Scientific Officer of the New York Stem Cell Foundation – will be published July 31 in the online version of the journal Science.

Neurons created from skin cells of elderly patients with ALS

Source: Harvard University
Date: July 31, 2008

Summary:

Less than 27 months after announcing that he had institutional permission to attempt the creation of patient and disease-specific stem cell lines, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Principal Faculty member Kevin Eggan today proclaimed the effort a success - though politically imposed restrictions and scientific advances prompted him to use a different technique than originally planned.

The breakthrough by Eggan and colleagues at Harvard and Columbia University marks the first time scientists are known to have produced human stem cell lines coaxed from the cells of adult patients suffering from a genetically-based disease. The affected patients had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The work, published in today's on-line edition of the journal Science, provides "proof of concept" for the belief of scientists and fervent hope of patients that in the not-too-distant future it may be possible to treat patients suffering from chronic diseases with stem cell-based treatments created from their own adult cells. However, Eggan believes that the first therapeutic use of these newly derived stem cells will in fact be to use them to study the root cause of this disease and to screen for drugs that may provide benefit in patients.

Discovery reveals link between Parkinson’s gene and red blood cell production

Source: Ottawa Health Research Institute
Date: July 28, 2008

Summary:

New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals a key link between a gene involved in Parkinson’s disease and genes that regulate iron metabolism during red blood cell production, thus opening up a potential avenue for developing new therapies. The discovery results from a collaboration between Ottawa scientist Dr. Michael Schlossmacher and colleagues in the United States. Dr. Schlossmacher and his collaborators made the surprising discovery that the alpha-synuclein gene was expressed at high levels in red blood cells as well as in brain cells.

Adult stem cells activated in mammalian brain

Source: University of California - Irvine
Date: July 24, 2008

Summary:

Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to disease or injury, a study by UC Irvine scientists has shown.

Evidence strongly shows that the true stem cells in the mammalian brain are the ependymal cells that line the ventricles in the brain and spinal cord, rather than cells in the subventricular zone as biologists previously believed. Brain ventricles are hollow chambers filled with fluid that supports brain tissue, and a layer of ependymal cells lines these ventricles.

Knowing the cell source is crucial when developing stem cell-based therapies. Additionally, knowing that these normally dormant cells can be coaxed into dividing lays the groundwork for future therapies in which a patient’s own stem cells produce new brain cells to treat neurological disorders and injuries such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Want A Reason to Love Your Lower Belly Fat? Study Finds Some Areas of the Body Have Greater Concentrations of Stem Cells

Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Date: July 23, 2008

Summary:

Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This is the first study of its kind to examine whether fat tissues from different areas of the body vary in stem cell concentration.

In the study, 23 female patients having liposuction in at least four different body areas agreed to have their fat isolated for adult stem cells and analyzed to determine stem cell concentrations. The body areas that were liposuctioned were: lower abdomen, upper abdomen, inner knee, inner thigh, flank and hips.

The study results found a significant difference in stem cell concentrations in different areas of the body. A major finding was that the concentration of stem cells was greatest in the lower abdomen and inner thighs. Interestingly, stem cell concentration in the lower abdomen was five times greater than in the upper abdomen.

Human Stem Cell Research: Stepping It Up a Notch

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine
Date: July 22, 2008

Summary:

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that the Notch protein helps human embryonic stem cells “decide” their own fate, a finding which may eventually be useful in programming cells for the development of stem cell therapies. Their results are reported in the May 2008 issue of Cell Stem Cell. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) receive signals from neighboring cells instructing them either to grow more of themselves or become other cell types, including the three types that make up the developing embryo or type that becomes the placenta. Researchers are just beginning to understand the many signals involved in committing hESCs to different fates.

NIST Membrane Model May Unlock Secrets of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Date: July 22, 2008

Summary:

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and three collaborating institutions are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease actually impairs a neuron’s structure and function. The team’s findings are reported in a new paper in the Biophysical Journal.

Sugar study is sweetener for stem cell science

Source: University of Manchester
Date: 22 July 2008

Summary:

Scientists at The University of Manchester are striving to discover how the body's natural sugars can be used to create stem cell treatments for heart disease and nerve damage – thanks to a £370,000 funding boost. All cells that make up the tissues of the body – such as skin, liver, brain and blood – are surrounded by a layer of sugars that coat the cells. These sugars help the cells to know what type of cell they are and to respond to the other cells which surround them and the chemical messages that pass between cells.

Stem Cell Chicken and Egg Debate Moves to Unlikely Arena: The Testes

Source: Salk Institute
Date: July 21, 2008

Summary:

Logic says it has to be the niche. As air and water preceded life, so the niche, that hospitable environment that shelters adult stem cells in many tissues and provides factors necessary to keep them young and vital, must have emerged before its stem cell dependents. A team of scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies led by Leanne Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Laboratory of Genetics, now suggests that this is not always the case. They report in the July 20 advance online edition of the journal Nature that the cells that comprise a specialized niche in the testis of fruit flies actually emerge from adult stem cells, a finding with implications for regenerative medicine, aging research, and cancer therapeutics.

ReNcell® VM Neural Stem Cell Line Models: New human disease model shows function of PINK1 gene in neural degeneration

Source: Millipore Corporation
Date: July 21, 2008

Summary:

Millipore Corporation, a provider of technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, announced the publication of a new discovery derived from its ReNcell VM neural stem cell line. A study published in June in the journal PLoS ONE established the first functional link between the PINK1 gene and neural degeneration.

Predicting Acute GVHD By Gene Expression Could Improve Liver Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes

Source: Cell Transplantation: The Regenerative Medicine Journal
Date: July 21, 2008

Summary:

Acute graft-versus-host disease occurs when an immune response is elicited by the grafted cells against a recipient, resulting in tissue damage for the treated individual. There are no definitive markers for predicting the development or progression of GVHD following the transplant of allogenic stem cells as therapy for liver cancer. This study offers a preliminary "molecular signature" for the development of acute GVHD based on altered gene expression.

Researchers prove that insulin-producing cells can give rise to stem-like cells in-vitro

Source: McGill University
Date: July 21, 2008

Summary:

The question of whether insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can regenerate is key to our understanding of diabetes, and to the further development of regenerative therapies against the disease. Dr Rosenberg from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University together with Dr Bernard Massie from the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) have just concluded that they can. The results of their study have been published in the July issue of the journal Laboratory Investigation.

Study identifies cells for spinal-cord repair

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: July 21, 2008

Summary:

A researcher at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has pinpointed stem cells within the spinal cord that, if persuaded to differentiate into more healing cells and fewer scarring cells following an injury, may lead to a new, non-surgical treatment for debilitating spinal-cord injuries. The work, reported in the July issue of the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Biology, is by Konstantinos Meletis, a postdoctoral fellow at the Picower Institute, and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Their results could lead to drugs that might restore some degree of mobility to the 30,000 people worldwide afflicted each year with spinal-cord injuries.

Mechanism that regulates cell movement Discovered

Source: Institute for Research in Biomedicine
Date: July 20, 2008

Summary:

A study performed by researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with researchers at the Instituto de Biología Molecular of the CSIC, reveal a mechanism that controls the movement of cells in a tissue by regulating cell adhesion. This same mechanism may be defective in diseases such as cancer and its metastasis, when tumour cells lose their adhesion to neighbouring cells and migrate through the organism. The results of this research have been published in this week's Nature Cell Biology.

Researchers grow human blood vessels in mice from adult progenitor cells

Source: American Heart Association
Date: July 18, 2008

Summary:

For the first time, researchers have successfully grown functional human blood vessels in mice using cells from adult human blood and bone marrow donors — an important step in developing clinical strategies to grow tissue, researchers report in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association. This research could eventually lead to treatments for heart attack, acute injuries, wound healing and may facilitate growing new organs. The research could also enhance tissue engineering — growing new organs for later implantation into patients, another medical research field that needs good sources of microvascularization to develop.

A Potential Metastatic Disease Target?

Source: New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Date: July 18, 2008

Summary:

Researchers have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors. The study's senior author Dr. Shahin Rafii — the Arthur B. Belfer Professor in Genetic Medicine and director of the Ansary Center for Stem Cell Therapeutics at Weill Cornell and a noted investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute — believes that these findings pave the way for research into a new subset of metastatic cancer stem cells, previously unidentified.

Researchers link Huntington's disease to overactive immune response in the brain

Source: University of Washington
Date: July 16, 2008

Summary:

The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain, according to new findings from two teams of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle and University College London. The findings were published online July 14 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Working separately, the two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. Together, the findings may help scientists find biological markers for monitoring the disease progression earlier and with more accuracy, and could help them develop new treatments for the disease.

Stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease subject of clinical trial

Source: Washington University School of Medicine
Date: July 11, 2008

Summary:

Children with sickle cell disease often face severe pain, organ damage, recurrent strokes and repeated, prolonged hospital stays. Although there are medical interventions that can lessen the symptoms, there is no cure. In an effort to change that, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are leading a nationwide, multicenter clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of transplanting blood stem cells from unrelated donors into children with severe sickle cell disease.

Stem Cells Hold Promise for Muscular Dystrophy

Source: HealthDay News
Date: July 10, 2008

Summary:

HealthDay News reports researchers have used adult muscle stem cells to successfully treat muscular dystrophy in mice:

"Researchers are reporting that they've managed to repair damaged muscle in mice with a form of muscular dystrophy by injecting them with specialized stem cells from skeletal muscle. There's no guarantee that the treatment will translate to humans with the disease, said study author Amy Wagers, an assistant professor in Harvard University's Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department. Still, the findings are going to help scientists 'move forward very quickly with human stem cells,' she said. 'It is an important step.' In the new study, Wagers and her colleagues turned to purified stem cells that create muscle. The cells came from healthy adult mice and were injected into mice with a disease that scientists consider to be the equivalent to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The findings were published in the July 11 issue of Cell."

Muscle stem cell advance hailed

Source: BBC News
Published: 2008/07/10 23:24:53 GMT

Summary:

BBC News reports Harvard University researchers improved muscle strength and function in mice with muscular dystrophy by injected them with adult muscle stem cells:

"Transplanting adult stem cells into mice with an illness like muscular dystrophy (MD) helped rebuild muscle structure and strength, a study says. The work by Harvard University, published in the journal Cell, boosts the prospect of similar treatments for people with the condition one day."

Cancer drug shows promise against graft vs. host disease

Source: University of Michigan
Date: July 10, 2008

Summary:

A new University of Michigan study in mice suggests that a drug recently approved to fight cancer tumors is also able to reduce the effects of graft-versus-host disease, a common and sometimes fatal complication for people who have had bone marrow transplants. Plans are under way at U-M for an initial trial of the drug in people as a new way to prevent graft-versus-host disease. Researchers expect to begin a trial within a year.

The U-M scientists tested the effects of the drug SAHA, as well as another member of a group of drugs known as HDAC inhibitors, on key immune system cells called dendritic cells. In mice, both drugs were able to significantly diminish the destructive inflammatory effects that these cells cause in graft-versus-host disease. Graft-versus-host disease occurs when immune cells in the transplanted bone marrow mount a misguided attack on body tissues. If HDAC inhibitors turn out to be safe and effective in people, they might offer a treatment option preferable to the immunosuppressant drugs used now to treat the disease. These leave people vulnerable to infection and have other significant side effects.

Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Transport Anti-Cancer Drugs Directly to Tumors

Source: Kansas State University
Date: July 10, 2008

Summary:

Kansas State University researchers are working on a method of delivering cancer drugs that promises to be more efficient and reduce the side effects. The researchers are using stem cells isolated from Wharton's jelly, the substance that cushions blood vessels in the umbilical cord. These types of stem cells can be harvested noninvasively and therefore are not controversial. Deryl Troyer, professor of anatomy and physiology at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, said the stem cells display a sort of homing ability in that they tend to travel to tumors and other pathological lesions. The researchers are using these stem cells as delivery systems by loading the cells with nanoparticles that contain anti-cancer drugs.

Genes that control embryonic stem cell fate identified

Source: University of California - San Francisco
Date: July 10, 2008

Summary:

Scientists have identified about two dozen genes that control embryonic stem cell fate. The genes may either prod or restrain stem cells from drifting into a kind of limbo, they suspect. The limbo lies between the embryonic stage and fully differentiated, or specialized, cells, such as bone, muscle or fat. By knowing the genes and proteins that control a cell's progress toward the differentiated form, researchers may be able to accelerate the process – a potential boon for the use of stem cells in therapy or the study of some degenerative diseases, the scientists say. Their finding comes from the first large-scale search for genes crucial to embryonic stem cells. The research was carried out by a team at the University of California, San Francisco and is reported in a paper in the July 11, 2008 issue of Cell.

Muscle Stem Cell Transplant Boosts Diseased Muscle Function and Replenishes Stem Cell Pool

Source: Joslin Diabetes Center
Date: July 10, 2008

Summary:

Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted muscle stem cells can both improve muscle function in animals with a form of muscular dystrophy and replenish the stem cell population for use in the repair of future muscle injuries. The study was designed to test the concept that skeletal muscle precursor cells could function as adult stem cells and that transplantation of these cells could both repair muscle tissue and regenerate the stem cell pool in a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The research is published in the July 11 issue of Cell. The data from this new study demonstrate that regenerative muscle stem cells can be distinguished from other cells in the muscle by unique protein markers present on their surfaces. The authors used these markers to select stem cells from normal adult muscle and transferred the cells to diseased muscle of mice carrying a mutation in the same gene affected in human Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

New Technique Harvests Stem Cells at Earlier Stage

Source: HealthDay News
Date: July 9, 2008

Summary:

HealthDay News reports scientists have found a way to obtain embryonic stem cells in blastomere stage of embryonic development without destroying the embryo, a finding that could end the ethical controversy surrounding the field of embryonic stem cell research:

"Scientists say they have finally succeeded in developing human embryonic stem cells earlier in the development stage of a blastomere, or a 4-cell stage embryo, so the whole embryo is not destroyed. The development, expected to be presented Wednesday at the European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology annual conference in Barcelona, may make stem cell research easier to conduct by not raising as many ethical concerns, the researchers added."

Herceptin targets breast cancer stem cells

Source: University of Michigan
Date: July 9, 2008

Summary:

A gene that is overexpressed in 20 percent of breast cancers increases the number of cancer stem cells, the cells that fuel a tumor's growth and spread, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The gene, HER2, causes cancer stem cells to multiply and spread, explaining why HER2 has been linked to a more aggressive type of breast cancer and to metastatic disease, in which the cancer has spread beyond the breast, the researchers say. Further, the drug Herceptin, which is used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer, was found to target and destroy the cancer stem cells. Results of the study appear online in the journal Oncogene.

Human Embryonic Stem Cells Developed From 4-cell Embryo; World First May Lessen Ethical Concerns

Source: European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
Date: July 9, 2008

Summary:

For the first time in the world scientists have succeeded in developing human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) from a single cell, or blastomere, of a 4-cell stage embryo, the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard on July 9. Dr. Hilde Van de Velde, from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium, said that their research meant that it might be possible in the future to produce hESC lines at an earlier stage without destroying the embryo.

Study Will See If Patients' Own Stem Cells Can Help Prevent Leg Loss

Source: University of Utah Health Sciences
Date: July 8, 2008

Summary:

People with a form of peripheral vascular disease so severe that it can lead to leg amputations might be able to use their own stem cells to remedy the problem. The University of Utah recently was selected as a site in a nationwide trial of the experimental treatment and U of U medical researchers are looking for participants with critical limb ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries that feed blood to the legs, according to Larry W. Kraiss, M.D., professor and chief of vascular surgery at the School of Medicine and lead Utah investigator in the trial. To be eligible for the trial, participants must have exhausted all other treatment options, he said.

Researchers Map Cells' Inner Landscapes

Source: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Date: July 8, 2008

Summary:

Much of the field of stem cell biology and development remains uncharted territory. Just as famous explorers and astronomers mapped out landmasses and constellations, researchers are working fervently to chart the molecular landscapes within stem cells -- especially embryonic stem cells. A clearer understanding of the cells’ unique properties, particularly their ability to give rise to nearly any type of cell, could unlock fundamental questions about biology and may even spur novel ways to treat disease. A team of researchers at the Broad Institute has helped break new ground in stem cell research through work described in two recent Nature papers. The most recently published study, appearing in the July 6 advance online issue, involves an effort to map regions of cells’ genomes marked by DNA methylation — one of several so-called ‘epigenetic’ modifications.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics and Rutgers University Study Shows That Transplanting NTF Cells Improves the Recovery of Spinal Cord Injury Rat Model

Source: BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.
Date: July 7, 2008

Summary:

In an official company news release, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company in the field of adult stem cell research, announced the completion of a preclinical study to treat spinal cord injuries in animals using adult neural stem cells:

" BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, has completed a preclinical study in collaboration with the W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The study conducted at the Keck Center was an effort to repair spinal cord injuries in animals through the transplantation of Brainstorm’s neurotrophic factor (NTF) adult stem cells. The results showed a positive trend of the NTF cells in the male animals."

Statins Have Unexpected Effect on Pool of Powerful Brain Cells

Source: University of Rochester Medical Center
Date: July 3, 2008

Summary:

Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins have a profound effect on an elite group of cells important to brain health as we age, scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center have found. The new findings shed light on a long-debated potential role for statins in the area of dementia. Neuroscientists found that statins, one of the most widely prescribed classes of medication ever used, have an unexpected effect on brain cells. Researchers looked at the effects of statins on glial progenitor cells, which help the brain stay healthy by serving as a crucial reservoir of cells that the brain can customize depending on its needs. The team found that the compounds spur the cells, which are very similar to stem cells, to shed their flexibility and become one particular type of cell.

Bone Marrow Alternative: Stem Cells From Umbilical Cord May Be Used To Treat Hepatic Diseases

Source: Universidad de Granada
Date: July 3, 2008

Summary:

Researchers from the Universities of Granada and Leon have shown that mononuclear blood cells from human umbilical cord can be an effective alternative to bone marrow. This work, to be published in the journal Cell Transplantation, could potentially mean a great advance in regenerative hepatic medicine.

Gene directs stem cells to build the heart

Source: Washington University School of Medicine
Date: July 2, 2008

Summary:

Researchers have shown that they can put mouse embryonic stem cells to work building the heart, potentially moving medical science a significant step closer to a new generation of heart disease treatments that use human stem cells. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report in Cell Stem Cell that the Mesp1 gene locks mouse embryonic stem cells into becoming heart parts and gets them moving to the area where the heart forms. Researchers are now testing if stem cells exposed to Mesp1 can help fix damaged mouse hearts.

Small protein may have big role in making more bone and less fat

Source: Medical College of Georgia
Date: July 1, 2008

Summary:

A small protein may have a big role in helping you make more bone and less fat, researchers say. "The pathways are parallel, and the idea is if you can somehow disrupt the fat production pathway, you will get more bone," says Dr. Xingming Shi, bone biologist at the Medical College of Georgia Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics. He's found the short-acting protein GILZ appears to make this desirable shift and wants to better understand how it does it with the long-term goal of targeted therapies for osteoporosis, obesity and maybe more.

New technique produces genetically identical stem cells

Source: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Date: July 1, 2008

Summary:

Adult cells of mice created from genetically reprogrammed cells—so-called induced pluripotent stem (IPS) stem cells—can be triggered via drug to enter an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, without the need for further genetic alteration. The discovery, which promises to bring new efficiencies to embryonic stem cell research, is reported in the July 1, 2008, online issue of Nature Biotechnology.

The authors explain the scientific implications of this finding:

"This technical advancement will allow thousands of identical reprogrammed cells to be used in experiments," says Marius Wernig, one of the paper's two lead authors and a postdoctoral researcher in Whitehead Member Rudolf Jaenisch's lab.

The study also points out potential therapeutic applications of this research:

"Using these cells could help define the milestones of how cells are reprogrammed and screen for drug-like molecules that replace the potentially cancer-causing viruses used for reprogramming," adds Christopher Lengner, the other lead author and also a postdoctoral researcher in the Jaenisch's lab.

Reprogramming Adult Stem Cells in the Brain

Source: Salk Institute
Date: July 1, 2008

Summary:

In recent years, stem cell researchers have become very adept at manipulating the fate of adult stem cells cultured in the lab. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies achieved the same feat with adult neural stem cells still in place in the brain. They successfully coaxed mouse brain stem cells bound to join the neuronal network to differentiate into support cells instead. The discovery, which is published ahead of print on Nature Neuroscience's website, not only attests to the versatility of neural stem cells but also opens up new directions for the treatment of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke and epilepsy that not only affect neuronal cells but also disrupt the functioning of glial support cells.