Source: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Date: March 15, 2010
Summary:
In a breakthrough that may help fill a critical need in stem cell research and patient care, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have demonstrated that skin cells found in human amniotic fluid can be efficiently "reprogrammed" to pluripotency, where they have characteristics similar to human embryonic stem cells that can develop into almost any type of cell in the human body. The study is online now and will appear in print in the next issue of the journal Cellular Reprogramming, to be published next month.
The Mount Sinai researchers found that when compared to cultured adult skin cells, the amniotic fluid skin cells formed stem cell colonies in about half the time and yielded nearly a 200 percent increase in number. Reprogramming fetal skin cells also cuts significantly the cost of generating patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells when compared to reprogramming other cell types.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Researchers characterize stem cell function
Source: Northwestern University
Date: March 11, 2010
Summary:
The promise of stem cells lies in their unique ability to differentiate into a multitude of different types of cells. But in order to determine how to use stem cells for new therapeutics, scientists and engineers need to answer a fundamental question: if a stem cell changes to look like a certain type of cell, how do we know if it will behave like a certain type of cell?
Researchers at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering are the first to fully characterize a special type of stem cell, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that exist in circulating blood, to see if they can behave as endothelial cells in the body when cultured on a bioengineered surface.
The results, published online in the journal Stem Cells show promise for a new generation of tissue-engineered vascular grafts which could improve the success rate of surgery for peripheral arterial disease. Peripheral arterial disease is estimated to affect one in every 20 Americans over the age of 50, a total of 8 to 12 million people.
Date: March 11, 2010
Summary:
The promise of stem cells lies in their unique ability to differentiate into a multitude of different types of cells. But in order to determine how to use stem cells for new therapeutics, scientists and engineers need to answer a fundamental question: if a stem cell changes to look like a certain type of cell, how do we know if it will behave like a certain type of cell?
Researchers at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering are the first to fully characterize a special type of stem cell, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that exist in circulating blood, to see if they can behave as endothelial cells in the body when cultured on a bioengineered surface.
The results, published online in the journal Stem Cells show promise for a new generation of tissue-engineered vascular grafts which could improve the success rate of surgery for peripheral arterial disease. Peripheral arterial disease is estimated to affect one in every 20 Americans over the age of 50, a total of 8 to 12 million people.
Discovery of Cellular "Switch" May Provide New Means of Triggering Cell Death, Treating Human Diseases
Source: University of Colorado at Boulder
Date: March 11, 2010
Summary:
The discovery of a novel cellular “switch” in the popular laboratory research worm, C. elegans, by a University of Colorado at Boulder team may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death in humans to treat disease.
A research team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder has discovered a previously unknown cellular "switch" that may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death, findings with implications for treating cancer.
The new results are a big step forward in understanding programmed cell death, or apoptosis, a cell suicide process that involves a series of biochemical events leading to changes like cell body shrinkage, mitochondria destruction and chromosome fragmentation, said CU-Boulder Professor Ding Xue. But unlike traumatic cell death from injury, programmed cell death is a naturally occurring aspect of animal development that may help prevent human diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders, said Xue, lead author on the new study.
Date: March 11, 2010
Summary:
The discovery of a novel cellular “switch” in the popular laboratory research worm, C. elegans, by a University of Colorado at Boulder team may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death in humans to treat disease.
A research team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder has discovered a previously unknown cellular "switch" that may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death, findings with implications for treating cancer.
The new results are a big step forward in understanding programmed cell death, or apoptosis, a cell suicide process that involves a series of biochemical events leading to changes like cell body shrinkage, mitochondria destruction and chromosome fragmentation, said CU-Boulder Professor Ding Xue. But unlike traumatic cell death from injury, programmed cell death is a naturally occurring aspect of animal development that may help prevent human diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders, said Xue, lead author on the new study.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Molecule Tells Key Brain Cells to Grow Up, Get to Work
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: March 10, 2010
Summary:
About four out of every 10 cells in the brain are so-called oligodendrocytes. These cells produce the all-important myelin that coats nerve tracts, ensuring fast, energy-efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Mixed among them are proliferating but not particularly proficient precursor cells that are destined to become oligodendrocytes when needed but, for now, remain suspended in an immature, relatively undifferentiated state somewhere between stem cell and adult oligodendrocyte.
Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have now identified a molecular master switch that catalyzes these cells' transition to mature, myelin-making mavens. The results may have implications for medical treatment, as defects in this maturation process have been observed in both multiple sclerosis and the most common kind of brain cancers in adults, known as gliomas.
In a study to be published March 10 in Neuron, the investigators found that a molecule known as miR-219 is found at high levels only in oligodendrocytes, and that it is both necessary and sufficient to induce their relatively undifferentiated precursors to become functioning adult cells.
Date: March 10, 2010
Summary:
About four out of every 10 cells in the brain are so-called oligodendrocytes. These cells produce the all-important myelin that coats nerve tracts, ensuring fast, energy-efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Mixed among them are proliferating but not particularly proficient precursor cells that are destined to become oligodendrocytes when needed but, for now, remain suspended in an immature, relatively undifferentiated state somewhere between stem cell and adult oligodendrocyte.
Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have now identified a molecular master switch that catalyzes these cells' transition to mature, myelin-making mavens. The results may have implications for medical treatment, as defects in this maturation process have been observed in both multiple sclerosis and the most common kind of brain cancers in adults, known as gliomas.
In a study to be published March 10 in Neuron, the investigators found that a molecule known as miR-219 is found at high levels only in oligodendrocytes, and that it is both necessary and sufficient to induce their relatively undifferentiated precursors to become functioning adult cells.
Scientists track variant of gene-regulating protein in embryonic stem cells
Source: The Rockefeller University
Date: March 10, 2010
Summary:
The journey from embryonic stem cell to a fully developed liver, heart or muscle cell requires not only the right genes, but genes that are turned on and off at the right time — a job that is handled in part by DNA-packaging proteins known as histones. But it turns out that not all histones are created equally. New research from Rockefeller University shows that minute variations between histones play an important role in determining how and when genes are read. The findings, reported this week in the journal Cell, hint at an unimagined complexity of the genome and may open a new avenue of investigation regarding the mysterious causes of the human genetic disease known as ATR-X syndrome.
Date: March 10, 2010
Summary:
The journey from embryonic stem cell to a fully developed liver, heart or muscle cell requires not only the right genes, but genes that are turned on and off at the right time — a job that is handled in part by DNA-packaging proteins known as histones. But it turns out that not all histones are created equally. New research from Rockefeller University shows that minute variations between histones play an important role in determining how and when genes are read. The findings, reported this week in the journal Cell, hint at an unimagined complexity of the genome and may open a new avenue of investigation regarding the mysterious causes of the human genetic disease known as ATR-X syndrome.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Scientists identify reservoirs where HIV-infected cells can lie in wait
Source: University of Michigan Health System
Date: March 7, 2010
Summary:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – University of Michigan scientists have identified a new reservoir for hidden HIV-infected cells that can serve as a factory for new infections. New research shows that bone marrow, previously thought to be resistant to the virus, can contain latent forms of the infection. The findings, which appear online today in Nature Medicine, indicate a new target for curing the disease so those infected with the virus may someday no longer rely on AIDS drugs for a lifetime and may open the door to new treatments. The new research also gives a broader view of how HIV overwhelms the body’s immune system and devastates its ability to regenerate itself.
Date: March 7, 2010
Summary:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – University of Michigan scientists have identified a new reservoir for hidden HIV-infected cells that can serve as a factory for new infections. New research shows that bone marrow, previously thought to be resistant to the virus, can contain latent forms of the infection. The findings, which appear online today in Nature Medicine, indicate a new target for curing the disease so those infected with the virus may someday no longer rely on AIDS drugs for a lifetime and may open the door to new treatments. The new research also gives a broader view of how HIV overwhelms the body’s immune system and devastates its ability to regenerate itself.
Friday, March 05, 2010
THYMOSIN BETA 4 IMPROVES NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION AFTER STROKE: TB4 Found to Stimulate Oligoprogenitor Cells
Source: RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date: March 5, 2010
Summary:
REGENERX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. announced that a research team from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI reported that Thymosin beta 4 (TB4), administered to rats one day after embolic stroke, improved neurological functional outcome compared to control animals. Improvement in neurological function was measured at various time intervals over a seven week period and was statistically significant.
An increase in remyelination of axons (regeneration of the nerve sheath) was observed in rats receiving TB4 compared to control animals, likely due to an increased mobilization of oligodendrocyte progenitors (stem cells surrounding axons) that differentiate into mature myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. In cell culture, TB4 treated neuronal progenitor cells isolated from normal and stroke rats demonstrated increased mRNA levels of epidermal growth factor receptor. This receptor has previously been shown to be a regulator of oligoprogenitor cell expansion and tissue regeneration in response to brain injury and further supports the role of TB4 in stem cell-mediated tissue repair.
Date: March 5, 2010
Summary:
REGENERX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. announced that a research team from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI reported that Thymosin beta 4 (TB4), administered to rats one day after embolic stroke, improved neurological functional outcome compared to control animals. Improvement in neurological function was measured at various time intervals over a seven week period and was statistically significant.
An increase in remyelination of axons (regeneration of the nerve sheath) was observed in rats receiving TB4 compared to control animals, likely due to an increased mobilization of oligodendrocyte progenitors (stem cells surrounding axons) that differentiate into mature myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. In cell culture, TB4 treated neuronal progenitor cells isolated from normal and stroke rats demonstrated increased mRNA levels of epidermal growth factor receptor. This receptor has previously been shown to be a regulator of oligoprogenitor cell expansion and tissue regeneration in response to brain injury and further supports the role of TB4 in stem cell-mediated tissue repair.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Breakthrough reveals blood vessel cells are key to growing unlimited amounts of adult stem cells
Source: Weill Cornell Medical College
Date: March 4, 2010
Summary:
In a leap toward making stem cell therapy widely available, researchers at the Ansary Stem Cell Institute at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that endothelial cells, the most basic building blocks of the vascular system, produce growth factors that can grow copious amounts of adult stem cells and their progeny over the course of weeks. Until now, adult stem cell cultures would die within four or five days despite best efforts to grow them.
This new finding sets forth the innovative concept that blood vessels are not just passive conduits for delivery of oxygen and nutrients, but are also programmed to maintain and proliferate stem cells and their mature forms in adult organs. Using a novel approach to harness the potential of endothelial cells by "co-culturing" them with stem cells, the researchers discovered the means to manufacture an unlimited supply of blood-related stem cells that may eventually ensure that anyone who needs a bone marrow transplant can get one.
The vascular-cell model established in this study could also be used to grow abundant functional stem cells from other organs such as the brain, heart, skin and lungs. An article detailing these findings appears in the March 5 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Date: March 4, 2010
Summary:
In a leap toward making stem cell therapy widely available, researchers at the Ansary Stem Cell Institute at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that endothelial cells, the most basic building blocks of the vascular system, produce growth factors that can grow copious amounts of adult stem cells and their progeny over the course of weeks. Until now, adult stem cell cultures would die within four or five days despite best efforts to grow them.
This new finding sets forth the innovative concept that blood vessels are not just passive conduits for delivery of oxygen and nutrients, but are also programmed to maintain and proliferate stem cells and their mature forms in adult organs. Using a novel approach to harness the potential of endothelial cells by "co-culturing" them with stem cells, the researchers discovered the means to manufacture an unlimited supply of blood-related stem cells that may eventually ensure that anyone who needs a bone marrow transplant can get one.
The vascular-cell model established in this study could also be used to grow abundant functional stem cells from other organs such as the brain, heart, skin and lungs. An article detailing these findings appears in the March 5 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Using Own Skin Cells to Repair Hearts on Horizon
Source: University of Houston
Date: March 2, 2010
Summary:
A heart patient’s own skin cells soon could be used to repair damaged cardiac tissue thanks to pioneering stem cell research of the University of Houston’s newest biomedical scientist, Robert Schwartz. His new technique for reprogramming human skin cells puts him at the forefront of a revolution in medicine that could one day lead to treatments for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and many other diseases.
...Schwartz devised a method for turning ordinary human skin cells into heart cells. The cells developed are similar to embryonic stem cells and ultimately can be made into early-stage heart cells derived from a patient’s own skin. These then could be implanted and grown into fully developed beating heart cells, reversing the damage caused by previous heart attacks. These new cells would replace the damaged cardiac tissue that weakens the heart’s ability to pump, develops into scar tissue and causes arrhythmias. Early clinical trials using these reprogrammed cells on actual heart patients could begin within one or two years.
Date: March 2, 2010
Summary:
A heart patient’s own skin cells soon could be used to repair damaged cardiac tissue thanks to pioneering stem cell research of the University of Houston’s newest biomedical scientist, Robert Schwartz. His new technique for reprogramming human skin cells puts him at the forefront of a revolution in medicine that could one day lead to treatments for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and many other diseases.
...Schwartz devised a method for turning ordinary human skin cells into heart cells. The cells developed are similar to embryonic stem cells and ultimately can be made into early-stage heart cells derived from a patient’s own skin. These then could be implanted and grown into fully developed beating heart cells, reversing the damage caused by previous heart attacks. These new cells would replace the damaged cardiac tissue that weakens the heart’s ability to pump, develops into scar tissue and causes arrhythmias. Early clinical trials using these reprogrammed cells on actual heart patients could begin within one or two years.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Scientists identify wide variety of genetic splicing in embryonic stem cells
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Like homing in to an elusive radio frequency in a busy city, human embryonic stem cells must sort through a seemingly endless number of options to settle on the specific genetic message, or station, that instructs them to become more-specialized cells in the body (Easy Listening, maybe, for skin cells, and Techno for neurons?). Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that this tuning process is accomplished in part by restricting the number of messages, called transcripts, produced from each gene.
Most genes can yield a variety of transcripts through a process called splicing. Variations in the ways a gene is spliced can change the form and function of the final protein product. Nearly all our genes can be spliced in more than one way. This research is the first time, however, that splicing variety has been linked to the unprecedented developmental flexibility, or pluripotency, exhibited by embryonic stem cells.
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Like homing in to an elusive radio frequency in a busy city, human embryonic stem cells must sort through a seemingly endless number of options to settle on the specific genetic message, or station, that instructs them to become more-specialized cells in the body (Easy Listening, maybe, for skin cells, and Techno for neurons?). Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that this tuning process is accomplished in part by restricting the number of messages, called transcripts, produced from each gene.
Most genes can yield a variety of transcripts through a process called splicing. Variations in the ways a gene is spliced can change the form and function of the final protein product. Nearly all our genes can be spliced in more than one way. This research is the first time, however, that splicing variety has been linked to the unprecedented developmental flexibility, or pluripotency, exhibited by embryonic stem cells.
Researchers Develop Tool to Measure Severity of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Symptoms
Source: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new assessment tool to measure the severity of symptoms that can complicate stem cell transplantation. The tool assesses symptoms resulting from chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), and was presented with supporting research at the 2010 Bone and Marrow Transplant Tandem Meeting.
Using the existing M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, or core MDASI, a systematic, patient-reported outcome measure for clinical and research use, researchers developed a reliable and sensitive measuring system for cGVHD. On a scale of zero to 10, the new tool rates the severity of symptoms common to patients with the disease and to what extent those symptoms interfere with their daily life. The MDASI-cGVHD is one of 11 MDASI tools for symptom management used by clinicians at M. D. Anderson.
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new assessment tool to measure the severity of symptoms that can complicate stem cell transplantation. The tool assesses symptoms resulting from chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), and was presented with supporting research at the 2010 Bone and Marrow Transplant Tandem Meeting.
Using the existing M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, or core MDASI, a systematic, patient-reported outcome measure for clinical and research use, researchers developed a reliable and sensitive measuring system for cGVHD. On a scale of zero to 10, the new tool rates the severity of symptoms common to patients with the disease and to what extent those symptoms interfere with their daily life. The MDASI-cGVHD is one of 11 MDASI tools for symptom management used by clinicians at M. D. Anderson.
Predicting the Fate of Stem Cells. New method decodes cell movements, accurately predicts how cells will divide
Source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered a new method for predicting — with up to 99 percent accuracy — the fate of stem cells. Using advanced computer vision technology to detect subtle cell movements that are impossible to discern with the human eye, Professor Badri Roysam and his former student Andrew Cohen ‘89 can successfully forecast how a stem cell will split and what key characteristics the daughter cells will exhibit.
By allowing the isolation of cells with specific capabilities, this discovery could one day lead to effective methods for growing stem cells on a large scale for therapeutic use. Results of the study, titled “Computational prediction of neural progenitor cell fates,” were published recently in the journal Nature Methods.
Date: March 1, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered a new method for predicting — with up to 99 percent accuracy — the fate of stem cells. Using advanced computer vision technology to detect subtle cell movements that are impossible to discern with the human eye, Professor Badri Roysam and his former student Andrew Cohen ‘89 can successfully forecast how a stem cell will split and what key characteristics the daughter cells will exhibit.
By allowing the isolation of cells with specific capabilities, this discovery could one day lead to effective methods for growing stem cells on a large scale for therapeutic use. Results of the study, titled “Computational prediction of neural progenitor cell fates,” were published recently in the journal Nature Methods.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Root or shoot: Power struggle between genetic master switches decides stem cell fate
Source: Salk Institute
Date: February 28, 2010
Summary:
The first order of business for any fledgling plant embryo is to determine which end grows the shoot and which end puts down roots. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute expose the turf wars between two groups of antagonistic genetic master switches that set up a plant's polar axis with a root on one end and a shoot on the other.
Plant embryogenesis establishes a very simple structure that contains two stem cell populations: the shoot meristem, which will give rise to all the "above-ground" organs such as the stem, the leaves and the flowers, and is the site of photosynthesis; and the root meristem, which gives rise to the root system, which lies below the ground and provides water and nutrients to the plant.
The Salk researchers' findings are published in the Feb. 28, 2010 advance online edition of the journal Nature.
Date: February 28, 2010
Summary:
The first order of business for any fledgling plant embryo is to determine which end grows the shoot and which end puts down roots. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute expose the turf wars between two groups of antagonistic genetic master switches that set up a plant's polar axis with a root on one end and a shoot on the other.
Plant embryogenesis establishes a very simple structure that contains two stem cell populations: the shoot meristem, which will give rise to all the "above-ground" organs such as the stem, the leaves and the flowers, and is the site of photosynthesis; and the root meristem, which gives rise to the root system, which lies below the ground and provides water and nutrients to the plant.
The Salk researchers' findings are published in the Feb. 28, 2010 advance online edition of the journal Nature.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Offering Hope for Tissue Regeneration
Source: Lifespan / Rhode Island Hospital
Date: February 26, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have discovered how cells communicate with each other during times of cellular injury. The findings shed new light on how the body repairs itself when organs become diseased, through small particles known as microvesicles, and offer hope for tissue regeneration. The paper is published in the March 2010 edition of the journal Experimental Hematology and is now available online in advance of publication.
Date: February 26, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have discovered how cells communicate with each other during times of cellular injury. The findings shed new light on how the body repairs itself when organs become diseased, through small particles known as microvesicles, and offer hope for tissue regeneration. The paper is published in the March 2010 edition of the journal Experimental Hematology and is now available online in advance of publication.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Gene-based stem cell therapy specifically removes cell receptor that attracts HIV
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: February 25, 2010
UCLA AIDS Institute researchers successfully removed CCR5 — a cell receptor to which HIV-1 binds for infection but which the human body does not need — from human cells. Individuals who naturally lack the CCR5 receptor have been found to be essentially resistant to HIV. Using a humanized mouse model, the researchers transplanted a small RNA molecule known as short hairpin RNA (shRNA), which induced RNA interference into human blood stem cells to inhibit the expression of CCR5 in human immune cells. The findings provide evidence that this strategy can be an effective way to treat HIV-infected individuals, by prompting long-term and stable reduction of CCR5. The results are being published in Blood, Journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Date: February 25, 2010
UCLA AIDS Institute researchers successfully removed CCR5 — a cell receptor to which HIV-1 binds for infection but which the human body does not need — from human cells. Individuals who naturally lack the CCR5 receptor have been found to be essentially resistant to HIV. Using a humanized mouse model, the researchers transplanted a small RNA molecule known as short hairpin RNA (shRNA), which induced RNA interference into human blood stem cells to inhibit the expression of CCR5 in human immune cells. The findings provide evidence that this strategy can be an effective way to treat HIV-infected individuals, by prompting long-term and stable reduction of CCR5. The results are being published in Blood, Journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Stem Cells Restore Sight in Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa
Source: Columbia University Medical Center
Date: February 24, 2010
Summary:
An international research team led by Columbia University Medical Center successfully used mouse embryonic stem cells to replace diseased retinal cells and restore sight in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. This strategy could potentially become a new treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, a leading cause of blindness that affects approximately one in 3,000 to 4,000 people, or 1.5 million people worldwide. The study appears online ahead of print in the journal Transplantation (March 27, 2010 print issue).
Date: February 24, 2010
Summary:
An international research team led by Columbia University Medical Center successfully used mouse embryonic stem cells to replace diseased retinal cells and restore sight in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. This strategy could potentially become a new treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, a leading cause of blindness that affects approximately one in 3,000 to 4,000 people, or 1.5 million people worldwide. The study appears online ahead of print in the journal Transplantation (March 27, 2010 print issue).
Research shows modified adult stem cells may be helpful in spinal cord injury
Source: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Date: February 24, 2010
Summary:
HOUSTON -- Researchers at UTHealth have demonstrated in rats that transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into an injured spinal cord can help restore the electrical pathways associated with movement. The results are published in today’s issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
In spinal cord injury, demyelination, or the destruction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system, occurs. The myelin sheath, produced by cells called oligodendrocytes, wraps around the axons of nerves and helps speed activity and insulate electrical conduction. Without it, the nerves cannot send messages to make muscles move.
The research team, led by Qilin Cao, M.D., principal investigator and associate professor of neurosurgery at UTHealth (The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), discovered that transplanted adult stem cells (oligodendrocyte precursor cells or OPC) from the spinal cord could become oligodendrocytes. The new cells helped restore electrical pathways of the spinal cord and therefore, function, in a process called remyelination.
Date: February 24, 2010
Summary:
HOUSTON -- Researchers at UTHealth have demonstrated in rats that transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into an injured spinal cord can help restore the electrical pathways associated with movement. The results are published in today’s issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
In spinal cord injury, demyelination, or the destruction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system, occurs. The myelin sheath, produced by cells called oligodendrocytes, wraps around the axons of nerves and helps speed activity and insulate electrical conduction. Without it, the nerves cannot send messages to make muscles move.
The research team, led by Qilin Cao, M.D., principal investigator and associate professor of neurosurgery at UTHealth (The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), discovered that transplanted adult stem cells (oligodendrocyte precursor cells or OPC) from the spinal cord could become oligodendrocytes. The new cells helped restore electrical pathways of the spinal cord and therefore, function, in a process called remyelination.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The mouse with a human liver: a new model for the treatment of liver disease
Source: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Date: February 22, 2010
Summary:
LA JOLLA, CA—How do you study—and try to cure in the laboratory—an infection that only humans can get? A team led by Salk Institute researchers does it by generating a mouse with an almost completely human liver. This "humanized" mouse is susceptible to human liver infections and responds to human drug treatments, providing a new way to test novel therapies for debilitating human liver diseases and other diseases with liver involvement such as malaria. Mice whose own liver cells have been replaced with human hepatocytes (shown in green) can be successfully infected with Hepatitis B virus (shown in red) providing a new way to test novel therapies for debilitating human liver diseases. The Salk researchers' findings will be published in the Feb. 22, 2010 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Date: February 22, 2010
Summary:
LA JOLLA, CA—How do you study—and try to cure in the laboratory—an infection that only humans can get? A team led by Salk Institute researchers does it by generating a mouse with an almost completely human liver. This "humanized" mouse is susceptible to human liver infections and responds to human drug treatments, providing a new way to test novel therapies for debilitating human liver diseases and other diseases with liver involvement such as malaria. Mice whose own liver cells have been replaced with human hepatocytes (shown in green) can be successfully infected with Hepatitis B virus (shown in red) providing a new way to test novel therapies for debilitating human liver diseases. The Salk researchers' findings will be published in the Feb. 22, 2010 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Stem Cells: Turning Back the Molecular Clock to Reverse Rapid Aging
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: February 17, 2010
Summary:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have created a specialized group of stem cells from patients who have dyskeratosis congenita, a disorder that causes accelerated aging and results in bone marrow failure. In new research reported in Nature, the scientists show that using a genetic reprogramming technique to “turn back the molecular clock” in these cells appears to reset the cells and reverses rapid aging.
Date: February 17, 2010
Summary:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have created a specialized group of stem cells from patients who have dyskeratosis congenita, a disorder that causes accelerated aging and results in bone marrow failure. In new research reported in Nature, the scientists show that using a genetic reprogramming technique to “turn back the molecular clock” in these cells appears to reset the cells and reverses rapid aging.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells From Patients With a Premature Aging Disorder Bring Surprises
Source: Children's Hospital Boston
Date: February 17, 2010
Summary:
Boston, Mass. -- In a study that ties stem cell research together with research on aging and cancer, investigators at Children's Hospital Boston have used genetic reprogramming to create cells from patients with a rare premature-aging disorder that are able to rebuild their telomeres--the tips of chromosomes that must be maintained to prevent a cell from "aging" and enabling it to divide and make copies of itself.
Publishing in Nature (Advance Online) on February 17, researchers in the laboratory of George Q. Daley, MD, PhD, Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Children's, report successfully reactivating the cellular enzyme telomerase, which maintains the telomeres, in patients with dyskeratosis congenita. In this rare genetic disorder, genetic mutations cause telomerase to be defective, leaving the chromosomes without protection from damage and unable to compensate for the natural shortening of telomeres that occurs when a cell divides. As a result, a patient's cells "age" more quickly, leading to bone-marrow failure (an inability to make enough blood cells), degradation of multiple tissues, premature aging-like symptoms and a much-shortened lifespan.
USA Today and Technology Review carried news stories on this news release today.
Date: February 17, 2010
Summary:
Boston, Mass. -- In a study that ties stem cell research together with research on aging and cancer, investigators at Children's Hospital Boston have used genetic reprogramming to create cells from patients with a rare premature-aging disorder that are able to rebuild their telomeres--the tips of chromosomes that must be maintained to prevent a cell from "aging" and enabling it to divide and make copies of itself.
Publishing in Nature (Advance Online) on February 17, researchers in the laboratory of George Q. Daley, MD, PhD, Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Children's, report successfully reactivating the cellular enzyme telomerase, which maintains the telomeres, in patients with dyskeratosis congenita. In this rare genetic disorder, genetic mutations cause telomerase to be defective, leaving the chromosomes without protection from damage and unable to compensate for the natural shortening of telomeres that occurs when a cell divides. As a result, a patient's cells "age" more quickly, leading to bone-marrow failure (an inability to make enough blood cells), degradation of multiple tissues, premature aging-like symptoms and a much-shortened lifespan.
USA Today and Technology Review carried news stories on this news release today.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
UWM engineer creates unique software that predicts stem cell fate
Source: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: February 16, 2010
Summary:
A software program created by an engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) can not only predict the types of specialized cells a stem cell will produce, but also foresee the outcome before the stem cell even divides.
The software, developed by Andrew Cohen, an assistant professor of electrical engineering, analyzes time-lapse images capturing live stem cell behaviors. It will allow scientists to search for mechanisms that control stem cell specialization, the main obstacle in advancing the use of stem cell therapy for treatment of disease. It could also lead to new research into causes of cancer, which involves cells that continuously self-renew.
The research is published Feb. 7 in the journal Nature Methods. Co-authors are Michel Cayouette and Francisco Gomez neurobiologists at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal, and Badri Roysam, a computer engineering professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The software is 87 percent accurate in determining the specific "offspring" a stem cell will ultimately produce, and 99 percent accurate in predicting when self-renewal of these stem cells will end in specialization.
Date: February 16, 2010
Summary:
A software program created by an engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) can not only predict the types of specialized cells a stem cell will produce, but also foresee the outcome before the stem cell even divides.
The software, developed by Andrew Cohen, an assistant professor of electrical engineering, analyzes time-lapse images capturing live stem cell behaviors. It will allow scientists to search for mechanisms that control stem cell specialization, the main obstacle in advancing the use of stem cell therapy for treatment of disease. It could also lead to new research into causes of cancer, which involves cells that continuously self-renew.
The research is published Feb. 7 in the journal Nature Methods. Co-authors are Michel Cayouette and Francisco Gomez neurobiologists at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal, and Badri Roysam, a computer engineering professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The software is 87 percent accurate in determining the specific "offspring" a stem cell will ultimately produce, and 99 percent accurate in predicting when self-renewal of these stem cells will end in specialization.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New study suggests stem cells sabotage their own DNA to produce new tissues
Source: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Date: February 15, 2010
Summary:
A new study from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa suggests that stem cells intentionally break their own DNA as a way of regulating tissue development. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could dramatically change how researchers think about tissue development, stem cells and cancer.
The discovery has important implications for a number of areas. It could help researchers develop better ways to activate stem cells, so that they can produce new tissues for therapeutic purposes. It also suggests that DNA mutations, which can contribute to a variety of diseases, may initially occur as a result of a normal cellular process. And it has implications for researchers developing therapies that inhibit programmed cell death, suggesting that such therapies may also inhibit normal tissue development.
Date: February 15, 2010
Summary:
A new study from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa suggests that stem cells intentionally break their own DNA as a way of regulating tissue development. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could dramatically change how researchers think about tissue development, stem cells and cancer.
The discovery has important implications for a number of areas. It could help researchers develop better ways to activate stem cells, so that they can produce new tissues for therapeutic purposes. It also suggests that DNA mutations, which can contribute to a variety of diseases, may initially occur as a result of a normal cellular process. And it has implications for researchers developing therapies that inhibit programmed cell death, suggesting that such therapies may also inhibit normal tissue development.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cord blood stem cells show promise treating cerebral palsy
Source: KOLD-TV - Tucson, Arizona
Posted: Feb 11, 2010 3:56 PM
Updated: Feb 12, 2010 11:58 AM
Summary:
In a TV new segment, KOLD-TV News reports scientists at the Medical College of Georgia will begin the first FDA-approved trial to see if stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve function in children with cerebral palsy:
Posted: Feb 11, 2010 3:56 PM
Updated: Feb 12, 2010 11:58 AM
Summary:
In a TV new segment, KOLD-TV News reports scientists at the Medical College of Georgia will begin the first FDA-approved trial to see if stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve function in children with cerebral palsy:
The Medical College of Georgia will use cord blood stem cells, the building blocks of the body, to treat 40 children who have cerebral palsy, a type of brain injury. The stem cells come from each child's own cord blood stored here in Tucson when they were born. This is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved clinical trial. The study will include 40 children age 2-12 whose parents have stored cord blood at the Cord Blood Registry in Tucson, Ariz.
MCG to conduct first FDA-approved stem cell trial in pediatric cerebral palsy
Source: Medical College of Georgia
Date: February 11, 2010
Summary:
Medical College of Georgia researchers are conducting the first FDA-approved clinical trial to determine whether an infusion of stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy. The study will include 40 children age 2-12 whose parents have stored cord blood at the Cord Blood Registry in Tucson, Ariz. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which can divide and morph into different types of cells throughout the body, said Dr. James Carroll, professor and chief of pediatric neurology in MCG School of Medicine and principal investigator on the study.
Date: February 11, 2010
Summary:
Medical College of Georgia researchers are conducting the first FDA-approved clinical trial to determine whether an infusion of stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy. The study will include 40 children age 2-12 whose parents have stored cord blood at the Cord Blood Registry in Tucson, Ariz. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which can divide and morph into different types of cells throughout the body, said Dr. James Carroll, professor and chief of pediatric neurology in MCG School of Medicine and principal investigator on the study.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
StemCells, Inc. Announces First Human Neural Stem Cell Transplant in Landmark Myelination Disorder Trial
Source: StemCells, Inc.
Date: February 10, 2010
Summary:
In an official company news release, Stem Cells, Inc., a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced that human neural stem cells have been used to treat Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ( PMD), a pediatric neurological disorder:
Date: February 10, 2010
Summary:
In an official company news release, Stem Cells, Inc., a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced that human neural stem cells have been used to treat Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ( PMD), a pediatric neurological disorder:
StemCells, Inc. announced today that its proprietary HuCNS-SC(R) human neural stem cells have been used to treat the first patient enrolled in its Phase I clinical trial in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a myelination disorder that afflicts male children. ...Myelin is the substance that surrounds and insulates nerve cells' communications fibers (also known as axons). Without sufficient myelination, these fibers are unable to properly transmit nerve impulses, leading to a progressive loss of neurological function. Multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis and certain types of cerebral palsy are more commonly known myelination disorders that also affect the central nervous system.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Scientists discover gene that improves the quality of reprogrammed stem cells
Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
Date: February 8, 2010
Summary:
Scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), have discovered a genetic molecule, called Tbx3, which greatly improves the quality of stem cells that have been reprogrammed from differentiated cells (stem cells reprogrammed from differentiated cells are known as induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells). The study was published on 7 February 2010 in the prestigious journal Nature.
Date: February 8, 2010
Summary:
Scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), have discovered a genetic molecule, called Tbx3, which greatly improves the quality of stem cells that have been reprogrammed from differentiated cells (stem cells reprogrammed from differentiated cells are known as induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells). The study was published on 7 February 2010 in the prestigious journal Nature.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Virus-free technique enables scientists to easily make stem cells pluripotent
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: February 7, 2010
Summary:
Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Unlike other commonly used techniques, the method, which is based on standard molecular biology practices, does not use viruses to introduce genes into the cells or permanently alter a cell's genome.
It is the first example of reprogramming adult cells to pluripotency in this manner, and is hailed by the researchers as a major step toward the use of such cells in humans. They hope that the ease of the technique and its relative safety will smooth its way through the necessary FDA approval process.
The Stanford researchers used the so-called minicircles - rings of DNA about one-half the size of those usually used to reprogram cell - to induce pluripotency in stem cells from human fat. Pluripotent cells can then be induced to become many different specialized cell types. Although the researchers plan to first use these cells to better understand - and perhaps one day treat-human heart disease, induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, are a starting point for research on many human diseases. The research will be published online Feb. 7 in Nature Methods. Research assistant Fangjun Jia, PhD is the lead author of the work.
Date: February 7, 2010
Summary:
Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Unlike other commonly used techniques, the method, which is based on standard molecular biology practices, does not use viruses to introduce genes into the cells or permanently alter a cell's genome.
It is the first example of reprogramming adult cells to pluripotency in this manner, and is hailed by the researchers as a major step toward the use of such cells in humans. They hope that the ease of the technique and its relative safety will smooth its way through the necessary FDA approval process.
The Stanford researchers used the so-called minicircles - rings of DNA about one-half the size of those usually used to reprogram cell - to induce pluripotency in stem cells from human fat. Pluripotent cells can then be induced to become many different specialized cell types. Although the researchers plan to first use these cells to better understand - and perhaps one day treat-human heart disease, induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, are a starting point for research on many human diseases. The research will be published online Feb. 7 in Nature Methods. Research assistant Fangjun Jia, PhD is the lead author of the work.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Scientists Map Epigenome of Human Stem Cells During Development
Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI)
Date: February 4, 2010
Summary:
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) led an international effort to build a map that shows in detail how the human genome is modified during embryonic development. This detailed mapping is a significant move towards the success of targeted differentiation of stem cells into specific organs, which is a crucial consideration for stem cell therapy. The study was published in the genomics journal Genome Research on February 4, 2010.
Date: February 4, 2010
Summary:
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) led an international effort to build a map that shows in detail how the human genome is modified during embryonic development. This detailed mapping is a significant move towards the success of targeted differentiation of stem cells into specific organs, which is a crucial consideration for stem cell therapy. The study was published in the genomics journal Genome Research on February 4, 2010.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
3-D scaffold provides clean, biodegradable structure for stem cell growth
Source:University of Washington
Date: February 2, 2010
Summary:
Medical researchers were shocked to discover that virtually all human embryonic stem cell lines being used in 2005 were contaminated. Animal byproducts used to line Petri dishes had left traces on the human cells. If those cells had been implanted in a human body they likely would have been rejected by the patient's immune system. Even today, with new stem cell lines approved for use in medical research, there remains a risk that these cells will be contaminated in the same way. Most research labs still use animal-based "feeder layers" because it remains the cheapest and most reliable way to get stem cells to multiply.
Materials scientists at the University of Washington have now created an alternative. They built a three-dimensional scaffold out of a natural material that mimics the binding sites for stem cells, allowing the cells to reproduce on a clean, biodegradable structure. Results published in the journal Biomaterials show that human embryonic stem cells grow and multiply readily on the structure.
Date: February 2, 2010
Summary:
Medical researchers were shocked to discover that virtually all human embryonic stem cell lines being used in 2005 were contaminated. Animal byproducts used to line Petri dishes had left traces on the human cells. If those cells had been implanted in a human body they likely would have been rejected by the patient's immune system. Even today, with new stem cell lines approved for use in medical research, there remains a risk that these cells will be contaminated in the same way. Most research labs still use animal-based "feeder layers" because it remains the cheapest and most reliable way to get stem cells to multiply.
Materials scientists at the University of Washington have now created an alternative. They built a three-dimensional scaffold out of a natural material that mimics the binding sites for stem cells, allowing the cells to reproduce on a clean, biodegradable structure. Results published in the journal Biomaterials show that human embryonic stem cells grow and multiply readily on the structure.
Monday, February 01, 2010
New Form of Stem Cell Communication Rescues Diseased Neurons
Source: Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Date: February 1, 2010
Summary:
LA JOLLA, Calif., -- Investigators at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham, formerly Burnham Institute for Medical Research), the Karolinska Institutet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Harvard Medical School and Université Libre de Bruxelles have demonstrated in mouse models that transplanted stems cells, when in direct contact with diseased neurons, send signals through specialized channels that rescue the neurons from death. These direct cell-to-cell connections may also play a role in normal development by laying down the blueprint for more mature electrical connections between neurons and other cells. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 1.
Date: February 1, 2010
Summary:
LA JOLLA, Calif., -- Investigators at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham, formerly Burnham Institute for Medical Research), the Karolinska Institutet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Harvard Medical School and Université Libre de Bruxelles have demonstrated in mouse models that transplanted stems cells, when in direct contact with diseased neurons, send signals through specialized channels that rescue the neurons from death. These direct cell-to-cell connections may also play a role in normal development by laying down the blueprint for more mature electrical connections between neurons and other cells. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 1.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Novel Theory for Mammalian Stem Cell Regulation
Source: Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Date: January 29, 2010
Summary:
Linheng Li, Ph.D., a Stowers Institute Investigator, together with Hans Clevers, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht, Netherlands, co-authored a prospective review published today by the journal Science that proposes a model of mammalian adult stem cell regulation that may explain how the coexistence of two disparate stem cell states regulates both stem cell maintenance and simultaneously supports rapid tissue regeneration.
Adult stem cells are crucial for physiological tissue renewal and regeneration following injury. Current models assume the existence of a single quiescent (resting) population of stem cells residing in a single niche of a given tissue. The Linheng Li Lab and others have previously reported that primitive blood-forming stem cells can be further separated into quiescent (reserved) and active (primed) sub-populations. Emerging evidence indicates that quiescent and active stem cell sub-populations also co-exist in several tissues — including hair follicle, intestine, bone marrow, and potentially in the neural system — in separate yet adjacent microenvironments. In the review, Dr. Li proposes that quiescent and active stem cell populations have separate but cooperative functional roles.
Date: January 29, 2010
Summary:
Linheng Li, Ph.D., a Stowers Institute Investigator, together with Hans Clevers, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht, Netherlands, co-authored a prospective review published today by the journal Science that proposes a model of mammalian adult stem cell regulation that may explain how the coexistence of two disparate stem cell states regulates both stem cell maintenance and simultaneously supports rapid tissue regeneration.
Adult stem cells are crucial for physiological tissue renewal and regeneration following injury. Current models assume the existence of a single quiescent (resting) population of stem cells residing in a single niche of a given tissue. The Linheng Li Lab and others have previously reported that primitive blood-forming stem cells can be further separated into quiescent (reserved) and active (primed) sub-populations. Emerging evidence indicates that quiescent and active stem cell sub-populations also co-exist in several tissues — including hair follicle, intestine, bone marrow, and potentially in the neural system — in separate yet adjacent microenvironments. In the review, Dr. Li proposes that quiescent and active stem cell populations have separate but cooperative functional roles.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Making Old Stem Cells Act Young Again
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: January 28, 2010
Summary:
In virtually every part of the body, stem cells stand ready to replenish mature cells lost to wounds, disease, and everyday wear and tear. But like other cells, stem cells eventually lose their normal functions as they age, leaving the body less able to repair itself. Surprisingly, this age-related decline in stem cell potency may be somewhat reversible. A team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers has found that in old mice, a several-week exposure to the blood of young mice causes their bone marrow stem cells to act “young” again.
The researchers have not yet isolated the blood-borne factors that can switch old stem cells back to a more youthful state, but their results are consistent with other recent studies that show stem-cell aging may be reversible. Together those results suggest that it might one day be possible to boost the practical lifespan of stem cells, and thereby increase the body’s resistance to disease and age-related degeneration. The new findings are reported in an advanced online publication in Nature on January 28, 2010.
Date: January 28, 2010
Summary:
In virtually every part of the body, stem cells stand ready to replenish mature cells lost to wounds, disease, and everyday wear and tear. But like other cells, stem cells eventually lose their normal functions as they age, leaving the body less able to repair itself. Surprisingly, this age-related decline in stem cell potency may be somewhat reversible. A team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers has found that in old mice, a several-week exposure to the blood of young mice causes their bone marrow stem cells to act “young” again.
The researchers have not yet isolated the blood-borne factors that can switch old stem cells back to a more youthful state, but their results are consistent with other recent studies that show stem-cell aging may be reversible. Together those results suggest that it might one day be possible to boost the practical lifespan of stem cells, and thereby increase the body’s resistance to disease and age-related degeneration. The new findings are reported in an advanced online publication in Nature on January 28, 2010.
Stem Cell Breakthrough: Bone Marrow Cells Are the Answer
Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Date: January 28, 2010
Summary:
Using cells from mice, scientists discovered a new strategy for making embryonic stem cell transplants less likely to be rejected by a recipient's immune system. This strategy involves fusing bone marrow cells to embryonic stem cells. Once fused, hybrid cells have DNA from both donor and recipient, raising hopes that immune rejection of embryonic stem cell therapies can be avoided without drugs. This strategy, described in a new research report appearing in the February 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal, involves fusing bone marrow cells to embryonic stem cells.
Date: January 28, 2010
Summary:
Using cells from mice, scientists discovered a new strategy for making embryonic stem cell transplants less likely to be rejected by a recipient's immune system. This strategy involves fusing bone marrow cells to embryonic stem cells. Once fused, hybrid cells have DNA from both donor and recipient, raising hopes that immune rejection of embryonic stem cell therapies can be avoided without drugs. This strategy, described in a new research report appearing in the February 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal, involves fusing bone marrow cells to embryonic stem cells.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Research provides insight into the reprogramming of cell fate
Source: The Babraham Institute
Date: 27 January 2010
Summary:
A discovery by Babraham scientists brings new insight into how cells are reprogrammed and a greater understanding of how the environment, or factors like nutritional signals, can interact with our genes to affect health. As an embryo develops, cells acquire a particular fate, for example becoming a nerve or skin cell. The findings, reported online in the journal Nature, pinpoint a protein called AID as being important for complete cellular reprogramming in mammals. In addition, these findings may advance the field of regenerative medicine, by potentially enhancing our ability to guide the reversal of cell fate, and pave the way for novel therapeutics.
Date: 27 January 2010
Summary:
A discovery by Babraham scientists brings new insight into how cells are reprogrammed and a greater understanding of how the environment, or factors like nutritional signals, can interact with our genes to affect health. As an embryo develops, cells acquire a particular fate, for example becoming a nerve or skin cell. The findings, reported online in the journal Nature, pinpoint a protein called AID as being important for complete cellular reprogramming in mammals. In addition, these findings may advance the field of regenerative medicine, by potentially enhancing our ability to guide the reversal of cell fate, and pave the way for novel therapeutics.
Researchers directly turn mouse skin cells into neurons, skipping IPS stage
Source: Stanford University
Date: January 27, 2010
Summary:
Even Superman needed to retire to a phone booth for a quick change. But now scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have succeeded in the ultimate switch: transforming mouse skin cells in a laboratory dish directly into functional nerve cells with the application of just three genes. The cells make the change without first becoming a pluripotent type of stem cell — a step long thought to be required for cells to acquire new identities. The finding, published online Jan. 27 in Nature, could revolutionize the future of human stem cell therapy and recast our understanding of how cells choose and maintain their specialties in the body.
Date: January 27, 2010
Summary:
Even Superman needed to retire to a phone booth for a quick change. But now scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have succeeded in the ultimate switch: transforming mouse skin cells in a laboratory dish directly into functional nerve cells with the application of just three genes. The cells make the change without first becoming a pluripotent type of stem cell — a step long thought to be required for cells to acquire new identities. The finding, published online Jan. 27 in Nature, could revolutionize the future of human stem cell therapy and recast our understanding of how cells choose and maintain their specialties in the body.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Targeting cancer stem cells in the lab
Source: Oxford University
Date: 26 January 2010
Summary:
Understanding of the particular cancer cells within a tumour that drive its growth could now advance more rapidly, thanks to Oxford University scientists. They show in the journal PNAS how a crucial class of cancer cell, called cancer stem cells, can be investigated in the lab in ways that should greatly speed their study, and allow the development of drugs targeted against them.
Date: 26 January 2010
Summary:
Understanding of the particular cancer cells within a tumour that drive its growth could now advance more rapidly, thanks to Oxford University scientists. They show in the journal PNAS how a crucial class of cancer cell, called cancer stem cells, can be investigated in the lab in ways that should greatly speed their study, and allow the development of drugs targeted against them.
Scientists find survival factor for keeping nerve cells healthy
Source: Babraham Institute
Date: 26 January 2010
Summary:
Scientists at the Babraham Institute have discovered a novel survival factor whose rapid transport along nerve cells is crucial for keeping them alive. The same factor seems likely to be needed to keep our nerves healthy as we age. These findings, published today in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, show that a molecule known as Nmnat2 provides a protective function; in its absence healthy, uninjured nerve cells start to degenerate and boosting levels of Nmnat2 can delay degeneration when the cells are injured. This suggests an exciting new therapeutic avenue for protecting nerves from disease and injury-induced degeneration.
Date: 26 January 2010
Summary:
Scientists at the Babraham Institute have discovered a novel survival factor whose rapid transport along nerve cells is crucial for keeping them alive. The same factor seems likely to be needed to keep our nerves healthy as we age. These findings, published today in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, show that a molecule known as Nmnat2 provides a protective function; in its absence healthy, uninjured nerve cells start to degenerate and boosting levels of Nmnat2 can delay degeneration when the cells are injured. This suggests an exciting new therapeutic avenue for protecting nerves from disease and injury-induced degeneration.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Experimental Stem Cell Treatment Arrests Acute Lung Injury in Mice, Study Shows
Source: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Date: January 25, 2010
Summary:
HOUSTON -- Stem cell researchers exploring a new approach for the care of respiratory diseases report that an experimental treatment involving transplantable lung cells was associated with improved outcomes in tests on mice with acute lung injury. The lung cells were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Findings by investigators at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are scheduled to appear in the March issue of Molecular Therapy.
Date: January 25, 2010
Summary:
HOUSTON -- Stem cell researchers exploring a new approach for the care of respiratory diseases report that an experimental treatment involving transplantable lung cells was associated with improved outcomes in tests on mice with acute lung injury. The lung cells were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Findings by investigators at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are scheduled to appear in the March issue of Molecular Therapy.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Scientists shed new light on walking
Source: Karolinska Institutet
Date: 22 January 2010
Summary:
Researchers at the medical university Karolinska Institutet have created a genetically modified mouse in which certain neurons can be activated by blue light. Shining blue light on brainstems or spinal cords isolated from these mice produces walking-like motor activity. The findings, which are published in the scientific journal Nature Neuroscience, are of potential significance to the recovery of walking after spinal cord injury.
Date: 22 January 2010
Summary:
Researchers at the medical university Karolinska Institutet have created a genetically modified mouse in which certain neurons can be activated by blue light. Shining blue light on brainstems or spinal cords isolated from these mice produces walking-like motor activity. The findings, which are published in the scientific journal Nature Neuroscience, are of potential significance to the recovery of walking after spinal cord injury.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
New Concoction Reprograms Differentiated Cells Into Pluripotent Stem Cells
Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Date: January 22, 2010
Summary:
Scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the National University of Singapore (NUS), have discovered a transcription factor, known as Nr5a2, which is responsible for the reprogramming of differentiated cells into stem cells. Stem cells generated from differentiated cells are known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). This find, published on January 21, 2010 in the prestigious journal Cell Stem Cell, is especially crucial in the area of cell therapy-based medicine.
Date: January 22, 2010
Summary:
Scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the National University of Singapore (NUS), have discovered a transcription factor, known as Nr5a2, which is responsible for the reprogramming of differentiated cells into stem cells. Stem cells generated from differentiated cells are known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). This find, published on January 21, 2010 in the prestigious journal Cell Stem Cell, is especially crucial in the area of cell therapy-based medicine.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Way to Generate Abundant Functional Blood Vessel Cells From Human Stem Cells Discovered
Source: Weill Cornell Medical College
Date: January 20, 2010
Summary:
NEW YORK (Jan. 20, 2010) — In a significant step toward restoring healthy blood circulation to treat a variety of diseases, a team of scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College has developed a new technique and described a novel mechanism for turning human embryonic and pluripotent stem cells into plentiful, functional endothelial cells, which are critical to the formation of blood vessels. Endothelial cells form the interior "lining" of all blood vessels and are the main component of capillaries, the smallest and most abundant vessels. In the near future, the researchers believe, it will be possible to inject these cells into humans to heal damaged organs and tissues.
The new approach allows scientists to generate virtually unlimited quantities of durable endothelial cells — more than 40-fold the quantity possible with previous approaches. Based on insights into the genetic mechanisms that regulate how embryonic stem cells form vascular endothelial cells, the approach may also yield new ways to study genetically inherited vascular diseases. The study appears in the advance online issue of Nature Biotechnology.
Date: January 20, 2010
Summary:
NEW YORK (Jan. 20, 2010) — In a significant step toward restoring healthy blood circulation to treat a variety of diseases, a team of scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College has developed a new technique and described a novel mechanism for turning human embryonic and pluripotent stem cells into plentiful, functional endothelial cells, which are critical to the formation of blood vessels. Endothelial cells form the interior "lining" of all blood vessels and are the main component of capillaries, the smallest and most abundant vessels. In the near future, the researchers believe, it will be possible to inject these cells into humans to heal damaged organs and tissues.
The new approach allows scientists to generate virtually unlimited quantities of durable endothelial cells — more than 40-fold the quantity possible with previous approaches. Based on insights into the genetic mechanisms that regulate how embryonic stem cells form vascular endothelial cells, the approach may also yield new ways to study genetically inherited vascular diseases. The study appears in the advance online issue of Nature Biotechnology.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Stem Cells Become Functioning Neurons in Mice
Source: HealthDay News
Date: January. 19, 2010
Summary:
HealthDay News reports researchers have enabled neurons grown from embryonic stem cells to form propper connections in mice:
Date: January. 19, 2010
Summary:
HealthDay News reports researchers have enabled neurons grown from embryonic stem cells to form propper connections in mice:
Transplanted neurons grown from embryonic stem cells were able to form proper brain connections in newborn mice, U.S. scientists report. Researchers from Stanford Medical School say their study was the first to show that stem cells can be directed to become specific brain cells and to link correctly in the brain. The findings, they say, could help in efforts to develop new treatments for spinal cord injuries and nervous system diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease.
Monday, January 18, 2010
“Jekyll and Hyde” cell may hold key to muscular dystrophy, fibrosis treatment: UBC research
Source:University of British Columbia
Date: January 18, 2010
Summary:
A team of University of British Columbia researchers has identified fat-producing cells that possess “dual-personalities” and may further the development of treatments for muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy and fibrosis. The team found a new type of fibro/adipogenic progenitors, or FAPs, that generate fatty fibrous tissues when transplanted into damaged muscles in mice. Progenitors are similar to stem cells in their capacity to differentiate, but are limited in the number of times they can divide. The findings are published in the current issue of Nature Cell Biology.
Date: January 18, 2010
Summary:
A team of University of British Columbia researchers has identified fat-producing cells that possess “dual-personalities” and may further the development of treatments for muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy and fibrosis. The team found a new type of fibro/adipogenic progenitors, or FAPs, that generate fatty fibrous tissues when transplanted into damaged muscles in mice. Progenitors are similar to stem cells in their capacity to differentiate, but are limited in the number of times they can divide. The findings are published in the current issue of Nature Cell Biology.
Discovery may aid transplantation and regenerative medicine
Source: The Babraham Institute
Date: 18 January 2010
Summary:
Research from the Babraham Institute, reported in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, provides new insights into how our immune system produces T cells, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the body's immune surveillance system for fighting infection. The findings pave the way for a new means of making purified T cells, which gets over one of many hurdles faced in the use of T cells in regenerative medicine and transplantations, and in addition will open up new avenues of research and applications in drug and toxicity testing in industry.
Date: 18 January 2010
Summary:
Research from the Babraham Institute, reported in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, provides new insights into how our immune system produces T cells, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the body's immune surveillance system for fighting infection. The findings pave the way for a new means of making purified T cells, which gets over one of many hurdles faced in the use of T cells in regenerative medicine and transplantations, and in addition will open up new avenues of research and applications in drug and toxicity testing in industry.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Scientists identify molecule that inhibits stem cell differentiation
Source: Stanford University
Date: January 17, 2010
Summary:
Like as not, the recent holidays probably included some reminiscing about family history. There may even have been some remonstrations and recommendations from well-meaning elders to younger kin about their lives’ paths. It turns out stem cells have a similar need for long-term memory to help them know who they are and what they should become. Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have now identified a molecule involved in keeping skin stem cells on the straight and narrow. The molecule, called DNMT1, helps the stem cells know whether to self-renew to create more stem cells, or to differentiate into specialized, non-dividing adult skin cells. It’s important because too much self-renewal can lead to cancer, and too little can inhibit wound healing.
Date: January 17, 2010
Summary:
Like as not, the recent holidays probably included some reminiscing about family history. There may even have been some remonstrations and recommendations from well-meaning elders to younger kin about their lives’ paths. It turns out stem cells have a similar need for long-term memory to help them know who they are and what they should become. Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have now identified a molecule involved in keeping skin stem cells on the straight and narrow. The molecule, called DNMT1, helps the stem cells know whether to self-renew to create more stem cells, or to differentiate into specialized, non-dividing adult skin cells. It’s important because too much self-renewal can lead to cancer, and too little can inhibit wound healing.
First successful use of expanded umbilical-cord blood units to treat leukemia
Source: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Date: January 17, 2010
Summary:
SEATTLE – Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have cleared a major technical hurdle to making umbilical-cord-blood transplants a more widely-used method for treating leukemia and other blood cancers. In a study published in the Jan.17 edition of Nature Medicine, Colleen Delaney, M.D., and colleagues describe the first use of a method to vastly expand the number of stem/progenitor cells from a unit of cord blood in the laboratory that were then infused into patients resulting in successful and rapid engraftment.
Date: January 17, 2010
Summary:
SEATTLE – Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have cleared a major technical hurdle to making umbilical-cord-blood transplants a more widely-used method for treating leukemia and other blood cancers. In a study published in the Jan.17 edition of Nature Medicine, Colleen Delaney, M.D., and colleagues describe the first use of a method to vastly expand the number of stem/progenitor cells from a unit of cord blood in the laboratory that were then infused into patients resulting in successful and rapid engraftment.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Growing Replacement Bone: Study Shows that Delivering Stem Cells Improves Repair of Major Bone Injuries
Source: Georgia Institute of Technology
Date: January 11, 2010
A study published this week reinforces the potential value of stem cells in repairing major injuries involving the loss of bone structure. Georgia Tech mechanical engineering professor Robert Guldberg displays a histological image showing cellular bone and cartilage regeneration integrated with a scaffold that was implanted into a large bone defect. The study shows that delivering stem cells on a polymer scaffold to treat large areas of missing bone leads to improved bone formation and better mechanical properties compared to treatment with the scaffold alone. This type of therapeutic treatment could be a potential alternative to bone grafting operations. Details of the research were published in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on January 11, 2010.
Date: January 11, 2010
A study published this week reinforces the potential value of stem cells in repairing major injuries involving the loss of bone structure. Georgia Tech mechanical engineering professor Robert Guldberg displays a histological image showing cellular bone and cartilage regeneration integrated with a scaffold that was implanted into a large bone defect. The study shows that delivering stem cells on a polymer scaffold to treat large areas of missing bone leads to improved bone formation and better mechanical properties compared to treatment with the scaffold alone. This type of therapeutic treatment could be a potential alternative to bone grafting operations. Details of the research were published in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on January 11, 2010.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Biologists Develop Efficient Genetic Modification of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Source: University of California - San Diego
Date: January 7, 2010
Summary:
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have developed an efficient way to genetically modify human embryonic stem cells. Their approach, which uses bacterial artificial chromosomes to swap in defective copies of genes, will make possible the rapid development of stem cell lines that can both serve as models for human genetic diseases and as testbeds on which to screen potential treatments. The technique is described in the January 8 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Date: January 7, 2010
Summary:
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have developed an efficient way to genetically modify human embryonic stem cells. Their approach, which uses bacterial artificial chromosomes to swap in defective copies of genes, will make possible the rapid development of stem cell lines that can both serve as models for human genetic diseases and as testbeds on which to screen potential treatments. The technique is described in the January 8 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Enzyme Necessary for Healthy Immune System, Study Finds
Source; University of California - Los Angeles
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Mice without the deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) enzyme have defects in their adaptive immune system, producing very low levels of both T and B lymphocytes, the major players involved in immune response, according to a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The finding could have ramifications in treating auto-immune disorders, in which the body attacks itself, and possibly certain cancers of the immune system. A drug could be developed to create lower levels of dCK in the body, thereby tamping down immune response. Such a drug might also be effective in transplant patients to decrease risk for rejection, said Dr. Caius Radu, an assistant professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and senior author of the study.
The study, part of a long-term research project that has resulted in the development of a new probe for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning and the creation of a non-invasive approach to observe chemotherapy at work in the body, appears this week in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Mice without the deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) enzyme have defects in their adaptive immune system, producing very low levels of both T and B lymphocytes, the major players involved in immune response, according to a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The finding could have ramifications in treating auto-immune disorders, in which the body attacks itself, and possibly certain cancers of the immune system. A drug could be developed to create lower levels of dCK in the body, thereby tamping down immune response. Such a drug might also be effective in transplant patients to decrease risk for rejection, said Dr. Caius Radu, an assistant professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and senior author of the study.
The study, part of a long-term research project that has resulted in the development of a new probe for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning and the creation of a non-invasive approach to observe chemotherapy at work in the body, appears this week in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Giving Cells a Fresh Start: Enzyme Wipes Developmental Slate Clean
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers and their colleagues have identified an enzyme that can effectively wipe a cell’s developmental slate clean, essentially giving a fresh start. The enzyme, which is thought to help genetically reprogram fertilized eggs as part of normal development, may help scientists create stem cells and arrest the growth of cancers.
The new research, reported in an online article in the journal Nature on January 6, 2010, represents a collaborative effort of scientists from the laboratories of HHMI investigator Yi Zhang at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Teruhiko Wakayama at the Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan. Coauthors of the article are Yuki Okada and Kwonho Hong, postdoctoral researchers in Zhang’s lab, and Kazuo Yamagata of the Wakayama lab.
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers and their colleagues have identified an enzyme that can effectively wipe a cell’s developmental slate clean, essentially giving a fresh start. The enzyme, which is thought to help genetically reprogram fertilized eggs as part of normal development, may help scientists create stem cells and arrest the growth of cancers.
The new research, reported in an online article in the journal Nature on January 6, 2010, represents a collaborative effort of scientists from the laboratories of HHMI investigator Yi Zhang at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Teruhiko Wakayama at the Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan. Coauthors of the article are Yuki Okada and Kwonho Hong, postdoctoral researchers in Zhang’s lab, and Kazuo Yamagata of the Wakayama lab.
Study identifies a protein complex possibly crucial for triggering embryo development
Source: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have have discovered a protein complex that appears to play a significant role in erasing epigenetic instructions on sperm DNA, essentially creating a blank slate for the different cell types of a new embryo to develop. The protein complex – called elongator – could prove valuable for changing cell fate, such as converting cancer cells to normal cells, as it may be able to reactivate tumor suppressor genes by removing the epigenetic modifications that often prevent them from curbing the proliferation of cancer cells. The discovery may also have implications for stem cell research by providing a tool to quickly reprogram adult cells to possess the same attributes as embryonic stem cells, but without the ethical or safety issues of cells currently used for such studies. The results of the study appear on-line in the Jan. 6, 2010 issue of the journal Nature.
Date: January 6, 2010
Summary:
Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have have discovered a protein complex that appears to play a significant role in erasing epigenetic instructions on sperm DNA, essentially creating a blank slate for the different cell types of a new embryo to develop. The protein complex – called elongator – could prove valuable for changing cell fate, such as converting cancer cells to normal cells, as it may be able to reactivate tumor suppressor genes by removing the epigenetic modifications that often prevent them from curbing the proliferation of cancer cells. The discovery may also have implications for stem cell research by providing a tool to quickly reprogram adult cells to possess the same attributes as embryonic stem cells, but without the ethical or safety issues of cells currently used for such studies. The results of the study appear on-line in the Jan. 6, 2010 issue of the journal Nature.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Scripps research team develops technique to determine ethnic origin of stem cell lines
Source: Scripps Research Institute
Date: December 29, 2009
Summary:
An international team of scientists led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute has developed a straightforward technique to determine the ethnic origin of stem cells. The Scripps Research scientists initiated the study—published in the January 2010 edition of the prestigious journal Nature Methods—because the availability of genetically diverse cell lines for cell replacement therapy and drug development could have important medical consequences. Research has shown that discordance between the ethnic origin of organ donors and recipients can influence medical outcomes for tissue transplantation, and that the safety and effectiveness of specific drugs can vary widely depending on ethnic background.
Date: December 29, 2009
Summary:
An international team of scientists led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute has developed a straightforward technique to determine the ethnic origin of stem cells. The Scripps Research scientists initiated the study—published in the January 2010 edition of the prestigious journal Nature Methods—because the availability of genetically diverse cell lines for cell replacement therapy and drug development could have important medical consequences. Research has shown that discordance between the ethnic origin of organ donors and recipients can influence medical outcomes for tissue transplantation, and that the safety and effectiveness of specific drugs can vary widely depending on ethnic background.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Chemotherapy-induced heart damage reversed in rats
Source: American Heart Association
Date: December 28, 2009
Summary:
DALLAS, — Heart tissue damage from chemotherapy drugs was reversed in rats by using their own cardiac stem cells (CSCs) that weren’t exposed to the cancer treatment. These cells reversed heart failure, according to a new study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The early-stage research will lead to studying humans exposed to a class of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines, which is very effective in treating certain types of cancers.
Date: December 28, 2009
Summary:
DALLAS, — Heart tissue damage from chemotherapy drugs was reversed in rats by using their own cardiac stem cells (CSCs) that weren’t exposed to the cancer treatment. These cells reversed heart failure, according to a new study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The early-stage research will lead to studying humans exposed to a class of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines, which is very effective in treating certain types of cancers.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Vitamin C boosts the reprogramming of adult cells into stem cells
Source: Cell Press
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
Famous for its antioxidant properties and role in tissue repair, vitamin C is touted as beneficial for illnesses ranging from the common cold to cancer and perhaps even for slowing the aging process. Now, a study published online on December 24th by Cell Press in the journal Cell Stem Cell uncovers an unexpected new role for this natural compound: facilitating the generation of embryonic-like stem cells from adult cells.
Below is additional coverage of this finding:
HealthDay News
Daily Telegraph
Press Association
Scientific American
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
Famous for its antioxidant properties and role in tissue repair, vitamin C is touted as beneficial for illnesses ranging from the common cold to cancer and perhaps even for slowing the aging process. Now, a study published online on December 24th by Cell Press in the journal Cell Stem Cell uncovers an unexpected new role for this natural compound: facilitating the generation of embryonic-like stem cells from adult cells.
Below is additional coverage of this finding:
HealthDay News
Daily Telegraph
Press Association
Scientific American
Tandem Autologous-Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants Highly Effective for Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma
Source: Cancer Consultants
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
Researchers from Canada have reported that autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) followed by a sibling reduced-intensity allogeneic SCT results in progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 96% at three and five years in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL). The details of this study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in New Orleans in the first week of December.[1]
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
Researchers from Canada have reported that autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) followed by a sibling reduced-intensity allogeneic SCT results in progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 96% at three and five years in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL). The details of this study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in New Orleans in the first week of December.[1]
Stanford scientists identify protein that keeps stem cells poised for action
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
STANFORD, Calif. — Like a child awaiting the arrival of Christmas, embryonic stem cells exist in a state of permanent anticipation. They must balance the ability to quickly become more specialized cell types with the cellular chaos that could occur should they act too early (stop shaking those presents, kids!). Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have now identified a critical component, called Jarid2, of this delicate balancing act — one that both recruits other regulatory proteins to genes important in differentiation and also modulates their activity to keep them in a state of ongoing readiness.
"Understanding how only the relevant genes are targeted and remain poised for action is a hot topic in embryonic stem cell research," said Joanna Wysocka, PhD, assistant professor of developmental biology and of chemical and systems biology. "Our results shed light on both these questions." Wysocka is the lead author of the research, which will be published in the Dec. 24 issue of Cell.
Date: December 24, 2009
Summary:
STANFORD, Calif. — Like a child awaiting the arrival of Christmas, embryonic stem cells exist in a state of permanent anticipation. They must balance the ability to quickly become more specialized cell types with the cellular chaos that could occur should they act too early (stop shaking those presents, kids!). Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have now identified a critical component, called Jarid2, of this delicate balancing act — one that both recruits other regulatory proteins to genes important in differentiation and also modulates their activity to keep them in a state of ongoing readiness.
"Understanding how only the relevant genes are targeted and remain poised for action is a hot topic in embryonic stem cell research," said Joanna Wysocka, PhD, assistant professor of developmental biology and of chemical and systems biology. "Our results shed light on both these questions." Wysocka is the lead author of the research, which will be published in the Dec. 24 issue of Cell.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Study shows immune system protein involved in reprogramming adult cells to express stem cell genes
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: December 22, 2009
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a protein required to quickly and efficiently reprogram human skin cells to express embryonic stem cell genes. Scientists believe there is much promise for induced pluripotent stem cells: normal adult cells that have been manipulated to develop the stem-cell-like ability to differentiate into other types of cells, potentially to be used to repair damaged tissue and treat the ravages of disease.
But making these so-called iPS cells is both time-consuming and inefficient. Now researchers at Stanford’s School of Medicine have discovered a protein required to quickly and efficiently reprogram human skin cells to express embryonic stem cell genes. The finding could eliminate a major bottleneck in the generation of iPS and embryonic stem cells — that of removing molecular tags called methyl groups from specific regions of cellular DNA. Without this process of demethylation, the stem cell genes are silent in adult, or differentiated, cells. The research is published online in the Dec. 21 issue of Nature.
Date: December 22, 2009
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a protein required to quickly and efficiently reprogram human skin cells to express embryonic stem cell genes. Scientists believe there is much promise for induced pluripotent stem cells: normal adult cells that have been manipulated to develop the stem-cell-like ability to differentiate into other types of cells, potentially to be used to repair damaged tissue and treat the ravages of disease.
But making these so-called iPS cells is both time-consuming and inefficient. Now researchers at Stanford’s School of Medicine have discovered a protein required to quickly and efficiently reprogram human skin cells to express embryonic stem cell genes. The finding could eliminate a major bottleneck in the generation of iPS and embryonic stem cells — that of removing molecular tags called methyl groups from specific regions of cellular DNA. Without this process of demethylation, the stem cell genes are silent in adult, or differentiated, cells. The research is published online in the Dec. 21 issue of Nature.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Growing Blood Vessels: Bioengineered Materials Promote the Growth of Functional Vasculature, New Study Shows
Source: Georgia Institute of Technology Research News
Date: December 21, 2009
Summary:
Regenerative medicine therapies often require the growth of functional, stable blood vessels at the site of an injury. Using synthetic polymers called hydrogels, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been able to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue.
Details of the research were published in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 21, 2009. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) through the Georgia Tech/Emory Center (GTEC) for the Engineering of Living Tissues, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the American Heart Association.
Date: December 21, 2009
Summary:
Regenerative medicine therapies often require the growth of functional, stable blood vessels at the site of an injury. Using synthetic polymers called hydrogels, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been able to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue.
Details of the research were published in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 21, 2009. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) through the Georgia Tech/Emory Center (GTEC) for the Engineering of Living Tissues, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the American Heart Association.
Friday, December 18, 2009
NEURALSTEM RECEIVES APPROVAL TO COMMENCE FIRST ALS STEM CELL TRIAL AT EMORY ALS CENTER
Source: Neuralstem, Inc.
Date: December 18, 2009
Summary:
ROCKVILLE, Maryland -- Neuralstem, Inc. today announced that its Phase I trial to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) with its spinal cord stem cells has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. The trial, which was approved by the FDA in September, will take place at the Emory ALS Center, under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Glass M.D., Director of the Emory ALS Center, who will serve as the site Principal Investigator (PI). The trial will study the safety of Neuralstem’s cells and the surgical procedures and devices required for multiple injections of Neuralstem’s cells directly into the grey matter of the spinal cord. The Emory ALS Center has posted the relevant trial information for patients on its website.
Date: December 18, 2009
Summary:
ROCKVILLE, Maryland -- Neuralstem, Inc. today announced that its Phase I trial to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) with its spinal cord stem cells has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. The trial, which was approved by the FDA in September, will take place at the Emory ALS Center, under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Glass M.D., Director of the Emory ALS Center, who will serve as the site Principal Investigator (PI). The trial will study the safety of Neuralstem’s cells and the surgical procedures and devices required for multiple injections of Neuralstem’s cells directly into the grey matter of the spinal cord. The Emory ALS Center has posted the relevant trial information for patients on its website.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Umbilical Cord Could Be New Source of Plentiful Stem Cells
Source: University of Pittsburgh
Date: December 17, 2009
Summary:
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 17, 2009 – Stem cells that could one day provide therapeutic options for muscle and bone disorders can be easily harvested from the tissue of the umbilical cord, just as the blood that goes through it provides precursor cells to treat some blood disorders, said University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers in the online version of the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology.
Date: December 17, 2009
Summary:
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 17, 2009 – Stem cells that could one day provide therapeutic options for muscle and bone disorders can be easily harvested from the tissue of the umbilical cord, just as the blood that goes through it provides precursor cells to treat some blood disorders, said University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers in the online version of the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Stem-cell activators switch function, repress mature cells
Source: Ohio State University Medical Center
Date: December 16, 2009
Summary:
In a developing animal, stem cells proliferate and differentiate to form the organs needed for life. A new study shows how a crucial step in this process happens and how a reversal of that step contributes to cancer. The study, led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, shows for the first time that three proteins, called E2f1, E2f2 and E2f3, play a key role in the transition stem cells make to their final, differentiated, state.
These proteins help stimulate stem cells to grow and proliferate. But once stem cells begin to differentiate into their final cell type - a cell in the retina or in the lining of the intestine, for example - the same three proteins switch function and stop them from dividing any more. The research also shows how these proteins can switch course yet again in cells that have mutations in the retinoblastoma (Rb) gene. Mutated Rb genes occur in many types of cancer, suggesting that these E2f proteins might offer a safe and novel therapeutic target in these tumors. The findings are published in back-to-back papers in the Dec. 17 issue of the journal Nature.
Date: December 16, 2009
Summary:
In a developing animal, stem cells proliferate and differentiate to form the organs needed for life. A new study shows how a crucial step in this process happens and how a reversal of that step contributes to cancer. The study, led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, shows for the first time that three proteins, called E2f1, E2f2 and E2f3, play a key role in the transition stem cells make to their final, differentiated, state.
These proteins help stimulate stem cells to grow and proliferate. But once stem cells begin to differentiate into their final cell type - a cell in the retina or in the lining of the intestine, for example - the same three proteins switch function and stop them from dividing any more. The research also shows how these proteins can switch course yet again in cells that have mutations in the retinoblastoma (Rb) gene. Mutated Rb genes occur in many types of cancer, suggesting that these E2f proteins might offer a safe and novel therapeutic target in these tumors. The findings are published in back-to-back papers in the Dec. 17 issue of the journal Nature.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Marking Tissue-Specific Genes in Embryonic Stem Cells Crucial to Ensure Proper Function
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: December 15, 2009
Summary:
Tissue-specific genes, thought to be dormant or not marked for activation in embryonic stem cells, are indeed marked by transcription factors, with proper marking potentially crucial for the function of tissues derived from stem cells.
The finding in the study by researchers at the Broad Stem Cell Research Center involves a class of genes whose properties previously were thought to be unimportant for stem cell function. Most research has instead focused on genes that regulate a pluripotency network and genes that regulate differentiation of embryonic stem cells into other cell lineages.
The Broad center researchers focused on a third class of genes, those expressed only in defined cell types or tissues, which generally remain silent until long after embryonic stem cells have differentiated into specific cell lineages. The study is published in the Dec. 15, 2009 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Genes and Development.
Date: December 15, 2009
Summary:
Tissue-specific genes, thought to be dormant or not marked for activation in embryonic stem cells, are indeed marked by transcription factors, with proper marking potentially crucial for the function of tissues derived from stem cells.
The finding in the study by researchers at the Broad Stem Cell Research Center involves a class of genes whose properties previously were thought to be unimportant for stem cell function. Most research has instead focused on genes that regulate a pluripotency network and genes that regulate differentiation of embryonic stem cells into other cell lineages.
The Broad center researchers focused on a third class of genes, those expressed only in defined cell types or tissues, which generally remain silent until long after embryonic stem cells have differentiated into specific cell lineages. The study is published in the Dec. 15, 2009 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Genes and Development.
How Do Salamanders Grow a New Leg? Protein Mechanisms Behind Limb Regeneration
Source: Indiana University School of Medicine
Date:December 15, 2009
Summary:
The most comprehensive study to date of the proteins in a species of salamander that can regrow appendages may provide important clues to how similar regeneration could be induced in humans. Researchers at the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and colleagues investigated over three hundred proteins in the amputated limbs of axolotls, a type of salamander that has the unique natural ability to regenerate appendages from any level of amputation, with the hope that this knowledge will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow limbs to regenerate. Findings were published online in the journal Biomedical Central Biology on November 30 (BMC Biology 7:83, 2009).
Date:December 15, 2009
Summary:
The most comprehensive study to date of the proteins in a species of salamander that can regrow appendages may provide important clues to how similar regeneration could be induced in humans. Researchers at the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and colleagues investigated over three hundred proteins in the amputated limbs of axolotls, a type of salamander that has the unique natural ability to regenerate appendages from any level of amputation, with the hope that this knowledge will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow limbs to regenerate. Findings were published online in the journal Biomedical Central Biology on November 30 (BMC Biology 7:83, 2009).
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Hebrew University, American researchers identify genetic ‘trigger’ for stem cell differentiation
Source: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Date: 9 December 2009
Summary:
A gene which is essential for stem cells’ capabilities to become any cell type has been identified by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of California, San Francisco. The discovery represents a further step in the ever-expanding field of understanding the ways in which stem cells develop into specific cells, a necessary prelude towards the use of stem cell therapy as a means to reverse the consequences of disease and disability.
In their current study, which was published recently in the journal Nature, the researchers from the Hebrew University and UCSF showed, using mouse ES cells, that Chd1 regulates open chromatin in ES cells. The open chromatin conformation, maintained by Chd1, enabled the expression of a wide variety of genes, leading to proper differentiation into all types of specific cells. Depletion of Chd1 in embryonic stem cells led to formation of heterochromatin (closed chromatin) and prevented the ability of the cells to generate all types of tissues.
Date: 9 December 2009
Summary:
A gene which is essential for stem cells’ capabilities to become any cell type has been identified by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of California, San Francisco. The discovery represents a further step in the ever-expanding field of understanding the ways in which stem cells develop into specific cells, a necessary prelude towards the use of stem cell therapy as a means to reverse the consequences of disease and disability.
In their current study, which was published recently in the journal Nature, the researchers from the Hebrew University and UCSF showed, using mouse ES cells, that Chd1 regulates open chromatin in ES cells. The open chromatin conformation, maintained by Chd1, enabled the expression of a wide variety of genes, leading to proper differentiation into all types of specific cells. Depletion of Chd1 in embryonic stem cells led to formation of heterochromatin (closed chromatin) and prevented the ability of the cells to generate all types of tissues.
Newly Discovered Mechanism Allows Cells to Change State
Source: Brown University
Date: December 9, 2009
Summary:
Cells are not static. They can transform themselves over time — but change can have dangerous implications. Benign cells, for example, can suddenly change into cancerous ones. That’s one reason why scientists are trying to figure out why and how cells can shed their old identity and take on a new one. If they can figure out how this happens, researchers may better understand why many different cells — such as stem cells or cells that become cancerous — transform. That, in turn, could someday allow scientists to control the transformative process in a way that might help treat a wide range of diseases.
Jeffrey Laney, assistant professor of biology at Brown University, has identified one way this change takes place by looking at Saccharomyces cerevisae, a common yeast used to make beer and bread. Laney found that a cellular “machine” removes a regulatory “lid” from genes in the cell, so the cell can change its state. Details are published online in Nature Cell Biology, with a print version to come.
Date: December 9, 2009
Summary:
Cells are not static. They can transform themselves over time — but change can have dangerous implications. Benign cells, for example, can suddenly change into cancerous ones. That’s one reason why scientists are trying to figure out why and how cells can shed their old identity and take on a new one. If they can figure out how this happens, researchers may better understand why many different cells — such as stem cells or cells that become cancerous — transform. That, in turn, could someday allow scientists to control the transformative process in a way that might help treat a wide range of diseases.
Jeffrey Laney, assistant professor of biology at Brown University, has identified one way this change takes place by looking at Saccharomyces cerevisae, a common yeast used to make beer and bread. Laney found that a cellular “machine” removes a regulatory “lid” from genes in the cell, so the cell can change its state. Details are published online in Nature Cell Biology, with a print version to come.
Mini Transplant May Reverse Severe Sickle Cell Disease
Source: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Date: December 9, 2009
Summary:
Results of a preliminary study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins show that "mini" stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults. The phase I/II study to establish safety of the procedure, published Dec. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine, describes 10 patients with severe sickle cell disease who received intravenous transplants of blood-forming stem cells. The transplanted stem cells came from the peripheral blood of healthy related donors matched to the patients' tissue types. Using this procedure, nine of 10 patients treated have normal red blood cells and reversal of organ damage caused by the disease.
Date: December 9, 2009
Summary:
Results of a preliminary study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins show that "mini" stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults. The phase I/II study to establish safety of the procedure, published Dec. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine, describes 10 patients with severe sickle cell disease who received intravenous transplants of blood-forming stem cells. The transplanted stem cells came from the peripheral blood of healthy related donors matched to the patients' tissue types. Using this procedure, nine of 10 patients treated have normal red blood cells and reversal of organ damage caused by the disease.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Umbilical Stem Cells May Help Recover Lost Vision for Those With Corneal Disease
Source: University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center
December 8, 2009
Summary:
New research from the University of Cincinnati may help in the recovery of lost vision for patients with corneal scarring. Winston Whei-Yang Kao, PhD, professor of ophthalmology, along with other researchers in UC’s ophthalmology department found that transplanting human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells into mouse models that lack the protein lumican restored the transparency of cloudy and thin corneas. Mesenchymal stem cells are “multi-potent” stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types. These findings are being presented Dec. 8 in San Diego at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biology.
December 8, 2009
Summary:
New research from the University of Cincinnati may help in the recovery of lost vision for patients with corneal scarring. Winston Whei-Yang Kao, PhD, professor of ophthalmology, along with other researchers in UC’s ophthalmology department found that transplanting human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells into mouse models that lack the protein lumican restored the transparency of cloudy and thin corneas. Mesenchymal stem cells are “multi-potent” stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types. These findings are being presented Dec. 8 in San Diego at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biology.
New Skin Stem Cells Surprisingly Similar to Those Found in Embryos
Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Date: December 8, 2009
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell in the skin that acts surprisingly like certain stem cells found in embryos: both can generate fat, bone, cartilage, and even nerve cells. These newly-described dermal stem cells may one day prove useful for treating neurological disorders and persistent wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, says Freda Miller, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute international research scholar.
Miller and her colleagues first saw the cells several years ago in both rodents and people, but only now confirmed that the cells are stem cells. Like other stem cells, these cell scan self-renew and, under the right conditions, they can grow into the cell types that constitute the skin’s dermal layer, which lies under the surface epidermal layer. “We showed that these cells are, in fact, the real thing,” says Miller, a professor at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist in the department of developmental biology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The dermal stem cells also appear tohelp form the basis for hair growth.The new work was published December 4, 2009, in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Date: December 8, 2009
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell in the skin that acts surprisingly like certain stem cells found in embryos: both can generate fat, bone, cartilage, and even nerve cells. These newly-described dermal stem cells may one day prove useful for treating neurological disorders and persistent wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, says Freda Miller, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute international research scholar.
Miller and her colleagues first saw the cells several years ago in both rodents and people, but only now confirmed that the cells are stem cells. Like other stem cells, these cell scan self-renew and, under the right conditions, they can grow into the cell types that constitute the skin’s dermal layer, which lies under the surface epidermal layer. “We showed that these cells are, in fact, the real thing,” says Miller, a professor at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist in the department of developmental biology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The dermal stem cells also appear tohelp form the basis for hair growth.The new work was published December 4, 2009, in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Researchers demonstrate that stem cells can be engineered to kill HIV
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: December 7, 2009
Summary:
Researchers from the UCLA AIDS Institute and colleagues have for the first time demonstrated that human blood stem cells can be engineered into cells that can target and kill HIV-infected cells — a process that potentially could be used against a range of chronic viral diseases. The study, published Dec. 7 in the-peer reviewed online journal PLoS ONE, provides proof-of-principle — that is, a demonstration of feasibility — that human stem cells can be engineered into the equivalent of a genetic vaccine.
Date: December 7, 2009
Summary:
Researchers from the UCLA AIDS Institute and colleagues have for the first time demonstrated that human blood stem cells can be engineered into cells that can target and kill HIV-infected cells — a process that potentially could be used against a range of chronic viral diseases. The study, published Dec. 7 in the-peer reviewed online journal PLoS ONE, provides proof-of-principle — that is, a demonstration of feasibility — that human stem cells can be engineered into the equivalent of a genetic vaccine.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Bortezomib shows promise in reducing graft-versus-host disease and reconstituting immune system in some stem cell transplant patients
Source: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Date: December 6, 2009
Summary:
A drug that has become a mainstay of multiple myeloma treatment may outperform alternative therapies in re-establishing the immune system of patients who have received stem cell transplants from unrelated, partially matched donors, according to early clinical trial results from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators. The trial was designed to determine whether the drug bortezomib (trade name Velcade®), when added to routine agents (tacrolimus, methotrexate), can improve control of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and improve immune system recovery following a transplant from a mismatched-unrelated dono
Date: December 6, 2009
Summary:
A drug that has become a mainstay of multiple myeloma treatment may outperform alternative therapies in re-establishing the immune system of patients who have received stem cell transplants from unrelated, partially matched donors, according to early clinical trial results from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators. The trial was designed to determine whether the drug bortezomib (trade name Velcade®), when added to routine agents (tacrolimus, methotrexate), can improve control of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and improve immune system recovery following a transplant from a mismatched-unrelated dono
Friday, December 04, 2009
Cholesterol-lowering drugs also may protect stem cell transplant patients from a potentially deadly complication
Source: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Date: December 4, 2009
Summary:
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are among the most prescribed medicines in the U.S. Now a new study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center indicates that statins may protect stem cell transplant patients from one of the most serious complications of the life-saving cancer therapy: graft-versus-host disease, or GVHD. The findings are reported in the Nov. 4 first edition of the journal Blood.
In a retrospective study of 567 patients who underwent hematopoietic cell transplantation from matched sibling donors between 2001 and 2007, patients whose donors had been taking statins at the time of stem cell donation experienced no severe acute GVHD. About 15 percent of the stem cell donors in the study were taking statins at the time of transplant.
Normally, between 10 percent and 15 percent of transplant patients would be expected to develop severe acute GVHD, according to the study's senior author Marco Mielcarek, M.D., an assistant member of the Hutchinson Center's Clinical Research Division.
No such protection from severe acute GVHD was observed if only the patient was taking a statin, according to the study. There was some indication that protection against severe GVHD was even stronger when both patient and donor had been on statin medications, however the number of patients in this group was too small to be statistically significant.
The researchers also found that only those transplant patients with statin-treated donors who received cyclosporine-based immunosuppression therapy after transplantation were protected from severe GVHD. Patients with statin-treated donors who received a similar drug, tacrolimus, did not experience the same GVHD-protection. The study also found that the greatest statin protection occurred against severe GVHD of the gastrointestinal tract.
Date: December 4, 2009
Summary:
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are among the most prescribed medicines in the U.S. Now a new study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center indicates that statins may protect stem cell transplant patients from one of the most serious complications of the life-saving cancer therapy: graft-versus-host disease, or GVHD. The findings are reported in the Nov. 4 first edition of the journal Blood.
In a retrospective study of 567 patients who underwent hematopoietic cell transplantation from matched sibling donors between 2001 and 2007, patients whose donors had been taking statins at the time of stem cell donation experienced no severe acute GVHD. About 15 percent of the stem cell donors in the study were taking statins at the time of transplant.
Normally, between 10 percent and 15 percent of transplant patients would be expected to develop severe acute GVHD, according to the study's senior author Marco Mielcarek, M.D., an assistant member of the Hutchinson Center's Clinical Research Division.
No such protection from severe acute GVHD was observed if only the patient was taking a statin, according to the study. There was some indication that protection against severe GVHD was even stronger when both patient and donor had been on statin medications, however the number of patients in this group was too small to be statistically significant.
The researchers also found that only those transplant patients with statin-treated donors who received cyclosporine-based immunosuppression therapy after transplantation were protected from severe GVHD. Patients with statin-treated donors who received a similar drug, tacrolimus, did not experience the same GVHD-protection. The study also found that the greatest statin protection occurred against severe GVHD of the gastrointestinal tract.
Coverage Summary: Rush University Adult Bone Marrow Stem Cell Heart Attack Treatment Trial
Below is additional media coverage of recent findings by researchers at Rush University that adult bone marrow stem cells helped recovery in heart attack patients by growing new blood vessels:
HealthDay News, December 4, 2009: "Adult stem cells appear to help repair heart attack damage, a new study shows: Small study found they spurred blood vessel growth after heart attack":
The phase 1 study of 53 patients found that stem cells from donor bone marrow promoted the growth of new blood vessels in heart tissue damaged by heart attack. The patients received the stem cell injections within 10 days of having a heart attack. During follow-up, they were compared to patients who had received a placebo injection.
United Press International, Published: December 3, 2009, 11:28 AM: "Stem cells may repair damaged heart tissue"
HealthDay News, December 4, 2009: "Adult stem cells appear to help repair heart attack damage, a new study shows: Small study found they spurred blood vessel growth after heart attack":
The phase 1 study of 53 patients found that stem cells from donor bone marrow promoted the growth of new blood vessels in heart tissue damaged by heart attack. The patients received the stem cell injections within 10 days of having a heart attack. During follow-up, they were compared to patients who had received a placebo injection.
After six months, those who got the stem cells were four times more likely to be better off overall, pumped more blood with each heartbeat, and had one-quarter as many irregular heartbeats, when compared to the placebo group. There also were no serious side effects with the stem cell treatment, according to the report published in the Dec. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
United Press International, Published: December 3, 2009, 11:28 AM: "Stem cells may repair damaged heart tissue"
CHICAGO, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Chicago heart researchers say they've determined adult stem cells might help repair heart tissues damaged by a heart attack.
Rush University Medical Center scientist said the results from a Phase I study show stem cells from donor bone marrow appear to help heart attack patients recover better by growing new blood vessels to bring more oxygen to the heart.
The medical center was one of 10 U.S. cardiac centers that participated in the 53-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 trial. Rush is now enrolling patients for a Phase II trial.
Researchers said the Phase I finding is the strongest evidence yet that indicates adult stem cells can differentiate, or turn into heart cells to repair damage. Until now, it has been believed only embryonic stem cells could differentiate into heart or other organ cells, the scientists said.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
UCSB, UCL scientists rescue visual function in rats using induced pluripotent stem cells
Source: University of California - Santa Barbara
Date: December 3, 2009
Summary:
An international team of scientists has rescued visual function in laboratory rats with eye disease by using cells similar to stem cells. The research shows the potential for stem cell-based therapies to treat age-related macular degeneration in humans. A team led by Dennis Clegg, of UC Santa Barbara, and Pete Coffey, of University College London (UCL), published their work in two papers, including one published this week in the journal PloS One. The first paper was published in the October 27 issue of the journal Stem Cells.
The scientists worked with rats that have a mutation which causes a defect in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and leads to photoreceptor death and subsequent blindness. Human RPE cells were derived from induced pluripotent stem cells –– embryonic stem cell-like cells that can be made from virtually any cell in the body, thus avoiding the controversy involved in using stem cells derived from embryos. Pluripotent means that the cells can become almost any cell in the body.
In experiments spearheaded by UCL's Amanda Carr, the team found that by surgically inserting stem cell-derived RPE into the retinas of the rats before photoreceptor degeneration, vision was retained. They found that the rats receiving the transplant tracked their visual focus in the direction of moving patterns more efficiently than control groups that did not receive a transplant.
Date: December 3, 2009
Summary:
An international team of scientists has rescued visual function in laboratory rats with eye disease by using cells similar to stem cells. The research shows the potential for stem cell-based therapies to treat age-related macular degeneration in humans. A team led by Dennis Clegg, of UC Santa Barbara, and Pete Coffey, of University College London (UCL), published their work in two papers, including one published this week in the journal PloS One. The first paper was published in the October 27 issue of the journal Stem Cells.
The scientists worked with rats that have a mutation which causes a defect in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and leads to photoreceptor death and subsequent blindness. Human RPE cells were derived from induced pluripotent stem cells –– embryonic stem cell-like cells that can be made from virtually any cell in the body, thus avoiding the controversy involved in using stem cells derived from embryos. Pluripotent means that the cells can become almost any cell in the body.
In experiments spearheaded by UCL's Amanda Carr, the team found that by surgically inserting stem cell-derived RPE into the retinas of the rats before photoreceptor degeneration, vision was retained. They found that the rats receiving the transplant tracked their visual focus in the direction of moving patterns more efficiently than control groups that did not receive a transplant.
UF scientists use virus to kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells intact
Source: University of Florida
December 3, 2009
Summary:
GAINESVILLE — A virus that in nature infects only rabbits could become a cancer-fighting tool for humans. Myxoma virus kills cancerous blood-precursor cells in human bone marrow while sparing normal blood stem cells, a multidisciplinary team at the University of Florida College of Medicine has found. The findings are now online and will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Leukemia. The discovery could help make more cancer patients eligible for bone marrow self-transplant therapy and reduce disease relapse rates after transplantation. The major therapeutic applications will likely be for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and bone marrow cancers, the researchers say.
December 3, 2009
Summary:
GAINESVILLE — A virus that in nature infects only rabbits could become a cancer-fighting tool for humans. Myxoma virus kills cancerous blood-precursor cells in human bone marrow while sparing normal blood stem cells, a multidisciplinary team at the University of Florida College of Medicine has found. The findings are now online and will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Leukemia. The discovery could help make more cancer patients eligible for bone marrow self-transplant therapy and reduce disease relapse rates after transplantation. The major therapeutic applications will likely be for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and bone marrow cancers, the researchers say.
Scientists identify strategies to protect new brain cells against Alzheimer's disease
Source: Gladstone Institutes
Date: December 3, 2009
Summary:
Stimulating the growth of new neurons to replace those lost in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an intriguing therapeutic possibility. But will the factors that cause AD allow the new neurons to thrive and function normally? Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) have discovered that two main causes of AD amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) impair the growth of new neurons born in adult brains. What is more, they have identified drug treatments that can normalize the development of these cells even in the presence of Aβ or apoE4. The findings are described in two separate papers published in the current issue of Cell Stem Cell. GIND investigator Li Gan, PhD, and her collaborators studied the development of neurons born in the hippocampus of adult mice genetically engineered to produce high levels of human Aβ in the brain. Surprisingly, Aβ initially accelerated the development of newborn neurons but then profoundly impaired their maturation at later stages of development.
Date: December 3, 2009
Summary:
Stimulating the growth of new neurons to replace those lost in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an intriguing therapeutic possibility. But will the factors that cause AD allow the new neurons to thrive and function normally? Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) have discovered that two main causes of AD amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) impair the growth of new neurons born in adult brains. What is more, they have identified drug treatments that can normalize the development of these cells even in the presence of Aβ or apoE4. The findings are described in two separate papers published in the current issue of Cell Stem Cell. GIND investigator Li Gan, PhD, and her collaborators studied the development of neurons born in the hippocampus of adult mice genetically engineered to produce high levels of human Aβ in the brain. Surprisingly, Aβ initially accelerated the development of newborn neurons but then profoundly impaired their maturation at later stages of development.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Adult Stem Cells May Help Repair Hearts Damaged by Heart Attack, Study Suggests
Source: Rush University Medical Center
Date: December 2, 2009
Summary:
Adult stem cells may help repair heart tissue damaged by heart attack according to the findings of a new study to be published in the December 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Results from the Phase I study show stem cells from donor bone marrow appear to help heart attack patients recover better by growing new blood vessels to bring more oxygen to the heart.
Rush University Medical Center was the only Illinois site and one of 10 cardiac centers across the country that participated in the 53-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I trial. Rush is now currently enrolling patients for the second phase of the study. Researchers say it is the strongest evidence thus far indicating that adult stem cells can actually differentiate, or turn into heart cells to repair damage. Until now, it has been believed that only embryonic stem cells could differentiate into heart or other organ cells.
Date: December 2, 2009
Summary:
Adult stem cells may help repair heart tissue damaged by heart attack according to the findings of a new study to be published in the December 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Results from the Phase I study show stem cells from donor bone marrow appear to help heart attack patients recover better by growing new blood vessels to bring more oxygen to the heart.
Rush University Medical Center was the only Illinois site and one of 10 cardiac centers across the country that participated in the 53-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I trial. Rush is now currently enrolling patients for the second phase of the study. Researchers say it is the strongest evidence thus far indicating that adult stem cells can actually differentiate, or turn into heart cells to repair damage. Until now, it has been believed that only embryonic stem cells could differentiate into heart or other organ cells.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Stem cell research suggests hope for spinal injuries
Source: Northwestern University
Date: December 1, 2009
Summary:
Researchers at Northwestern's Institute for Cell Engineering are hoping to save damaged spines. Chian-Yu Peng, a research assistant professor, is focusing on Bone Morphogenetic Proteins. These proteins play an integral part in repairing major spinal injuries. The complexity of BMP makes the research evolve in new and often useful ways, he said.
After a spinal injury, Peng explained, the spine is deeply resistant to the growth and utilization of nerves, and becomes a kind of barren wasteland - inflammation, and, for reasons not yet completely understood, a resistance to neuron growth sets in. But the presence of these BMPs regulates the production of astrocytes, which proliferate at spinal injuries and increase the inflammation, blocking the regeneration of nerve axons which are crucial for the spine to recover from the trauma. The removal of the astrocyte conundrum could be the first step towards regenerating connections to muscles. In short: the researchers want the BMP to tell the astrocytes to stop, which could prevent scarring and reduce damage.
Date: December 1, 2009
Summary:
Researchers at Northwestern's Institute for Cell Engineering are hoping to save damaged spines. Chian-Yu Peng, a research assistant professor, is focusing on Bone Morphogenetic Proteins. These proteins play an integral part in repairing major spinal injuries. The complexity of BMP makes the research evolve in new and often useful ways, he said.
After a spinal injury, Peng explained, the spine is deeply resistant to the growth and utilization of nerves, and becomes a kind of barren wasteland - inflammation, and, for reasons not yet completely understood, a resistance to neuron growth sets in. But the presence of these BMPs regulates the production of astrocytes, which proliferate at spinal injuries and increase the inflammation, blocking the regeneration of nerve axons which are crucial for the spine to recover from the trauma. The removal of the astrocyte conundrum could be the first step towards regenerating connections to muscles. In short: the researchers want the BMP to tell the astrocytes to stop, which could prevent scarring and reduce damage.
Bone Marrow Stem Cells May Prevent Chronic Lung Disease
Source: Children's Hospital Boston
Date: December 1, 2009
Summary:
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have discovered a possible way to protect the fragile lungs of premature babies by using stem cells harvested from bone marrow. In experiments on laboratory mice, they found that bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), a type of stem cell with the potential to form lung cells, were able to reduce inflammation in lung tissue. Inflammation is the key factor that leads to chronic lung disease in premature babies. Surprisingly, even the fluid in which the cells were grown was able to protect the lungs - in fact, better than the stem cells themselves. Findings were published in the December 1 issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Date: December 1, 2009
Summary:
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have discovered a possible way to protect the fragile lungs of premature babies by using stem cells harvested from bone marrow. In experiments on laboratory mice, they found that bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), a type of stem cell with the potential to form lung cells, were able to reduce inflammation in lung tissue. Inflammation is the key factor that leads to chronic lung disease in premature babies. Surprisingly, even the fluid in which the cells were grown was able to protect the lungs - in fact, better than the stem cells themselves. Findings were published in the December 1 issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Coverage Summary: University of Miami Adult Bone Marrow Stem Cell Heart Attack Treatment Trial
Below is a summary of media coverage of a recent finding by researchers at the University of Miami that adult stem cell therapy for heart patients have been proven to be safe:
WebMD, December 1, 2009: "Stem Cells Repair Heart Attack Damage: 'Off-the-Shelf' Stem Cell Product Safe, May Mend Hearts":
South Florida Business Journal, November 30, 2009, 5:00pm EST | Modified: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 12:00am: "UM study: Stem cells help heart patients":
Miami Herald, November 30, 2009: "Damaged hearts may heal with adult stem cells":
WebMD, December 1, 2009: "Stem Cells Repair Heart Attack Damage: 'Off-the-Shelf' Stem Cell Product Safe, May Mend Hearts":
Can stem cells safely repair heart attack damage? Yes, a clinical trial suggests. Bone marrow stem cells are supposed to home in on damaged parts of the heart. Once there, they send out signals that help the body repair the injury. There's also evidence, from animal studies, that the stem cells themselves engraft to the heart and help repopulate dead cells with new, living cells.
Now there's evidence from actual patients who suffered heart attacks. It comes from a study led by cardiologist Joshua M. Hare, director of the stem cell institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and colleagues at nine other medical centers.
South Florida Business Journal, November 30, 2009, 5:00pm EST | Modified: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 12:00am: "UM study: Stem cells help heart patients":
A study led by the University of Miami may cause a sea change in cardiac care as it shows stem cells from bone marrow appear to help heart attack patients recover better. Columbia, Md.-based Osiris Therapeutics commissioned the Phase I study of its product – a stem cell derived from bone marrow – in 53 patients at 10 hospitals nationwide. The study was led by Dr. Joshua M. Hare, a cardiologist and director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute at UM’s Miller School of Medicine. The results are published in the Dec. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Miami Herald, November 30, 2009: "Damaged hearts may heal with adult stem cells":
Adult stem cells may help repair hearts damaged by heart attack -- in part by becoming heart cells themselves. That was the finding of a new study, released Monday, that points to a promising new treatment for heart attack patients that could reduce mortality and lessen the need for heart transplants. Adult stem cells also could aid in healing damaged livers, kidneys, pancreases and other organs. If confirmed by further trials, the new therapy could be in general use within five years, estimates Dr. Joshua Hare, a University of Miami cardiologist and lead author of the national 10-university study.
Monday, November 30, 2009
New Stem Cell Technology Provides Rapid Healing from Complicated Bone Fractures
Source: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Date: November 30, 2009
Summary:
A novel technology involving use of stem cells, developed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, has been applied to provide better and rapid healing for patients suffering from complicated bone fractures. The technology, involving isolation of the stem cells from bone marrow, was developed by Dr. Zulma Gazit, Dr. Gadi Pelled, Prof. Dan Gazit and their research team at the Skeletal Biotechnology Laboratory at the Hebrew University Faculty of Dental Medicine and was given public exposure in an article that appeared in the journal Stem Cells. The technology has now successfully been used to treat complicated fractures in seven patients at the Hadassah University Hospital in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem.
Date: November 30, 2009
Summary:
A novel technology involving use of stem cells, developed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, has been applied to provide better and rapid healing for patients suffering from complicated bone fractures. The technology, involving isolation of the stem cells from bone marrow, was developed by Dr. Zulma Gazit, Dr. Gadi Pelled, Prof. Dan Gazit and their research team at the Skeletal Biotechnology Laboratory at the Hebrew University Faculty of Dental Medicine and was given public exposure in an article that appeared in the journal Stem Cells. The technology has now successfully been used to treat complicated fractures in seven patients at the Hadassah University Hospital in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem.
For First Time, Study Proves Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Patients Is Safe
Source: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Date: November 30, 2009
Summary:
An FDA-approved clinical trial is the first to show that treating patients with adult stem cells after a heart attack is safe and that it appears to repair damaged heart tissue. Results of the study are published in the December 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The trial, lead by Joshua M. Hare, M.D., director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, found that the stem cell-treated patients had lower rates of side effects, such as cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, "they had significant improvements in heart, lung and global function," Hare explained. "Echocardiography showed improved heart function, particularly in those patients with large amounts of cardiac damage."
The Phase I trial was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of administering Prochymal, an intravenous formulation of adult mesenchymal stem cells, in patients within days of a heart attack to lessen damage to the heart muscle. Fifty-three patients who had suffered a heart attack within one to ten days, were randomized to one of three doses of stem cells, and each dose was compared with placebo. Researchers evaluated treatment-related serious adverse affects after six months and used echocardiography to assess efficacy.
Date: November 30, 2009
Summary:
An FDA-approved clinical trial is the first to show that treating patients with adult stem cells after a heart attack is safe and that it appears to repair damaged heart tissue. Results of the study are published in the December 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The trial, lead by Joshua M. Hare, M.D., director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, found that the stem cell-treated patients had lower rates of side effects, such as cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, "they had significant improvements in heart, lung and global function," Hare explained. "Echocardiography showed improved heart function, particularly in those patients with large amounts of cardiac damage."
The Phase I trial was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of administering Prochymal, an intravenous formulation of adult mesenchymal stem cells, in patients within days of a heart attack to lessen damage to the heart muscle. Fifty-three patients who had suffered a heart attack within one to ten days, were randomized to one of three doses of stem cells, and each dose was compared with placebo. Researchers evaluated treatment-related serious adverse affects after six months and used echocardiography to assess efficacy.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
New Source Discovered for the Generation of Nerve Cells in the Brain
Source: Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
Date: November 25, 2009
Summary:
The research group of Professor Magdalena Götz of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich has made a significant advance in understanding regeneration processes in the brain. The researchers discovered progenitor cells which can form new glutamatergic neurons following injury to the cerebral cortex. Particularly in Alzheimer's disease, nerve cell degeneration plays a crucial role. In the future, new therapeutic options may possibly be derived from steering the generation and/or migration mechanism. These findings have been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Date: November 25, 2009
Summary:
The research group of Professor Magdalena Götz of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich has made a significant advance in understanding regeneration processes in the brain. The researchers discovered progenitor cells which can form new glutamatergic neurons following injury to the cerebral cortex. Particularly in Alzheimer's disease, nerve cell degeneration plays a crucial role. In the future, new therapeutic options may possibly be derived from steering the generation and/or migration mechanism. These findings have been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Monday, November 23, 2009
When is a stem cell really a stem cell?
Source: Children's Hospital Boston
Date: November 23, 2009
Summary:
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells -- adult cells reprogrammed to look and function like versatile embryonic stem cells -- are of growing interest in medicine. They may provide a way to create different kinds of patient-matched stem cells as treatments for disease, while sidestepping many of the ethical questions surrounding stem cells created from embryos. However, the production of iPS cells is often imprecise, yielding many incompletely reprogrammed cells. Now, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have developed a technique to help distinguish these cells from the desired pure stem cells.
Rather than relying on single markers to determine a stem cell's status, the new method uses a series of tests to identify the signature of a fully reprogrammed, completely undifferentiated pluripotent stem cell that has the potential to become any type of human cell. The series includes tests for fluorescent markers and tumor formation, as well as karyotyping (examination of the number and composition of a cell's chromosomes) and tests for other molecular characteristics of pluripotency.
The study was published Oct. 11 in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Date: November 23, 2009
Summary:
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells -- adult cells reprogrammed to look and function like versatile embryonic stem cells -- are of growing interest in medicine. They may provide a way to create different kinds of patient-matched stem cells as treatments for disease, while sidestepping many of the ethical questions surrounding stem cells created from embryos. However, the production of iPS cells is often imprecise, yielding many incompletely reprogrammed cells. Now, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have developed a technique to help distinguish these cells from the desired pure stem cells.
Rather than relying on single markers to determine a stem cell's status, the new method uses a series of tests to identify the signature of a fully reprogrammed, completely undifferentiated pluripotent stem cell that has the potential to become any type of human cell. The series includes tests for fluorescent markers and tumor formation, as well as karyotyping (examination of the number and composition of a cell's chromosomes) and tests for other molecular characteristics of pluripotency.
The study was published Oct. 11 in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
New discovery about the formation of new brain cells
Source: University of Gothenburg
Date: November 23, 2009
Summary:
The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells. Although the research has been carried out using mice and cultured cells, it could lead to a new medicine for human beings, which could be given to patients who have had a stroke or other disorders that damage or destroy the nerve cells.
Date: November 23, 2009
Summary:
The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells. Although the research has been carried out using mice and cultured cells, it could lead to a new medicine for human beings, which could be given to patients who have had a stroke or other disorders that damage or destroy the nerve cells.
StemCells, Inc. Initiates Landmark Trial Targeting "Communication Highway" of the Brain
Source: StemCells, Inc.
Date: November 23, 2009
In an official company news release, Stem Cells, Inc., a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced commencement of patient recruitment for a clinical trial to test the safety of human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ( PMD), a pediatric neurological disorder:
Here is a video featuring Stem Cells, Inc. CEO Martin McGlynn that explains the trial in greater detail.
Date: November 23, 2009
In an official company news release, Stem Cells, Inc., a biotechnology company in the field of stem cell research, announced commencement of patient recruitment for a clinical trial to test the safety of human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ( PMD), a pediatric neurological disorder:
StemCells, Inc. announced today that it has commenced patient recruitment for a Phase I clinical trial designed to test the safety and preliminary efficacy of its HuCNS-SC® purified human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ( PMD), a neurological disorder that primarily afflicts children. The study is being conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Children’s Hospital, one of the leading medical centers in the United States for neonatology, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery.
Here is a video featuring Stem Cells, Inc. CEO Martin McGlynn that explains the trial in greater detail.
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