Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: July 31, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that mature, specialized cells naturally regress to serve as a kind of de facto stem cell during the fruit-fly life cycle. The surprising discovery counters the common belief that the ability to form new cell types or tissues wanes as a cell becomes more specialized. Harnessing this type of developmental backtracking in adult human cells would allow researchers to explore new avenues for treating many human diseases. The research is published online Aug. 1 in Science Express.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Neurons Created from ALS Patient’s Skin Cells
Source: Columbia University
Date: July 31, 2008
Summary:
Harvard and Columbia scientists have for the first time used a new technique to transform an ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) patient’s skin cells into motor neurons, a process that may be used in the future to create tailor-made cells to treat the debilitating disease. The research – led by Kevin Eggan, Ph.D. of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Chief Scientific Officer of the New York Stem Cell Foundation – will be published July 31 in the online version of the journal Science.
Date: July 31, 2008
Summary:
Harvard and Columbia scientists have for the first time used a new technique to transform an ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) patient’s skin cells into motor neurons, a process that may be used in the future to create tailor-made cells to treat the debilitating disease. The research – led by Kevin Eggan, Ph.D. of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Chief Scientific Officer of the New York Stem Cell Foundation – will be published July 31 in the online version of the journal Science.
Neurons created from skin cells of elderly patients with ALS
Source: Harvard University
Date: July 31, 2008
Summary:
Less than 27 months after announcing that he had institutional permission to attempt the creation of patient and disease-specific stem cell lines, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Principal Faculty member Kevin Eggan today proclaimed the effort a success - though politically imposed restrictions and scientific advances prompted him to use a different technique than originally planned.
The breakthrough by Eggan and colleagues at Harvard and Columbia University marks the first time scientists are known to have produced human stem cell lines coaxed from the cells of adult patients suffering from a genetically-based disease. The affected patients had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The work, published in today's on-line edition of the journal Science, provides "proof of concept" for the belief of scientists and fervent hope of patients that in the not-too-distant future it may be possible to treat patients suffering from chronic diseases with stem cell-based treatments created from their own adult cells. However, Eggan believes that the first therapeutic use of these newly derived stem cells will in fact be to use them to study the root cause of this disease and to screen for drugs that may provide benefit in patients.
Date: July 31, 2008
Summary:
Less than 27 months after announcing that he had institutional permission to attempt the creation of patient and disease-specific stem cell lines, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Principal Faculty member Kevin Eggan today proclaimed the effort a success - though politically imposed restrictions and scientific advances prompted him to use a different technique than originally planned.
The breakthrough by Eggan and colleagues at Harvard and Columbia University marks the first time scientists are known to have produced human stem cell lines coaxed from the cells of adult patients suffering from a genetically-based disease. The affected patients had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The work, published in today's on-line edition of the journal Science, provides "proof of concept" for the belief of scientists and fervent hope of patients that in the not-too-distant future it may be possible to treat patients suffering from chronic diseases with stem cell-based treatments created from their own adult cells. However, Eggan believes that the first therapeutic use of these newly derived stem cells will in fact be to use them to study the root cause of this disease and to screen for drugs that may provide benefit in patients.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Discovery reveals link between Parkinson’s gene and red blood cell production
Source: Ottawa Health Research Institute
Date: July 28, 2008
Summary:
New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals a key link between a gene involved in Parkinson’s disease and genes that regulate iron metabolism during red blood cell production, thus opening up a potential avenue for developing new therapies. The discovery results from a collaboration between Ottawa scientist Dr. Michael Schlossmacher and colleagues in the United States. Dr. Schlossmacher and his collaborators made the surprising discovery that the alpha-synuclein gene was expressed at high levels in red blood cells as well as in brain cells.
Date: July 28, 2008
Summary:
New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals a key link between a gene involved in Parkinson’s disease and genes that regulate iron metabolism during red blood cell production, thus opening up a potential avenue for developing new therapies. The discovery results from a collaboration between Ottawa scientist Dr. Michael Schlossmacher and colleagues in the United States. Dr. Schlossmacher and his collaborators made the surprising discovery that the alpha-synuclein gene was expressed at high levels in red blood cells as well as in brain cells.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Adult stem cells activated in mammalian brain
Source: University of California - Irvine
Date: July 24, 2008
Summary:
Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to disease or injury, a study by UC Irvine scientists has shown.
Evidence strongly shows that the true stem cells in the mammalian brain are the ependymal cells that line the ventricles in the brain and spinal cord, rather than cells in the subventricular zone as biologists previously believed. Brain ventricles are hollow chambers filled with fluid that supports brain tissue, and a layer of ependymal cells lines these ventricles.
Knowing the cell source is crucial when developing stem cell-based therapies. Additionally, knowing that these normally dormant cells can be coaxed into dividing lays the groundwork for future therapies in which a patient’s own stem cells produce new brain cells to treat neurological disorders and injuries such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Date: July 24, 2008
Summary:
Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to disease or injury, a study by UC Irvine scientists has shown.
Evidence strongly shows that the true stem cells in the mammalian brain are the ependymal cells that line the ventricles in the brain and spinal cord, rather than cells in the subventricular zone as biologists previously believed. Brain ventricles are hollow chambers filled with fluid that supports brain tissue, and a layer of ependymal cells lines these ventricles.
Knowing the cell source is crucial when developing stem cell-based therapies. Additionally, knowing that these normally dormant cells can be coaxed into dividing lays the groundwork for future therapies in which a patient’s own stem cells produce new brain cells to treat neurological disorders and injuries such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Want A Reason to Love Your Lower Belly Fat? Study Finds Some Areas of the Body Have Greater Concentrations of Stem Cells
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Date: July 23, 2008
Summary:
Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This is the first study of its kind to examine whether fat tissues from different areas of the body vary in stem cell concentration.
In the study, 23 female patients having liposuction in at least four different body areas agreed to have their fat isolated for adult stem cells and analyzed to determine stem cell concentrations. The body areas that were liposuctioned were: lower abdomen, upper abdomen, inner knee, inner thigh, flank and hips.
The study results found a significant difference in stem cell concentrations in different areas of the body. A major finding was that the concentration of stem cells was greatest in the lower abdomen and inner thighs. Interestingly, stem cell concentration in the lower abdomen was five times greater than in the upper abdomen.
Date: July 23, 2008
Summary:
Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This is the first study of its kind to examine whether fat tissues from different areas of the body vary in stem cell concentration.
In the study, 23 female patients having liposuction in at least four different body areas agreed to have their fat isolated for adult stem cells and analyzed to determine stem cell concentrations. The body areas that were liposuctioned were: lower abdomen, upper abdomen, inner knee, inner thigh, flank and hips.
The study results found a significant difference in stem cell concentrations in different areas of the body. A major finding was that the concentration of stem cells was greatest in the lower abdomen and inner thighs. Interestingly, stem cell concentration in the lower abdomen was five times greater than in the upper abdomen.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Human Stem Cell Research: Stepping It Up a Notch
Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine
Date: July 22, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that the Notch protein helps human embryonic stem cells “decide” their own fate, a finding which may eventually be useful in programming cells for the development of stem cell therapies. Their results are reported in the May 2008 issue of Cell Stem Cell. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) receive signals from neighboring cells instructing them either to grow more of themselves or become other cell types, including the three types that make up the developing embryo or type that becomes the placenta. Researchers are just beginning to understand the many signals involved in committing hESCs to different fates.
Date: July 22, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that the Notch protein helps human embryonic stem cells “decide” their own fate, a finding which may eventually be useful in programming cells for the development of stem cell therapies. Their results are reported in the May 2008 issue of Cell Stem Cell. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) receive signals from neighboring cells instructing them either to grow more of themselves or become other cell types, including the three types that make up the developing embryo or type that becomes the placenta. Researchers are just beginning to understand the many signals involved in committing hESCs to different fates.
NIST Membrane Model May Unlock Secrets of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s
Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Date: July 22, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and three collaborating institutions are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease actually impairs a neuron’s structure and function. The team’s findings are reported in a new paper in the Biophysical Journal.
Date: July 22, 2008
Summary:
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and three collaborating institutions are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease actually impairs a neuron’s structure and function. The team’s findings are reported in a new paper in the Biophysical Journal.
Sugar study is sweetener for stem cell science
Source: University of Manchester
Date: 22 July 2008
Summary:
Scientists at The University of Manchester are striving to discover how the body's natural sugars can be used to create stem cell treatments for heart disease and nerve damage – thanks to a £370,000 funding boost. All cells that make up the tissues of the body – such as skin, liver, brain and blood – are surrounded by a layer of sugars that coat the cells. These sugars help the cells to know what type of cell they are and to respond to the other cells which surround them and the chemical messages that pass between cells.
Date: 22 July 2008
Summary:
Scientists at The University of Manchester are striving to discover how the body's natural sugars can be used to create stem cell treatments for heart disease and nerve damage – thanks to a £370,000 funding boost. All cells that make up the tissues of the body – such as skin, liver, brain and blood – are surrounded by a layer of sugars that coat the cells. These sugars help the cells to know what type of cell they are and to respond to the other cells which surround them and the chemical messages that pass between cells.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Stem Cell Chicken and Egg Debate Moves to Unlikely Arena: The Testes
Source: Salk Institute
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Logic says it has to be the niche. As air and water preceded life, so the niche, that hospitable environment that shelters adult stem cells in many tissues and provides factors necessary to keep them young and vital, must have emerged before its stem cell dependents. A team of scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies led by Leanne Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Laboratory of Genetics, now suggests that this is not always the case. They report in the July 20 advance online edition of the journal Nature that the cells that comprise a specialized niche in the testis of fruit flies actually emerge from adult stem cells, a finding with implications for regenerative medicine, aging research, and cancer therapeutics.
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Logic says it has to be the niche. As air and water preceded life, so the niche, that hospitable environment that shelters adult stem cells in many tissues and provides factors necessary to keep them young and vital, must have emerged before its stem cell dependents. A team of scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies led by Leanne Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Laboratory of Genetics, now suggests that this is not always the case. They report in the July 20 advance online edition of the journal Nature that the cells that comprise a specialized niche in the testis of fruit flies actually emerge from adult stem cells, a finding with implications for regenerative medicine, aging research, and cancer therapeutics.
ReNcell® VM Neural Stem Cell Line Models: New human disease model shows function of PINK1 gene in neural degeneration
Source: Millipore Corporation
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Millipore Corporation, a provider of technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, announced the publication of a new discovery derived from its ReNcell VM neural stem cell line. A study published in June in the journal PLoS ONE established the first functional link between the PINK1 gene and neural degeneration.
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Millipore Corporation, a provider of technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, announced the publication of a new discovery derived from its ReNcell VM neural stem cell line. A study published in June in the journal PLoS ONE established the first functional link between the PINK1 gene and neural degeneration.
Predicting Acute GVHD By Gene Expression Could Improve Liver Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes
Source: Cell Transplantation: The Regenerative Medicine Journal
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Acute graft-versus-host disease occurs when an immune response is elicited by the grafted cells against a recipient, resulting in tissue damage for the treated individual. There are no definitive markers for predicting the development or progression of GVHD following the transplant of allogenic stem cells as therapy for liver cancer. This study offers a preliminary "molecular signature" for the development of acute GVHD based on altered gene expression.
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
Acute graft-versus-host disease occurs when an immune response is elicited by the grafted cells against a recipient, resulting in tissue damage for the treated individual. There are no definitive markers for predicting the development or progression of GVHD following the transplant of allogenic stem cells as therapy for liver cancer. This study offers a preliminary "molecular signature" for the development of acute GVHD based on altered gene expression.
Researchers prove that insulin-producing cells can give rise to stem-like cells in-vitro
Source: McGill University
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
The question of whether insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can regenerate is key to our understanding of diabetes, and to the further development of regenerative therapies against the disease. Dr Rosenberg from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University together with Dr Bernard Massie from the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) have just concluded that they can. The results of their study have been published in the July issue of the journal Laboratory Investigation.
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
The question of whether insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can regenerate is key to our understanding of diabetes, and to the further development of regenerative therapies against the disease. Dr Rosenberg from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University together with Dr Bernard Massie from the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) have just concluded that they can. The results of their study have been published in the July issue of the journal Laboratory Investigation.
Study identifies cells for spinal-cord repair
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
A researcher at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has pinpointed stem cells within the spinal cord that, if persuaded to differentiate into more healing cells and fewer scarring cells following an injury, may lead to a new, non-surgical treatment for debilitating spinal-cord injuries. The work, reported in the July issue of the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Biology, is by Konstantinos Meletis, a postdoctoral fellow at the Picower Institute, and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Their results could lead to drugs that might restore some degree of mobility to the 30,000 people worldwide afflicted each year with spinal-cord injuries.
Date: July 21, 2008
Summary:
A researcher at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has pinpointed stem cells within the spinal cord that, if persuaded to differentiate into more healing cells and fewer scarring cells following an injury, may lead to a new, non-surgical treatment for debilitating spinal-cord injuries. The work, reported in the July issue of the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Biology, is by Konstantinos Meletis, a postdoctoral fellow at the Picower Institute, and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Their results could lead to drugs that might restore some degree of mobility to the 30,000 people worldwide afflicted each year with spinal-cord injuries.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Mechanism that regulates cell movement Discovered
Source: Institute for Research in Biomedicine
Date: July 20, 2008
Summary:
A study performed by researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with researchers at the Instituto de BiologÃa Molecular of the CSIC, reveal a mechanism that controls the movement of cells in a tissue by regulating cell adhesion. This same mechanism may be defective in diseases such as cancer and its metastasis, when tumour cells lose their adhesion to neighbouring cells and migrate through the organism. The results of this research have been published in this week's Nature Cell Biology.
Date: July 20, 2008
Summary:
A study performed by researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with researchers at the Instituto de BiologÃa Molecular of the CSIC, reveal a mechanism that controls the movement of cells in a tissue by regulating cell adhesion. This same mechanism may be defective in diseases such as cancer and its metastasis, when tumour cells lose their adhesion to neighbouring cells and migrate through the organism. The results of this research have been published in this week's Nature Cell Biology.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Researchers grow human blood vessels in mice from adult progenitor cells
Source: American Heart Association
Date: July 18, 2008
Summary:
For the first time, researchers have successfully grown functional human blood vessels in mice using cells from adult human blood and bone marrow donors — an important step in developing clinical strategies to grow tissue, researchers report in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association. This research could eventually lead to treatments for heart attack, acute injuries, wound healing and may facilitate growing new organs. The research could also enhance tissue engineering — growing new organs for later implantation into patients, another medical research field that needs good sources of microvascularization to develop.
Date: July 18, 2008
Summary:
For the first time, researchers have successfully grown functional human blood vessels in mice using cells from adult human blood and bone marrow donors — an important step in developing clinical strategies to grow tissue, researchers report in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association. This research could eventually lead to treatments for heart attack, acute injuries, wound healing and may facilitate growing new organs. The research could also enhance tissue engineering — growing new organs for later implantation into patients, another medical research field that needs good sources of microvascularization to develop.
A Potential Metastatic Disease Target?
Source: New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Date: July 18, 2008
Summary:
Researchers have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors. The study's senior author Dr. Shahin Rafii — the Arthur B. Belfer Professor in Genetic Medicine and director of the Ansary Center for Stem Cell Therapeutics at Weill Cornell and a noted investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute — believes that these findings pave the way for research into a new subset of metastatic cancer stem cells, previously unidentified.
Date: July 18, 2008
Summary:
Researchers have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors. The study's senior author Dr. Shahin Rafii — the Arthur B. Belfer Professor in Genetic Medicine and director of the Ansary Center for Stem Cell Therapeutics at Weill Cornell and a noted investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute — believes that these findings pave the way for research into a new subset of metastatic cancer stem cells, previously unidentified.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Researchers link Huntington's disease to overactive immune response in the brain
Source: University of Washington
Date: July 16, 2008
Summary:
The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain, according to new findings from two teams of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle and University College London. The findings were published online July 14 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Working separately, the two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. Together, the findings may help scientists find biological markers for monitoring the disease progression earlier and with more accuracy, and could help them develop new treatments for the disease.
Date: July 16, 2008
Summary:
The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain, according to new findings from two teams of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle and University College London. The findings were published online July 14 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Working separately, the two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. Together, the findings may help scientists find biological markers for monitoring the disease progression earlier and with more accuracy, and could help them develop new treatments for the disease.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease subject of clinical trial
Source: Washington University School of Medicine
Date: July 11, 2008
Summary:
Children with sickle cell disease often face severe pain, organ damage, recurrent strokes and repeated, prolonged hospital stays. Although there are medical interventions that can lessen the symptoms, there is no cure. In an effort to change that, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are leading a nationwide, multicenter clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of transplanting blood stem cells from unrelated donors into children with severe sickle cell disease.
Date: July 11, 2008
Summary:
Children with sickle cell disease often face severe pain, organ damage, recurrent strokes and repeated, prolonged hospital stays. Although there are medical interventions that can lessen the symptoms, there is no cure. In an effort to change that, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are leading a nationwide, multicenter clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of transplanting blood stem cells from unrelated donors into children with severe sickle cell disease.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Stem Cells Hold Promise for Muscular Dystrophy
Source: HealthDay News
Date: July 10, 2008
Summary:
HealthDay News reports researchers have used adult muscle stem cells to successfully treat muscular dystrophy in mice:
"Researchers are reporting that they've managed to repair damaged muscle in mice with a form of muscular dystrophy by injecting them with specialized stem cells from skeletal muscle. There's no guarantee that the treatment will translate to humans with the disease, said study author Amy Wagers, an assistant professor in Harvard University's Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department. Still, the findings are going to help scientists 'move forward very quickly with human stem cells,' she said. 'It is an important step.' In the new study, Wagers and her colleagues turned to purified stem cells that create muscle. The cells came from healthy adult mice and were injected into mice with a disease that scientists consider to be the equivalent to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The findings were published in the July 11 issue of Cell."
Date: July 10, 2008
Summary:
HealthDay News reports researchers have used adult muscle stem cells to successfully treat muscular dystrophy in mice:
"Researchers are reporting that they've managed to repair damaged muscle in mice with a form of muscular dystrophy by injecting them with specialized stem cells from skeletal muscle. There's no guarantee that the treatment will translate to humans with the disease, said study author Amy Wagers, an assistant professor in Harvard University's Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department. Still, the findings are going to help scientists 'move forward very quickly with human stem cells,' she said. 'It is an important step.' In the new study, Wagers and her colleagues turned to purified stem cells that create muscle. The cells came from healthy adult mice and were injected into mice with a disease that scientists consider to be the equivalent to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The findings were published in the July 11 issue of Cell."
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