ScienceDaily: Stem Cell News

Keeping stem cells strong: RNA molecule protects stem cells during inflammation

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:39 EDT

A team of researchers led by biologists at the California Institute of Technology has found that, in mouse models, the molecule microRNA-146a acts as a critical regulator and protector of blood-forming stem cells (called hematopoietic stem cells, or HSCs) during chronic inflammation, suggesting that a deficiency of miR-146a may be one important cause of blood cancers and bone marrow failure.

Stem-cell-based strategy boosts immune system in mice

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:36:36 EDT

Raising hopes for cell-based therapies, researchers have created the first functioning human thymus tissue from embryonic stem cells in the laboratory. The researchers showed that, in mice, the tissue can be used to foster the development of white blood cells the body needs to mount healthy immune responses and to prevent harmful autoimmune reactions.

Human skin cells converted into embryonic stem cells: First time human stem cells have been produced via nuclear transfer

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Scientists have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to become embryonic stem cells capable of transforming into any other cell type in the body. It is believed that stem cell therapies hold the promise of replacing cells damaged through injury or illness. Diseases or conditions that might be treated through stem cell therapy include Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiac disease and spinal cord injuries.

Using clay to grow bone: Researchers use synthetic silicate to stimulate stem cells into bone cells

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:54:54 EDT

Medical researchers report that synthetic silicate nanoplatelets (also known as layered clay) can induce stem cells to become bone cells without the need of additional bone-inducing factors.

Alligator stem cell study gives clues to tooth regeneration

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Alligators may help scientists learn how to stimulate tooth regeneration in people, according to new research. For the first time, a global team of researchers has uncovered unique cellular and molecular mechanisms behind tooth renewal in American alligators.

Serotonin mediates exercise-induced generation of new neurons

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

Epigenomics of stem cells that mimic early human development charted

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Scientists have long known that control mechanisms known collectively as “epigenetics” play a critical role in human development, but they did not know precisely how alterations in this extra layer of biochemical instructions in DNA contribute to development.

Rejuvenating hormone found to reverse symptoms of heart failure

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

Heart failure is one of the most debilitating conditions linked to old age. A new study reveals that a blood hormone known as growth differentiation factor 11 declines with age, and old mice injected with this hormone experience a reversal in signs of cardiac aging. The findings shed light on the underlying causes of age-related heart failure and may offer a much-needed strategy for treating this condition in humans.

Silk and cellulose biologically effective for use in stem cell cartilage repair

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Over 20 million people in Europe suffer from osteoarthritis which can lead to extensive damage to the knee and hip cartilage. Stem cells offer a promising way forward but a key challenge has been to design a 'smart material' that is biologically effective for cartilage tissue regeneration. Now researchers have identified a blend of naturally occurring fibers such as cellulose and silk that makes progress towards affordable and effective cell-based therapy for cartilage repair a step closer.

Personalized bone substitutes created from skin cells

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:14:14 EDT

Scientists have made patient-specific bone substitutes from skin cells for repair of large bone defects. The study represents a major advance in personalized reconstructive treatments for patients with bone defects resulting from disease or trauma.

Scientists build a living patch for damaged hearts

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Biomedical engineers have grown three-dimensional human heart muscle that acts just like natural tissue. This advancement could be important in treating heart attack patients or in serving as a platform for testing new heart disease medicines.

Discovery may help prevent chemotherapy-induced anemia

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:58:58 EDT

Researchers have discovered that chemo induces a type of nerve damage inside bone marrow that can cause delays in recovery after bone marrow transplantation. The findings suggest that combining chemotherapy with nerve-protecting agents may prevent long-term bone marrow injury.

Divide and define: Clues to understanding how stem cells produce different kinds of cells

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:58:58 EDT

The human body contains trillions of cells, all derived from a single cell, or zygote, made by the fusion of an egg and a sperm. That single cell contains all the genetic information needed to develop into a human, and passes identical copies of that information to each new cell as it divides into the many diverse types of cells that make up a complex organism like a human being.

Human brain cells developed in lab, grow in mice

Fri, 03 May 2013 23:03:03 EDT

A key type of human brain cell developed in the laboratory grows seamlessly when transplanted into the brains of mice, researchers have discovered, raising hope that these cells might one day be used to treat people with Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease, as well as and complications of spinal cord injury such as chronic pain and spasticity.

Researchers outline concerns about unproven stem cell therapies

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:46:46 EDT

An international group of leading stem cell researchers has issued a statement that specifies concerns about the development and use of unproven stem cell therapies. The commentary is published ahead of a debate in the Italian parliament on whether to change a recent law that allows certain untested stem cell therapies to be used by the public health system. The authors of the commentary argue that rigorous clinical testing and regulation of stem cell therapies are essential to introduce safe and effective medical interventions for patients.

Link between heart, blood, and skeletal muscle

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:54:54 EDT

New research has shown that by turning on just a single gene, Mesp1, different cell types including the heart, blood and muscle can be created from stem cells.

Making cancer less cancerous

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:52:52 EDT

Researchers have identified a gene that, when repressed in tumor cells, puts a halt to cell growth and a range of processes needed for tumors to enlarge and spread to distant sites. The researchers hope that this so-called “master regulator” gene may be the key to developing a new treatment for tumors resistant to current drugs.

Heart cells change stem cell behavior

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:27:27 EDT

Stem cells drawn from the amniotic fluid of pregnant women change their behavior when near heart cells, but do not become heart cells.

Turning human stem cells into brain cells sheds light on neural development

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:19:19 EDT

Medical researchers have manipulated human stem cells into producing types of brain cells known to play important roles in neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and autism. The new model cell system allows neuroscientists to investigate normal brain development, as well as to identify specific disruptions in biological signals that may contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases.

Stem cell discovery could aid research into new treatments

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:19:19 EDT

Scientists have made a fundamental discovery about how the properties of embryonic stem cells are controlled. Researchers have found that a protein, which switches on genes to allow embryonic stem cells to self-renew, works better when the natural occurring level of the protein is reduced.

Adult cells transformed into early-stage nerve cells, bypassing the pluripotent stem cell stage

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:17:17 EDT

Scientists have converted skin cells from people and monkeys into a cell that can form a wide variety of nervous-system cells — without passing through the do-it-all stage called the induced pluripotent stem cell, or iPSC.

Investigating devastating childhood diseases just got easier

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:18:18 EDT

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPScs) from the skin of patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) show Dravet-like functional impairment when they are converted into neurons, finds new research. This method provides a non-invasive way to investigate diseases which affect the nervous system of humans.

Researchers look to mathematics, nature, to understand the immune system and its role in cancer

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Can patterns in tree branches or the meandering bends in a river provide clues that could lead to better cancer therapies? According to a new study, these self-similar, repeating patterns in nature known as fractals help scientists better understand how the immune system is organized and may one day be used to help improve stem cell transplant outcomes in leukemia patients by predicting the probability of transplant complications.

Decoded: Molecular messages that tell prostate and breast cancers to spread

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:16:16 EDT

Cancer cells are wily, well-traveled adversaries, constantly side-stepping treatments to stop their spread. But for the first time, scientists have decoded the molecular chatter that ramps certain cancer cells into overdrive and can cause tumors to metastasize throughout the body.

Adults lack stem cells for making new eggs

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:41:41 EDT

Mammalian females ovulate periodically over their reproductive lifetimes, placing significant demands on their ovaries for egg production. Whether mammals generate new eggs in adulthood using stem cells has been a source of scientific controversy. If true, these "germ-line stem cells" might allow novel treatments for infertility and other diseases.

Clarifying the effect of stem cell therapy on cancer

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:04:04 EDT

Injection of human stem cells into mice with tumors slowed down tumor growth, finds new research. Human mesenchymal stem cells, isolated from bone marrow, caused changes in blood vessels supplying the tumor, and it is this modification of blood supply which seems to impact tumor growth.

Toxicity profile informs decision on preferred conditioning regimen in autologous transplant for neuroblastoma

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:05:05 EDT

The stem cell transplant regimen that was commonly used in the United States to treat advanced neuroblastoma in children appears to be more toxic than the equally effective regimen employed in Europe and Egypt, according to a new study.

After brain injury, new astrocytes play unexpected role in healing

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:27:27 EDT

The production of a certain kind of brain cell that had been considered an impediment to healing may actually be needed to staunch bleeding and promote repair after a stroke or head trauma, researchers report.

Majority of children readmitted to hospital following stem cell transplant

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Almost two-thirds of children who receive stem cell transplants are readmitted to the hospital within six months, according to new research.

Scientist identifies protein molecule used to maintain adult stem cells in fruit flies

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Understanding exactly how stem cells form into specific organs and tissues is the holy grail of regenerative medicine. Now a researcher has added to that body of knowledge by determining how stem cells produce different types of "daughter" cells in Drosophila (fruit flies).

Antibody transforms stem cells directly into brain cells

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:47:47 EDT

In a serendipitous discovery, scientists have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells.

Method makes it easier to separate useful stem cells from 'problem' ones for therapies

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:33:33 EDT

Pluripotent stem cells can turn (differentiate) into any cell type in the body, such as nerve, muscle or bone, but inevitably some of these stem cells fail to differentiate and end up mixed in with their newly differentiated daughter cells. Scientists have discovered a new agent that may be useful in strategies to kill off pluripotent stem cells from differentiated daughter cells.

Metastasis stem cells in the blood of breast cancer patients discovered

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:12:12 EDT

Scientists have been the first to detect cancer cells that can initiate metastasis in the blood of breast cancer patients. Patients with large numbers of these cells found in their blood show a rather unfavorable disease progression. The characteristic surface molecules of these cells may therefore be used as a biomarker for disease progression or as targets for specific therapies for patients with advanced breast cancer.

Using induced pluripotent stem cells, scientists can better study human disease

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:34:34 EDT

New work has led to major advances in our understanding of embryonic stem cells and "induced pluripotent stem" cells, which appear identical to embryonic stem cells but can be created from adult cells without using an egg.

Stem cell transplant restores memory, learning in mice

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:16:16 EDT

For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been transformed into nerve cells that helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember.

Muscle repair after injury helped by fat-forming cells

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:16:16 EDT

Scientists have discovered that muscle repair requires the action of two types of cells better known for causing inflammation and forming fat.

Nanoparticles found in everyday items can inhibit fat storage: Gold nanoparticles accelerate aging

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:21:21 EDT

An increase in gold nanoparticles can accelerate aging and wrinkling, slow wound healing and cause the onset of diabetes.

Big boost in drug discovery: New use for stem cells identifies a promising way to target ALS

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:49:49 EDT

Using a new stem-cell based drug screening technology with the potential to reinvent and greatly reduce the cost of the way new pharmaceuticals are developed, researchers have found a compound more effective in protecting the neurons killed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- Lou Gehrig's disease -- than two drugs that failed in human clinical trials after hundreds of millions of dollars had been invested in them.

Recipe for large numbers of stem cells requires only one ingredient

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:21:21 EDT

Stem cells and tissue-specific cells can be grown in abundance from mature mammalian cells simply by blocking a certain membrane protein, according to scientists. Their experiments also show that the process doesn't require other kinds of cells or agents to artificially support cell growth and doesn't activate cancer genes.

Skin cells turned directly into the cells that insulate neurons

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Researchers have succeeded in transforming skin cells directly into oligodendrocyte precursor cells, the cells that wrap nerve cells in the insulating myelin sheaths that help nerve signals propagate. The current research was done in mice and rats. If the approach also works with human cells, it could eventually lead to cell therapies for diseases like inherited leukodystrophies -- disorders of the brain's white matter -- and multiple sclerosis, as well as spinal cord injuries.

Rigid growth matrix: A key to success of cardiac tissue engineering

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:36:36 EDT

A new study suggests that the elasticity of the physical matrix used for growing heart muscle cells outside of the body may be critical to the success of cardiac tissue engineering.

Novel surface marker helps scientists 'fish out' mammary gland stem cells

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:49:49 EDT

It is now possible to profile normal and cancerous mammary stem cells at an unprecedented high degree of purity. This may help identify genes that should be investigated as the next breast cancer drug targets.

Stem cell proliferation and differentiation observed within hydrogel

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:49:49 EDT

A new technique holds promise for studying how physical, chemical and other influences affect stem cell behavior in three-dimensions, and, ultimately, as a method to grow tissues for regenerative medicine applications.

Material screening method allows more precise control over stem cells

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:27:27 EDT

When it comes to delivering genes to living human tissue, the odds of success come down the molecule. The entire therapy — including the tools used to bring new genetic material into a cell — must have predictable effects.

Healing by the clock: In fruit flies, intestinal stem-cell regeneration fluctuates with the time of day

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:39:39 EDT

Genetic screening in flies reveals that the circadian clock regulates intestinal regeneration in response to damage, meaning that gut healing fluctuates according to the time of day.

Surprising ability of blood stem cells to respond to emergencies

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:12:12 EDT

Scientists have revealed an unexpected role for hematopoietic stem cells: They do not merely ensure the continuous renewal of our blood cells; in emergencies they are capable of producing white blood cells "on demand" that help the body deal with inflammation or infection. This property could be used to protect against infections in patients undergoing bone marrow transplants, while their immune system reconstitutes itself.

Cardiopoietic 'smart' stem cells show promise in heart failure patients

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:33:33 EDT

Therapy with cardiopoietic (cardiogenically-instructed) or "smart" stem cells can improve heart health for people suffering from heart failure. This is the first application in patients of lineage-guided stem cells for targeted regeneration of a failing organ, paving the way to development of next generation regenerative medicine solutions.

Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:20:20 EDT

Improving neuron production in elderly persons presenting with a decline in cognition is a major challenge facing an aging society and the emergence of neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in France recently showed that the pharmacological blocking of the TGF-beta molecule improves the production of new neurons in the mouse model.

Discovery in neuroscience could help re-wire appetite control

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:42:42 EDT

Researchers have made a discovery in neuroscience that could offer a long-lasting solution to eating disorders such as obesity. It was previously thought that the nerve cells in the brain associated with appetite regulation were generated entirely during an embryo’s development in the womb and therefore their numbers were fixed for life. But new research has identified a population of stem cells capable of generating new appetite-regulating neurons in the brains of young and adult rodents.

Building better blood vessels could advance tissue engineering

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:19:19 EDT

One of the major obstacles to growing new organs -- replacement hearts, lungs and kidneys -- is the difficulty researchers face in building blood vessels that keep the tissues alive, but new findings could help overcome this roadblock.

Adult stem cells isolated from human intestinal tissue

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:51:51 EDT

For the first time, researchers have isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue. The accomplishment provides a much-needed resource for scientists eager to uncover the true mechanisms of human stem cell biology.

Stem cells fill gaps in bones

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:29:29 EDT

For many patients the removal of several centimeters of bone from the lower leg following a serious injury or a tumor extraction is only the beginning of a long-lasting ordeal. Autologous stem cells have now been found to accelerate and boost the healing process. Surgeons have achieved promising results: without stem cells, it takes on average 49 days for one centimeter of bone to regrow; with stem cells, that period has been reduced to 37 days.

New protocol to ready clinical applications of induced pluripotent stem cells

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:26:26 EDT

Scientists have developed a new way to generate induced pluripotent stem cell lines from human fibroblasts, acquired from both healthy and diseased donors. This cell-sorting method consistently selects the highest quality, standardized iPS cells, representing a major step forward for drug discovery and the development of cell therapies.

3-D stem cell culture technique developed to better understand Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:16:16 EDT

A team of researchers has developed a technique to produce three-dimensional cultures of induced pluripotent stem cells called embryoid bodies, amenable to live cell imaging and to electrical activity measurement.

Cells culled from adults may grow human bone

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Preparations are underway for the first known human trial to use embryonic-like stem cells collected from adult cells to grow bone.

Researchers first to use common virus to 'fortify' adult stem cells

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:10:10 EDT

Using the same strategy that a common virus employs to evade the human immune system, researchers have modified adult stem cells to increase their survival -- with the goal of giving the cells time to exert their natural healing abilities.

Stem cell fate depends on 'grip'

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:24:24 EDT

Scientists have generated new insight on how a stem cell's environment influences what type of cell a stem cell will become. They have shown that whether human mesenchymal stem cells turn into fat or bone cells depends partially on how well they can "grip" the material they are growing in.

Scientists discover driving force behind prostate cancer

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Scientists have discovered the driving force behind the development of prostate cancer. Their research reveals the existence of a cancer inducing DNA re-alignment in stem cells taken from human prostate cancers.

Developing our sense of smell

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:06:06 EDT

Biologists have found that neural-crest stem cells--multipotent, migratory cells unique to vertebrates that give rise to facial bones, smooth muscle, and other structures -- also play a key role in building the nose's olfactory sensory neurons, the only neurons that regenerate throughout adult life. Learning how they form may offer insights into how neurons in general can be induced to differentiate or regenerate and new avenues for the treatment of neurological disorders or injury.

Old mice, young blood: Rejuvenating blood of mice by reprogramming stem cells that produce blood

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:36:36 EDT

The blood of young and old people differs. Scientists have now rejuvenated the blood of mice by reversing, or reprogramming, the stem cells that produce blood.