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USC Stem Cell-led team makes major advance toward building a synthetic kidney

A USC Stem Cell-led team has successfully generated lab-grown kidney structures, or organoids, that exhibit kidney-like functions such as blood filtration and urine production. The 'assembloids' achieved maturity levels comparable to newborn mouse kidneys, paving the way for developing new therapies for patients awaiting transplant.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 17, 2025

USC Stem Cell mouse study identifies shared genes involved in hearing and vision regeneration

A USC Stem Cell mouse study has identified shared genes involved in regenerating cells in the ear and eye, which could lead to new treatments for hearing and vision loss. The researchers discovered that inhibiting a specific protein, p27Kip1, can encourage regeneration in both organs.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2025

Caffeine is a heart-healthy habit

Researchers found that patients who consumed caffeine had better vascular health, as measured through endothelial cells. The study suggests that caffeine may play a role in controlling disease progression and improving cardiovascular health.

SourceOxford University Press USA·JournalRheumatology·TypeObservational study·DateOct 9, 2024

New study reveals unique histone tag in adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, opening doors for advanced myelin repair therapies

Researchers at CUNY ASRC identify distinct histone tag in adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells that regulates their proliferation and may lead to innovative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery holds promise for advancing myelin repair and improving patient outcomes.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 12, 2024

Groundbreaking study reveals insights into Alzheimer's disease mechanisms through novel hydrogel matrix

Researchers have developed a multi-component hydrogel scaffold to mimic the amyloid-beta containing microenvironment associated with AD. The study found elevated levels of neuroinflammation and apoptosis markers in healthy neuronal progenitor cells cultured within this environment.

SourceTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation·JournalActa Biomaterialia·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 12, 2024

Ageing reduces the ability of regulatory T cells to enhance myelin regeneration, study finds

Researchers found that ageing reduces the ability of regulatory T cells to enhance myelin regeneration, which can have profound consequences for neurological functions. The study suggests that the loss of function may be reversible, and two new molecules, ITGA2 and MCAM, have been identified as potential therapeutic targets.

SourceUniversidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2024

Skeleton-wide study of blood cell formation yields surprising findings

A study published in Nature found that the response to hematopoietic insults differs across the skeleton, with certain bones specialized to respond to specific stresses. The research uses confocal imaging microscopy to count different cell types and provides new insights into blood cell production, potentially leading to improved treat...

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2024

Mitochondrial activation in transplanted cells promotes regenerative therapy for heart healing

Researchers at Hokkaido University developed a technique to promote cardiac regeneration by activating mitochondrial function in transplanted cells. The study found that activated mitochondria improved cardiac function and suppressed myocardial fibrosis, suggesting a new approach for treating severe heart failure.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalJournal of Controlled Release·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2024

UC Irvine researchers discover how to better support lab grown muscle cells after transplantation.

Researchers at UC Irvine have identified a critical gene for muscle repair and regeneration, enabling the creation of muscle in the lab that can support human stem cells. The discovery has immense implications for treating various chronic muscle disorders and injuries, including rotator cuff tears and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

SourceUniversity of California - Irvine·JournalNature Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2023

New brain cells can replace diseased and aged cells. That may help people with severe brain diseases

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a way to replace diseased and aged brain cells with new ones, which could lead to treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis. The study used humanized mice models to test the effectiveness of glial cell transplantation.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles researchers uncover new clues to origins of the most common pediatric kidney cancer

Children's Hospital Los Angeles researchers have identified a disruption in early kidney progenitor cell development linked to the formation of Wilms tumor. The study found that these cells can reproduce the original tumor and are aggressive, drug-resistant, and metastasize like cancer cells.

SourceChildren's Hospital Los Angeles·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 1, 2023

Filling a niche: Neural stem cells help maintain their microenvironment

A new study from Tokyo Medical and Dental University sheds light on the neural stem cell niche's composition during development. Researchers found that vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) plays a crucial role in maintaining NSPCs under hypoxic conditions, promoting lower rates of cell death and increased cell proliferation.

SourceTokyo Medical and Dental University·JournalInflammation and Regeneration·DateMar 15, 2023

Scientists reveal the role of immune progenitor cells in the repair of inflamed intestinal tissue

Researchers from Kumamoto University reveal how hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells orchestrate intestinal tissue repair through microbial signals. The study found that acute gut inflammation triggers the activation and expansion of immune progenitor cells, which migrate to lymph nodes to promote tissue repair.

SourceKumamoto University·JournalThe EMBO Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2022

New insights into lithium’s effectiveness for bipolar disorder

A recent study identifies a specific gene, GNL3, that regulates neural proliferation in response to lithium, which is used to treat bipolar disorder. This gene plays an important role in brain function and has been implicated in risk for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and inter-individual variations in intelligence.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 18, 2022

Embryo blood cells are stem cell-independent

Research at Kumamoto University reveals that fetal liver blood cells are stem cell-independent, contrary to the long-held view that HSCs are essential for their production. The study provides new insights into the origin of HSCs and suggests a reconsideration of their role in embryo formation.

SourceKumamoto University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 20, 2022

Discovered key mechanisms to improve intestinal regeneration and alleviate the side effects of radiotherapy

Researchers have discovered a cellular and molecular mechanism essential for intestinal epithelial regeneration. Progenitor cells modulate the production of mitogenic factors, controlling intestinal stem cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. This finding breaks new ground in research into counteracting radiotherapy side effects.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO)·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2022

Reinvigorating ‘lost cause’ exhausted T cells could improve cancer immunotherapy

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered that even terminally exhausted T cells retain some capacity to function again. They identified approaches to overcome exhaustion by targeting co-stimulation pathways and reprogramming T cells to be resistant to hypoxia, a common tumor microenvironmental signal.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalScience Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2022

Oncotarget | Continuous treatment with abemaciclib leads to sustained and efficient inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation

Abemaciclib, a CDK4 & 6 inhibitor, showed profound inhibition of cell proliferation and triggered senescence and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Continuous dosing provided sustained inhibition with irreversible effects through apoptosis, supporting the differentiated safety and efficacy profile.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncotarget·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 6, 2022

Cardiac progenitor cells generate healthy tissue after a heart attack

A team of researchers has successfully treated damaged pig hearts with cardiac progenitor cells, demonstrating the formation of new cardiac tissue and improved cardiac function. The treatment could potentially be used to treat patients with serious heart failure, particularly older patients with coexisting conditions.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalNature Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 12, 2022

Hitting the brakes on the cell cycle for the formation of plant stomata

Researchers discovered that a transcription factor called MUTE induces a cell cycle inhibitor SMR4 to slow down the cell cycle, allowing for asymmetric division. A variant with excess SMR4 showed a longer cell cycle during symmetric division, revealing a crucial regulatory mechanism in plant stomatal development.

The origin of neuronal diversity

Researchers developed a new technique to analyze brain cell development, finding that cells of similar types are often unrelated and can converge from different progenitors. Conversely, different cell types can diverge from the same progenitor, determining their fate during differentiation.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateDec 16, 2021