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Mending broken hearts using bio-printed ‘patches’

Researchers at University of Technology Sydney have successfully created personalized 'bio-inks' from patients' own stem cells, which are then used to 3D-print cardiac tissues to repair areas of dead tissue. This technology shows promise in treating heart failure and may reduce the need for expensive and traumatic heart transplants.

SourceUniversity of Technology Sydney·JournalBioprinting·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 12, 2023

How to assemble a complete jaw

A USC-led team of scientists identified the key gene Nr5a2, essential for opening up genome regions that enable neural crest cells to form tendons and salivary glands. Zebrafish and mice lacking this gene exhibited skeletal and tendon defects, as well as failed salivary gland development.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalDevelopmental Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2023

Researchers uncover how gene that increases risk of genetic heart disease works, paving way for new treatments

A recent study led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute has revealed a new pathway for how genetic mutations impact heart muscle function. The research identifies the gene ALPK3 as a key player in cardiomyopathy, a group of diseases affecting the heart's ability to pump blood, and provides hope for new targeted therapies.

SourceMurdoch Childrens Research Institute·JournalNature Cardiovascular Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2023

The Texas Heart Institute delivers a new first in heart failure treatment using cell therapy

A new cell therapy has demonstrated significant benefits in improving the heart's pumping ability and reducing the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke in patients with chronic heart failure. The therapy, using mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs), also showed a strong signal in reducing inflammation and improving microv...

SourceTexas Heart Institute·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateFeb 27, 2023

Pluripotent stem cells take over from blood stem cells for future transplant therapies

Researchers have successfully converted pluripotent stem cells into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using optimized transcription factors. The resulting PSC-derived cells generated all types of white blood cells in mice without giving rise to tumors or leukemias, suggesting a promising future for PSC-based transplant therapies.

SourceInternational Society for Stem Cell Research·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateFeb 16, 2023

Researchers zero in on potential new function of lymphatic system: producing blood

Scientists made a groundbreaking discovery that lymphatic vessels can produce both red and white blood cells, challenging the long-held belief that blood cells come solely from bone marrow. The study suggests that lymphatic vessels may play a role in fighting infection and could be important for treating certain blood cancers.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2023

CHOP researchers develop tool that reduces errors in stem cell transplant reporting

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have developed a custom-built application to automate the determination of engraftment after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The tool has been shown to improve accuracy of reported engraftments, reducing errors in neutrophil and platelet engraftment reporting.

SourceChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia·JournalTransplantation and Cellular Therapy·DateJan 23, 2023

Pusan National University researchers identify therapeutic targets to overcome radioresistance of brain cancer cells

A team of researchers from Korea and USA identified the importance of lipid homeostasis in overcoming brain cancer radioresistance. They found that regulating diacylglycerol kinase B and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 could potentially sensitize brain cancer cells to radiotherapy, offering a new treatment strategy.

SourcePusan National University·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 18, 2023

How sex differences influence lung injury in mice

Researchers have discovered that more than 2,500 genes exhibit significant sex differences in expression in mouse alveolar type II cells, potentially explaining sex biases in lung diseases. These findings suggest that AT2 cells may play a crucial role in sex-biased differences in lung injury and repair.

SourceCell Press·JournalStem Cell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 12, 2023

Stem cell model allows researchers to explore the earliest stages of sex determination in mice and humans

A new stem cell model allows researchers to study the earliest stages of sex determination in mice and humans, providing insights into Disorders of Sex Development (DSD). The model enables the creation of a 'mini testis' in a dish, which could lead to better understanding of DSD, infertility, and fertility restoration.

SourceBar-Ilan University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 4, 2023

Lab-grown retinal eye cells make successful connections, open door for clinical trials to treat blindness

Researchers have successfully grown retinal cells from stem cells that can connect with neighboring cells and transmit sensory information like healthy ones. The breakthrough could lead to human clinical trials to treat degenerative eye disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 4, 2023

A stem cell's sense of touch

Embryonic cells use mechanical cues, known as the cell's sense of touch, to make collective decisions during tissue formation. The study reveals that cells perceive the stiffness and confinement of a 'living foam' structure, which changes its properties at the moment of differentiation.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 3, 2023

Try to be a pioneer

Researchers found no evidence of a critical mass needed to start and maintain new research fields. Instead, pioneering regions with early investment can establish dominance. However, late-comers face significant costs to catch up, as seen in China's semiconductor science, where strategic interventions over decades led to a dominant role.

SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalChaos Solitons & Fractals·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 29, 2022

Trigger in MODY3 diabetes: Insulin hypersecretion precedes pancreatic β cell failure

Researchers discovered that MODY3 patients experience hypersecretion of insulin from β cells due to more efficient membrane depolarization. This phenomenon precedes pancreatic β cell failure and can be targeted for prevention or delay with treatments, such as diets or drugs.

Scientists' use of hydrogel materials leads to stem cells developing like human embryos

Researchers at UNSW Sydney have successfully induced a gastrulation-like event in human pluripotent stem cells, mimicking the early stages of embryonic development. This breakthrough could lead to new approaches for studying human development and creating personalized body tissue or organs using hydrogel materials.

SourceUniversity of New South Wales·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2022

HKUMed scientists lead discovery of two master genes critical for hearing Provide a guide for diagnosis of deafness and balance problems

Researchers discovered the underlying cause of deafness caused by swelling in the inner ear chambers. The study identified two master genes, SOX9 and SOX10, controlling hearing function and providing a new resource for diagnosis and treatment of deafness and balance problems.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 14, 2022

Repairing gut saves brain function after stroke

Scientists at Texas A&M University found that transplanting intestinal epithelial stem cells can repair the gut and reduce inflammation, potentially preserving cognitive function after a stroke. The study suggests that targeting gut health may be key to developing more effective stroke therapies.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalBrain Behavior and Immunity·DateNov 18, 2022

Immune system reboot in MS patients

Researchers from the University of Zurich have discovered why a stem cell transplant is effective in treating multiple sclerosis. The study found that memory T cells reappear immediately after the transplant and do not trigger an autoimmune reaction due to pre-damage caused by chemotherapy. This knowledge enables the body to gradually ...

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 10, 2022

Monoclonal antibodies preserve stem cells in mouse brains, bring promise for future studies

Researchers used monoclonal antibodies to suppress the immune system in mice, tracking human neural stem cell survival using luciferase. The study reveals that monoclonal antibody-mediated immunosuppression enabled long-term survival of transplanted human neural stem cells in mouse brains for at least six to eight months.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalClinical and Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2022