Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Stem cell secrets allow researchers to revamp reprogramming

A genome-wide functional screen identified critical regulators of naïve stem cell reprogramming, enabling the creation of high-quality, stable stem cell populations. The study also uncovered epigenetic factors that hinder or help reprogramming, including the essential PRC1.3 complex and inhibitory HDAC2 protein.

SourceBabraham Institute·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2022

Visionary progress

A retinal stem cell patch has survived for two years after implantation and continues to function without triggering immune rejection. The patch, developed through a collaboration of researchers, is one step closer to securing FDA approval and potentially restoring vision to millions of people affected by age-related macular degeneration.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateMar 16, 2022

Studying diseases with better delivery of gene-editing tools

A Penn State-led team of researchers developed a new delivery system that improves the efficiency and lifespan of CRISPR gene-editing tools after delivery into stem cells. The method uses an enzyme called PiggyBac, which enables permanent integration of the editing tools into the cell's genetic code, resulting in 99% of mutated cells b...

SourcePenn State·JournalBioactive Materials·DateMar 7, 2022

Researchers produce fully functional pancreatic beta cells from stem cells for the first time

Scientists have successfully produced fully functional pancreatic beta cells from stem cells for the first time, offering a breakthrough in treating type 1 diabetes. The study's findings demonstrate that these stem cell-derived beta cells can regulate insulin secretion and manage glucose metabolism in both cell cultures and mice studies.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateMar 3, 2022

New research findings could help improve bone marrow and stem cell transplantation for patients with blood-related diseases

Scientists have discovered the signature of genes expressed by hematopoietic stem cells that can produce healthy blood cells after being transplanted. This finding could enable scientists to expand these cells outside the body or convert other types of stem cells into functional blood cells.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2022

Getting to the heart of complex disease

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have developed a novel method for identifying genetic variants that are likely to play important roles in congenital heart disease. The study leverages interactions between proteins to pinpoint candidate genes, including GLYR1, which is involved in turning other genes on and off.

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalCell·DateFeb 18, 2022

Mutant stem cells defy rules of development

A recent study by Gladstone Institutes researchers found that mouse stem cells can spontaneously transition from heart cell precursors to brain cell precursors when a specific gene is removed. This discovery upends current understanding of how stem cells differentiate into adult cells and maintain their identity. The study's findings h...

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalNature·DateJan 26, 2022

Improved retinal transplant technique ready for clinical trials

Researchers at RIKEN have developed a new retinal transplant technique by engineering human-derived retina sheets to lose bipolar cells, allowing better connections to host retinas and improved responses to light. The technique has shown substantial functional improvement in animal studies and is now poised for human clinical trials.

SourceRIKEN·JournaliScience·DateJan 25, 2022

Old neurons can block neurogenesis in mice

Researchers discovered that old neurons can block neurogenesis in mice, highlighting excessive senescence as a driving factor behind aging. By destroying senescent cells, the study showed enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function in middle-aged mice.

SourceCell Press·JournalStem Cell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 20, 2022

Discovery of a “hidden gem” enables gene editing with a small but mighty CRISPR-Cas3 system

Scientists have developed a novel CRISPR-Cas3 editor from the bacteria Neisseria lactamica that improves editing efficiency and is more easily produced. The tool enables 50% editing efficiency in stem cells and 95% efficiency in other human cell lines, paving the way for research in genetic diseases and developmental biology.

Survival rate of adult patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia after hematopoietic cell transplantation has steadily increased over the past two decades

Survival rates for adult patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after hematopoietic cell transplantation have increased significantly over the past two decades. The two-year overall survival rate rose from 27.8% in 2000-2004 to 54.8% in 2015-2019, despite a significant increase in patient age at relapse.

SourceAmerican Association for Cancer Research·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateJan 12, 2022

UCSF-led study uncovers unique stem cell trajectory in lungs damaged by COVID-19 and pulmonary fibrosis

Researchers discovered that human lung stem cells can undergo abnormal differentiation in response to injury from diseases like COVID-19 and pulmonary fibrosis. This aberrant process prevents the restoration of normal lung function, but the study also identified a potential therapeutic target for reversing damage.

SourceUniversity of California San Francisco Medical Center·JournalNature Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 30, 2021

NIH researchers identify potential AMD drugs with stem-cell based research tool

Researchers developed a dish-based model that replicates the characteristics of dry age-related macular degeneration, allowing them to screen over 1,200 drugs for their ability to slow or halt disease progression. Two drugs, Aminocaproic acid and L745, showed promise in inhibiting key phenotypes associated with AMD.

SourceNIH/National Eye Institute·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2021

How the body uses fat to fight infection

Researchers discovered that blood stem cells use high-energy fatty acids from the body's fat stores to power up their response to infection. This finding could lead to new approaches in treating bacterial infections, particularly in vulnerable and older individuals.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

Breakthrough research on human embryo models paves the way for improving in vitro fertilization success rate and new non-hormonal, user-friendly contraception

Researchers have discovered molecules that could be candidates for contraceptives or fertility enhancers using human blastoid models. These models also show promise in improving the self-organization of stem cells during IVF procedures.

Correcting inherited gene alterations speeds up

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have developed a method to precisely and rapidly correct genetic alterations in cultured patient cells. The new technique combines two Nobel Prize-winning approaches to produce genetically corrected autologous pluripotent stem cells, paving the way for potential therapeutic applications.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateNov 30, 2021

New link between diet, intestinal stem cells and disease discovered

A new study reveals that a high-sugar and high-fat diet can disrupt the natural adaptation of the digestive system by accelerating the division and differentiation of intestinal stem cells. This can lead to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and gastrointestinal cancer.