Research on stem cells and regenerative medicine. Covers engineered T cells, scalable manufacturing, blood-cancer research, and stem-cell training programs.
Researchers at Stowers Institute have identified a key molecule, EGFR-3, that directs planarian stem cells to make copies of themselves. The discovery has important implications for advancing regenerative medicine and developing effective cancer therapies.
Researchers have devised a method to conduct blood stem cell transplantation without the use of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This technique uses antibodies to deplete blood-forming stem cells, allowing transplanted blood stem cells from a donor to take up residence in the bone marrow and generate a new immune system.
Researchers identified new mechanisms controlling stem cell properties in flatworms, including alternative splicing processes that operate only in stem cells. The study also reveals a previously unknown interaction between proteins MBNL and CELF, which may have implications for human regenerative medicine.
Researchers have made patients' stem cells available for worldwide study to better understand bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness with extreme mood swings. The shared stem cells can be turned into brain cells in the lab, enabling scientists to study how the disease affects brain cells and potentially lead to new treatments.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine found that the body's immune response system malfunctions during severe bacterial infections, leading to permanent damage to blood-producing cells. This discovery provides a new target for protecting the immune system during major infections.
Researchers have identified two proteins that safeguard skin stem cells, which are essential for skin renewal and regeneration. The study reveals that without these proteins, skin stem cells collapse and disappear from the tissue.
Researchers at ETH Zurich study how stem cells differentiate into blood cells, revealing complex mechanisms beyond previously thought protein GATA1 and PU.1 roles. This knowledge is vital for developing effective treatments for life-threatening diseases.
A study suggests that stem cell infusion could help restore the trabecular meshwork, which drains fluid from the eye and prevents glaucoma. Researchers are confident that this approach may hold promise for primary open angle glaucoma, but further studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
Researchers at the University of Basel discovered that the choroid plexus produces key signaling factors that regulate adult neural stem cells. As people age, these signals change, affecting stem cell behavior and leading to a decrease in new neuron formation.
A key gene called AUF1 determines whether adult stem cells can regenerate muscle after injury and with age. The study found that mice engineered to lack the AUF1 gene showed reduced stem-cell-driven repair, leading to muscle breakdown.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have discovered that current engineered stem cells are too immature to accurately model ALS. To improve this, they suggest 'aging' the motor neurons in a laboratory dish to better represent the disease's progression.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a protein that boosts the growth of damaged muscle tissue, potentially contributing to treatments for age-related muscle degeneration and diseases like muscular dystrophy. The protein, β1-integrin, promotes stem cell growth and restoration after muscle injury, with results showing...
The National Stem Cell Foundation has funded a grant to study how astrocytes can be manipulated to halt or prevent neurodegeneration in diseases like MS and Parkinson's. The researchers aim to advance understanding of cell cross-talk in the central nervous system.
Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers found that bone marrow transplantation extended the lifespan of mice with a common ALS-causing gene mutation by 43 days. The study suggests that the gene operates at a crossroads between disease and autoimmunity, and may hold key to developing therapies for specific subpopulations of ALS patients.
Scientists developed guidelines to evaluate laboratory-generated stem cells, finding that no current methods produce truly naïve embryonic cells. The new criteria may aid researchers in achieving this goal, which could benefit both basic research and medical applications of stem cells.
Researchers have discovered a genetic switch, microRNA mirR-125a, that can be used to increase the supply of stem cells from cord blood. This discovery could potentially increase the availability of stem cell transplants for cancer patients with no matching donors.
Researchers have discovered a breakthrough in scaling up life-changing stem cell production by using a protein derived from human blood, Inter-alpha inhibitor. This method enables faster and cheaper large-scale industrial production of human pluripotent stem cells without the need for costly biological substrates.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a novel method for culturing human stem cells using a protein derived from human blood, which could lead to faster and more cost-effective large-scale production. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and disease research.
USC researchers studied epigenetic signals regulating Atoh1, a critical factor in hair cell development and sensory structure formation. The studies aim to develop new therapies to stimulate hair cell regeneration in individuals with hearing loss or deafness.
A new government study suggests that the graying of the biomedical workforce is driving younger scientists away from academia, but found no evidence of a preference for older applicants in NIH grant funding. The study's authors conclude that other factors, such as changes in academic training and payment, are more likely to be contribu...
A study found that at least 351 US businesses are marketing unapproved stem cell procedures, targeting various medical conditions. The businesses are mainly concentrated in California, Florida, and Texas.
Therapeutic stem cells exit the bloodstream via a distinct process called angiopellosis, where endothelial cells actively push them out of blood vessels. This alternative mechanism allows for longer exit times and multiple cell exits at once, with implications for cancer research and intravenous therapies.
Researchers developed a new method to maintain the transplantation efficiency of satellite cells, which are found in skeletal muscles. The study used leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) to enhance muscle fiber formation after transplantation, resulting in two to three times more fibers formed compared to control cells.
Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital developed a new procedure to generate and expand airway stem cells from lung tissue samples, allowing for multiple generations of cultures. This breakthrough may lead to improved treatments for airway diseases like asthma and COPD.
Columbia University researchers develop groundbreaking technique to repair large bone defects in the head and face with lab-grown living bone. The innovative approach, which uses autologous stem cells derived from a patient's fat, enables precise anatomical replication and active bone remodeling.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have identified distinct characteristics that differentiate reserve stem cells from label-retaining cells, resolving a decades-long debate. The study uses single-cell gene expression analyses to demonstrate that reserve stem cells are a separate population in the intestines.
A team of researchers has successfully grown functional pituitary tissue from human stem cells that can release hormones important for growth, reproductive functions, and stress response. The study's findings hold promise for a more permanent therapeutic option for patients with hypopituitarism.
Researchers found that Prkci gene plays a crucial role in organizing cells into balls and tubes during early embryo and organ formation. By mixing functional Prkci with cells lacking it, they restored normal polarity, suggesting an unknown molecular signal was transmitted to disoriented cells.
Researchers have unraveled how pre-leukemic white blood cell precursors become leukemia stem cells by targeting the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1. Inhibiting ADAR1 can counteract its effect on leukemia stem cell self-renewal, potentially reducing cancer progression.
Researchers found that 30% of induced pluripotent stem cells were genetically unstable and not safe for clinical use. Despite this, a large set of iPSCs met quality standards, and the study established an online database to support further research.
Researchers at ULB developed new methods to determine stem cell multipotency and unipotency with high confidence. The findings show that prostate cells are multipotent while mammary gland cells are unipotent, resolving a long-standing debate in the field.
Research at Washington University School of Medicine found that a metabolite produced by beneficial gut microbes restricts the proliferation of intestinal stem cells. This limits the intestine's ability to repair itself after injury or damage, potentially hampering treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Noninvasive cell-tracking methods enable assessment of stem-cell based therapy safety and efficacy. Current tracking methods for transplanted stem cells include reporter-gene based, exogenous contrast label-based, and multimodel imaging techniques.
Scientists at NYSCF Research Institute discovered strategies to prevent mitochondrial mixtures, leading to effective mitochondrial replacement. Egg freezing enables doctors to avoid synchronized ovulation between patient and donor, allowing for safer treatment of mitochondrial diseases.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new method for preparing and labeling mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that allows them to be tracked using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This breakthrough technology uses a bio-mimicry approach to create an environment similar to the body, enabling MSCs to internalize iron-ox...
Assoc Prof Lim Soon Thye has received a S$2.5 million Tanoto Foundation Professorship to advance research on Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer prevalent in Asia with limited treatment options. The funding will focus on improving diagnostic and clinical outcomes for patients.
Researchers in China report that fetal mice infected with the Asian Zika virus strain display characteristic features of microcephaly. The study found that neural progenitor cells were initially infected, followed by neurons, and that almost all cell death occurred in neurons, not progenitor cells.
Stem cells can be stimulated to produce special cartilage that aids in repairing severely broken bones. Cartilage production helps bridge larger gaps and even transforms into bone throughout the lesion.
Researchers found that Zika virus activates the innate immune receptor TLR3, which leads to cell death in neural stem cells. However, inhibiting TLR3 helps infected cells survive and function normally.
Researchers propose revisiting the internationally recognized '14-day rule', which restricts in vitro research on human embryos. The rule has been theoretical until now, but technological advancements have enabled scientists to sustain human embryos in vitro for up to 14 days, raising questions about its relevance and implications.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University developed a composite material that combines the strength of plastic with the biological information in natural bone. The 70% bone powder blend showed better bone formation than the 30% blend, but both were stronger and more effective than pure PCL.
Researchers plan to use stored tissue samples, cell lines, and sperm to develop stem cell technologies and create viable northern white rhinoceros populations. The ultimate goal is to establish self-sustaining populations in several decades.
Marina E. Emborg and Eng H. Lo received the 2016 Bernard Sanberg Memorial Award for Brain Repair for their outstanding contributions to neurodegenerative disorders and stroke research. Their work focuses on developing safe neuroprotective strategies using stem cells and advanced imaging techniques.
A new literature review assesses the benefits of stem cells for treating spinal cord injuries. Different types of stem cells show varying degrees of effectiveness in restoring function, and an ideal treatment protocol remains unclear.
Research found that heterochromatin organisation in embryonic stem cells is maintained in an open form through the action of key stem cell factors. This open architecture may contribute to keeping stem cells unspecialised and full of developmental potential.
Scientists at McMaster University have made a breakthrough in understanding the regulation of human blood stem cells, allowing for better control and regeneration. The discovery could lead to more people receiving treatment for life-threatening diseases, reducing healthcare costs and wait times.
Breast cancer cells challenged with a small-molecule inhibitor targeting specific invasive properties switch to an alternative mode-of-action, rendering them even more aggressive. The results suggest that inhibiting one pathway may not block all aggressiveness in breast cancer cells.
Researchers have confirmed Zika's toll on fetal cortex using lab-grown mini-brains that mimic human brain development. The study found that Zika infection occurs early in pregnancy leads to severe effects and can affect neurons later on.
A USC study shows how skeletal stem cells form the blueprint of the human face by regulating cartilage and bone growth. The research identified two critical signaling pathways, Jagged-Notch and Endothelin1 (Edn1), which control when stem cells transform into facial cartilage.
A team led by John P. Cooke identified reactive oxygen species as critical to the transformation of adult somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The researchers discovered that a 'Goldilock's zone' of free radical generation is optimal for iPSC production, with too little or too much ROS impaireding colony formation.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered a way to encourage adult stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into testosterone-producing cells. The findings could lead to the development of transplantable cells that can produce testosterone, avoiding side effects associated with current treatments.
Scientists have successfully extracted stem cells from a 50-year-old test subject's fatty tissue, applied genetic reprogramming, and produced mature, insulin-producing beta cells. The researchers' technique has the potential to treat diabetes by implanting new functional beta cells made from the patient's own adipose tissue.
Researchers found that microvesicle injections restored cognitive function and protected neurons in rats without adverse side effects. Microvesicles isolated from human neural stem cells were used instead of traditional stem cells to reduce risks such as immunorejection and tumor growth.
Investigational stem cell therapy derived from a patient's own blood marrow significantly improved outcomes in patients with severe heart failure. The study found that the treatment reduced deaths by 37% and hospitalizations by 49% compared to placebo.
A new handheld 3D printing device has been developed to create bespoke scaffolds for cartilage repair, with cell survival rates in excess of 97%. The BioPen allows surgeons to sculpt customised implants during surgery, addressing the challenge of precise geometry.
Scientists create miniature retinal organoids that mimic the structure of real retinas, offering new perspectives on retina growth, injury, and repair. The protocol increases yield by up to 4-fold compared to previous methods, enabling researchers to study retinal disease mechanisms and develop therapies for age-related blindness.
The study found that the AXL surface receptor is highly abundant on human neural stem cells, but not on neurons in the developing brain. This discovery suggests that the Zika virus may be able to hijack this receptor to infect vulnerable cells, leading to devastating cases of microcephaly and eye lesions.
Researchers demonstrate that iPSCs can differentiate into multiple types of functional lymphocytes, including CD4+ T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells. The ability to generate functional lymphocytes from somatic cell-derived hematopoietic stem cells supports the clinical application of iPSC technology.
Researchers at IUPUI have successfully identified cellular processes related to glaucoma using stem cells derived from human skin cells. The study found that skin cells from individuals with glaucoma became unhealthy and died off faster than those of healthy individuals when reprogrammed into retinal ganglion cells.
A study by Lund University researchers has identified four key genes that govern the growth and multiplication of blood stem cells. The discovery sheds light on how to expand these cells for transplant and potentially develop new cancer treatments.