Category Archives: Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cell therapy is poised to become the next big thing in the treatment of major diseases. Even those extracted from dental pulp can be preserved for future use Watching his five-year-old pull at his loose tooth, dad Shekar remembered something he had read in a dental clinic. Stem cells from teeth, called dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) could be preserved and retrieved to treat his son if he had a major ailment in future. Stemade, a private company, would arrange to collect DPSCs through its Smile Clinics and store them in state-of-the-art labs in several cities across the country. His thought: Stem cell technology is the next big step in medical treatment. Banking SCs is medical bio-insurance for his kid. Stem cell therapy didn't jump out of a box yesterday. We've heard of it being used in treating leukaemia. Patients with spinal cord injury have spent huge sums on it hoping to get up and walk. Some ask: If a house lizard can grow back its tail, why can't we get our systems to re-start with a million multiplying stem cells? Kinds of cells The best cells for banking are embryonic cells which are programmed to develop and grow. … Continue reading →

Cardiac cellular therapies are undergoing global clinical trials with "encouraging early results" and these economical options will soon be available in India which could bring relief to patients who cannot afford the currently available expensive surgical treatments, says Indian American cardiac surgeon Dr Mukesh Hariawala. Delivering a special invited plenary lecture on the "Novel Cellular Therapies for Heart Disease" at the recently concluded Healthcare India 2012 convention in New Delhi, the renowned cardiac surgeon asserted that the new developments in cardiac cellular therapies would bring down the alarming healthcare costs globally. Dr Hariawala is internationally acclaimed as a pioneer of cardiovascular surgical techniques using Therapeutic Angiogenesis. He said Therapeutic Angiogenesis is a fast emerging science of stimulating growth of new blood vessels in the heart which acts as natural bypasses to areas lacking in blood supply. Dr Hariawala demonstrated angiogenesis along with bypass surgery, lasers and stem cell injections as a novel "Combo Therapy." Like us on Facebook The laser energy acts by creating channels in the diseased heart muscle which also triggers Angiogenesis. Stem cells are then injected directly into coronary arteries feeding the diseased territory or in the stimulated lasered muscle during the open heart surgery. This option … Continue reading →

Newswise UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individuals lifetime. The placental niche, a stem cell safe zone, supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA. Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said. The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell. We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a … Continue reading →

29-02-2012 17:57 Learn more at http://www.cordblood.com CBR's team of dedicated professionals is prepared to guide you through every step of the banking process and beyond. Meet Sherry, CBR's transplant coordinator. As Sherry says, her employer is CBR, but she works for the families who need newborn stem cell medicine. She is the voice parents hear over the phone when they need to use their stored cord blood stem cells. Sherry's dedication and passion to deliver exceptional customer service to clients is one example of the many people at Cord Blood Registry who are committed to helping families live longer, healthier lives. Visit link: Cord Blood Registery Helps Families Use Stem Cells - Video … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Mar. 1, 2012) UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime. The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA. Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said. The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell. "We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a … Continue reading →

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Kim Irwin kirwin@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime. The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA. Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said. The study, done in mouse models, … Continue reading →

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT, OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced year-end results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company utilized $13.6 million in cash for operations during the year, compared to $8.8 million in the year-earlier period. The increase in cash utilization resulted primarily from ACTs ongoing clinical activities in the US and Europe. ACT ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of $13.1 million, compared to $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents in the year-earlier period. Some of the 2011 highlights included: 2011 was a very important and successful year for ACT as we began our Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of macular degeneration, said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are very excited about the preliminary Phase 1/2 clinical data from our dry-AMD and Stargardts disease trials, which were published in The Lancet earlier this year. The data demonstrated the safety of ACTs human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of both diseases. The vision of both patients appears to have improved after transplantation, and no adverse safety issues have been observed. We look forward … Continue reading →

R&D Systems is supporting stem cell researchers by awarding ten travel grants of $1,000 each to attend ISSCR 2012, in Yokohama, Japan. The application window opens March 1 and closes April 30, 2012. (PRWEB) March 01, 2012 Ten travel grants of $1,000 will be awarded. Stem cell researchers planning to attend ISSCR 2012 can apply for travel funding online between March 1 and April 30, 2012. The online application process is short and simple. Award recipients will be announced May 31, 2012. Richard Krzyzek PhD, the Chief Scientific Officer at R&D Systems said, R&D Systems is proud to promote stem cell discoveries through travel sponsorship. This years ISSCR conference, the premium annual meeting for the stem cell research community, will be held in Yokohama, Japan (June 13-16). R&D Systems representatives will be attending the meeting and welcome enquiries on all stem cell subjects. The company offers a broad range of high quality products for stem cell research, including premium quality recombinant growth factors and proteins for stem cell culture and differentiation. In addition, R&D Systems provides high performance antibodies to detect lineage-specific markers and transcription factors, and complete kits for the expansion, differentiation, and identification of embryonic, neural, mesenchymal, hematopoietic, … Continue reading →

OLDSMAR, Fla., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (OTC:QB Markets Group Symbol: CCEL) (the "Company"), the world's first private cord blood bank to separate and store stem cells in 1992, today announced results for its fiscal year 2011. "Cryo-Cell fiscal 2011 results are indicative of a company that is in the process of making many organizational and operational improvements," stated David Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Chairman and Co-CEO. "Although the implementation of these steps is still in the early stages, we are encouraged in our belief that our goals will be achieved." Mark Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Co-CEO, added, "With the transition of the new Board of Directors last year, the Company made significant changes over the last six months. We are continuing to improve the IT systems and website, and have embarked on a major rebranding/marketing effort. Although these efforts have increased our expenses, we have balanced that somewhat with cost reductions. We feel these are appropriate and necessary investments for the Company's future. In addition, the Company has implemented its previously announced stock repurchase plan, and to date, has repurchased 415,117 shares on the open market and in private transactions." Financial Results Consolidated revenues for fiscal year ended 2011 were approximately … Continue reading →

By David Cyranoski of Nature magazine With Texas pouring millions of dollars into developing adult stem-cell treatments, doctors there are already injecting paying customers with unproven preparations, supplied by an ambitious new company. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any such stem-cell treatment for routine clinical use, although it does sanction them for patients enrolled in registered clinical trials. Some advocates of the treatments argue, however, that preparations based on a patient's own cells should not be classed as drugs, and should not therefore fall under the FDA's jurisdiction. There are certainly plenty of people eager to have the treatments. Texas governor Rick Perry, for instance, has had stem-cell injections to treat a back complaint, and has supported legislation to help create banks to store patients' harvested stem cells. One company that has benefited from this buoyant climate is Celltex Therapeutics, which "multiplies and banks" stem cells derived from people's abdominal fat, according to chairman and chief executive David Eller. Its facility in Sugar Land, just outside Houston, opened in December 2011 and houses the largest stem-cell bank in the United States. Celltex was founded by Eller and Stanley Jones, the orthopaedic surgeon who performed Perry's … Continue reading →