Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

These results, published in the journal Cell Reports, help to unravel seemingly contradictory observations and illuminate the complexities of transcription factor action in regeneration and tumor progression. Team leader Christina Scheel summarizes the results: "Twist1 is a developmental master regulator that has also been implicated in cancer progression. We show that transient Twist1 activation primes certain cells for stem-cell-like properties and cellular plasticity. Said differently, induction of these traits depends on Twist1, but they are only displayed by the cells after Twist1 deactivation. By contrast, chronic Twist1 activity suppresses stem-cell-like properties and promotes a phenotype that is characterized by extreme changes in cell shape and function, effectively locking the cells into an invasive, non-proliferative phenotype. Thereby, our results provide an integrative view of seemingly contradictory results concerning the effects of Twist1 in physiological and pathological processes." Duration of Twist1 activity decisive Scientists from the Institute of Stem Cell Research and the Institute of Experimental Genetics at the Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen (HMGU) examined the effects of Twist1 activation on breast epithelial cells, paying particular attention to the duration of the Twist1-signal. To their surprise, cells were permanently altered after a short dose of Twist1-activation: they proliferated under very stringent conditions usually … Continue reading →

Take a step with Danielle/Stem cell research benefit! Take a step with Danielle Press/Stem Cell research benefit. Very Proud of my Doctor and his team they have come a long way! By: Aylin Barrios … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise ANN ARBOR, Mich. University of Michigan alumna Brooke Kendrick and her husband Stephen were ready to start a family. But a devastating inherited nerve disease runs in her family, affecting her brother and threatening to kill or cripple any male child she has. So, the couple chose to conceive via in vitro fertilization, to have their embryos tested for the genetic defect, and to implant only disease-free ones. Now, as they get ready to celebrate the first birthday of their healthy son Gus, and the arrival of his sibling conceived the same way, they know that theyve stopped adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, from traveling further down their family line. But at the same time, theyve done something extraordinary for all families whose boys have ALD, whose men (like Brookes brother) have a less-severe form called AMN, or whose women and girls carry the genetic trait and might pass it on. By donating the disease-affected embryos that they didnt want to a U-M Medical School lab, theyve made it possible for scientists to study ALD in its earliest stages. The lab, called the MStem Cell Laboratories, derived embryonic stem cells from the embryo, and … Continue reading →

USA: Stem-cell research getting the space treatment from the ISS crew Scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are to conduct a number of stem-cell studies, announced Dr. Julie Robinson, in a press briefing in Ho... By: RuptlyTV … Continue reading →

How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research 1 Beltrame Panel: How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research. By: Centre for Bionetworking … Continue reading →

How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research 3 Braun Panel: How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research. By: Centre for Bionetworking … Continue reading →

How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research 4 Schlieter Panel: How do ethics and religion shape stem cell research. By: Centre for Bionetworking … Continue reading →

The birth and engraftment of a blood stem cell | Boston Children's Hospital When a patient receives a bone marrow transplant, the transplanted blood stem cells find their home, begin dividing and establish themselves in the body much like natural blood stem cells do.... By: Boston Children's Hospital … Continue reading →

Spotlight on Muscular Dystrophy and Stem Cell Research Visit: http://www.uctv.tv/) Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most severe form of muscular dystrophy that affects 1 in 3500 boys and leads to progres... By: University of California Television (UCTV) … Continue reading →

A stem cell capable of regenerating both bone and cartilage has been identified in bone marrow of mice. The discovery by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) is reported today in the online issue of the journal Cell. The cells, called osteochondroreticular (OCR) stem cells, were discovered by tracking a protein expressed by the cells. Using this marker, the researchers found that OCR cells self-renew and generate key bone and cartilage cells, including osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Researchers also showed that OCR stem cells, when transplanted to a fracture site, contribute to bone repair. "We are now trying to figure out whether we can persuade these cells to specifically regenerate after injury. If you make a fracture in the mouse, these cells will come alive again, generate both bone and cartilage in the mouse--and repair the fracture. The question is, could this happen in humans," says Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at CUMC and a senior author of the study. The researchers believe that OCR stem cells will be found in human bone tissue, as mice and humans have similar bone biology. Further study could provide greater understanding of how to prevent and treat osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, or … Continue reading →