Connie K. Ho for RedOrbit.com A new study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has discovered two adult stem cell-like subpopulations in adult human skin. The findings allow for further research to be done in the area of personalized medicine and patient-specific cellular therapies. The study, using technology from Fibrocell Science, allowed the researchers to identify and confirm two types of cells in human skin cell cultures; the possible source of stem cell-like subpopulations from skin biopsies would be faster to perform, painless, and less invasive than current extractions from adipose tissues and bone marrow. The research, featured in the inaugural issue of BioResearch Open Access, discusses two subtypes of cells. BioResearch Open Access is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed journal. It features scientific topics like biochemistry, bioengineering, gene therapy, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, stem cells, systems biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, and virology. Being able to identify two sub-populations of rare, viable and functional cells that behave like stem cells from within the skin is an important finding because both cell types have the potential to be investigated for diverse clinical applications, commented Dr. James A. Bryne, lead author of the report. Brynes research, first at … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Main Category: Ear, Nose and Throat Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine;Cancer / Oncology;Stem Cell Research Article Date: 11 May 2012 - 10:00 PDT Current Article Ratings: The researchers note this finding could enhance the quality of life of 500,000 individuals with head and neck cancer each year worldwide. The team found that the stem cells needed for regenerating the parotid gland (the largest pair of salivary glands) were primarily located in the major ducts of the gland. According to the researchers, these cells could be easily avoided during radiotherapy or given a minimal radiation dose. Dr. Peter van Luijk, a research associate at the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands, explained: Findings from the study were presented at the 31st conference of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO31). Dry mouth syndrome is a condition in which there is not enough saliva in the mouth. The condition can occur when the parotid gland stops functioning properly after radiation damage. Symptoms of dry mouth syndrome include difficulty sleeping, eating, tooth decay or loss, and bad breath. These symptoms lead to poorer quality of life and difficulty working, as well as social isolation. The majority of treatments … Continue reading →

A new study suggests stem cells may be able to act as a shield to protect the body from the harmful side effects of chemotherapy, the BBC News reported. As chemotherapy drugs attempt to kill cancer drugs, they can also affect the bone marrow and other healthy tissues. In a new study, however, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle were able to use genetically modified stem cells to protect the bone marrow. The bone marrow is very susceptible to chemotherapy, and in response to the treatment, produces less blood cells. This leaves the body more prone to infection and fatigue. Stem cell shielding appeared to stave off some of these negative side effects. Researchers took bone marrow from patients with brain cancer and isolated the stem cells. They infected the cells with a virus which carried a gene to protect the cells against a chemotherapy drug, and then re-implanted the cells into the patients. "We found that patients were able to tolerate the chemotherapy better, and without negative side effects, after transplantation of the gene-modified stem cells than patients in previous studies who received the same type of chemotherapy without a transplant of gene-modified stem cells, … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (May 11, 2012) New research findings show that embryonic stem cells unable to fully compact the DNA inside them cannot complete their primary task: differentiation into specific cell types that give rise to the various types of tissues and structures in the body. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University found that chromatin compaction is required for proper embryonic stem cell differentiation to occur. Chromatin, which is composed of histone proteins and DNA, packages DNA into a smaller volume so that it fits inside a cell. A study published on May 10, 2012 in the journal PLoS Genetics found that embryonic stem cells lacking several histone H1 subtypes and exhibiting reduced chromatin compaction suffered from impaired differentiation under multiple scenarios and demonstrated inefficiency in silencing genes that must be suppressed to induce differentiation. "While researchers have observed that embryonic stem cells exhibit a relaxed, open chromatin structure and differentiated cells exhibit a compact chromatin structure, our study is the first to show that this compaction is not a mere consequence of the differentiation process but is instead a necessity for differentiation to proceed normally," said Yuhong Fan, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of … Continue reading →

By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- A new treatment that involves spinning bone marrow stem cells to enhance their healing potential may help people with advanced heart failure feel and function better, a small study suggests. Researchers developed the treatment by culturing a patient's own bone marrow for 12 days. This process helped increase the amount of immune cells and stem cells that can differentiate into several different cell types, including heart cells. Those cells were then injected into heart muscle. The study was funded by treatment manufacturer Aastrom Biosciences. According to the findings, this treatment was safe, helped repair the damaged heart muscle and reversed some heart failure symptoms, when compared to a placebo injection. The findings were to be presented Thursday at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions annual meeting, in Las Vegas. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that about 5.8 million people in the United States have heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and abdomen. There is no cure; treatment … Continue reading →