stem cells

Stem cell research puts interstate rivalry on hold

harminka — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:41:55 -0500

Victoria and New South Wales have put aside their competitive interstate rivalry to collaborate on a stem cell research project, as announced by Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings and NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, Verity Firth, today.

Stem cells stand up for themselves

harminka — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:29:17 -0500

Adult stem cells are not pampered pushovers. O'Reilly et al. report that certain stem cells take charge of their surroundings, molding their environment to control their division and differentiation.

Scientists replicate diseases in the lab with new stem cell lines

harminka — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:37:51 -0500

A set of new stem cell lines will make it possible for researchers to explore ten different genetic disorders—including muscular dystrophy, juvenile diabetes, and Parkinson's disease—in a variety of cell and tissue types as they develop in laboratory cultures.

Scientists replicate diseases in the lab with new stem cell lines

harminka — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:31:44 -0500

A set of new stem cell lines will make it possible for researchers to explore ten different genetic disorders—including muscular dystrophy, juvenile diabetes, and Parkinson's disease—in a variety of cell and tissue types as they develop in laboratory cultures.

First disease-specific stem cells from human skin cells

harminka — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:14:14 -0500

A team of researchers from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and Columbia University, in a collaboration catalyzed by the Project A.L.S./Jenifer Estess Laboratory for Stem Cell Research, has demonstrated that pluripotent stem cells generated from a patient with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) can be directed to differentiate into motor neurons—the very brain cells destroyed by ALS.

Adult stem cells activated in mammalian brain

harminka — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:06:07 -0500

Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to disease or injury, a study by UC Irvine scientists has shown.

Some areas of the body have greater concentrations of stem cells

harminka — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:08:27 -0500

Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Stem cell chicken and egg debate moves to unlikely arena

harminka — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:37:07 -0500

Logic says it has to be the niche. As air and water preceded life, so the niche, that hospitable environment that shelters adult stem cells in many tissues and provides factors necessary to keep them young and vital, must have emerged before its stem cell dependents.

Muscle stem cell transplant boosts diseased muscle function

harminka — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:06:32 -0500

Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted muscle stem cells can both improve muscle function in animals with a form of muscular dystrophy and replenish the stem cell population for use in the repair of future muscle injuries.

Gene directs stem cells to build the heart

harminka — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:28:29 -0500

Researchers have shown that they can put mouse embryonic stem cells to work building the heart, potentially moving medical science a significant step closer to a new generation of heart disease treatments that use human stem cells.

New technique produces genetically identical stem cells

harminka — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:42:17 -0500

Adult cells of mice created from genetically reprogrammed cells—so-called induced pluripotent stem (IPS) stem cells—can be triggered via drug to enter an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, without the need for further genetic alteration.

Salk researchers reprogram adult stem cells in their natural environment

harminka — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:53:19 -0500

In recent years, stem cell researchers have become very adept at manipulating the fate of adult stem cells cultured in the lab. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies achieved the same feat with adult neural stem cells still in place in the brain.