stem cells

Protein delivery improves liver stem cell engraftment

harminka — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:22:39 -0500

Researchers at INSERM (France) have engineered a chimeric protein that increases cell survival, migration and proliferation to improve stem cell engraftment. The results, which appear in the September 2009 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, show that TAT-Tpr-Met, a cell permeable form of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor can increase the number of hepatic stem cells integrated into the liver of the mouse.

New layer of control over human embryonic stem cells found

harminka — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:26:55 -0500

Researchers have discovered an added layer of complexity in the network that determines human embryonic stem cell fate.

Stem Cell Treatment for Macular Degeneration Discovered

Michael Santo — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:17:02 -0500

The most common cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration. British scientists say they have developed a stem cell procedure that will reverse the effects of the disease.

Stem cell therapy makes cloudy corneas clear

harminka — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:03:18 -0500

Stem cells collected from human corneas restore transparency and don't trigger a rejection response when injected into eyes that are scarred and hazy, according to experiments conducted in mice by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their study will be published in the journal Stem Cells and appears online today.

Human embryonic stem cells as a treatment of oral diseases

harminka — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:52:49 -0500

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) provide a potentially unlimited source of oral mucosal tissues that may revolutionize the treatment of oral diseases. When fully exploited in the future, this source of cells will be able to produce functional tissues to treat a broad variety of oral diseases.

New way to make stem cells avoids risk of cancer

harminka — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:49:55 -0500

A team of scientists has advanced stem cell research by finding a way to endow human skin cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties without inserting potentially problematic new genes into their DNA.

Protein is key to embryonic stem cell differentiation

harminka — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:47:04 -0500

Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have learned that a protein called Shp2 plays a critical role in the pathways that control decisions for differentiation or self-renewal in both human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).

Potential pathway for drug intervention identified

harminka — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:52:34 -0500

A newly identified molecular pathway that directs stem cells to produce glial cells yields insights into the neurobiology of Down's syndrome and a number of central nervous system disorders characterized by too many glial cells, according to a recent study by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Critical growth factor that stimulates sperm stem cells to thrive

harminka — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:18:05 -0600

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Pennsylvania State University have identified for the first time a specific “niche factor” in the mouse testes called colony stimulating factor 1, Csf1, that has a direct effect on sperm stem cell self-renewal.

Stem cell research without ethical trouble?

mattwion — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:56:52 -0600

The BBC is reporting that advances in stem cell studies may permit researchers to gain all the benefits of stem cell research without having to destroy any embryos

Researchers Unlock Molecular Origin of Blood Stem Cells

harminka — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:38:17 -0600

A research team led by Nancy Speck, PhD, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has identified the location and developmental timeline in which a majority of bone marrow stem cells form in the mouse embryo.

Cell's inactive state is critical for effectiveness of cancer treatment

harminka — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:15:10 -0600

A new study sheds light on a little understood biological process called quiescence, which enables blood-forming stem cells to exist in a dormant or inactive state in which they are not growing or dividing.