| ESC & iPSC News 13.00 January 3, 2018 | |
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TOP STORYInvestigators showed that transplantation of the human ESC-retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell sheets grown on a human amniotic membrane scaffold resulted in rescue of photoreceptor cell death and improved visual acuity in rats with retinal degeneration compared to human ESC-RPE cells injected as a cell suspension. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Scientists demonstrated that the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), essential for photoreceptor development and function, requires a functional primary cilium for complete maturation and that RPE maturation defects in ciliopathies precede photoreceptor degeneration. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract Distinct SoxB1 Networks Are Required for Naive and Primed Pluripotency The authors showed that Sox2 can be deleted from epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) with impunity. This is due to a shift in the balance of SoxB1 expression in EpiSCs, which have decreased Sox2 and increased Sox3 compared to ESCs. [Elife] Abstract Researchers demonstrated the generation of heterozygous and compound heterozygous induced pluripotent stem cells from a single chimeric patient, who suffered from complete autosomal recessive interferon gamma (IFNγ) R1 deficiency and received bone-marrow transplantation. Loss of IFNγR1 expression had no influence on the macrophage differentiation potential of patient-specific iPSCs. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract The authors showed that the O-GlcNAc on the phosphorylation site of PKCζ inhibits PKCζ phosphorylation (activation) and, consequently, the FGF4-PKCζ-MEK-ERK1/2 pathway in ESCs. They demonstrated the mechanism for the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of ESCs via the inhibition of the FGF4-PKCζ-MEK-ERK1/2 pathway by O-GlcNAcylation on PKCζ. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract Researchers demonstrated that multiple endocytosis associated genes (EAGs) are repressed through a novel, dual mechanism in mouse embryonic stem cells. This involves the action of the Polycomb Repressive Complex, PRC2, as well as post-transcriptional regulation by the ESC-specific cell cycle-regulating (ESCC) family of microRNAs. [Sci Rep] Full Article Scientists established a simple method for human iPSC aggregate break–up using botulinum hemagglutinin (HA), which specifically bound with E–cadherin and disrupted cell–cell connections in human iPSC aggregates. Human iPSC aggregates broken up by HA showed a higher number of live cells, higher cell density, and higher expansion fold compared to those of aggregates dissociated with enzymatic digestion. [Biotechnol Bioeng] Abstract Investigators utilized Fosl1, previously implicated in trophoblast giant cell development as a member of the AP-1 complex, to trans-differentiate embryonic stem cells to trophoblast lineage-like cells. They first showed that the ectopic expression of Fosl1 is sufficient to induce trophoblast-specific gene expression programs in ESCs. [Stem Cell Res] Full Article The author reports isolation and characterization of placental mesenchymal stromal cells (PMSCs) followed by reprogramming of PMSCs to induced pluripotent stem cells. The placental human iPSC line was pluripotent with high telomerase activity, genetically identical to parental PMSCs, transgene free, karyotypically normal and differentiates into ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm both in vitro and in vivo. [Stem Cell Res] Abstract Researchers report that the leukemia inhibitory factor from a teleost fish, Nile tilapia, is essential for the proliferation, survival, and pluripotency maintenance of Nile tilapia ES cells by activating the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3). [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract Scientists developed a new model of vector-based convolutional neural network with respect to extracted features of the induced pluripotent stem cell colony for distinguishing colony characteristics. [PLoS One] Full Article |
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REVIEWSCurrent Advances and Limitations in Modeling ALS/FTD in a Dish Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells The authors summarize the work related to iPSC models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In addition, they discuss potential drawbacks and solutions for establishing more trustworthy iPSC models for both ALS and FTD. [Front Neurosci] Full Article Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field. |
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INDUSTRY NEWSQ Therapeutics Announces Research Collaboration with REPROCELL Q Therapeutics, Inc. announced a collaborative research agreement with REPROCELL Inc. that combines each company’s proprietary technologies to develop new iPS cell therapies for central nervous system diseases. [Q Therapeutics, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release CIRM Grants ViaCyte $1.4M to Create Immune-Evasive Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines ViaCyte, Inc. announced that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved a grant of $1.4 million to support the initial development of immune-evasive pluripotent stem cell lines. The focus of the project will be to genetically engineer the Company’s CyT49 pluripotent stem cell line. [ViaCyte, Inc.] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSNew NCI Director Expects Big Data to Revolutionize Cancer Research, Care Cancer researchers were nervous early this year about who President Donald Trump would choose to replace Harold Varmus as director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). But their fears of an unconventional candidate proved unfounded when he tapped Norman “Ned” Sharpless. Sharpless, 51, who was then director of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Nobel Laureate Will Step Down from Leading Embattled Salk Institute Elizabeth Blackburn, the Nobel Prize–winning molecular biologist who took over just two years ago as president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California, announced her intent to retire next summer. The unexpected news comes as Salk faces gender discrimination lawsuits from three veteran female scientists and Blackburn herself has been challenged for not moving quickly enough to change what one plaintiff’s suit called an “old boys club” at the renowned research institute. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Chile Election Reignites Tussle over Science Policy Chile’s new President-elect Sebastián Piñera is poised to reshape science policy in the country. His plans to forge closer ties among science, education and industry have sparked enthusiasm from scientists who hope the plan will bolster support for their work — but also concern about possible changes in research priorities. [Nature News] Editorial Facebook Billionaire Pours Funds into High-Risk Research After his plan to test a cancer vaccine for middle-aged pet dogs was rejected by the US National Institutes of Health, inventor and biochemist Stephen Johnston sought funding outside the mainstream system. The Open Philanthropy Project, a grant-giving organization that is largely funded by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife Cari Tuna, announced that Johnston will receive US$6.4 million to test the vaccine he developed. [Nature News] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) Spring Meeting 2018 Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Postdoctoral Research Fellows – Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (The University of Queensland) NEW Postdoctoral Position – Regenerative Medicine (University of Pennsylvania) NEW Investigator – Stem Cell (Blood Research Institute) Quality Control Analyst – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Postdoctoral Fellows – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Stanford University) Faculty Positions – Stem Cells or Organoid Models (Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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