For links to recent news items, visit these [Twitter] or [FriendFeed] pages. Examples of a few news items that have received attention:

• Split ends in CML: divergent roles of Hes1 by Catriona Jamieson, Blood 2010(Apr 8); 115(14): 2726-7 [FriendFeed entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation][Full text PDF]. A comment on: Hes1 immortalizes committed progenitors and plays a role in blast crisis transition in chronic myelogenous leukemia by Fumio Nakahara and 13 co-authors, Blood 2010(Apr 8); 115(14): 2872-81. [Epub 2009(Oct 27)][PubMed citation].
• Metabolism and the leukemic stem cell by Omar Abdel-Wahab and Ross L Levine, J Exp Med 2010(Apr 12); 207(4): 677-80 [Epub 2010(Apr 5)][FriendFeed entry][ResearchGATE entry][CiteULike entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation][Full text].
• A hypoxic niche regulates glioblastoma stem cells through hypoxia inducible factor 2alpha by Sascha Seidel and 13 co-authors, including Till Acker, Brain 2010(Apr); 133(Pt 4): 983-95 [FriendFeed entry][ResearchGATE entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation].

Medical Hypothesis: No small matter: microRNAs - key regulators of cancer stem cells by Qing Ji, David Karnak, Ping Hao, Rongquan Wang and Liang Xu, Int J Clin Exp Med 2010(Mar 12); 3(1): 84-7 [FriendFeed entry][Full text via PMC]. PubMed Abstract:

Emerging evidence demonstrates that both tumor suppressor and oncogenic miRNAs play an essential role in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation by negatively regulating the expression of certain key genes in stem cells. It seems logical that they may also be critical players in cancer stem cells. Though small in size, miRNAs play a key role in the epigenetic regulation of cancer stem cells. Specifically, the imbalance of oncogenic vs. tumor suppressor miRNAs may lead to dysregulation of cancer stem cells, thus causing excessive self-renewal and survival of cancer stem cells, and resistance to chemo/radiotherapy. We postulate that restoring the balance of miRNAs will correct this dysregulation via the direct and simultaneous modulation of downstream stem cell pathways involved in cancer stem cell self-renewal and/or differentiation. The resultant restoration of key regulatory pathways could improve therapeutic response. Restoring tumor suppressor miRNAs and/or inhibiting oncogenic miRNAs may provide a novel molecular therapy for human cancers, potentially via modulating cancer stem cells.

by Jean-Claude Alix, Naturopath

No single area of the body stands alone, everything is linked up. This is why medical specialisation is one of the greatest mistakes that was ever

made.

Viewed from this angle, hardly any two areas are so closely and deeply intertwined as the renal metabolism and the bone metabolism. Thus, it is understandable that weakness in the kidneys must necessarily result in weakness in the bones. The discussion of these interrelations is the

theme of this treatise.

Significance of the kidney as the centre of bone formation:

- The kidney as regulator of the

electrolytes

- The kidney as regulator of the

acid-alkaline balance

- The kidney as the base of anxiety Read more...

Joint Mender for Joint Care

Plans by  FDA to Adopt stricter standards for Bioequivalence, Bioavailability for generic drugs could sound trouble for Indian Generic Manufactures. Already most of the smaller companies are finding it difficult to get FDA approval letters. QSR Draft Guidance An industry working group has urged the FDA to consider adopting its guidance to outline quality system requirements (QSR) for bioequivalence and bioavailability testing during drug clinical trials.

There was a recent report in NY times that mentioned about several thousand patients receiving nitroglycerin tablets that were not approved by FDA http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/business/27nitro.html

FDA recently evaluated 2070 human studies conducted between 1996 and 2007. These studies compared the absorption of brand name and generic drugs into a person’s body. These studies were submitted to FDA to support approval of generics. The average difference in absorption into the body between the generic and the brand name was only 2.3%. Some generics were absorbed slightly more, some slightly less. This amount of difference would be expected and acceptable, whether for one batch of brand name drug tested against another batch of the same brand, or for a generic tested against a brand name. In fact, there have been studies in which branded drugs were compared with themselves, as well as with a generic. As a rule, the difference for the generic-to-brand comparison was about the same as the brandto- brand comparison” (www.fda.gov/ Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/Under standingGenericDrugs/ucm167991. htm)

Fore more updates attend the event below

Attend the http://www.informaglobalevents.com/event/beba

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), http://www.intlstemcell.com, today added two world-leading immunogeneticists to its scientific advisory board. They and ISCO scientists will study the immune-matching properties of ISCO's human parthenogenetic stem cell (hpSC) technology and the potential for each hpSC-derived therapeutic cell to be an immune-match for millions of people.

Dr. Hans-Dieter Volk, Professor of Immunology and Chair of the Institute of Medical Immunology and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) at Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, and Dr. Matthias von Herrath, Professor at the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology at University of San Diego, have agreed to join ISCO's scientific advisory board. Both have dedicated their careers to experimental and clinical immunology and are highly regarded immunogenetics experts internationally. They will be most valuable as ISCO attempts to demonstrate the unique immune-matching benefits of the hpSC technology experimentally and in clinical practice.

"We believe that providing human cells that can minimize rejection though immune-matching to the recipient is one of the most important tasks in developing effective regenerative medicine therapies," says Dr. Simon Craw, Vice President at ISCO. "We look forward to Drs. Volk and von Herrath helping us try to demonstrate how that need can be met with our parthenogenetic stem cells."

Embryonic stem cells (hESC) almost invariably have different forms of genes (called "alleles") at each genetic position of the paternal and maternal chromosomes, i.e. they are "heterozygous." This includes the human leukocyte antigen ("HLA") genes that are largely responsible for the distinction between "self" and "foreign," and thus acceptance or rejection of transplants. Since hESC are derived from fertilized embryos, they carry the genes of a unique individual, thus the therapeutic cells derived from hESC will carry HLA alleles that can be recognized as foreign and be rejected by most patients unless they receive immunosuppressive therapy. Such therapy is costly, has significant side effects, and often is disabling in the long term.

Like most individuals in the population, induced pluripotent stem cells ("iPS" cells) and adult stem cells are also predominantly heterozygous because they carry paternal and maternal chromosomes. They are a perfect immune match to the patient they came from and are therefore typically administered back to that same individual ("autologous therapy"). However, they would likely be rejected by most other recipients. Autologous therapy is time-consuming and expensive, which goes against the cost containment pressures globally. In addition, the quality of the therapy is directly related to the ability to secure clinically sufficient numbers of functional cells from the patient, which often poses a significant problem in clinical practice.

In contrast, the hpSCs developed by ISCO are derived from unfertilized eggs ("oocytes") that have been shown in peer-reviewed journals to exhibit unlimited proliferation potential and are pluripotent (can become cells from all three germ layers that form a human being). Most significantly, hpSC can be created in a "homozygous" state, where the alleles, including the HLA alleles, are the same at each genetic position. When these HLA alleles are also found with a high frequency in a population, these "HLA-homozygous" stem cells and their therapeutic derivatives have the potential to be immune matched to millions of people. For example, ISCO's first homozygous stem cell line with high-frequency HLA alleles has the potential to be immune matched to an estimated 75 million people worldwide.

Dr. Volk says: "Using my experience from transplantation immunology and medicine during the past three decades, I am very pleased to help ISCO in their efforts to make its hpSC technology a clinical reality where therapeutic cell derivatives will be immune matches for millions of people worldwide." Dr. von Herrath continues: "While stem cell technologies generally offer great regenerative potential, most clinical applications will be limited by immune rejection. I look much forward to joining ISCO in their quest for making stem cell-derived therapy a practical and attractive clinical option for many degenerative diseases."

Besides the immunogenetic developments, ISCO is advancing its hpSC technology into the differentiation of hpSC into therapeutic cells and tissues and into the establishment of processes and facilities to produce clinical-grade cells. The company is seeking to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of its hpSC technology as a safe, efficient, and superior alternative to other sources of stem cells for human therapy.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORPORATION (ISCO.OB):

International Stem Cell Corporation is a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic and research products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells with minimal immune rejection after transplantation into hundreds of millions of individuals of differing sexes, ages and racial groups. This offers the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™, while avoiding the ethical issue of using fertilized eggs. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology. More information is available at ISCO's website, http://www.internationalstemcell.com.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements pertaining to anticipated technological developments and therapeutic applications, and other opportunities for the company and its subsidiary, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "should," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the company's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Key Words: Stem Cells, Biotechnology, Parthenogenesis

International Stem Cell Corporation
Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman
760-940-6383
kaldrich@intlstemcell.com
or
Brian Lundstrom, President
760-640-6383
bl@intlstemcell.com

• Cancer Stem Cells: Back to Darwin? (review) [FriendFeed entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/csTyxT
• Cancer stem/progenitor cells are highly enriched in CD133+CD44+ population in hepatocellular carcinoma [FriendFeed entry][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/bwUz7C
• The nuclear receptor tailless induces long-term neural stem cell expansion and brain tumor initiation [FriendFeed entry][News release][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/cCjVZL
• Hedgehog Signaling and Cancer Stem Cells in Hematopoietic Cell Malignancies (USPTO Application) [FriendFeed entry] http://bit.ly/bSbbTF
• (WO2010037134) Multi-stage stem cell carcinogenesis [FriendFeed entry][WIPO entry] http://bit.ly/cnksOu
• (WO2010037041) Frizzled-binding agents and uses thereof (to target CSC ) [FriendFeed entry] http://bit.ly/aaSJNI
• Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Tumor-Initiating Cells and Its Clinical Implications in Breast Cancer (review) [FriendFeed entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/cEcBrJ
• Ovarian cancer stem-like side-population cells are tumourigenic and chemoresistant [FriendFeed entry][Connotea bookmark][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/cvoGt1
• Emerging strategies for the identification and targeting of cancer stem cells (review) [FriendFeed entry][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/bGOGfd
• Stem cells in human breast cancer (OA review) [FriendFeed entry][ResearchGATE entry][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/aF9E8U
• Side-population cells in luminal-type breast cancer have tumour-initiating cell properties, and are regulated by HER2 expression and signalling [FriendFeed entry][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/92VkLU
• Hypoxia inducible factors in cancer stem cells (minireview) [FriendFeed entry][PubMed citation] http://bit.ly/bGBdxN
• Classic view of cancer challenged by new theory (about the CSC model) [FriendFeed entry] http://bit.ly/decqFe
• New hope in the horizon: cancer stems cells (OA review) [FriendFeed entry][PubGet entry][Full text PDF] http://bit.ly/9HLmV0