Stem cells can have a strong sense of identity. Taken out of their home in the hair follicle, for example, and grown in culture, these cells remain true to themselves. After waiting in limbo, these cultured cells become capable of regenerating follicles and other skin structures once transplanted back into skin. It's not clear just how these stem cells -- and others elsewhere in the body -- retain their ability to produce new tissue and heal wounds, even under extraordinary conditions.

New research at Rockefeller University has identified a protein, Sox9, that takes the lead in controlling stem cell plasticity. In a paper published Wednesday (March 18) in Nature, the team describes Sox9 as a "pioneer factor" that breaks ground for the activation of genes associated with stem cell identity in the hair follicle.

"We found that in the hair follicle, Sox9 lays the foundation for stem cell plasticity. First, Sox9 makes the genes needed by stem cells accessible, so they can become active. Then, Sox9 recruits other proteins that work together to give these "stemness" genes a boost, amplifying their expression," says study author Elaine Fuchs, Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor, Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development. "Without Sox9, this process never happens, and hair follicle stem cells cannot survive."

Sox9 is a type of protein called a transcription factor, which can act like a volume dial for genes. When a transcription factor binds to a segment of DNA known as an enhancer, it cranks up the activity of the associated gene. Recently, scientists identified a less common, but more powerful version: the super-enhancer. Super-enhancers are much longer pieces of DNA, and host large numbers of cell type-specific transcription factors that bind cooperatively. Super-enhancers also contain histones, DNA-packaging proteins, that harbor specific chemical groups -- epigenetic marks -- that make genes they are associated with accessible so they can be expressed.

Using an epigenetic mark associated specifically with the histones of enhancers, first author Rene Adam, a graduate student in the lab, and colleagues, identified 377 of these high-powered gene-amplifying regions in hair follicle stem cells. The majority of these super-enhancers were bound by at least five transcription factors, often including Sox9. Then, they compared the stem cell super-enhancers to those of short-lived stem cell progeny, which have begun to choose a fate, and so lost the plasticity of stem cells. These two types of cells shared only 32 percent of their super-enhancers, suggesting these regions played an important role in skin cell identity. By switching off super-enhancers associated with stem cell genes, these genes were silenced while new super-enhancers were being activated to turn on hair genes.

To better understand these dynamics, the researchers took a piece of a super-enhancer, called an epicenter, where all the stem cell transcription factors bind, and they linked it to a gene that glowed green whenever the transcription factors were present. In living mice, all the hair follicle stem cells glowed green, but surprisingly, the green gene turned off when the stem cells were taken from the follicle and placed in culture. When they put the cells back into living skin, the green glow returned.

Another clue came from experiments performed by Hanseul Yang, another student in the lab. By examining the new super-enhancers that were gained when the stem cells were cultured, they learned that these new super-enhancers bound transcription factors that were known to be activated during wound-repair. When they used one of these epicenters to drive the green gene, the green glow appeared in culture, but not in skin. When they wounded the skin, then the green glow switched on.

"We were learning that some super-enhancers are specifically activated in the stem cells within their native niche, while other super-enhancers specifically switch on during injury," explained Adam. "By shifting epicenters, you can shift from one cohort of transcription factors to another to adapt to different environments. But we still needed to determine what was controlling these shifts."

The culprit turned out to be Sox9, the only transcription factor expressed in both living tissue and culture. Further experiments confirmed Sox9's importance by showing, for example, that removing it spelled death for stem cells, while expressing it in the epidermis gave the skin cells features of hair follicle stem cells. These powers seemed to be special to Sox9, placing it atop the hierarchy of transcription factors in the stem cells. Sox9 is one of only a few pioneer factors known in biology that can initiate such dramatic changes in gene expression.

"Importantly, we link this pioneer factor to super-enhancer dynamics, giving these domains a 'one-two punch' in governing cell identity. In the case of stem cell plasticity, Sox9 appears to be the lead factor that activates the super-enhancers that amplify genes associated with stemness," Fuchs says. "These discoveries offer new insights into the way in which stem cells choose their fates and maintain plasticity while in transitional states, such as in culture or when repairing wounds."

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Scientists pinpoint molecule that controls stem cell plasticity by boosting gene expression

New York, March 20 (IANS): High stress levels can have a critical impact not only on the surface, making our skin age, but also on a molecular level, when stressed cells cannot cope with the pressure and perish much faster than the ones which can.

In a new research report released on Thursday, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, analysed blood stem cells and found that the cell's ability to repair damage in the mitochondria, their power source, was critical to their survival.

Researchers tried to "relax" these stressed-out cells by slowing down the activity of their mitochondria.

"We found that by slowing down the activity of mitochondria in the blood stem cells of mice, we were able to enhance their capacity to handle stress and rejuvenate old blood. This confirms the significance of this pathway in the aging process," Xinhua news agency quoted Danica Chen, an assistant professor with the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology.

This pathway lies mainly in the multitude of proteins that need to be folded properly for the mitochondria to function correctly. When the folding goes awry, the mitochondrial unfolded-protein response, or UPRmt, kicks in to boost the production of specific proteins to fix or remove the misfolded protein.

Researchers found that certain proteins known as SIRT7 help cells cope with the stress of unfolding the proteins in the mitochondria, helping those with higher levels of SIRT7 survive longer by making them "unwind". But the levels of SIRT7 decrease as people age.

"The protein level decreases as years go by," Chen said. "But if we increase this protein in blood stem cells, we can make them live longer. Cells in general don't just die suddenly; they are submitted to high stress levels and lose their functions with age."

Chen does not want to encourage the thought that she and other researchers have found the "fountain of youth", but more of a new path for study.

"We still don't know if this would work on other kinds of stem cells, such as pancreatic stem cells or heart cells, and we don't have any expertise with those tissues, so we would be very happy to collaborate with other laboratories to tackle the matter," she said.

The study, published on Thursday in the Science journal, is expected to help researchers gain more insight into the aging process, and even slow it down.

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Fountain of youth might hide in 'relaxed' stem cells: Study

MIAMI (PRWEB) March 19, 2015

Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiary, Stem Cells Training, has coordinated with Emil Arroyo, M.D. and Horacio Oliver, M.D. to conduct the first of four stem cell training courses planned for Bolivia in 2015. Devised to meet the increasing demand for regenerative medicine techniques in the region, the first adipose derived harvesting, isolation and re-integration training course will take place April 4 and 5, 2015, in Santa Cruz.

The two-day, hands-on intensive training course was developed for physicians and high-level practitioners to learn the techniques in harvesting and reintegrating stem cells derived from adipose tissue and bone marrow. The objective of the training is to provide physicians with practical stem cell medicine techniques they can use in-office to treat a variety of conditions in their patients.

For more information, visit the Global Stem Cells Group website, email info(at)stemcelltraining(dot)net, or call 305-224-1858.

About Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.

With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

About Stem Cell Training, Inc.:

Stem Cell Training, Inc. is a multi-disciplinary company offering coursework and training in 35 cities worldwide. The coursework offered focuses on minimally invasive techniques for harvesting stem cells from adipose tissue, bone marrow and platelet-rich plasma. By equipping physicians with these techniques, the goal is to enable them to return to their practices, better able to apply these techniques in patient treatments.

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Global Stem Cells Group to Hold Practical Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Harvesting, Isolation and Re-integration Training ...

Written by Lidia Dinkova on March 18, 2015

University of Miami stem cell research on generating healthy heart tissue in heart attack survivors is on track to be tested across the US.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of federal medical research arm the National Institutes of Health, is to fund the $8 million cost if the trial wins necessary approvals.

The trial, the first of this research in humans, is a step toward restoring full heart function in heart attack survivors.

The research developed at the UM Miller School of Medicines Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute is on combining two types of stem cells to generate healthy heart tissue in heart attack survivors. Scientists have in the past studied using one type of stem cell at a time, a method thats worked OK, said Dr. Joshua Hare, founding director of the UM stem cell institute.

But UM research shows that combining two types of stem cells expedites healing and regeneration of healthy heart muscle.

We could remove twice the scar tissue than with either cell alone, Dr. Hare said. We had some scientific information that they actually interacted and worked together, so we tested that. It worked.

Researchers combined mesenchymal stem cells, usually generated from human bone marrow, and cardiac stem cells, isolated from a mammals heart.

Stem cells are cells that havent matured to specialize to work in a particular part of the body, such as the heart. Because these cells are in a way nascent, they have the potential to become specialized for a particular body function.

Doctors have been using stem cells to regenerate lost tissue from bones to heart muscle. The mesenchymal and cardiac stem cells each work well in generating healthy heart tissue in heart attack survivors, Dr. Hare said. Combining them expedites the process, according to the UM research.

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UM stem cell research on heart may go national

The human gut is a remarkable thing. Every week the intestines regenerate a new lining, sloughing off the equivalent surface area of a studio apartment and refurbishing it with new cells. For decades, researchers have known that the party responsible for this extreme makeover were intestinal stem cells, but it wasn't until this year that Scott Magness, PhD, associate professor of medicine, cell biology and physiology, and biomedical engineering, figured out a way to isolate and grow thousands of these elusive cells in the laboratory at one time. This high throughput technological advance now promises to give scientists the ability to study stem cell biology and explore the origins of inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal cancers, and other gastrointestinal disorders.

But it didn't come easy.

One Step Forward . . .

When Magness and his team first began working with intestinal stem cells some years ago, they quickly found themselves behind the eight ball. Their first technique involved using a specific molecule or marker on the surface of stem cells to make sure they could distinguish stem cells from other intestinal cells. Then Magness's team would fish out only the stem cells from intestinal tissues and grow the cells in Petri dishes. But there was a problem. Even though all of the isolated cells had the same stem cell marker, only one out of every 100 could "self-renew" and differentiate into specialized cells like a typical stem cell should. (Stem cells spawn cells that have specialized functions necessary for any organ to work properly.)

"The question was: why didn't the 99 others behave like stem cells?" Magness said. "We thought it was probably because they're not all the same, just like everybody named Judy doesn't look the same. There are all kinds of differences, and we've been presuming that these cells are all the same based on this one name, this one molecular marker. That's been a problem. But the only way to solve it so we could study these cells was to look at intestinal stem cells at the single cell level, which had never been done before."

Magness is among a growing contingent of researchers who recognize that many of the biological processes underlying health and disease are driven by a tiny fraction of the 37 trillion cells that make up the human body. Individual cells can replenish aging tissues, develop drug resistance, and become vehicles for viral infections. And yet the effects of these singular actors are often missed in biological studies that focus on pooled populations of thousands of seemingly "identical" cells.

Distinguishing between the true intestinal stem cells and their cellular look-a-likes would require isolating tens of thousands of stem cells and tracking the behavior of each individual cell over time. But Magness had no idea how to accomplish that feat. Enter Nancy Allbritton, PhD, chair of the UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. The two professors met one day to discuss Magness joining the biomedical engineering department as an adjunct faculty member. And they did discuss it. And Magness did join. But the meeting quickly turned into collaboration. One of Allbritton's areas of expertise is microfabrication -- the ability to squeeze large devices into very small footprints. During their meeting, Allbritton showed Magness her latest creation, a device smaller than a credit card dotted with 15,000 tiny wells for culturing cells.

"It was like a light bulb went off, and I realized I was looking at the answer to a billion of our problems," Magness said.

Micro Magic

Each microwell is as thick as a strand of hair. By placing individual stem cells into the microwells, Magness and postdoctoral fellow Adam Gracz, PhD, could watch the cells grow into fully developed tissue structures known as mini-guts. Each microwell could be stamped with a specific address, which would allow researchers to track stem cells that were behaving as expected and those that weren't.

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A Single-Cell Breakthrough: newly developed technology dissects properties of single stem cells

Nova Cells Institute treatment Report, stem cell therapy, 562-916-3410
Nova Cells Institute stem cell treatment report shows success with spina bifida, lewy body dementia, cancer patients and more - visit http://www.novacellsinstitute.com to learn more.

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Nova Cells Institute treatment Report, stem cell therapy, 562-916-3410 - Video

Miracle stem cell therapy reverses multiple sclerosis
Latest research on stem cell therapy in curing MS.

By: Dulci Hill

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Miracle stem cell therapy reverses multiple sclerosis - Video

Posted: Thursday, March 12, 2015 7:08 PM

UCLA stem-cell researchers have shown that a novel stem-cell gene therapy method could one day provide a one-time, lasting treatment for the most common inherited blood disorder in the U.S. sickle cell disease. Publishedin the journal Blood, the study outlines a method that corrects the mutated gene that causes sickle cell disease and shows, for the first time, the gene correction method leads to the production of normal red blood cells. The study was directed by renowned stem cell researcher and UCLA Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research member, Dr. Donald Kohn.

People with sickle cell disease are born with a mutation in their beta-globin gene, which is responsible for delivering oxygen to the body through blood circulation. The mutation causes blood stem cellswhich are made in the bone marrowto produce distorted and rigid red blood cells that resemble a crescent or sickle shape. Consequently, the abnormally shaped red blood cells do not move smoothly through blood vessels, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply to vital organs. Anyone can be born with sickle cell disease, but it occurs more frequently in African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

The stem-cell gene therapy method described in the study seeks to directly correct the mutation in the beta-globin gene so bone marrow stem cells then produce normal, circular-shaped blood cells that do not sickle. The fascinating gene correction technique used specially engineered enzymes, called zinc-finger nucleases, tocut out the mutated genetic code and replace it with a corrected version that repairs the beta-globin mutation.

For the study, bone marrow stem cells donated by people with the sickle cell gene mutation were treated in the laboratory with the zinc-finger nucleases enzyme cutting method.Kohn and his team then demonstrated in mouse models that thecorrected bone-marrow stem cells have the capability to replicate successfully. The research showed that the method holds the potential to permanently treat the disease if a higher level of correction is achieved.

This is a very exciting result,said Dr. Kohn, professor of pediatrics atUCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine, professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics in Life Sciences at UCLA, member of the UCLA Childrens Discovery and Innovation Institute at Mattel Childrens Hospital and senior author on the study. It suggests the future direction for treating genetic diseases will be by correcting the specific mutation in a patients genetic code. Since sickle cell disease was the first human genetic disease where we understood the fundamental gene defect,and since everyone with sickle cell has the exact same mutation in the beta-globin gene, it is a great target for this gene correction method.

To make the cut in the genetic code, Dr. Kohn and his team used zinc-finger nucleases engineered by Sangamo BioSciences, Inc., in Richmond. The enzymes can be designed to recognize a specific and targeted point in the genetic code. For the study, scientists at Sangamo BioSciences engineered the enzymes to create a cut at the site of the mutated genetic code that causes sickle cell disease. This break triggered a natural process of repair in the cell and at the same time, a molecule containing the correct genetic code was inserted to replace the mutated code.

The next steps in this research will involve improving the efficiency of the mutation correction process and performing pre-clinical studies to demonstrate that the method is effective and safe enough to move to clinical trials.

Symptoms of sickle cell disease usually begin in early childhood and include a low number of red blood cells (anemia), repeated infections and periodic episodes of pain. People with sickle cell disease typically have a shortened lifespan of just 36-40 years of age. The disease impacts more than 250,000 new patients worldwide each year. The only cure currently available for sickle cell disease is a transplant of bone marrow stem cells from a matched sibling, but matches are rare or can result in rejection of the transplanted cells.

This is a promising first step in showing that gene correction has the potential to help patients with sickle cell disease, said Megan Hoban, a senior graduate student in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and first author on the study. The study data provide the foundational evidence that the method is viable.

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UCLA Research Shows Promising Method For Correcting Genetic Code To Treat Sickle Cell Disease

Researchers have recently converted human skin cells into appetite controlling neurons for the first time ever, which might eventually provide obesity cure.

The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and at the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), found that cells provided individualized model for studying obesity and testing treatments.

To make the neurons, human skin cells were first genetically reprogrammed to become induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Like natural stem cells, iPS cells are capable of developing into any kind of adult cell when given a specific set of molecular signals in a specific order.

The iPS cell technology has been used to create a variety of adult human cell types, including insulin-producing beta cells and forebrain and motor neurons.

The CUMC/NYSCF team determined which signals are needed to transform iPS cells into arcuate hypothalamic neurons, a neuron subtype that regulates appetite. The transformation process took about 30 days.

The neurons were found to display key functional properties of mouse arcuate hypothalamic neurons, including the ability to accurately process and secrete specific neuropeptides and to respond to metabolic signals such as insulin and leptin.

The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. (ANI)

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Human skin may harbor obesity cure

Platelet Rich Plasma - PRP and Adult Stem Cell Therapy
DPM Debra Weinstock discusses #prp and #stemcell injections that may help you avoid surgery and alleviate your foot and ankle pain! #CrossBayFCC is located i...

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Platelet Rich Plasma - PRP and Adult Stem Cell Therapy - Video

Stem Cell-Enhanced Anterior Collateral Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction
Dr. McKenna discusses how using a patient #39;s own bone marrow stem cells augmented with AlphaGEMS amniotic tissue product can reduce recovery time from ACL sur...

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Stem Cell-Enhanced Anterior Collateral Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction - Video

World Over - 2015-02-26 - Vatican latest, ISIS, stem cell therapy, Ray Flynn with Raymond Arroyo
RAY FLYNN, former Mayor of Boston and former US Ambassador to the Vatican on the latest papal news from Rome and his efforts to work with the medical communi...

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World Over - 2015-02-26 - Vatican latest, ISIS, stem cell therapy, Ray Flynn with Raymond Arroyo - Video

How PhytoCellTec Solar Vitis Works - Skin UV protection Stem Cell
Solar Vitis is based on stem cells from the GamayTeinturierFraux grape - a grape of Burgundy, which is characterized by an extremely high content of polyphe...

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How PhytoCellTec Solar Vitis Works - Skin UV protection Stem Cell - Video

Stem cell therapy in AKI Dr Mohamed Kamal
Stem cell therapy in AKI Dr Mohamed Kamal.

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Stem Cell Therapy in Osteo Arthritis Knee
stem cell india, stem cell therapy india, stem cell in india, stem cell therapy in india, india stem cell, india stem cell therapy, Osteo Arthritis Knee.

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Greenbrae, CA, March 03, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Oxyderm Wrinkle Cream by INDERMICA Inc. is an innovative skin care product which is free of artificial preservatives; uses innovative apple, grape and alpine rose stem cells to help reverse the signs of aging, helps filling in fine lines while hydrating and smoothing-out skin texture for a youthful glow.

The Patent Pending formula offers the benefits of: -Fast penetration -Cell cleansing by displacing CO2 from the skin -Forehead globular muscular relaxation -Wrinkle reduction and an overall soft-skin feel. The combination of natural ingredients blended with new-age compounds bridge the gap between science and nature.

About Earth Day 2015 Earth Days 45th anniversary (April 22nd) - could be the most exciting year in environmental history. The year in which economic growth and sustainability join hands. This is the year in which world leaders finally pass a binding climate change treaty.

About Elevate Magazine: Elevate Magazine has been Canada's authority on cosmetic enhancement, wellness and anti-aging for over 13 years. Elevate covers every aspect of cosmetic enhancement, offering readers the latest health and beauty news.

About INDERMICA Inc.

INDERMICA Inc. is a manufacturer and global distributor of comprehensive skin restoration professional treatments and take-home systems. The global presence of INDERMICA labs allows them to provide skin-rebuilding formulations that accommodate all skin types throughout the world; committed to creating products that gently return the skin to a young, healthy glow.

Hydroquinone and paraben free; the INDERMICA innovative skin care and treatment products boast a combination of natural ingredients blended with leading-edge compounds. They use a comprehensive and scientific process of layering molecules to prepare, correct and protect damaged and aging skin.

Contact Information: Media Enquiries: Sandra J. Freer comments@sdapublishing.com 416-239-0781 For product information: http://www.indermica.com

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INDERMICA Oxyderm Wrinkle Cream Featured in Elevate Magazine

Since the first experimental bone marrow transplant over 50 years ago, more than one million hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) have been performed in 75 countries, according to new research charting the remarkable growth in the worldwide use of HSCT, published in The Lancet Haematology journal.

However, the findings reveal striking variations between countries and regions in the use of this lifesaving procedure and high unmet need due to a chronic shortage of resources and donors that is putting lives at risk.

HSCT (also known as blood and marrow transplant) is most often used to treat diseases of the blood and several types of cancer such as multiple myeloma or leukaemia. For many people with these diseases the only possibility of a cure is to have a HSCT. The procedure provides healthy cells from either the patient (autologous transplantation) or from a healthy donor (allogeneic transplantation) to replace those lost to disease or chemotherapy.

Using data collected by the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT), Professor Dietger Niederwieser from the University Hospital Leipzig in Germany and international colleagues, systematically analysed the growth of HSCT and changes in its use in 194 WHO member countries since the first transplant in 1957. They also examined the link between macroeconomic factors (eg, gross national income and health care expenditure) and transplant frequencies per 10 million inhabitants in each country.

Although only a small number of centres had performed about 10000 transplants by 1985, this had risen to around 500000 ten years later, and doubled to more than 1 million transplants (42% allogeneic and 58% autologous) done at 1516 transplant centres across 75 countries by the end of December 2012 (see table 1 page 2).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the study found that transplants are more common in countries with greater financial resources and more institutions with the resources and expertise to perform HSCT. Most of the HSCTs have been performed in Europe (53%), followed by the Americas (31%), South East Asia and Western Pacific (15%), and the Eastern Mediterranean and Africa (2%). The findings also reveal significant differences between HSCT use by donor type (autologous or allogeneic), indications for HSCT, and world region (See tables 2, 3, and 4 pages 4-6). For example, donor transplants in 2010 ranged in active countries from 0.4 per 10 million inhabitants in the Philippines and Vietnam to 506 in Israel (see figure 2B page 7).

Numbers of donor transplants have rapidly expanded in all regions without any signs of saturation (see table 1 page 2). This is likely to reflect substantial underuse of this therapy, say the authors, suggesting that more patients would have been treated with allogeneic transplantation had it been accessible, or had suitable donors been available.

In about 30% of cases, a genetically matched donor can be found from within a patient's family. The other 70% have to search for a matched volunteer from national and international registries. The report shows that numbers of countries with registries increased from 2 in 1987 to 57 in 2012, whilst volunteer donors rose from 3072 in 1987 to over 22 million in 2012. The international exchange of stem-cell products also increased to more than 10000 a year between 2006 and 2012, with substantial differences between countries in the amount of stem cells they import or export (see figure 2C page 7).

Despite these increases there are still too many patients who are unable to find a suitable donor. At any time around 1800 people in the UK are waiting for a blood stem cell donation, and over 37000 people are waiting worldwide. Moreover, less than half of the people in the UK diagnosed with a blood cancer ever find a suitable donor [1].

According to Professor Niederwieser, "Patients, many of them children, are facing a life and death situation. Ultimately they will die if they cannot get the treatment they need. All countries need to provide adequate infrastructure for patients and donors to make sure that everyone who needs a transplant gets one, rather than the present situation in which access remains restricted to countries and people with sufficient resources."[2]

Link:
The Lancet Haematology: Experts warn of stem cell underuse

While well known for its unique electromechanical properties, graphene may also prove key in preventing cancer tumor recurrence. A drawback of traditional cancer treatment with radiation and chemotherapy is that the primary developmental source of future tumors is not eradicated. Cancer stem cells, or CSCs, can survive treatment and give rise to recurring tumors, metatasis, and drug resistance after repeated treatments. Researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Calabria have discovered that graphene oxides targets and neutralize CSCs in a manner that is not yet fully understood.

One CSC can develop into a ball of new CSCs called a tumor-sphere, or into new tumor cells, such as what happens in metastasis. They're immortal, divide rapidly, and resist stress. A potential solution? Graphene oxide, GO, which is an oxidized form of its well-known carbon cousin and soluble in many solvents.

For a complete look at the efficacy of GO across cancers, researchers used CSCs from six types of cancer: breast, pancreatic, lung, brain, ovarian and prostate. They also used normal skin cells to confirm that GO would not be toxic to the body.

After cells were treated for 48 hours with a GO solution, the researchers found that not only did GO interrupt the ability of CSCs in all cancer types to proliferate by forming spheres, but that GO was safe to the skin cells.

Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan of the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester says that GO seems to force the cancer stem cells to differentiate into non-cancer stem cells. In this way, GO effectively takes the CSC out of commission for creating future tumors. Currently the theory is that GO interferes with the signalling pathways in the cell membranes, curbing the proliferation mechanism.

Interestingly, this graphene derivative had already been researched for as a targeted delivery vehicle in tumors, but has now been found to have an important effect itself on the tumor.

While the researchers acknowledge that the mechanisms at play need to be researched more before the material can be used to treat cancers, the ability to destroy cancer stem cells is an an important component of a cancer treatment protocol that kills existing tumors as well as shuts down future metatasis.

Vijayaraghavan and the Graphene Institute have previously made headlines as a recipient of research money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation towards the development of a better condom. Their proposal, of course, used graphene.

The team's research was originally published in Oncotarget on February 24, 2015.

Source: University of Manchester

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Graphene derivative interferes with seemingly invincible cancer stem cells

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

Anyone familiar with the founding principles of Asymmetrex, LLC will appreciate the new editorial from its director and the collection of authors he assembled as Associate Editor for the Frontiers Research Topic, titled Stem Cell Genetic Fidelity. Both the introductory editorial and the individual articles are currently available online, ahead of issue in the form of the Frontiers e-book later this year.

Central to the stem cell mechanisms investigated and reviewed by the nine articles is the still controversial proposal of immortal strands in adult tissue stem cells. Based on the experimental observations of K. Gordon Lark in the 1960s, John Cairns predicted the existence of immortal strands of the DNA genetic material about a decade later.

In studies with cultured mouse tissues and plant root tips, Lark had noted that when some cells divided, they seemed to violate well-established genetic laws. These were the Mendelian laws of inheritance, name after Gregor Mendel, who laid their foundation. Each of the 46 human chromosomes has two complementary strands of DNA. One DNA strand is older than the other, because it was used as the template for copying the other. As a result of this inherent age difference in chromosome DNA strands, when the two DNA strands are split to make two new chromosomes before cell division to produce two new cells one chromosome in each of the 46 pairs of new chromosomes has the oldest DNA strand.

Mendels laws maintain that each new sister cell should randomly get a similar number of chromosomes with the oldest DNA strands. But Cairns hypothesized that adult tissue stem cells had a mechanism to ignore Mendels laws. Instead, one of the two cells produced by an asymmetric stem cell division retained all, and only, the chromosomes with the oldest DNA strands. Cairns called these immortal strands. By continuously retaining the same complete set of oldest template DNA strands, Cairns envisioned that tissue stem cells could significantly reduce their rate of accumulation of carcinogenic mutations, which primarily occur by chance when DNA is being copied.

Cairns presented his concept of immortal strands in tissue stem cells in a 1975 report to account for a large discrepancy that he had noted between human cancer rates and human cell mutation rates. He estimated that human cancer rates, though still undesirable, fell far short of expectations based on generally known rates of human cell mutation.

Whereas some scientists continue to view Cairns immortal strand hypothesis as folly, others consider it genius. In the last decade, progress in evidence for immortal strands in stem cells of diverse animal tissues and animal species accelerated greatly. However, little progress has occurred in defining their role in normal tissue stem cells or diseases like cancer.

In his new editorial, Sherley reveals that he is firmly in the camp that views the immortal strand hypothesis as genius. Before founding Asymmetrex, as a laboratory head in two different independent research institutes Fox Chase Cancer Center and Boston Biomedical Research Institute and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he developed new tools and approaches for investigating immortal strand functions, which are now a focus for commercial development in the new company. Immortal strands and cellular factors associated with them have significant potential to provide specific biomarkers for tissue stem cells. There is a significant unmet need for such invaluable tools in stem cell research, drug development, and regenerative medicine.

About Asymmetrex (http://asymmetrex.com/)

Asymmetrex, LLC is a Massachusetts life sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. Asymmetrexs founder and director, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on the unique properties of adult tissue stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing induced pluripotent stem cells for disease research purposes. Currently, Asymmetrexs focus is employing its technological advantages to develop facile methods for monitoring adult stem cell number and function in clinically important human tissues.

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New Commentary from Asymmetrex LLC Director Anticipates Forthcoming E-Book on Stem Cell Genetic Fidelity

Kyoto University Hospital says it will open a center to conduct clinical studies on induced pluripotent stem cell therapies in 2019 year.

Officials said the 30-bed ward will test the efficacy and safety of the therapies on volunteer patients.

The hospital aims to break ground at the site next February and complete construction by September 2019.

As an iPS cell research hub, we hope to apply (the cells) to groundbreaking therapies and make developments in the field of drug discovery, the hospital said in a statement Monday.

Ongoing research on iPS cells at Kyoto University includes turning the cells into dopamine-releasing neurons for transplant into patients with Parkinsons disease, and creating a formulation of platelets that helps blood to clot.

Professor Shinya Yamanaka, who shared the 2012 Nobel Prize in medicine, leads the existing iPS cell research center at Kyoto University.

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Kyoto University Hospital to open iPS cell therapy center in 2019