This month is the annual ExplorAsian festival, which celebrates Asian heritage in Metro Vancouver. It features a large number of events from lectures to arts and entertainment.

One of the events held Saturday, May 13, at Metrotown in Burnaby is a little bit different. Held in partnership with Canadian Blood Services, its an outreach to the Asian community and those from multi-ethnic or biracial backgrounds to consider becoming a stem cell donor. Matching blood types is relatively easy matching stem cell and bone marrow donors to patients in need is quite hard, especially for those from diverse backgrounds. In fact the more diverse we become in B.C., the more critical our need for diverse donors.

I talked to the organizers of the Thanks Mom Give Life 2017 campaign this week.

You can find out more information about stem cell and blood donation at Canadian Blood Services.

For more information on craft beer, you can find The Growler here.

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Lotusland 17: BC's diverse population needs diverse stem cell donors - Delta-Optimist

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Injured skin repairs itself with the help of stem cells, but how this process works isnt well understood. A new study proposes that differentiated skin cells turn back into stem cells to heal the wound.

The process is regulated by a protein called Gata6 made by sebaceous duct cells. In response to injury, these cells migrate out into the skin and de-differentiate into stem cells, which then give rise to replacement skin, according to researchers led by Fiona Watt of Kings College London.

The study was published in Nature Cell Biology. When placed online, the study, Wounding induces dedifferentiation of epidermal Gata6 cells and acquisition of stem cell properties, can be found at j.mp/skincells. Watt was senior author. Giacomo Donati, also of Kings College London, was senior author.

Our data not only demonstrate that the structural and functional complexity of the junctional zone is regulated by Gata6, but also reveal that dedifferentiation is a previously unrecognized property of post-mitotic, terminally differentiated cells that have lost contact with the basement membrane, the study stated.

This resolves the long-standing debate about the contribution of terminally differentiated cells to epidermal wound repair.

One of the most-anticipated results of stem cell research would be generation of replacement tissues for those lost by disease or injury. But the potential for immune rejection limits this potential. While immune-matching can be achieved through patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, this process takes time and is costly.

Immune-tolerant allogenic stem cells have been produced in a study reported Monday in Nature Biotechnology. These cells were produced by making them express minimally variant human leukocyte antigen class E molecules. Production of these molecules causes a self response that inhibits attack by NK natural killer cells.

When published, the study, HLA-E-expressing pluripotent stem cells escape allogeneic responses and lysis by NK cells, can be found online at j.mp/allogenic. David W Russell was senior author and Germn Gornalusse was first author. Both are of University of Washington, Seattle.

A study conducted in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy suggests that symptoms might be reduced by increasing the activity of synapses between sensory and motor neurons. It suggests there may be more than one path to improving or preserving muscle function in SMA patients.

SMA is caused by the deterioration and eventual death of spinal motor neurons. The only treatment shown to affect the underlying course of the disease, Spinraza, was researched by Ionis Pharmaceuticals in Carlsbad and brought to market in a partnership with Biogen.

The study was published Monday in Nature Neuroscience. George Z Mentis was the senior author and Emily V Fletcher was first author. Both are of Columbia University in New York. When placed online, the study, Reduced sensory synaptic excitation impairs motor neuron function via Kv2.1 in spinal muscular atrophy, can be found at j.mp/smanew.

Researchers treated the mice with kainate, which restored near-normal synaptic functioning and improved motor functioning. While the chemical induces seizures, the mice were given doses lower than the seizure threshold.

Because of kainates seizure-inducing potential, the researchers are looking for safer chemicals to stimulate the synaptic connections.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

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Skin regeneration, universal donor stem cells and new SMA treatment approach - The San Diego Union-Tribune

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A team of scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has identified the cells that directly give rise to hair as well as the mechanism that causes hair to turn gray. The research is published in the journal Genes & Development.

Layers of the skin. Image credit: M.Komorniczak / Madhero / CC BY-SA 3.0.

With this knowledge, we hope in the future to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems, said senior author Dr. Lu Le, an associate professor of dermatology with the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Le and colleagues found that a protein called KROX20 (also termed EGR2), more commonly associated with nerve development, turns on in skin cells that become the hair shaft.

These hair precursor cells then produce a protein called stem cell factor (SCF) that the researchers showed is essential for hair pigmentation.

When the authors deleted the SCF gene (KITLG gene) in the hair progenitor cells in mouse models, the animals hair turned white.

When they deleted the KROX20-producing cells, no hair grew and the mice became bald.

We uncovered this explanation for balding and hair graying while studying a disorder called Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a rare genetic disease that causes tumors to grow on nerves, Dr. Le said.

Scientists already knew that stem cells contained in a bulge area of hair follicles are involved in making hair and that SCF is important for pigmented cells.

What they did not know in detail is what happens after those stem cells move down to the base, or bulb, of hair follicles and which cells in the hair follicles produce SCF or that cells involved in hair shaft creation make the KROX20 protein.

If cells with functioning KROX20 and SCF are present, they move up from the bulb, interact with pigment-producing melanocyte cells, and grow into pigmented hairs.

But without SCF, the hair in mouse models was gray, and then turned white with age. Without KROX20-producing cells, no hair grew.

We will now try to find out if the KROX20 in cells and the SCF gene stop working properly as people age, leading to the graying and hair thinning seen in older people as well as in male pattern baldness, Dr. Le said.

_____

Chung-Ping Liao et al. Identification of hair shaft progenitors that create a niche for hair pigmentation. Genes & Development, published online May 2, 2017; doi: 10.1101/gad.298703.117

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Skin Cell Discovery Could Lead to Possible Treatments for Balding ... - Sci-News.com

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Panaji: To ensure the number of emergency deaths due to cardiac-related problems are brought down, health minister Vishwajit Rane announced the signing of an MoU with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) India. The organization, he said, has a protocol to handle cardiac emergency cases where such cases will be dealt with at the point of contact through the GVK 108 service.

Doctors will be trained to operate within the protocol he said, adding that it will help increase the window period after a cardiac attack and give treatment to a patient. "The whole idea is to save lives and if the window period is extended it will help saving lives of patients," he said, adding that significant damage happens to a patient's heart if the heart problem is not addressed.

"The problem is all casualty cases are referred to medicine and not directly to cardiology." These, he said, should immediately be looked at by the cardiac team, he said, adding that a proposal has gone to the chief minister to add three more cardiac consultants to the cardiology wing so that 24 x7 services are made available for patients.

New fleet of 108 ambulance with trained personnel including motorcycle ambulances will be pressed into service by the end of June and first week of July, he said.

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Govt signs MoU to curb cardiac deaths in state | Goa News - Times ... - Times of India

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May 11, 2017

An analysis of data from the entire development program consisting of three trials assessing the feasibility of using a stem cell therapy (CD34+ cells) to treat patients with the most severe cases of angina, refractory angina (RA), showed a statistically significant improvement in exercise time as well as a reduction in mortality. Results from "CD34+ Stem Cell Therapy Improves Exercise Time and Mortality in Refractory Angina: A Patient Level Meta-Analysis" were presented today as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2017 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

One of the warning signs of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain, which occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood. Unlike angina pectoris or "stable angina," which can often be treated with medication, RA can be incapacitating, impacting quality of life. In the most severe cases, those with class III or IV angina, treatment options are exhausted, and patients remain severely debilitated. Unfortunately, one of the untoward consequences of the improved survival of patients with chronic ischemic heart disease is more patients with refractory angina.

A meta-analysis of three trials that each showed promising results looked at injecting RA patients with autologous CD34+ cellswhich have been shown to increase blood flowand the therapy's effect on mortality and total exercise time (TET), an important predictor of long-term mortality.

Data from 304 patients was extracted and analyzed from phase 1 (24 patients), ACT-34 and ACT-34 extension studies (168 patients), and RENEW (112 patients), which was prematurely terminated by the sponsor due to financial considerations.

"The goal of this meta-analysis was to combine patient level data from three very similar trials to try understand what it would tell us," said lead investigator Tom Povsic, MD, FSCAI, associate professor at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and an interventional cardiologist at Duke University School of Medicine.

Results showed that patients treated with CD34+ cell therapy (n=187) improved TET by 80.5 12.1, 101.8 13.7, and 90.5 14.7 seconds at three months, six months, and 12 months compared with 28.1 15.7, 48.8 18.2, and 39.5 20.3 seconds for the placebo group (n=89), resulting in treatment effects of 52.5 (p=0.002), 52.9 (p=0.009) and 50.9 (p=0.027) seconds.

The relative risk of angina was 0.90 (p=0.40), 0.81 (p=0.14), and 0.79 (p=0.17) at three months, six months, and 12 months in CD34+ treated patients.

CD34+ treatment decreased mortality by 24 months (2.6 percent vs. 11.8 percent, p=0.003). In addition, major adverse cardiac events were less frequent (29.8 percent for CD34+ patients vs. 40.0 percent for the placebo group, p=0.08).

"Therapies for these patients are direly needed," said Povsic, "and results from our meta-analysis are very compelling. Most importantly, the number of patients in our meta-analysis approximates those who were targetedfor enrollment in RENEW, the prematurely terminated phase III study. These results suggest that had RENEW been completed, a regenerative therapy for these patients might meet criteria for approval. I still think this therapy has a lot of promise."

Timothy Henry, MD, chief of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, agrees "CD34+ cell therapy appears to be an extremely safe and effective therapy for this growing and challenging patient population with limited options."

Explore further: Stem cell therapy shows potential for difficult-to-treat RA patient population

More information: Povsic presented "CD34+ Stem Cell Therapy Improves Exercise Time and Mortality in Refractory Angina: A Patient Level Meta-Analysis" on Thursday, May 11, 2017 11:30 a.m. CDT

A study using a stem cell therapy to treat challenging refractory angina (RA) patients demonstrated promising results, including improved exercise time, reduced angina and reduced mortality. The RENEW results were presented ...

A two-year, multi-center clinical study with 167 patients with class III-IV refractory angina randomized to low and high dose CD34+ cells or placebo has revealed that patients who received either a high or low dose of CD34a ...

The absolute cumulative probability of death at 12 months was 5 percent lower for patients who received routine invasive coronary angiography and revascularization as indicated during an unstable angina admission compared ...

An injection of stem cells into the heart could offer hope to many of the 850,000 Americans whose chest pain doesn't subside even with medicine, angioplasty or surgery, according to a study in Circulation Research: Journal ...

(HealthDay)Reduced baseline levels of circulating CD34+ stem cells predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Diabetes Care.

A non-surgical treatment that uses a patient's own bone marrow stem cells to treat chest pain or angina improved both symptoms and the length of time treated patients could be physically active, according to preliminary research ...

New research has found that genetic differences in antibody genes alter individuals' susceptibility to rheumatic heart disease, a forgotten inflammatory heart condition known as 'RHD' that is rife in developing countries.

People who use commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain and inflammation could be raising their risk of having a heart attack, as early as in the first week of use and especially within ...

(HealthDay)When someone goes into cardiac arrest, quick action from bystanders can have a long-lasting impact, researchers say.

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may have been wrongly blamed for muscle pain and weakness, said a study Wednesday that pointed the finger at a psychological phenomenon called the "nocebo" effect.

A new pilot study reports that Mexican-American stroke survivors are less likely to receive inpatient rehabilitation than non-Hispanic whites.

Less than half of individuals with peripheral artery disease, which is a narrowing of arteries to the limbs, stomach and head, are treated with appropriate medications and lifestyle counseling. These findings highlight the ...

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Science Daily

Engineered bone marrow could make transplants safer Science Daily Bone marrow transplants are used to treat patients with bone marrow disease. Before a transplant, a patient is first given doses of radiation, sometimes in combination with drugs, to kill off any existing stem cells in the patient's bone marrow. This ... Engineered Bone Marrow Improves Transplant SafetyR & D Magazine Engineered bone marrow may ease transplants - The San Diego ...The San Diego Union-Tribune all 4 news articles »

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2016.09.20 MEDIAAlvetex wins CV Technology Innovator Awards 2016

ReproCELL is proud to announce its groundbreaking 3D cell culture technology Alvetex has been awarded the Corporate Vision Technology Innovator Award 2016. Read the full interview with Prof. Dr. Stefan Przyborski, ReproCELL Europes Chief Scientific Officer and inventor of Alvetex, here: http://reinnervate.com/reprocell-europe-wins-cv-tech-innovator-awards-2016-alvetex/

We will exhibit and presentat a poster at ISSCR 2016 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA. We will like to welcome you to stop by our booth and posters. ISSCR 2016 Annual Meeting URL http://www.isscr.org/home/annual-meeting/san-francisco-2016 Date JUNE 22-25, 2016 Place San Francisco, America Booth: Date JUNE 22-25, 2016 Booth No. 1608 POSTER Date & Time JUNE 22, 2016630PM730PM Poster No. Poster W1093 Title Improvement of human iPS cell-derived hepatocyte functionality using 3D culture systems Presenter ReproCELL, Inc. Zachary Yu Ching Lin Date & Time JUNE 22, 2016730PM830PM Poster No. Poster W2064 Title Non-modified RNAs for the derivation of clinically relevant iPS cell lines from adult []

We make the presentation a poster at 11th International ISSX Meeting at Busan, Korea. Please stop by at our poster if you attend to the meeting. 11th International ISSX Meeting URL http://issxbusan2016.org/ Date June 12-16, 2016 Place Busan, Korea POSTER Date June 15, 201612151300Poster session 2 Location Exhibit Hall (Grand Ballroom 3F) Poster No. P52 Title Stabilized and Enhanced CYP450 Enzyme Activity in Cultured Human Primary Hepatocytes is Conferred by ReproHP Medium Host Sales & Marketing DepartmentPaul CIZDZIEL Wirtz Julia POSTER Date June 15, 201612151300Poster session 2 Location Exhibit Hall (Grand Ballroom 3F) Poster No. P232 Title Improving the prediction of oral bioavailability using fresh []

Webinar: iPSC derived Cells & hiPSC/ES media June 4th 2013 10 AM CEST Please register from here; https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7334590631056470272

ReproCELLs iPS cell technology featured in NHK World news http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201303211118.html

An article written jointly by Kyoto University and ReproCELL was published in Cell Rep. 2012 Nov 29;2(5):1448-60.. Small Molecule that Promotes Cardiac Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells under Defined, Cytokine- and Xeno-free Conditions

ReproCELLs iPS cell business was widely introduced in Japanese TV news on Prof. Shinya Yamanakas Nobel Prize.

ReproCELLs iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes, neurons and hepatocytes were introduced in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN). Jan 15, 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 2) Stem Cell Applications Hasten into the Clinic

An article in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, Pharmas R&D Focus Shifting to Stem Cells -Investors Interest in These Cells Increases as Scientists Continue to Unleash Their Potential introduces ReproCELLs new cardiotoxicity assay using iPSCs, QTempo, as well as its neural stem cell research. Read the article

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12 May 2017 Bone marrow: be someones match A bone-marrow donation is not a scary procedure and doesnt involve drilling into your bones. We found out more.

Unfortunately many people still believe that donating bone marrow means doctors will need to drill into your bones. The reality is the donation process requires no surgery, no general anaesthetic and no drilling.

South African patients who have leukaemia or other blood disorders need a life-saving stem cell transplant and rely on the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) to find a match.

The challenges faced in growing the SABMR lies in the sentence itself, says Alana James, CEO of the Sunflower Fund. Its called The South African Bone Marrow registry, so when people see the word bone marrow they go Oh no I cant do that, it will hurt!

Understanding bone marrow

Bone marrow is found inside your bones its a soft, fatty tissue that helps with the production of red blood cells (to carry oxygen), white blood cells (to find infection) and platelets (to prevent bleeding). Some of the cells in the bone marrow can be pushed into the blood stream, where it can be collected and then used to help someone in need of a donation.

Real-life hero

Carey Symons, a blood stem cell donor and long-time support of The Sunflower Fund, was on the registry for 10 years before she was called to help a leukaemia patient.

The stats of a perfect match are 1 in 100 000 so you can only imagine my joy in being that 1 in 100 000 and that I was able to contribute to giving someone a second chance.

She travelled from Durban to Mediclinic Constantiaberg in Cape Town where she had a series of painless Neupogen injections that helped stimulate the production and release of blood stem cells.

Three days of injections later she was able to begin the donation process.

1. Two needles (similar to those used when you donate blood) were inserted in each arm. 2. Blood was drawn from one arm and circulated through a cell-separator machine. 3. Her stem cells were collected and the remaining blood was returned through the other arm.

Typically, the donation process takes between four and six hours.

I realised that the day I signed as a donor, I was only hoping to make a difference. I will never know whose life I made a difference to, and part of that mystery excites me. Its a blessing to give without knowing and without being thanked.

Harsh reality

There are just under 74 000 donors on the registry, but at least 400 000 are needed.

We definitely still have a mountain to climb and are committedly doing so. Registering as a donor on the SABMR is a simple process and can be very rewarding, says James. You could be someones perfect match.

There is a 1 in 100 000 chance of being a match. (Image: iStock)

Be someones 1 in 100 000

Signing up to be a donor is simple- if you do meet the criteria, you will receive a reference number and form to fill out. Next, youll go to your nearest Donor Recruitment Clinic where theyll take two test tubes of blood.

Your blood is analysed and put onto the national database. Unfortunately the tissue typing test is expensive (it costs R2 000) but you can make a donation to help free up their funds.

Youll receive your donor card in six to eight weeks, and if youre ever a match for a patient, you will be called.

Read more:

CT teen desperately needs bone marrow transplant

URGENT need for more bone marrow donors in SA

Needed: Black bone marrow donors

A leukaemia patient who had recently undergone a bone marrow transplant received a massive surprise when Taylor Swift visited him n hospital. When she saw that he had a keyboard in his room she asked him to play for her. As he plays Adele's "Someone like you", Taylor joins in, singing along!

CANSAs purpose is to lead the fight against cancer in South Africa. Its mission is to be the preferred non-profit organisation that enables research, educates the public and provides support to all people affected by cancer. Questions are answered by CANSAs Head of Health Professor Michael Herbst and Head of Advocacy Magdalene Seguin. For more information, visit cansa.org.za.

The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.

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Cell potency is a cell's ability to differentiate into other cell types.[1][2] The more cell types a cell can differentiate into, the greater its potency. Potency is also described as the gene activation potential within a cell which like a continuum begins with totipotency to designate a cell with the most differentiation potential, pluripotency, multipotency, oligopotency and finally unipotency. Potency is taken from the Latin term "potens" which means "having power".

Totipotency is the ability of a single cell to divide and produce all of the differentiated cells in an organism. Spores and zygotes are examples of totipotent cells.[3] In the spectrum of cell potency, totipotency represents the cell with the greatest differentiation potential. Toti comes from the Latin totus which means "entirely".

It is possible for a fully differentiated cell to return to a state of totipotency.[4] This conversion to totipotency is complex, not fully understood and the subject of recent research. Research in 2011 has shown that cells may differentiate not into a fully totipotent cell, but instead into a "complex cellular variation" of totipotency.[5] Stem cells resembling totipotent blastomeres from 2-cell stage embryos can arise spontaneously in the embryonic stem cell cultures[6][7] and also can be induced to arise more frequently in vitro through down-regulation of the chromatin assembly activity of CAF-1.[8]

The human development model is one which can be used to describe how totipotent cells arise.[9] Human development begins when a sperm fertilizes an egg and the resulting fertilized egg creates a single totipotent cell, a zygote.[10] In the first hours after fertilization, this zygote divides into identical totipotent cells, which can later develop into any of the three germ layers of a human (endoderm, mesoderm, or ectoderm), into cells of the cytotrophoblast layer or syncytiotrophoblast layer of the placenta. After reaching a 16-cell stage, the totipotent cells of the morula differentiate into cells that will eventually become either the blastocyst's Inner cell mass or the outer trophoblasts. Approximately four days after fertilization and after several cycles of cell division, these totipotent cells begin to specialize. The inner cell mass, the source of embryonic stem cells, becomes pluripotent.

Research on Caenorhabditis elegans suggests that multiple mechanisms including RNA regulation may play a role in maintaining totipotency at different stages of development in some species.[11] Work with zebrafish and mammals suggest a further interplay between miRNA and RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in determining development differences.[12]

In September 2013, a team from the Spanish national Cancer Research Centre was able for the first time to make adult cells from mice retreat to the characteristics of embryonic stem cells, thereby achieving totipotency.[13]

In cell biology, pluripotency (from the Latin plurimus, meaning very many, and potens, meaning having power)[14] refers to a stem cell that has the potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers: endoderm (interior stomach lining, gastrointestinal tract, the lungs), mesoderm (muscle, bone, blood, urogenital), or ectoderm (epidermal tissues and nervous system).[15] However, cell pluripotency is a continuum, ranging from the completely pluripotent cell that can form every cell of the embryo proper, e.g., embryonic stem cells and iPSCs (see below), to the incompletely or partially pluripotent cell that can form cells of all three germ layers but that may not exhibit all the characteristics of completely pluripotent cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly abbreviated as iPS cells or iPSCs are a type of pluripotent stem cell artificially derived from a non-pluripotent cell, typically an adult somatic cell, by inducing a "forced" expression of certain genes and transcription factors.[16] These transcription factors play a key role in determining the state of these cells and also highlights the fact that these somatic cells do preserve the same genetic information as early embryonic cells.[17] The ability to induce cells into a pluripotent state was initially pioneered in 2006 using mouse fibroblasts and four transcription factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc;[18] this technique, called reprogramming, earned Shinya Yamanaka and John Gurdon the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012.[19] This was then followed in 2007 by the successful induction of human iPSCs derived from human dermal fibroblasts using methods similar to those used for the induction of mouse cells.[20] These induced cells exhibit similar traits to those of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) but do not require the use of embryos. Some of the similarities between ESCs and iPSCs include pluripotency, morphology, self-renewal ability, a trait that implies that they can divide and replicate indefinitely, and gene expression.[21]

Epigenetic factors are also thought to be involved in the actual reprogramming of somatic cells in order to induce pluripotency. It has been theorized that certain epigenetic factors might actually work to clear the original somatic epigenetic marks in order to acquire the new epigenetic marks that are part of achieving a pluripotent state. Chromatin is also reorganized in iPSCs and becomes like that found in ESCs in that it is less condensed and therefore more accessible. Euchromatin modifications are also common which is also consistent with the state of euchromatin found in ESCs.[21]

Due to their great similarity to ESCs, iPSCs have been of great interest to the medical and research community. iPSCs could potentially have the same therapeutic implications and applications as ESCs but without the controversial use of embryos in the process, a topic of great bioethical debate. In fact, the induced pluripotency of somatic cells into undifferentiated iPS cells was originally hailed as the end of the controversial use of embryonic stem cells. However, iPSCs were found to be potentially tumorigenic, and, despite advances,[16] were never approved for clinical stage research in the United States. Setbacks such as low replication rates and early senescence have also been encountered when making iPSCs,[22] hindering their use as ESCs replacements.

Additionally, it has been determined that the somatic expression of combined transcription factors can directly induce other defined somatic cell fates (transdifferentiation); researchers identified three neural-lineage-specific transcription factors that could directly convert mouse fibroblasts (skin cells) into fully functional neurons.[23] This result challenges the terminal nature of cellular differentiation and the integrity of lineage commitment; and implies that with the proper tools, all cells are totipotent and may form all kinds of tissue.

Some of the possible medical and therapeutic uses for iPSCs derived from patients include their use in cell and tissue transplants without the risk of rejection that is commonly encountered. iPSCs can potentially replace animal models unsuitable as well as in-vitro models used for disease research.[24]

Recent findings with respect to epiblasts before and after implantation have produced proposals for classifying pluripotency into two distinct phases: "naive" and "primed".[25] The baseline stem cells commonly used in science that are referred as Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from a pre-implantation epiblast; such epiblast is able to generate the entire fetus, and one epiblast cell is able to contribute to all cell lineages if injected into another blastocyst. On the other hand, several marked differences can be observed between the pre- and post-implantation epiblasts, such as their difference in morphology, in which the epiblast after implantation changes its morphology into a cup-like shape called the "egg cylinder" as well as chromosomal alteration in which one of the X-chromosomes undergoes random inactivation in the early stage of the egg cylinder, known as X-inactivation.[26] During this development, the egg cylinder epiblast cells are systematically targeted by Fibroblast growth factors, Wnt signaling, and other inductive factors via the surrounding yolk sac and the trophoblast tissue,[27] such that they become instructively specific according to the spatial organization.[28] Another major difference that was observed, with respect to cell potency, is that post-implantation epiblast stem cells are unable to contribute to blastocyst chimeras,[29] which distinguishes them from other known pluripotent stem cells. Cell lines derived from such post-implantation epiblasts are referred to as epiblast-derived stem cells which were first derived in laboratory in 2007; it should be noted, despite their nomenclature, that both ESCs and EpiSCs are derived from epiblasts, just at difference phases of development, and that pluripotency is still intact in the post-implantation epiblast, as demonstrated by the conserved expression of Nanog, Fut4, and Oct-4 in EpiSCs,[30] until somitogenesis and can be reversed midway through induced expression of Oct-4.[31]

Multipotency describes progenitor cells which have the gene activation potential to differentiate into discrete cell types. For example, a multipotent blood stem cell is a hematopoietic celland this cell type can differentiate itself into several types of blood cell types like lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, etc., but cannot differentiate into brain cells, bone cells or other non-blood cell types.

New research related to multipotent cells suggests that multipotent cells may be capable of conversion into unrelated cell types. In another case, human umbilical cord blood stem cells were converted into human neurons.[32] Research is also focusing on converting multipotent cells into pluripotent cells.[33]

Multipotent cells are found in many, but not all human cell types. Multipotent cells have been found in cord blood,[34] adipose tissue,[35] cardiac cells,[36] bone marrow, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which are found in the third molar.[37]

MSCs may prove to be a valuable source for stem cells from molars at 810 years of age, before adult dental calcification. MSCs can differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes.[38]

In biology, oligopotency is the ability of progenitor cells to differentiate into a few cell types. It is a degree of potency. Examples of oligopotent stem cells are the lymphoid or myeloid stem cells.[1] A lymphoid cell specifically, can give rise to various blood cells such as B and T cells, however, not to a different blood cell type like a red blood cell.[39] Examples of progenitor cells are vascular stem cells that have the capacity to become both endothelial or smooth muscle cells.

In cell biology, a unipotent cell is the concept that one stem cell has the capacity to differentiate into only one cell type. It is currently unclear if true unipotent stem cells exist. Hepatoblasts, which differentiate into hepatocytes (which constitute most of the liver) or cholangiocytes (epithelial cells of the bile duct), are bipotent.[40] A close synonym for unipotent cell is precursor cell.

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Summary

Orbis Research Presents Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market Research Report which Examine into the present trends, highlights the recent market growth, sales volume, Demand Scenarios and Opportunities emerging for business players in the near future.

Description

The Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market is estimated to be USD XX billion in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX billion by 2022, registering a healthy CAGR of XX%, during 2017-2022 (forecast period).

The increase in malignant, cardiac, & neurological disorders, immediate need for effective and novel therapies, the rising human embryonic stem cell awareness and better healthcare infrastructure with government initiatives are expected to accelerate the global human embryonic stem cells market, during the forecast period.

The major companies discussed in this report are

A majority of companies are investing in the human embryonic stem cell research, globally. The high-prevalence of cardiac and malignant diseases, increasing R&D investments & research initiatives, increasing support from government & private institutions and rapid growth in medical tourism are accelerating the market growth. However, the stringent regulatory guidelines and ethical & moral concerns are restraining the market.

Get a PDF Sample of Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market Report at: http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/280434

The global embryonic stem cells market is segmented based on application and geography. The applications segment includes regenerative medicine, stem cell biology research, tissue engineering and toxicology testing. Based on geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America. The Asia-Pacific human embryonic stem cells market has the potential, owing to increasing initiatives of the governments & private organizations for research in human embryonic stem cells.

Key Deliverables

Market analysis, with region-specific assessments and competition analysis on a global and regional scale.

Market definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraints.

Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenario, growing prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence the market.

Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies, along with their market share.

Identification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the market on both, global and regional scale.

A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.

A wide-range of knowledge and insights about the major players in the industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied market

Insights on the major countries/regions where the industry is growing, and identify the regions that are still untapped.

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Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market 2017: Government Initiatives & Medical Tourism are Accelerating this ... - MilTech

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market 2017: Government Initiatives & Medical Tourism are Accelerating this … – MilTech | May 12th, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine were looking into kidneys and learned more about the formation of the heart.

They also identified a gene that is responsible for a deadly cardiac condition.

According to a release, scientists discovered the heart's inner lining forms from the same stem cells, known as precursor cells, that turn into blood.

That means a single type of stem cell created both the blood and part of the organ that pumps it.

A particular gene, called S1P1, is necessary for the proper formation of the heart, and without it, the tissue develops a sponginess that compromises the heart's ability to contract tightly and pump blood efficiently.

That condition is called ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy, which often leads to early death.

"Many patients who suffer from untreatable chronic disease, including heart and kidney disease, are in waiting lists for limited organ transplantation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand what happens to the cells during disease and how can they be repaired," said researchers Yan Hu, PhD. "Every organ is a complex machine built by many different cell types. Knowing the origin of each cell and which genes control their normal function are the foundations for scientists to decipher the disease process and eventually to find out how to guide the cells to self-repair or even to build up a brand new organ using amended cells from the patients."

The researchers were looking into how the kidneys form when they noted a deletion of the S1P1 gene in research mice led to deadly consequences elsewhere in the bodies of the mice.

"We were studying the role of these genes in the development of the vasculature of the kidney," said Maris Luisa S. Sequeira-Lopez, MD, of UVA's Child Health Research Center. "The heart is the first organ that develops, and so when we deleted this gene in these precursor cells, we found that it resulted in abnormalities of the heart, severe edema, hemorrhage and low heart rate."

In looking closer at the heart, the researchers discovered the gene deletion caused thin heart walls and other cardiac problems in developing mice embryos.

"For a long time, scientists believed that each organ developed independently of other organs, and the heart developed from certain stem cells and blood developed from blood stem cells," said researcher Brian C. Belyea, MD, of the UVA Children's Hospital. "A number of studies done in this lab and others, including this work, shows that there's much more plasticity in these precursor cells. What we found is that cardiac precursor cells that are present in the embryonic heart do indeed give rise to components of the heart in adults but also give rise to the blood cells."

He also said the discovery may one day lead to the development of better treatments for the cardiac condition.

The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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Kidney research leads to heart discovery - Newsplex - The Charlottesville Newsplex

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Kidney research leads to heart discovery – Newsplex – The Charlottesville Newsplex | May 12th, 2017

A new biomimetic bone tissue may help improve bone marrow transplants.

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a bone-like implant that eliminates the need for donor cells to wipe out the hosts pre-existing cells, by allowing donor cells the space to live and grow.

Weve made an accessory bone that can separately accommodate donor cells. This way, we can keep the host cells and bypass irradiation, bioengineering professor Shyni Varghese, from the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, said in a statement.

The implants are made of a porous hydrogel matrix that contains calcium phosphate minerals in the outer matrix and donor stem cells that produce blood cells in the inner matrix.

The researchers successfully tested the bone tissues in mice and the donor cells survived for at least six months, while supplying the mice with new blood cells.

The structures matured into bone tissues of the mice that have a working blood vessel network and a bone marrow inside that supplies new blood cells. After a month the implanted marrow contained a mixture of host and donor blood cells, which remained circulating in the bloodstream even after 24 hours.

In the future, our work could contribute to improved therapies for bone marrow disease, Yu-Ru (Vernon) Shih, a research scientist in Vargheses lab and the studys first author said in a statement. That would have useful applications for cell transplantations in the clinic.

The researchers also took stem cells from the implanted marrow and transplanted them into another group of mice with their marrow stem cells eradicated by radiation and drugs. The transplanted cells diffused into the bloodstream of the mice in the second group.

Were working on making this a platform to generate more bone marrow stem cells, Varghese said.

According to Varghese, the implants could only be used in patients with non-malignant bone marrow diseases, where there arent any cancerous cells that need to be eliminated.

The researchers said this discovery indicates that implanted marrow is functional and donor cells can form and survive for long periods of time in the presence of host cells. They also said that the host and donor cells can travel between the implanted marrow and the hosts circulating blood through the blood vessel network formed in the implanted bone tissue.

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Engineered Bone Marrow Improves Transplant Safety - R & D Magazine

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Engineered Bone Marrow Improves Transplant Safety – R & D Magazine | May 12th, 2017

Science Daily

New intervertebral discs from stem cells Science Daily The study on the sick German shepherds was organized as follows: With the permission of the dog owners, neurologist Frank Steffen and his team removed stem cells from the marrow of the pelvic bone of the affected animals. After the cleaning and ...

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New intervertebral discs from stem cells - Science Daily

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on New intervertebral discs from stem cells – Science Daily | May 12th, 2017

A fascinating documentary that is making the rounds at film festivals like Tribeca and Cannes gives a rare view of a controversial treatment that more and more Americans are paying up to $50,000 to receive. Stem cell therapy is widely considered to be the next big hope in medicine, with researchers everywhere from Stanford to Johns Hopkins investigating the technologys potential to treat seemingly every ailment known to mankindAlzheimers, cancer, joint injuries, even basic signs of aging. The only hitch: With one tiny exception, it isnt legal in the United States.

We all know the stem cell revolution is occurring outside the U.S., says Brian Mehling, M.D., a Manhattan-based orthopedic surgeon who is certainly doing his part to foment the insurgency. A coproducer of the film, as well as its charismatic recurring subject, Mehling is bringing stem cell tourism into the spotlight and determined to lift the curtain on a medical field that remains mysterious to most. His Blue Horizon medical clinics, with locations in China and Slovakiaand three more set to open in Mexico, Israel, and Jamaicacater to American tourists looking to cutting-edge therapy for help when traditional medicine fails.

Stem cells are the undifferentiated cells that abound in newborns and have the ability to transform into blood, nerve, or muscle cells and aid the body in self-repair. Proselytizers like Mehling say they constitute the latest in holistic medicine, allowing the body to healwithout drugs, surgery, or side effects. At clinics such as Mehlings, doctors either inject the cells, which are generally obtained from umbilical cords during C-sections, into a patients spinal cord (much like an epidural), or administer them via IV drip. The process is alarmingly quick, and patients can typically check out of the facility by the end of the day. One of the few stem-cell therapies approved for use in the United States is one used to treat the blood disease known as beta thalassemia; in that instance, the treatment replaces damaged blood in the immune system and saves tens of thousands of lives each year. Few other stem cell applications, however, have been proven effective in the rigorous clinical trials the Food and Drug Administration requires before signing off on any treatment.

In fact, stem cell clinics remain completely unregulated, and there have been incidents of related troubles. In one recent report , Jim Gass, a resident of San Diego who traveled to stem cell clinics in Mexico, China, and Argentina to help recover from a stroke, later discovered a sizable tumor on his spinal columnand the cancerous cells belonged to somebody else. Troubling cases also emerged at a loosely regulated clinic in Sunrise, Florida where, earlier this spring, three women suffering macular degeneration reported further loss of vision after having stem cells, extracted from their belly fat via liposuction, injected into their eyes. Though, on the whole, reports of treatments at clinics gone awry remain relatively few.

In his film, Stem Cells: The Next Frontier , which is set to appear at Cannes Film Festival this month, Mehling offers a persuasive side of the story, with rapturous testimonials from patients, some of whom who have regained the ability to walk after their stem cell vacations. Added bonus: They come home with better skin, bigger sex drive, and (in the case of at least one balding patient) more hair.

However compelling, there is scant evidence that the injections actually make a difference, and most American doctors caution against buying into the hype. Stem cell researcher Jaime Imitola, M.D. and Ph.D, director of the progressive multiple sclerosis clinic research program at Ohio State University, says he is impressed by the evidence that stem cells can help with neurological disorders in animals. But the question is how can you translate it into clinical trials? We still dont know what were doing when we put stem cells in people.

David Scadden, a professor of medicine and stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard, and the director of Harvards Stem Cell Institute, says that stem cell tourism is a waste of money for the time being. A world-renowned expert in stem cell science, he remains optimistic about its future applications. Researchers are currently looking into reprogramming, for instance, which effectively converts a mature cell into a stem cell. You rewind its history so it forgets its a blood cell or a skin cell and it rewinds back in time and it can become any cell type, he says. Youd be able to test drugs on these cells, and it could be used to reverse Type 1 diabetes.

For now, though, he does not recommend experimenting with stem cells before we understand them well enough to properlyand safelyharness their benefits. People call me about it all the timethey say, I have this knee thats bugging me, Im going to one of these clinics, he says. His response? For the most part they dont do harm. But nobody Ive spoken with has come back to me and said, You Harvard docs have to get on this . . . . Not yet.

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Stem Cell Tourism Is the Controversial Subject of a New Cannes Documentary - Vogue.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Tourism Is the Controversial Subject of a New Cannes Documentary – Vogue.com | May 12th, 2017

Soon to be a thing of the past?

Iolanda Astor

By Alice Klein

The humble mussel could soon help us prevent scarring. A sticky substance naturally secreted by the marine animal is one element of a glue that closes skin wounds seamlessly in rats. The glue could be used to prevent unsightly scars after accidental cuts or surgical operations.

If this can be replicated in humans, it might be the next big thing for scar therapy, says Allison Cowin at the University of South Australia, who wasnt involved in the study.

Scars form when the collagen scaffolding in skin is broken apart. Instead of re-forming in their original and neat basket-weave arrangement, the collagen fibres grow back in parallel bundles that create the characteristic lumpy appearance of scars.

One way to reduce scarring is to apply decorin, a skin protein involved in collagen organisation. But because decorin has a highly complex physical structure it is hard to synthesise and therefore not used in the clinic.

To get round this problem, Hyung Joon Cha at Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea and his colleagues have created a simplified version of decorin. They combined a small section of the decorin protein with a collagen-binding molecule and a sticky substance secreted by mussels.

The resulting glue was tested on rats with deep, 8-millimetre-wide wounds. The glue was spread over each wound and covered with clear plastic film. Rats in a control group had their wounds covered in plastic without any glue.

By day 11, 99 per cent of the wound was closed in the treated rats compared with 78 per cent in the control group. By day 28, treated rats had fully recovered and had virtually no visible scarring. In comparison, control rats had thick, purple scars (see images below).

Jeon EY, Choi B-H, Jung D, Hwang BH, Cha HJ.

Closer inspection under the microscope confirmed that collagen fibres in the treated wounds had returned to their original basket-weave arrangement. The new skin had also developed hair follicles, blood vessels, oil glands and other structures that arent regenerated in scars.

The glue is able to promote normal collagen growth because negative charges on the decorin fragments hold the fibres apart, says Cha. In doing so, the fibres are more easily able to weave in and out between each other instead of sticking together randomly.

Cowin says the results are impressive but there is still a way to go before the results can be translated to humans. Rats have loose skin, whereas we have tight skin, and they tend to heal better and have less scarring than we do, she says. As a result, the glue may not be as effective in people as in rats.

Cha says that the glue will now be tested in pigs, whose skin better resembles our own.

New scar treatments are greatly needed because the existing ones dont work very well, says Cowin. Silicone gels, steroids, pressure bandages, cryotherapy and laser treatments are often used to reduce the appearance of scars, but they cannot erase them completely.

Cowin is developing a scar treatment that uses monoclonal antibodies to block a type of protein that impairs wound healing. Other groups are applying embryonic stem cells to wounds, based on the observation that skin abrasions inembryos and early fetuses dont scar.These approaches are still being tested in animals.

Journal reference: Biomaterials, DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.04.041

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Mussel gloop can be used to make wounds knit without any scars - New Scientist

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Mussel gloop can be used to make wounds knit without any scars – New Scientist | May 12th, 2017

Science Daily

Engineering human stem cells to model the kidney's filtration barrier on a chip Science Daily ... of kidney diseases and drug toxicities, and the stem cell-derived kidney podocytes we developed could even offer a new injectable cell therapy approach for regenerative medicine in patients with life-threatening glomerulopathies in the future ...

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Engineering human stem cells to model the kidney's filtration barrier on a chip - Science Daily

IPS Cell Therapy Comments Off on Engineering human stem cells to model the kidney’s filtration barrier on a chip – Science Daily | May 12th, 2017

Motor neurons are the nerve cells in the body responsible for controlling movement. A number of diseases are caused by damage to motor neurons, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In order to treat these diseases, scientists are developing methods to generate new, healthy motor neurons from stem cells. A recent study has elucidated the cellular mechanisms that control the motor neuron differentiation, paving the way for new treatments for motor neuron diseases.

Each time we voluntarily move an arm or leg, or when our lungs involuntarily expand and contract, signals from the brain are sent along a chain to the spinal cord, where motor neuron cell bodies reside. These motor neurons terminate in muscle cells, where they transmit the nerve impulses in order to produce muscle contractions. In ALS, there is a progressive destruction of motor neurons due to either a genetic defect or an unknown environmental trigger. Motor neuron damage in ALS leads to progressive muscle weakness that affects all parts of the body, impairing the ability to speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. SMA is caused by gene mutations and is characterized by similarly progressive damage to motor neurons that causes muscle weakness. If respiratory muscles are affected, SMA can be fatal.

Scientists aim to develop gene therapies for these diseases that can repair the damaged motor neurons and improve the functioning and lifespan of patients. To do this, they must first understand the signals that induce motor neuron development from stem cells. Stem cells are the precursors for every type of cell in the body. They are triggered to differentiate into various cell types via cellular signaling molecules called transcription factors, which act on DNA to turn on specific genes. Which genes are turned on will determine the phenotypic fate of each cell. Typically, each cell goes through several stages of development before reaching its final fate.

A group of researchers from several universities recently teamed up to elucidate these programming pathways. They had previously discovered that a group of transcription factors called the NIL factors Ngn2, Isl1, and Lhx3 can induce motor neuron development from embryonic stem cells without passing through any of the intermediate stages. Moreover, the NIL factors achieved the transition to the motor neuron fate with a 90% success rate, and the process took only two days. This so-called direct programming pathway was an exciting finding with respect to clinical applications, because it can be achieved both in vitro and in living organisms at the site of cell damage.

In the current study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, Esteban Mazzoni and colleagues further investigated the process by which transcription factors bind to and activate parts of DNA during the first 48 hours after NIL expression. First, the researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the timing of gene expression after induction by NIL programming factors. RNA-seq is a technique that reveals the presence and quantity of RNA in a sample at a specific point in time. Thus, as transcription factors turn genes on, these genes are transcribed into RNA that can be measured and quantified.

The researchers also studied chromatin remodeling during motor neuron programming. Chromatin is a tightly-packed form of DNA which regulates the expression of genes through changes in its structure. Promoters are regions of the DNA where transcription factors bind in order to initiate gene transcription. Chromatin must undergo structural changes, called remodeling, in order for the DNA to be accessible to transcription factors. Typically, as cells move through the differentiation process, chromatin changes that occur at promoter regions will restrict the differentiation potential of the cell.

To study this chromatin remodeling process, a ChIP-seq time series was performed. ChIP-seq combines chromatin immunoprecipitation with DNA sequencing to identify the binding sites of proteins that associate with DNA. Antibodies against the bound proteins are used to extract protein-DNA complexes, and the DNA binding sites can be sequenced. In addition, the researchers used an assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) to study chromatin accessibility. Proteins called transposons incorporate into exposed, or accessible, portions of chromatin. Therefore, identifying the locations of transposons in the DNA can indicate what parts of the DNA are being actively transcribed, or turned on.

This series of experiments revealed information about how genes are turned on and off over the 48-hour process of motor neuron formation. Initially, the transcription factors Ngn2 and Isl1/Lhx3 induce different sets of genes in parallel. Whereas Ngn2 controls genes associated with generic neuronal differentiation, Isl1 and Lhx3 activate genes specific for spinal cord and motor neurons. As programming progresses, Ngn2 induces the expression of two other transcription factors, Ebf and Onecut. These transcription factors modify the chromatin state to enable Isl1/Lhx3 binding to previously inaccessible sites on the DNA that contain the terminal motor neuron genes necessary to complete the programming process.

These experiments showed that the activities of Ngn2 and Isl1/Lhx3 act in tandem to induce direct motor neuron programming from stem cells. The researchers hope to apply these findings clinically. By triggering this programming pathway in the body, cells in the spinal cord can be induced to differentiate into motor neurons, replacing the neurons that are damaged in diseases such as ALS.

References

Czarzasta J., Habich A., Siwek T., Czaplinski A., Maksymowicz W., Wojtikiewicz J. (2017) Stem cells for ALS: an overview of possible therapeutic approaches. Int J Dev Neurosci. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.01.003

Farrar M., Park S., Vucic S., Carey K., Turner B., Gillingwater T., Swoboda K., Kiernan M. (2016) Emerging therapies and challenges in Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Ann Neurol. DOI: 10.1002/ana.24864

Mazzoni, E.O., Mahony, S., Closser, M., Morrison, C.A., Nedelec, S., Williams, D.J., An, D., Gifford, D.K., and Wichterle, H. (2013). Synergistic binding of tran- scription factors to cell-specific enhancers programs motor neuron identity. Nat. Neurosci. 16:12191227. DOI:10.1038/nn.3467

Velasco S., Ibrahim M., Kakumanu A., Garipler G., Aydin B., Al-Sayegh M., Hirsekorn A., Abdul-Rahman F., Satija R., Ohler U., Mahony S., Mazzoni, E. (2016) A Multi-step Transcriptional and Chromatin State Cascade Underlies Motor Neuron Programming from Embryonic Stem Cells. Cell Stem Cell. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.11.006

Image via ColiN00B / Pixabay.

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Motor Neurons Why Are They Important and How Are They Made? - Brain Blogger (blog)

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Motor Neurons Why Are They Important and How Are They Made? – Brain Blogger (blog) | May 12th, 2017

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National Multiple Sclerosis Society Commits to $17 Million for 43 Research Projects - Multiple Sclerosis News Today