Miami (PRWEB) March 20, 2014

Joseph Purita, M.D. and Maritza Novas, R.N., M.S.N. of Global Stem Cells Group Inc., and Bioheart, Inc. Chief Scientific Officer Kristin Comella will be featured speakers at the 31st American Association of Orthopedic Medicine Annual Conference (AAOM) Conference and Scientific Seminar in Clearwater Beach, Florida April 9-12, 2014. Co-sponsored by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP), the conference, titled Sports, Spine and Beyond: Latest Advances in Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine, will focus on the newest breakthroughs in the field of orthopedic medicine.

Purita, Novas and Comella will present the latest advances in stem cell therapies in sports medicine, regenerative orthopedic medicine and interventional pain medicine, including techniques for extracting stem cells from adipose tissue to use in patient treatments. Purita is a pioneer in the use of stem cells in orthopedics and founder of the Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopedics in Boca Raton, Florida. Novas is a lead trainer and part of the research and development team for Stem Cell Training, a Global Stem Cells Group subsidiary.

Comella has more than 15 years experience in cell culturing and developing stem cell therapies for degenerative diseases and experience in corporate entities, with expertise in regenerative medicine, training and education, research, product development and senior management.

The conference will explore advances in other non-traditional treatments in sports and regenerative orthopedic medicine including manual medicine, nutrition, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, musculoskeletal ultrasound and more. The goal of the AAOM Conference is to bring sports medicine physicians, PM&R specialists (physiatrists), family medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and interventional pain physiciansincluding anesthesiologists and osteopathic pain physiciansthe latest state-of-the-art techniques and technologies to help treat their patients performance-related pain and injuries, overuse syndromes and chronic pain.

For more information on the 31st AAOM Annual Conference and Scientific Seminar, visit the AAOM website.

About the 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.

To learn more about Global Stem Cells Group, Inc.s companies and for investor information, visit the Global Stem Cells Group website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

View post:
Joseph Purita, M.D. and Maritza Novas, R.N., M.S.N. of Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. and Bioheart CSO Kristin Comella ...

12 hours ago Levels of the regulatory protein GtaC, tagged with green fluorescent protein, increase in the nucleus every six minutes. GtaC turns on genes that prepare cells to move. The image is a compilation of eight photos, taken at 3.5 minute intervals, showing GtaC's location in a single cell as it moves. Credit: Huaqing Cai

Johns Hopkins biologists have discovered that when biological signals hit cells in rhythmic waves, the magnitude of the cells' response can depend on the number of signaling cyclesnot their strength or duration. Because such so-called "oscillating signaling cycles" are common in many biological systems, the scientists expect their findings in single-celled organisms to help explain the molecular workings of phenomena such as tissue and organ formation and fundamental forms of learning.

In a report to be published online in the journal Science on March 21, the investigators say their experiments in amoebae show how repeated pulses of a signal cause short bursts of specific gene activity, the products of which linger and build with each new pulse. The cumulative amount of these gene products ultimately affects changes in cell fate.

"The mechanism we discovered here illustrates how a single cell can keep track of the number of times it has received a signal," says Peter Devreotes, Ph.D., professor and director of the Department of Cell Biology. "In most signaling systems, the cellular response depends on the strength or duration of the signal. This system allows the cells to count."

The Devreotes team says they figured out this signaling system in the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, a single-celled organism that can cluster to form a multi-celled structure that helps it survive when resources are scarce. At the heart of this process, they say, is a communication molecule called cAMP, a chemical released by starving cells in periodic spurtsevery six minutesthat is sensed by other cells nearby. The signal triggers a series of steps needed for the cells to join together and form specialized types of cells within the group makeup.

Devreotes says, "We have known since the 1970s that the cAMP signals achieve their best effect when they arrive every six minutesnot more and not lessbut we had no idea why."

To find out, the Johns Hopkins team focused on the behavior of a regulatory protein called GtaC, which is similar to the human GATA genes known to control stem cell fate in many tissues. Amoebae that lack GtaC can't activate the genes that enable the initially similar cells to cluster and to become the specialized cell types of the multicellular structure.

When the researchers attached GtaC to a protein that glows green, they saw that it entered the amoeba cell nucleus, left the nucleus and then entered again at a pace like the six-minute pulses of cAMP. If the researchers gave the cells a continuous supply of cAMP, GtaC would leave the nucleus after a brief lag and remain outside of it for as long as cAMP was present. When they removed cAMP, GtaC would re-enter the nucleus.

The researchers then engineered GtaC to stay put in the nucleus and found that the cells began to come together and specialize prematurely. However, in cells that lacked cAMP, the team found that these processes were not turned on even with GtaC in the nucleus.

To better understand the role of GtaC, the researchers used a protein that can glow to show when GtaC turned on a particular gene. What they found was another rhythmic, six-minute pattern of activity: The glowing spots indicating gene activity peaked in intensity approximately every six minutes and lagged about three minutes behind the peak of GtaC accumulation in the nucleus. According to Devreotes, this three-minute lag is likely due to the time it takes for the gene to be turned on and seen.

Read more here:
Cellular 'counting' of rhythmic signals synchronizes changes in cell fate

Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

By genetic reprogramming, matured human cells, usually blood cells, can be transformed into hiPSCs. As hiPSCs exhibit properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable resources for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy. In countries like Japan, USA and UK, a number of hiPSC bank initiatives have sprung up to make hiPSCs available for stem cell research and medical studies.

Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, "It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested if donors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, Senior Consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, said "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells. This is a well-designed, applicable technique that can unlock unrealized potential of biobanks around the world for hiPSC studies at a scale that was previously not possible."

Prof Hong Wanjin, Executive Director at IMCB, said "Research on hiPSCs is now highly sought-after, given its potential to be used as a model for studying human diseases and for regenerative medicine. Translational research and technology innovations are constantly encouraged at IMCB and this new technique is very timely. We hope to eventually help the scientific community gain greater accessibility to hiPSCs for stem cell research through this innovation."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by A*STAR. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Go here to read the rest:
Stem cells created from a drop of blood: DIY finger-prick technique opens door for extensive stem cell banking

SINGAPORE: Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood.

The new technique could potentially boost the number and diversity of donors, and facilitate the setting up of large-scale hiPSC banks, said the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in a news release on Thursday.

Current sample collection for reprogramming into human induced pluripotent stem cells include invasive methods, such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off potential donors.

Although the stem cells may also be generated from blood cells, a large amount of blood is usually required.

But scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into human induced pluripotent stem cells.

As those cells show properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy.

The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency.

The work is published online in the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal.

Lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique Dr Jonathan Loh Yuin Han said, "Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

Senior consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, said, "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells."

See original here:
A*STAR scientists create stem cells from drop of blood

The DIY finger-prick technique opens door for extensive stem cell banking

1. Scientists at A*STARs Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

3. Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the worlds first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

4. The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

5. By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

6. Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested ifdonors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests.

Go here to read the rest:
:: 20, Mar 2014 :: A*STAR SCIENTISTS CREATE STEM CELLS FROM A DROP OF BLOOD

Hip conditions treated with Stem Cell Therapy and PRP
In this video, Ross Hauser, MD discusses some of the most common hip conditions that we treat at Caring Medical with Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plas...

By: Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services

Continue reading here:
Hip conditions treated with Stem Cell Therapy and PRP - Video

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), sustained by close to 2 million Americans annually, including military personnel, are debilitating and devastating for patients and their families. Regardless of severity, those with TBI can suffer a range of motor, behavioral, intellectual and cognitive disabilities over the short or long term. Sadly, clinical treatments for TBI are few and largely ineffective.

In an effort to find an effective therapy, neuroscientists at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, have conducted several preclinical studies aimed at finding combination therapies to improve TBI outcomes.

In their study of several different therapies -- alone and in combination -- applied to laboratory rats modeled with TBI, USF researchers found that a combination of human umbilical cord blood cells (hUBCs) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a growth factor, was more therapeutic than either administered alone, or each with saline, or saline alone.

The study appeared in a recent issue of PLoS ONE.

"Chronic TBI is typically associated with major secondary molecular injuries, including chronic neuroinflammation, which not only contribute to the death of neuronal cells in the central nervous system, but also impede any natural repair mechanism," said study lead author Cesar V. Borlongan, PhD, professor of neurosurgery and director of USF's Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair. "In our study, we used hUBCs and G-CSF alone and in combination. In previous studies, hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation, and G-CSF is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for patients with stroke or Alzheimer's disease."

Their stand-alone effects have a therapeutic potential for TBI, based on results from previous studies. For example, G-CSF has shown an ability to mobilize stem cells from bone marrow and then infiltrate injured tissues, promoting self-repair of neural cells, while hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation and promote cell growth.

The involvement of the immune system in the central nervous system to either stimulate repair or enhance molecular damage has been recognized as key to the progression of many neurological disorders, including TBI, as well as in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and some autoimmune diseases, the researchers report. Increased expression of MHCII positive cells -- cell members that secrete a family of molecules mediating interactions between the immune system's white blood cells -- has been directly linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in TBI.

"Our results showed that the combined therapy of hUBCs and G-CSF significantly reduced the TBI-induced loss of neuronal cells in the hippocampus," said Borlongan. "Therapy with hUBCs and G-CSF alone or in combination produced beneficial results in animals with experimental TBI. G-CSF alone produced only short-lived benefits, while hUBCs alone afforded more robust and stable improvements. However, their combination offered the best motor improvement in the laboratory animals."

"This outcome may indicate that the stem cells had more widespread biological action than the drug therapy," said Paul R. Sanberg, distinguished professor at USF and principal investigator of the Department of Defense funded project. "Regardless, their combination had an apparent synergistic effect and resulted in the most effective amelioration of TBI-induced behavioral deficits."

The researchers concluded that additional studies of this combination therapy are warranted in order to better understand their modes of action. While this research focused on motor improvements, they suggested that future combination therapy research should also include analysis of cognitive improvement in the laboratory animals modeled with TBI.

Read more:
Stem cell combination therapy improves traumatic brain injury outcomes

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Anne DeLotto Baier abaier@health.usf.edu 813-974-3303 University of South Florida (USF Innovation)

Tampa, FL (Mar. 20, 2014) Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), sustained by close to 2 million Americans annually, including military personnel, are debilitating and devastating for patients and their families. Regardless of severity, those with TBI can suffer a range of motor, behavioral, intellectual and cognitive disabilities over the short or long term. Sadly, clinical treatments for TBI are few and largely ineffective.

In an effort to find an effective therapy, neuroscientists at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, have conducted several preclinical studies aimed at finding combination therapies to improve TBI outcomes.

In their study of several different therapiesalone and in combinationapplied to laboratory rats modeled with TBI, USF researchers found that a combination of human umbilical cord blood cells (hUBCs) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a growth factor, was more therapeutic than either administered alone, or each with saline, or saline alone.

The study appeared in a recent issue of PLoS ONE.

"Chronic TBI is typically associated with major secondary molecular injuries, including chronic neuroinflammation, which not only contribute to the death of neuronal cells in the central nervous system, but also impede any natural repair mechanism," said study lead author Cesar V. Borlongan, PhD, professor of neurosurgery and director of USF's Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair. "In our study, we used hUBCs and G-CSF alone and in combination. In previous studies, hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation, and G-CSF is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for patients with stroke or Alzheimer's disease."

Their stand-alone effects have a therapeutic potential for TBI, based on results from previous studies. For example, G-CSF has shown an ability to mobilize stem cells from bone marrow and then infiltrate injured tissues, promoting self-repair of neural cells, while hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation and promote cell growth.

The involvement of the immune system in the central nervous system to either stimulate repair or enhance molecular damage has been recognized as key to the progression of many neurological disorders, including TBI, as well as in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and some autoimmune diseases, the researchers report. Increased expression of MHCII positive cellscell members that secrete a family of molecules mediating interactions between the immune system's white blood cellshas been directly linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in TBI.

View original post here:
USF study finds stem cell combination therapy improves traumatic brain injury outcomes

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Tan Yun Yun tan_yun_yun@a-star.edu.sg 656-826-6273 Biomedical Sciences Institutes (BMSI)

1. Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

2. By genetic reprogramming, matured human cells, usually blood cells, can be transformed into hiPSCs. As hiPSCs exhibit properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable resources for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy. In countries like Japan, USA and UK , a number of hiPSC bank initiatives have sprung up to make hiPSCs available for stem cell research and medical studies.

3. Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

4. The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

5. By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

6. Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, "It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested if donors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

7. Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, Senior Consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, said "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells. This is a well-designed, applicable technique that can unlock unrealized potential of biobanks around the world for hiPSC studies at a scale that was previously not possible."

See the article here:
A*STAR scientists create stem cells from a drop of blood

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Anita Srikameswaran 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2014 Stem cells derived from human muscle tissue were able to repair nerve damage and restore function in an animal model of sciatic nerve injury, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that cell therapy of certain nerve diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, might one day be feasible.

To date, treatments for damage to peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, have not been very successful, often leaving patients with impaired muscle control and sensation, pain and decreased function, said senior author Johnny Huard, Ph.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery, and Henry J. Mankin Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery Research, Pitt School of Medicine, and deputy director for cellular therapy, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

"This study indicates that placing adult, human muscle-derived stem cells at the site of peripheral nerve injury can help heal the lesion," Dr. Huard said. "The stem cells were able to make non-neuronal support cells to promote regeneration of the damaged nerve fiber."

The researchers, led by Dr. Huard and Mitra Lavasani, Ph.D., first author and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, Pitt School of Medicine, cultured human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells in a growth medium suitable for nerve cells. They found that, with prompting from specific nerve-growth factors, the stem cells could differentiate into neurons and glial support cells, including Schwann cells that form the myelin sheath around the axons of neurons to improve conduction of nerve impulses.

In mouse studies, the researchers injected human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells into a quarter-inch defect they surgically created in the right sciatic nerve, which controls right leg movement. Six weeks later, the nerve had fully regenerated in stem-cell treated mice, while the untreated group had limited nerve regrowth and functionality. Twelve weeks later, treated mice were able to keep their treated and untreated legs balanced at the same level while being held vertically by their tails. When the treated mice ran through a special maze, analyses of their paw prints showed eventual restoration of gait. Treated and untreated mice experienced muscle atrophy, or loss, after nerve injury, but only the stem cell-treated animals had regained normal muscle mass by 72 weeks post-surgery.

"Even 12 weeks after the injury, the regenerated sciatic nerve looked and behaved like a normal nerve," Dr. Lavasani said. "This approach has great potential for not only acute nerve injury, but also conditions of chronic damage, such as diabetic neuropathy and multiple sclerosis."

Drs. Huard and Lavasani and the team are now trying to understand how the human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells triggered injury repair, as well as developing delivery systems, such as gels, that could hold the cells in place at larger injury sites.

See the original post here:
Stem cells from muscle can repair nerve damage after injury, Pitt researchers show

Durham, NC (PRWEB) March 19, 2014

In a study just published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, a group of researchers have discovered what appears to be an easy way to collect large quantities of viable stem cells that can be banked for future regenerative medicine purposes all from the simple prick of a finger.

We show that a single drop of blood from a finger-prick sample is sufficient for performing cellular reprogramming, DNA sequencing and blood typing in parallel. Our strategy has the potential of facilitating the development of large-scale human iPSC banking worldwide, said Jonathan Yuin-Han Loh, Ph.D., of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. He is principal investigator on the study that also included scientists from other Singapore facilities as well as those in the United States and Great Britain.

The medical world in general is excited about the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for studying diseases and for therapeutic regenerative medicine. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow and cord blood are highly amenable to reprogramming.

Some methods can result in negative side effects, and then you have bone-marrow harvesting, which is invasive, while cord blood is limited to individuals who have deposited their samples at birth, Dr. Loh explained. The large amount of blood needed to collect enough cells for reprogramming has also deterred many potential donors.

"We gradually reduced the starting volume of blood (collected using a needle) and confirmed that reprogramming can be achieved with as little as .25 milliliters, Hong-kee Tan, lead author on the study and a research officer in the Loh lab reported.

This then made the team wonder whether a DIY (do-it-yourself) approach to blood collection might work too.

To test this idea, we asked donors to prick their own fingers in a normal room environment and collect a single drop of blood sample into a tube, Tan said. The tube was placed on ice and delivered to the lab for reprogramming.

The cells were treated with a buffer at 12-, 24- or 48-hour increments and observed under the microscope for viability and signs of contamination. After 12 days of expansion in medium, the cells appeared healthy and were actively dividing. The team next tested what happened when they reprogrammed the cells and succeeded in forcing them to become mesodermal, endodermal and neural cells. They were even able to induce some into giving rise to rhythmically beating cardiomyocytes.

Interestingly, we did not observe any noticeable reduction in reprogramming efficiency between the freshly collected and the DIY finger-prick samples, Dr. Loh said. In summary, we derived healthy iPSCs from tiny volumes of venipuncture and a single drop finger-prick blood samples. We also report a high reprogramming yield of 100 to 600 colonies per milliliter of blood.

Read more:
DIY Finger Prick Yields Ample Stem Cells for Banking

Stem cell therapy -- beyond the headlines: Timothy Henry at TEDxGrandForks
There is considerable excitement about the use of stem cells for cardiovascular disease. Stem cells are unspecialized cells with the unique property to self-...

By: TEDx Talks

Continue reading here:
Stem cell therapy -- beyond the headlines: Timothy Henry at TEDxGrandForks - Video

Introducing the spinal cord

The spinal cord is the delicate tissue encased in and protected by the hard vertebrae of the spinal column. Together the brain and spinal cord form the bodys central nervous system.

The spinal cord is made up of millions of nerve cells that carry signals to and from the brain and out into other parts of the body. The information that allows us to sit, run, go to the toilet and breathe travels along the spinal cord.

The main cell type found in the spinal cord, the neuron, conveys information up and down the spinal cord in the form of electrical signals. An axon(also known as a nerve fibre) is a long, slender projection of a neuron that conducts these signals away from the neuron's cell body. Each neuron has only one axon, and it can be as long as the entire spinal cord, up to 45cm in an adult human.

The axons that carry messages down the spinal cord (from the brain) are called motor axons. They control the muscles of internal organs (such as heart, stomach, intestines) and those of the legs and arms. They also help regulate blood pressure, body temperature, and the bodys response to stress.

The axons that travel up the cord (to the brain) carry sensory information from the skin, joints and muscles (touch, pain, temperature) and from internal organs (such as heart and lungs). These are the sensory axons.

Neurons in the spinal cord also need the support of other cell types. The oligodendrocyte, for example, forms structures that wrap around and insulate the axon. Called myelin, this insulating material helps the electrical impulse to flow quickly and efficiently down the axon.

A spinal cord injury affects both neurons and the myelin sheath that insulates axonsWhen the spinal cord is injured, the initial trauma causes cell damage and destruction, and triggers a cascade of eventsthat spread around the injury site affecting a number of different types of cells. Axons are crushed and torn, and oligodendrocytes, the nerve cells that make up the insulating myelin sheath around axons, begin to die. Exposed axons degenerate, the connection between neurons is disrupted and the flow of information between the brain and the spinal cord is blocked.

The spine has different sections. The level of paralysis depends on the location of the injury.

Read the original:
Spinal cord injuries: how could stem cells help? | Europe ...

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Bei Shi shi_bei2147@126.com Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

Bei Shi, Xianping Long, Ranzun Zhao, Zhijiang Liu, Dongmei Wang and Guanxue Xu, researchers at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College within the Guizhou Province of China, have reported an approach for improving the use of stem cells for improvement of infarcted heart function and damage to the arteries in the March 2013 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine. They have discovered that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfected with a recombinant adenovirus containing the human receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (hRAMP1) gene (EGFP-hRAMP1-MSCs) when transplanted into rabbit models for both Myocardial infarction (MI) and carotid artery injury inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation within the neointima, and greatly improved both infarcted heart function and endothelial recovery from artery injury more efficiently than the control EGFP-MSCs.

MSCs have good applicability for cell transplantation because they possess self-renewal and multiple differentiation potential. With addition of either environmental or chemical substances, MSCs can differentiate into a variety of cell types. Numerous animal experiments and small clinical trials have shown that MSC transplantation can promote the formation of new blood vessels and reduce myocardial infarct size, and diminish the formation of scar tissue and ventricular remodeling, and improve cardiac functions. Nevertheless, MSCs have the potential to differentiate into VSMCs and may be the source of proliferating VSMCs during neointima formation after vascular injury. Recently, genetically modified MSCs, such as heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) over-expressing MSCs, have proven to be more efficient at ameliorating infarcted myocardium than administering MSCs alone.

Calcitonin gene related protein (CGRP) is one of the most well-known potent vasodilators and can regulate vascular tone and other aspects of vascular function. The receptors for CGRP include the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR), RAMP1, and the receptor component protein. RAMP1 confers ligand specificity for CGRP. The relaxation of the artery in response to CGRP is dependent on RAMP1 expression. The response to CGRP is augmented after the increased expression of RAMP1 in VSMCs in culture.

RAMP1 over-expression increased CGRP-induced vasodilation and protected against angiotensin II-induced endothelial dysfunction as well as prevented VSMCs proliferation. In this study, we tested the effects of human RAMP1-over-expressing MSCs on infarcted heart function and intimal hyperplasia by means of cell transplantation in rabbit models for MI reperfusion and carotid artery injury. Bei Shi said "Our data has shown that hRAMP1 over-expression in MSCs through genetic modification significantly inhibits neointimal proliferation and improves infarcted heart function."

Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine said "The effect of stem cell therapy with the RAMP1 expressing MSCs has been shown, by Bei Shi and colleagues, to reduce neointimal proliferation in the carotid angioplasty and myocardial infarction animal models. This approach could be important for the treatment of damaged vessels and the infracted heart".

###

Read the original post:
Effect of receptor activity-modifying protein-1 on vascular smooth muscle cells

Freeport, Bahamas (PRWEB) March 18, 2014

Okyanos Heart Institute, whose mission it is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) using adult stem cell therapy, announced today it has raised $8.9 million in its Series B offering. Passion Group founder Ali Shawkat led the round and is a visionary entrepreneur-investor with success in a diverse set of industries including cellular services, telecom, media and healthcare.

Okyanos has the vision, medical leadership, adult stem cell technology and business model to better the lives of millions of patients, their families and society, said Shawkat. Cell therapy promises to be a new pillar of medicine as it is based on the natural biology of the body.

"This funding brings Okyanos' total funding to $14.2 million. Financial strength is integral to our commitment to treat patients with cardiac cell therapy at the highest standards of safety and care, stated Matthew Feshbach, co-founder and CEO of Okyanos.

Okyanos' cardiac cell therapy utilizes cells known as adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs), processed by Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX) Celution system, a technology which has been approved and is commercially available in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and other international jurisdictions for various indications of use.

The company has procured a state-of-the-art Philips cath lab and is building out a center of excellence capable of treating over 1000 patients per year in Freeport, The Bahamas. Based on the recommendations of the Bahamas Stem Cell Task Force, which thoroughly studied the safety and efficacy of adult stem cell therapy, the Bahamas passed stem cell legislation in August, 2013.

Feshbach further stated, We have a sophisticated, entrepreneurial group of investors who are like-minded in our purpose to safely improve the quality of life of patients suffering from illnesses such as CAD, using adult stem cells derived from adipose (fat) tissue, added Feshbach. We appreciate the significant leadership and support of Mr. Shawkat who shares the Okyanos commitment.

The company will begin treating patients with coronary artery disease using their own stem cells in the summer of 2014.

About Okyanos Heart Institute: (Oh key AH nos) Based in Freeport, The Bahamas, Okyanos Heart Institutes mission is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy. Okyanos adheres to U.S. surgical center standards and is led by Chief Medical Officer Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. Okyanos Treatment utilizes a unique blend of stem and regenerative cells derived from ones own adipose (fat) tissue. The cells, when placed into the heart via a minimally-invasive procedure, can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Angiogenesis facilitates blood flow in the heart, which supports intake and use of oxygen (as demonstrated in rigorous clinical trials such as the PRECISE trial). The literary name Okyanos, the Greek god of rivers, symbolizes restoration of blood flow. For more information, go to http://www.okyanos.com.

More here:
Okyanos Heart Institute Announces Completion of Investment Funding

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at the Universit de Montral (UdeM), in collaboration with the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospitals Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank, recently achieved a significant breakthrough thanks to the laboratory growth of leukemic stem cells, which will speed up the development of new cancer drugs.

In a recent study published in Nature Methods, the scientists involved describe how they succeeded in identifying two new chemical compounds that allow to maintain leukemic stem cells in culture when these are grown outside the body.

This important advance opens the way to the identification of new cancer drugs to fight acute myeloid leukemia, one of the most aggressive forms of blood cancer.

The ability to grow leukemic stem cells in culture is a major breakthrough. The next step is to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the survival and proliferation of leukemic cells as well as the resistance to cancer drugs.

This study is the work of the Leucgne research group. This group is co-directed by Dr. Guy Sauvageau, chief executive officer and principal investigator at IRIC as well as professor in the Department of Medicine at the UdeM; by Dr. Jose Hbert, director of the Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank, hematologist at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and professor in the Department of Medicine at the UdeM; and by Sbastien Lemieux, principal investigator at IRIC. The first author of the study is Caroline Pabst, a postdoctoral fellow at IRIC and associate of the Leucgne research group.

This research breakthrough demonstrates the advantage of working in a multidisciplinary team like the Leucgne research group, stated Drs. Sauvageau and Hbert. Access to cells of leukemia patients and to IRICs state-of-the-art facilities are also key factors in pursuing ground-breaking research.

Background to the study Stem cells located in the bone marrow are responsible for the production of blood cells. Unfortunately, deregulation of those cells often produces disastrous consequences when one of them develops mutations that transform it into a malignant cell called leukemic. The result is an abnormal proliferation of blood cells and the development of leukemia. Leukemic stem cells are also one of the likely causes of patient relapse because they are especially resistant to cancer treatments.

The major obstacle before this discovery was growing stem cells and keeping them intact in vitro, because they quickly lost their cancer stem cell character. As a result, it was very difficult to effectively study the multiplication of cells that cause leukemia.

See the original post here:
Major Breakthrough in Developing New Cancer Drugs: Capturing Leukemic Stem Cells

Cpl Hanes to travel to China for stem-cell therapy
A year after returning home a combat wounded veteran, Matthew Hanes is traveling to China for stem-cell therapy.

By: York Dispatch

More:
Cpl Hanes to travel to China for stem-cell therapy - Video

Members of the House Committee on Health on Tuesday vowed to look into several pending measures on stem cell.

OFW Family Club Partylist Rep. Roy Seneres and Laguna Representative Sol Aragones also called on the public to give doctors led by Philippine Medical Association president Leo Olarte to explain their side after they have been accused of forging the signature of Professional Regulation Commission chairperson Teresita Manzala to obtain a Securities and Exchange Commission registration for their group called the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine.

Seneres called for a deeper probe into the controversy.

SEC has revoked the corporate registration of the PSSCM as various doctors organizations questioned the practice of stem cell medicine in the country.

Seneres and Aragones, both members of the health committee, said at least four bills seeking to regulate stem cell medicine practice in the country are still pending before the health panel.

The two lawmakers said study on the measures will have to be pursued immediately, adding that advocates and oppositions should help Congress decide on the issue.

Reacting to the PSSCM issue, Seneres said Olarte and other founders of the organization should be given the benefit of the doubt.

They are the healers of our society, said Seneres.

Aragones, on the other hand, said accusations against the PSSCM should be proven first before its members are condemned.

Read the original post:
House to study stem cell bills

Autism

By: Stem Cell Therapy Center EMCELL

Read the original:
Autism - Video

Neuralstem Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NEURALSTEM, INC.)

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 17, 2014 /Emag.co.uk/ Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: CUR) announced that the final results from the Phase I safety trial using NSI-566 spinal cord stem cells in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease) were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Annals of Neurology http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.24113/full. In Intraspinal Neural Stem Cell Transplantation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Phase I Trial Outcomes, results were updated from Phase I interim data, reported earlier, to include data from the last six patients in the trial. These six patients were the first to receive cervical stem cell transplants. Three of them were also the first to be transplanted along the length of their spines, in both the lumbar and the cervical regions. The results showed that NSI-566 human spinal cord stem cells can be safely transplanted in both the lumbar and cervical spinal cord segments, did not accelerate disease progression, and warrant further study on dosing and therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, the researchers were able to identify potential therapeutic windows, suggesting that more injections, as well as multiple injections, are better and may increase both the length and the magnitude of the potential benefits. This is consistent with the hypothesized neuroprotective mechanism-of-action for this cell therapy.

Photo Since concluding Phase I, the trial has progressed to Phase II at three centers, Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, the ALS Clinic at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, which treated its first patient in February. Treatment of three of the five Phase II cohorts has been completed.

Although this was a Phase I trial, and functional outcome data were collected for the purpose of assessing safety, we performed secondary analyses of these data as a means to gain insight into how cellular transplantation affected disease progression rates and to inform outcome assessment approaches in future trial phases, said Eva Feldman, MD, PhD, Director of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute, Director of Research of the ALS Clinic at the University of Michigan Health System, principle investigator for the NSI-566/ALS trial and lead author. Dr. Feldman is also an unpaid consultant to Neuralstem.

Pre-surgical disease progression rates for the various functional outcome measures were calculated to create slopes for each patient, so that we could determine if post-surgical data points, at 6, 9, 12 and 15 months, improved relative to predicted points. We also did analyses to determine which, if any, functional outcome assessment most closely correlated with the overall ALSFRS-R scores, said Dr. Feldman. Comparison of the outcome data to predicted outcome points in group E (patients who received both lumbar and cervical injections) revealed improvements in a significant number of measures at 6, 9, 12 and 15 months post-surgery. Overall, 50% of the patients in the trial showed improvement across multiple clinical measures at the same time points. We also found that a measure of grip strength correlated most closely with the overall ALSFRS-R scores.

Dr. Feldman added, Finally, we conducted an analysis to identify the most biologically active period of the injected cells for the patients receiving both lumbar and cervical injections. This analysis reveals that the maximal periods of benefit correlate with the two surgical interventions. Importantly, as the bell-shaped curve associated with each intervention is likely due to disease progression, increasing the total cell dose, and applying multiple applications of these stem cells, may increase both the length and magnitude of the potential benefit. We are of course exploring this very dosing regimen in our ongoing Phase II trial.

The completion of this Phase I study is a major milestone for the testing of intraspinal stem cell therapy for ALS, said Jonathan Glass, MD, Professor of Neurology and Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine and Director of the Emory ALS Center, site principal investigator and a senior study author. We have now shown that the procedure is safe for both lumbar and cervical injections, allowing us to move forward with an aggressive program to test whether this treatment will improve the course of disease for patients with ALS.

This peer-reviewed article is the first such report of cervical and dual-targeted intraspinal transplantation of neural stem cells in ALS subjects, said Karl Johe, PhD, Neuralstems Chairman of the Board and Chief Scientific Officer. We believe our cells offer a means to replace lost cells, provide neurotrophic support, and improve the diseased microenvironment. This study demonstrates these factors, and that the cells and the novel surgical route of administration are safe and well-tolerated. Our ability to directly inject cells into the cervical regions of the spinal cord represents a significant advance in the field of cell therapy.

We would like to thank the incredible teams at both Michigan and Emory who made this study possible, and who continue working with us today in our ongoing Phase II trial. Wed like to give special thanks to Dr. Jonathan Glass, Director of the Emory ALS Center, the Emory site principle investigator, and Dr. Nick Boulis, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Emory School of Medicine, the surgeon for all of the Phase I surgeries, and the inventor of the spinal-mounted stabilization and injection platform and floating cannula surgical devices used to deliver the cells, concluded Dr. Johe.

About Neuralstem

Read more:
Final Results Of Neuralstem Phase I Stem Cell Trial In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Published In Annals of Neurology