Genetically encoded sensor isolates hidden leukemic stem cells

2019-03-12

Researchers have devised a novel biosensor that can isolate and target leukemic stem cells. It can provide a prototype for precision oncology efforts to target patient-specific cells to fight the deadly disease.

Squishing blood stem cells could facilitate harvest for transplants

2019-03-22

How deformable cells are, and thus how stiff or squishy they are, plays an important role in retaining blood-forming stem cells in their marrow niches and thus preserving their long-term repopulation capabilities.

Tissue engineering: Hydrogel for enhanced cell encapsulation and delivery

2019-03-25

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) hydrogel has great potential as a cell-encapsulation delivery carrier for sustained release of paracrine factors and for tissue regeneration, with unique versatility for injection, scaffolding, and 3D bioprinting.

Biologists find a way to boost intestinal stem cell populations

2019-03-28

Biologists have found that aging takes a toll on intestinal stem cells and may contribute to increased susceptibility to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The researchers could also reverse this effect in aged mice by treating them with an NAD prec

New gene essential for making ears of corn

2019-03-29

New research extends the growing biological understanding of how different parts of corn plants develop, which is important information for a crop that is a mainstay of the global food supply.

A step toward recovering reproduction in girls who survive childhood cancer

2019-04-03

Leukemia treatments often leave girls infertile, but a procedure developed by researchers working with mice is a step toward restoring their ability to be biological mothers.

Mutation stands in the way of healthy blood cell maturation

2019-04-05

In a new study, researchers have learned how a specific genetic mutation affects the maturation of blood cells in mouse models. Leukemia patients often have a mutation in this gene, often seen before the disease sets in. The researchers are working on a s

Discovery of 'kingpin' stem cell may help in the understanding of cancerous tumors

2019-04-11

Bhatia's team spent more than six years delving down to the cellular level to examine what they say are previously overlooked cells that form on the edges of pluripotent stem cell colonies. Having characterized these cells, the team also observed them for

Scientists 'reverse engineer' brain cancer cells to find new targets for treatment

2019-04-16

lioblastoma is one of the most devastating forms of cancer, with few existing treatment options. It is also a leading cause of cancer-related death in children and young adults. Scientists have 'reverse engineered' brain cancer stem cells gene by gene, un

Factors behind embryonic stem cell state

2019-04-17

An international collaboration has found for the first time that two new epigenetic regulators, TAF5L and TAF6L, maintain self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. The scientists also found that these proteins activate c-Myc (a well-known cancer gene), and it

A light-activated remote control for cells

2019-04-17

What if doctors had a remote control that they could use to steer a patient's own cells to a wound to speed up the healing process? Although such a device is still far from reality, researchers have taken an important first step: They used near-infrared l

Welding with stem cells for next-generation surgical glues

2019-04-23

Scientists have invented a new technology that could lead to the development of a new generation of smart surgical glues and dressings for chronic wounds. The new method involves re-engineering the membranes of stem cells to effectively 'weld' the cells t

Stem cells from hair follicles have potential to repair damaged neurons in mice

2019-04-24

A subset of the stem cells in hair follicles have the potential to regenerate the coating that insulates neurons in mice, report scientists.

Blood cancer's Achilles' heel opens door for new treatments

2019-04-25

New findings about an aggressive form of leukemia could aid the development of novel drugs to treat the condition.

Pluripotency or differentiation? That is the question

2019-05-02

Induced pluripotent stem cells can turn into any type of cell in the body or remain in their original form. In a new study, scientists describe how cells 'decide' which of these two directions to take

Pigment-producing stem cells can regenerate vital part of nervous system

2019-05-06

Neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) affect millions of people worldwide and occur when parts of the nervous system lose function over time. Researchers have discovered that a type of skin-related stem cell could be used to help regener

Stem cells provide information about neuron resilience in ALS

2019-05-09

Researchers have developed a stem cell based model in order to study the resilience and vulnerability of neurons in the neurodegenerative disease ALS. The results can aid in the identification of new genetic targets for treatments protecting sensitive neu

Stem cells make more 'cargo' packets to carry cellular aging therapies

2019-05-07

Scientists report that adult cells reprogrammed to become primitive stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), make tiny 'cargo packets' able to deliver potentially restorative or repairing proteins, antibodies or other therapies to aged c

Prince Charming's kiss unlocking brain's regenerative potential?

2019-05-10

Researchers find that 'waves' of Hes1 and Ascl1 gene expression control the quiescent and active state of adult neural stem cells. Hes1 expression promotes quiescence and suppresses Ascl1, and knocking out Hes1 increases Ascl1 expression and subsequent ad

Early in vitro testing for adverse effects on embryos

2019-05-14

Researchers have combined embryonic cells and liver cells in a new cell culture test. This combination lets them detect adverse effects that new medications may have on embryos early on in the drug development process.

A new way to wind the development clock of cardiac muscle cells

2019-05-15

A study published in the journal Stem Cells describes a new and unexpected way to accelerate the maturation of induced pluripotent stem cells into cardiac muscle cells.

Cancer drugs promote stem cell properties of colorectal cancer

2019-05-16

Scientists have now discovered that a certain group of cancer drugs (MEK Inhibitors) activates the cancer-promoting Wnt signalling pathway in colorectal cancer cells. This can lead to the accumulation of tumor cells with stem cell characteristics that are

Cancer cells are quick-change artists adapting to their environment

2019-05-24

New research shows that cancer cells of glioblastomas -- conspicuously aggressive solid brain tumors -- manifest developmental plasticity and their phenotypic characteristics are less constrained than believed.

Stem cell study determines most harmful vape liquids

2019-05-28

A novel approach reveals vaping's effect on endothelial cells and the most harmful flavors.

Intranasal stem cell therapy restores smell in mice

2019-05-30

A stem cell therapy delivered into the nose can restore the sense of smell in a mouse model of olfactory loss. The findings provide proof of principle for an approach that has the potential to be of broad utility for a range of clinical conditions causing

New genetic weapons challenge sickle cell disease

2019-06-03

Researchers advancing gene-editing techniques to help patients with sickle cell disease discover an unexpected boost in fetal hemoglobin production, which mutes the effect of the disease.

Improved human brain organoids to boost neurological disease research

2019-06-05

Research has optimized the process of making human brain 'organoids' -- miniature 3D organ models -- so they consistently follow growth patterns observed in the developing human brain. Researchers can use this reproducible experimental system to test drug

Research sheds new light on how brain stem cells are activated

2019-06-06

Scientists have found that neural stem cells use molecules that form a complex called STRIPAK to 'wake up' and produce new neurons (nerve cells) and surrounding glial cells in the brain.

Introduced a new paradigm of cell transplantation with scaffold microrobots

2019-06-17

Scientists developed a microrobot that can precisely transplant stem cells in various in vivo and vitro environments. Expects to improve the efficiency of treating degenerative neural disorders such as Alzheimer by accurately and safely delivering to a desired location.

Tapping into the way cells communicate

2019-06-24

For the first time, scientists can record cells communicating in real time, opening the floodgates for new developments in cell therapy and other areas within cell biology.

Scientists developing way to help premature babies breathe easier

2019-06-26

Researchers suggest a possible cell-based therapy to stimulate lung development in fragile premature infants who suffer from a rare condition called Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), which in the most severe cases can lead to lifelong breathing problems and even death. Scientists studied genetic signatures in donated human neonatal lungs by using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis and mouse models of BPD.

Functional hair follicles grown from stem cells

2019-06-27

Scientists have created natural-looking hair that grows through the skin using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a major scientific achievement that could revolutionize the hair growth industry.

Growing embryonic tissues on a chip

2019-06-27

Researchers have developed a method to stimulate human stem cells to organize themselves into ordered layers of different cell types. The method is based on microfluidics and can help better understand how tissues are formed in the embryo, setting the stage for fabricating functional tissues and organs for drug testing and transplantation.

World first: Homing instinct applied to stem cells show cells 'home' to cardiac tissue

2019-07-03

In a world first, scientists have found a new way to direct stem cells to heart tissue. The findings could radically improve the treatment for cardiovascular disease, which causes more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK (1).

Repair of aged tissue can be enhanced by inhibiting signals from neighboring cells

2019-07-10

Researchers have discovered how regenerative capacity of intestinal epithelium declines when we age. Targeting of an enzyme that inhibits stem cell maintaining signaling rejuvenates the regenerative potential of an aged intestine. This finding may open ways to alleviate age-related gastrointestinal problems, reduce side-effects of cancer treatments, and reduce healthcare costs in the ageing society by promoting recovery.

Making cancer stem cells visible to the immune system

2019-07-17

Leukemia stem cells protect themselves against the immune defense by suppressing a target molecule for killer cells. This protective mechanism can be tricked with drugs. Scientists now describe a new therapeutic approaches that can possibly be derived from these results.

Researchers explain muscle loss with menopause

2019-07-18

New research has shown that estrogen is essential to maintaining muscle stem cell health.

Liver transplants could be redundant with discovery of new liver cell

2019-07-26

Researchers have used single cell RNA sequencing to identify a type of cell that may be able to regenerate liver tissue, treating liver failure without the need for transplants.

Uncovering secrets of bone marrow cells and how they differentiate

2019-07-31

Researchers mapped distinct bone marrow niche populations and their differentiation paths for the bone marrow factory that starts from mesenchymal stromal cells and ends with three types of cells -- fat cells, bone-making cells and cartilage-making cells. Respectively, those cells are called adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. This non-hematopoietic cell system is distinct from another production line in the bone marrow -- the hematopoietic system -- that makes red blood cells, blood-clotting cells and cells of the immune system.

Researchers make immunotherapy work for treatment-resistant lymphoma

2019-08-05

Researchers have developed a way to use immunotherapy drugs against treatment-resistant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas for the first time by combining them with stem cell transplantation, an approach that also dramatically increased the success of the drugs in melanoma and lung cancer.

A new method of tooth repair? Scientists uncover mechanisms to inform future treatment

2019-08-09

Stem cells hold the key to wound healing, as they develop into specialized cell types throughout the body -- including in teeth. Now an international team of researchers has found a mechanism that could offer a potential novel solution to tooth repair.

Mini kidneys grown from stem cells give new insights into kidney disease and therapies

2019-08-20

Medical researchers have grown 'miniature kidneys' in the laboratory that could be used to better understand how kidney diseases develop in individual patients. These kidney organoids were grown outside the body from skin cells derived from a single patient who has polycystic kidney disease. This method has paved the way for tailoring treatment plans specific to each patient, which could be extended to a range of kidney diseases.

Certain metabolites linked to stem cell function in the intestine

2019-08-22

Researchers have found that high levels of ketone bodies, molecules produced by the breakdown of fat, help the intestine to maintain a functional stem cell pool, which are crucial for intestinal regeneration.

Researchers engineer antibodies that unlock body's regenerative potential

2019-08-27

Our body makes antibodies to fight infections. But the synthetic versions of these molecules could hold the key to stimulating the body's ability to regenerate.

Addition of growth factors to unique system helps new bone formation

2019-08-28

The development of new bone can be a multistep process: first, stem cells differentiate into cartilage cells. Next, the cartilage cells become bone cells. But that's not all: the cells must experience some mechanical stresses during the transformation in order to transform efficiently from stem cells to bone cells.

Abnormal expression of genes in psychopathy

2019-08-29

The expression of many genes that have previously been associated with autism is abnormal also in violent psychopathy, a new study shows. The researchers used stem cell technology to analyse the expression of genes and proteins in the brain cells of psychopathic violent offenders.

Infant with deadly leukemia saved by drug for adult liver cancer

2019-09-11

Doctors have successfully treated an infant with a rare childhood leukemia using a targeted therapy approved for adults with inoperable liver cancer and advanced kidney cancer. The decision to use the drug, sorafenib, was made after pathologists identified a unique mutation of two genes being fused together instead of on separate chromosomes.

Stem cell researchers reactivate 'back-up genes' in the lab

2019-09-12

Scientists have unraveled parts of a mechanism that may one day help to treat Rett syndrome and other genetic disorders linked to the X chromosome.

Alzheimer's disease risk gene APOE4 impairs function of brain immune cells

2019-09-16

A study carried out with a new human stem cell-derived model reveals that the most prevalent genetic risk factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD), apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), impairs the function of human brain immune cells, microglia. These findings pave the way for new, effective treatment approaches for AD.

Gene editing enables researchers to correct mutation in muscle stem cells in DMD model

2019-09-17

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare but devastating genetic disorder that causes muscle loss and physical impairments. Researchers have shown in a mouse study that the powerful gene editing technique known as CRISPR may provide the means for lifelong correction of the genetic mutation responsible for the disorder.

Suntanner, heal thyself: Exosome therapy may enable better repair of sun, age-damaged skin

2019-09-19

In a proof-of-concept study, researchers have shown that exosomes harvested from human skin cells are more effective at repairing sun-damaged skin cells in mice than popular retinol or stem cell-based treatments currently in use. Additionally, the nanometer-sized exosomes can be delivered to the target cells via needle-free injections.

Engineered killer T cells could provide long-lasting immunity against cancer

2019-09-24

In experiments with mice, researchers have shown they can harness the power of iNKT cells to attack tumor cells and treat cancer. The new method suppressed the growth of multiple types of human tumors that had been transplanted into the animals.

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