Cord Blood News Volume 3.26 | Jul 7 2011

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cells Protect Mice Brain After Trauma
Findings indicate that human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells stimulate the injured brain and evoke trophic events, microglia/macrophage phenotypical switch, and glial scar inhibitory effects that remodel the brain and lead to significant improvement of neurologic outcome. [Crit Care Med]

Isolation of Single Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Capable of Long-Term Multilineage Engraftment
By tracking the expression of several adhesion molecules in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC)-enriched subsets, researchers revealed CD49f as a specific HSC marker. [Science]

Inhibition of TET2-Mediated Conversion of 5-Methylcytosine to 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Disturbs Erythroid and Granulo-Monocytic Differentiation of Human Hematopoietic Progenitors
Here researchers show that the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is decreased in granulocyte DNA from myeloproliferative neoplasm patients with TET2 mutations, compared to granulocyte DNA from healthy individuals. [Blood]

Effects of Obstetric Factors and Storage Temperatures on the Yield of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood
Researchers’ aim was twofold: to examine potential obstetric selection criteria for achieving the highest endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) yields from umbilical cord blood (UCB) units, and to determine whether transient storage temperatures of fresh UCB and cryopreservation of UCB units affected ECFC yield and function. [Angiogenesis]

Milestones in Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
Umbilical cord blood has now become one of the most commonly used sources of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation. [Br J Haematol]

The Regulatory Role of c-MYC on HDAC2 and PcG Expression in Human Multipotent Stem Cells
The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-MYC) in the expression of chromosomal modification via the histone deacethylase (HDAC) family genes in human mesenchymal stem cells. [J Cell Mol Med]

Effective Treatment of Severe Steroid-Resistant Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease with Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Researchers compared umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for morphology, surface markers expression, differentiation, proliferative potential, and their suppressive effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation. [Transplantation]

Neuronal Plasticity of Human Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to the Dopaminergic Cell Type Compared with Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
The focus of this study was to estimate the neuronal plasticity of Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) to the dopaminergic cell type in comparison with bone marrow MSC. [Cytotherapy]

Cord Blood America Enters Major New Agreement with Another BlueCross and BlueShield Program
Cord Blood America, Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement with Regence to offer the storage of umbilical cord blood to members of its BlueCross and BlueShield plans in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington at a discount rate consistent with its other BlueCross BlueShield licensee contracts. [Cord Blood America, Inc. Press Release]

Mesoblast Receives FDA Clearance for Phase III Bone Marrow Transplant Trial
Mesoblast Limited announced that it has received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration to begin a Phase III clinical trial for bone marrow regeneration in patients with blood cancers. [Mesoblast Limited Press Release]

Li Ka Shing Foundation Makes $1.5 Million Donation to Boost Yale Stem Cell Research
The Li Ka Shing Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to Yale University to expand two research core facilities, the human embryonic stem cell core and the genomics core, of the Yale Stem Cell Center. [Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications Press Release]

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