Correction of Murine Hemoglobinopathies by Prenatal Tolerance Induction and Postnatal Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic BM Transplants Scientists hypothesized that a combined strategy of in utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to induce donor specific tolerance followed by postnatal nonmyeloablative same donor “booster” bone marrow (BM) transplants in murine models of Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemias (Thal) would result in high levels of allogeneic engraftment and donor hemoglobin expression with subsequent phenotypic correction of SCD and Thal. [Blood] Abstract A Simple, Xeno-Free Method for Oligodendrocyte Generation from Human Neural Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord: Engagement of Gelatinases in Cell Commitment and Differentiation Neural stem cells of human umbilical cord blood have been used to derive oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPCs) and subsequently to differentiate them into mature, GalC-expressing oligodendrocytes. Applied components of the extracellular matrix and the analogues of physiological substances known to increase glial commitment of neural stem cells have been shown to significantly increase the yield of the resulting OPC fraction. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract Second Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children with Severe Aplastic Anemia The outcome of 55 children with severe aplastic anemia who received a second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was retrospectively analyzed using the registration data of the Japanese Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract Lower Dose Anti-Thymocyte Globulin for GvHD Prophylaxis Results in Improved Survival after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-Fresenius at a dose of 60 mg/kg was standard GvHD prophylaxis in unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our institution. Investigators changed to an incremental reduced dose regimen of 35 mg/kg and extended ATG prophylaxis to include older matched-related donor transplants considered to be at higher risk of GvHD. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Transplantation in Myocardial Ischemia (HUC-HEART Trial). A Study Protocol of a Phase I/II, Controlled and Randomized Trial in Combination with Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting The HUC-HEART trail is a Phase I/II, controlled, multicenter, randomized clinical study of the intramyocardial delivery of allogeneic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. [Stem Cell Rev] Abstract The Efficacy and Safety of Rabbit Anti-Thymocyte Globulin versus Rabbit Anti-T-Lymphocyte Globulin in Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation from Unrelated Donors The records of 56 patients and 54 patients who received pre-transplant antithymocyte globulin (ATG)-Thymoglobulin at a total dose of 10 mg/kg and ATG- Fresenius at a total dose of 20 mg/kg, respectively, were retrospectively analyzed. [Leuk Lymphoma] Abstract Equine Allogeneic Umbilical-Cord-Blood Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Reduce Synovial Fluid Nucleated Cell Count and Induce Mild Self-Limiting Inflammation when Evaluated in a LPS Induced Synovitis Model Investigators evaluated the effect of intra-articular allogeneic umbilical-cord-blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced synovitis model. [Equine Vet J] Abstract Isolation of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells from Small-Volume Umbilical Cord Blood Units that Do Not Qualify for the Banking System Researchers examined the availability of freshly donated umbilical cord blood units that do not qualify for the Japanese banking system for transplantation because of their small volume as a source of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells. [Int J Hematol] Abstract |