Expansion of Functional Human Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells via Reprogramming to Pluripotency and Redifferentiation The authors report an induced pluripotent stem cell-based reprogramming approach for the expansion of functional mucosal-associated invariant T cells. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract Drug Screening Using a Library of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Reveals Disease Specific Patterns of Cardiotoxicity Investigators generated a library of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes from patients with various hereditary cardiac disorders to model differences in cardiac drug toxicity susceptibility for patients of different genetic backgrounds. [Circulation] Abstract | Press Release WNT Signaling Determines Tumorigenicity and Function of ESC-Derived Retinal Progenitors In an attempt to find major extracellular signaling and intrinsic factors controlling tumorigenicity and therapeutic functionality of transplanted embryonic stem cell-derived (ESC-derived) retinal progenitor cells (ESC-RPCs), investigators evaluated multiple kinds of ESC-RPCs in a mouse retinal degeneration model and conducted genome-wide gene expression profiling. [J Clin Invest] Full Article An Epigenetic Component of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging Amenable to Reprogramming into a Young State The authors applied induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell reprogramming of aged hematopoietic progenitors and allowed the resulting aged-derived iPS cells to reform hematopoiesis via blastocyst complementation. Next, they functionally characterized iPS-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in primary chimeras and following the transplantation of ‘re-differentiated’ HSCs into new hosts; the gold standard to assess HSC function. [Blood] Abstract | Press Release Generation of Induced Neurons via Direct Conversion In Vivo Scientists showed that transplanted human fibroblasts and human astrocytes, which are engineered to express inducible forms of neural reprogramming genes, convert into neurons when reprogramming genes are activated after transplantation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release Nicotinamide Overcomes Pluripotency Deficits and Reprogramming Barriers Findings establish that adequate intracellular NAD+ content is crucial for pluripotency; the distinct effects of nicotinamide (NAM) on pluripotency may be dependent not only on its metabolic advantage as a NAD+ precursor but also on the ability of NAM to enhance resistance to cellular stress. [Stem Cells] Abstract NuRD Blocks Reprogramming of Mouse Somatic Cells into Pluripotent Stem Cells Nuclear reprogramming is an inefficient process and the molecular mechanisms that reset the epigenetic state during induced pluripotent stem cell generation are largely unknown. Scientists showed that down-regulation of the NuRD (Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylation) complex is required for efficient reprogramming. [Stem Cells] Abstract Generation and Characterization of a Novel Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Line with a Dynamic Reporter of Nanog Expression Researchers described the generation and validation of a mouse embryonic stem cell line with a novel Nanog reporter (Nd, from Nanog dynamics), containing a BAC transgene where the short-lived fluorescent protein VNP is placed under Nanog regulation. [PLoS One] Full Article N-methyl-D-aspartic Acid Receptor-Dependent Glutamate Excitotoxicity in Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Investigators generated neurons from human embryonic stem cells and characterized the development of vulnerability to glutamate excitotoxicity, a key contributor to neuronal injury in several acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. [Neurosci Lett] Abstract Clinical-Scale Derivation of Natural Killer Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Cancer Therapy Researchers used a two-stage culture system to efficiently produce natural killer cells from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells in the absence of cell sorting and without need for xenogeneic stromal cells. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract |