Dual Actions of Meis1 Inhibit Erythroid Progenitor Development and Sustain General Hematopoietic Cell Proliferation Investigators found that endogenous Mesp1 indirectly induces Meis1 and Meis2 in endothelial cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells. Overexpression of Meis1 and Meis2 greatly enhanced the formation of hematopoietic colonies from ES cells, with the exception of erythroid colonies, by maintaining hematopoietic progenitor cells in a state of proliferation. [Blood] Abstract Generation of Metabolically Functioning Hepatocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by FOXA2 and HNF1α Transduction Researchers found that the combination of two transcription factors, FOXA2 and HNF1α, promoted efficient hepatic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. [J Hepatol] Abstract Signaling Defects in iPSC-Derived Fragile X Premutation Neurons To investigate the underlying cellular neuropathology, researchers produced iPSC-derived neurons from isogenic subclones of primary fibroblasts of a female premutation carrier; with each subclone bearing exclusively either the normal or the expanded (premutation) form of the fragile X gene as the active allele. [Hum Mol Genet] Abstract Evidence for Premature Aging due to Oxidative Stress in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Cockayne Syndrome Findings suggest that Cockayne syndrome group B gene modulates cell viability in pluripotent stem cells, regulating the expression of p53 and TXNIP and reactive oxygen species production. [Hum Mol Genet] Abstract Induced Pluripotent Stem Induced Cells Show Better Constitutive Heterochromatin Remodeling and Developmental Potential after Nuclear Transfer than Their Parental Cells Findings suggest that constitutive heterochromatin organization from differentiated somatic cells can be reprogrammed to the pluripotent state by induction of induced pluripotent stem cells, which in turn support nuclear transfer procedure quite efficiently. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract ILK Induces Cardiomyogenesis in the Human Heart Endogenous integrin-linked kinase (ILK) expression was shown to increase in concert with those of cardiomyogenic markers during directed cardiomyogenic differentiation in human embryonic stem cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Shear Stress Influences the Pluripotency of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells in Stirred Suspension Bioreactors Results provide a better understanding of the environmental conditions within suspension bioreactors and how these conditions affect the pluripotency of murine embryonic stem cells. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract ATAD3B Is an Human Embryonic Stem Cell Specific Mitochondrial Protein, Re-Expressed in Cancer Cells, that Functions as Dominant Negative for the Ubiquitous ATAD3A Researchers concluded that ATAD3B is a negative regulator of ATAD3A and may function as an adaptor of mitochondrial homeostasis and metabolism in human pluripotent embryonic stem cells and cancer cells. [Mitochondrion] Abstract |