ADAR1 Is Required for Differentiation and Neural Induction by Regulating MicroRNA Processing in a Catalytically Independent Manner Investigators observed that adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADAR)1 deficiency in human embryonic stem cells significantly affected human embryonic stem cell differentiation and neural induction with widespread changes in mRNA and miRNA expression, including upregulation of self-renewal-related miRNAs, such as miR302s. [Cell Res] Full Article Isogenic Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines from an Adult with Mosaic Down Syndrome Model Accelerated Neuronal Aging and Neurodegeneration Scientists developed a first non-integration-reprogrammed isogenic human induced-pluripotent-stem-cells (iPSC) model of Down syndrome (DS) by reprogramming the skin fibroblasts from an adult individual with constitutional mosaicism for DS, and separately cloned multiple isogenic trisomy 21 and euploid iPSC lines. [Stem Cells] Abstract Production of Gene-Corrected Adult Beta Globin Protein in Human Erythrocytes Differentiated from Patient iPSCs after Genome Editing of the Sickle Point Mutation Investigators demonstrated that the CRISPR/Cas9 system designer nuclease is much more efficient in stimulating gene targeting of the endogenous HBB locus near the sickle cell disease point mutation in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) than ZFNs and TALENs. [Stem Cells] Abstract Stable Maintenance of De Novo Assembled Human Artificial Chromosomes in Embryonic Stem Cells and Their Differentiated Progeny in Mice Scientists transferred the alphoidtetO-human artificial chromosome into mouse embryonic stem cells and assessed whether the presence of this extra chromosome affects their pluripotent properties. [Cell Cycle] Abstract Cell Divisions Are Not Essential for the Direct Conversion of Fibroblasts into Neuronal Cells Investigators used transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into neuronal cells by forced expression of defined transcription factors as a model system to study the role of cellular division in the direct conversion process. [Cell Cycle] Abstract Dynamic Heterogeneity of DNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation in Embryonic Stem Cell Populations Captured by Single-Cell 3D High-Content Analysis Researchers assessed nuclear patterns of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, an important epigenetic mark, and its combination with 5-methylcytosine, in comparison to more established markers of pluripotency and endodermal differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells over a ten-day differentiation course in vitro. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract In Vitro Comparative Survey of Cell Adhesion and Proliferation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells on Surfaces of Polymeric Electrospun Nanofibrous and Solution-Cast Film Scaffolds In vitro responses of human induced pluripotent stem cells on polycaprolactone electrospun nanofibrous scaffold were reported in comparison with those of the cells on corresponding solution-cast film scaffold. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract SPREDs (Sprouty Related Proteins with EVH1 Domain) Promote Self-Renewal and Inhibit Mesodermal Differentiation in Murine Embryonic Stem Cells Researchers generated SPRED1 and SPRED2 overexpressing and SPRED2 knockout murine embryonic stem (ES) cells to analyze the functions of SPRED proteins in ES cells and during early differentiation. [Dev Dyn] Abstract |