ESC & iPSC News Volume 14.11 | Mar 27 2019

TOP STORY

Cell Competition during Reprogramming Gives Rise to Dominant Clones

By combining cellular barcoding, mathematical modeling, and lineage tracing approaches, researchers demonstrated that reprogramming dynamics in heterogeneous populations are driven by dominant “elite” clones. Clones arise a priori from a population of poised mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from Wnt1-expressing cells that may represent a neural crest population. [Science] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

SMARCAD1 ATPase Activity Is Required to Silence Endogenous Retroviruses in Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists identified the SWI/SNF-like remodeler SMARCAD1 as a key factor in the control of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) in embryonic stem cells. SMARCAD1 was enriched at ERV subfamilies class I and II, particularly at active intracisternal A-type particles (IAPs), where it preserved repressive histone methylation marks. Depletion of SMARCAD1 resulted in de-repression of IAPs and adjacent genes. [Nat Commun] Full Article

A TRIM71 Binding Long Noncoding RNA Trincr1 Represses FGF/ERK Signaling in Embryonic Stem Cells

Investigators identified Trincr1 (TRIM71 interacting long noncoding RNA 1) lncRNA that regulates the FGF/ERK signaling and self-renewal of ESCs. Knocking out Trincr1 led to the upregulation of phosphorylated ERK and ERK pathway target genes and the decrease of ESC self-renewal, while knocking down Trim71 completely rescued the defects of Trincr1 knockout. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Genome-Scale CRISPRa Screen Identifies Novel Factors for Cellular Reprogramming

Researchers used CRISPR activation to perform a genome-scale, reprogramming screen in epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) and identified 142 candidate genes. They showed that Sall1 augments reprogramming of mouse EpiSCs and embryonic fibroblasts, and that these induced pluripotent stem cells are indeed fully pluripotent including formation of chimeric mice. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Comparison of Human Isogeneic Wharton’s Jelly MSCs and iPSC-Derived MSCs Reveals Differentiation-Dependent Metabolic Responses to IFNG Stimulation

To explore differences between native mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and iPSC-derived MSCs (iMSCs), scientists developed isogeneic lines from Wharton’s jelly from the umbilical cords of two donors under xeno-free conditions. They reprogrammed them into iPSCs and differentiated them back into iMSCs using two different protocols. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

A Wave of WNT Signaling Balanced by Secreted Inhibitors Controls Primitive Streak Formation in Micropattern Colonies of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

The authors used a human embryonic stem cell micropattern system to model formation of the primitive streak (PS) by WNT. In the pluripotent state, E-cadherin (E-CAD) transduced boundary forces to focus WNT signaling to the colony border. Following application of WNT ligand, E-CAD mediated a front or wave of epithelial-to-mesenchymal conversion analogous to PS extension in an embryo. [Development] Abstract

Single Cell-Derived Clonally Expanded Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells from Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer-Derived Pluripotent Stem Cells Ameliorate the Endometrial Function in the Uterus of a Murine Model with Asherman’s Syndrome

Scientists showed that functional mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) could be successfully established from a single cell-derived clonal expansion following MPC derivation from somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived human PSCs, and these cells can serve as therapeutic contributors in an animal model of Asherman’s syndrome. [Cell Prolif] Full Article

Expression of Embryonic Stem Cell Markers in Microcystic Lymphatic Malformation

3,3′-diaminobenzidine immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the expression of the ESC markers octamer-binding protein 4, homeobox protein NANOG, sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), Krupple-like factor, and proto-oncogene c-MYC, on the endothelium of lesional vessels with abundant expression of c-MYC and SOX2, which were also present on the cells within the stroma, in all nine microcystic lymphatic malformation tissue samples. [Lymphat Res Biol] Abstract

Disease-Associated Mutations of Claudin-19 Disrupt Retinal Neurogenesis and Visual Function

To study Familial Hypomagnesaemia and Hypercalciuria, Nephrocalcinosis with Ocular Involvement without the complications of kidney disease, naturally occurring point mutations of human CLDN19 were recreated in human induced pluripotent cells or overexpressed in the retinae of newborn mice. [Commun Biol] Full Article

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Progress in the Use of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries in Animal Populations: Meta-Analysis and Review

The authors review studies addressing the functional use of iPSC-derived neural cells in spinal cord injuries and perform a meta-analysis to determine if significant motor improvement is restored after treatment with iPSC-derived neural cells compared with treatments using embryonic stem cell-derived counterpart cells and control treatments. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

NanoSurface Biomedical Launches New Drug Screening Platform with Structurally Matured Human Heart Tissues Derived from Stem Cells

NanoSurface Biomedical announced the launch of the NanoSurface Car(ina)^™ platform for highly predictive pre-clinical drug screening, using structurally matured human iPSC-derived heart tissues. [NanoSurface Biomedical (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Sana Biotechnology Licenses Innovative Immune-Silent Stem Cell Technology Developed though Harvard’s Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator

Harvard’s Office of Technology Development has executed a license agreement with Sana Biotechnology. Harvard’s foundational technology consists of methods for producing hypoimmunogenic stem cells that can be differentiated into any cell type and then transplanted into a patient without triggering immune rejection. [The Harvard Gazette] Press Release

Top US Institutes Still Aren’t Reporting Clinical-Trial Results on Time

Many leading US universities are breaking the law by failing to make public the results of clinical trials. A report found that 25 of the 40 universities that sponsor the most trials in the United States did not post study results on a public, government register within twelve months of completion, as is required by US law. [Nature News] Editorial

As Elsevier Falters, Wiley Succeeds in Open-Access Deal Making

Over the last few years, Project DEAL, a consortium that represents around 700 academic institutions in Germany, has been in negotiations for nationwide licensing agreements with three of the largest scholarly publishers—Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley. [The Scientist] Editorial

Scientists Among Thousands Marching to Demand Say on Brexit

Scientists took to the streets of London as part of a major demonstration calling for the terms of Brexit to be put to the British people in a vote. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW FEBS: From Molecules to Living Systems
July 6-11, 2019
Krakow, Poland

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Epigenetics of Stem Cells, Development and Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

NEW Staff Scientist – Transcriptional Control in Development and Disease (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Scientist – Stem Cell Metabolism (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Media and Cell Line Development (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Human iPSCs, Epigenetics, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology, and Blood Cancers (Nationwide Children’s Hospital & Ohio State University)

Director of Operations – Biotech Production (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center)

Lecturer – iPSC Models of Neurological Disease (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Patient-Derived iPSC Research (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Human iPSC Research (Emory University)

Research Associate – iPSC & Neurodegenerative Disease (TU Dresden)

Postdoctoral Scholarship – Glioblastoma Stem Cell Research (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Discovery Oncology (Merck)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells & Neurodegeneration (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Genetics and Epigenomics of iPSC Biology (Stanford University)

Assistant Associate Professor/Professor in Residence – Stem Cell Program (UC Davis)

Assistant/Associate Adjunct Professor – Cardiovascular Medicine (UC Davis)

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