| TOP STORY | Scientists Create Stable, Self-Renewing Neural Stem Cells Researchers report a game-changing advance in stem cell science: the creation of long-term, self-renewing, primitive neural precursor cells from human embryonic stem cells that can be directed to become many types of neuron without increased risk of tumor formation. [Press release from the University of California, San Diego discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA] |
| CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal) | Substrate-Modulated Gating Dynamics in a Na+-Coupled Neurotransmitter Transporter Homologue Researchers investigated how substrate binding is coupled to structural transitions in LeuT during Na+-coupled transport. Here researchers report a process whereby substrate binding from the extracellular side of LeuT facilitates intracellular gate opening and substrate release at the intracellular face of the protein. [Nature] Ablation of Fmrp in Adult Neural Stem Cells Disrupts Hippocampus-Dependent Learning Here researchers show that ablation of Fmrp in neural stem and progenitor cells by inducible gene recombination leads to reduced hippocampal neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo, as well as markedly impairing hippocampus-dependent learning in mice. [Nat Med] Reelin, Rap1 and N-cadherin Orient the Migration of Multipolar Neurons in the Developing Neocortex Here researchers show that Reelin, the Rap1 GTPase and N-cadherin are important for multipolar neurons to polarize their migration toward the cortical plate. [Nat Neurosci] Mechanism of Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Kinase II Regulation of AMPA Receptor Gating Researchers show that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II increases the conductance of native heteromeric AMPA receptors in mouse hippocampal neurons through phosphorylation of Ser831. [Nat Neurosci] Regeneration of Axons in Injured Spinal Cord by Activation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein/Smad1 Signaling Pathway in Adult Neurons Here, researchers show that Smad1-dependent bone morphogenetic protein signaling is developmentally regulated and governs axonal growth in dorsal root ganglion neurons. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Schwann Cell Spectrins Modulate Peripheral Nerve Myelination Here, researchers demonstrate that the submembranous cytoskeletal proteins aII and ßII spectrin are polarized in Schwann cells and colocalize with signaling molecules known to modulate myelination in vitro. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts to Neural Progenitors Results provide a unique paradigm for induced pluripotent stem cell-factor–based reprogramming by demonstrating that it can be readily modified to serve as a general platform for transdifferentiation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] FoxM1 in Tumorigenicity of the Neuroblastoma cells and Renewal of the Neural Progenitors In this study, researchers investigate the roles of FoxM1 in the tumorigenicity of neuroblastoma. They show that depletion of FoxM1 inhibits anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenicity in mouse xenografts. [Cancer Res] Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Neural Tissue Engineering Researchers derived neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells, and investigated the potential of NCSCs for neural tissue engineering. [Biomaterials] Array-Based Functional Screening of Growth Factors Toward Optimizing Neural Stem Cell Microenvironments To gain insights into the effect of various growth factors on the behaviors of neural stem cells, cell culture assays were performed on the array that displayed five different growth factors including basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and ciliary neurotrophic factor. [Biomaterials] |
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