Neural Cell News Volume 8.28 | Jul 23 2014

Multi-Scale, Hierarchically Patterned Topography for Directing Human Neural Stem Cells into Functional Neurons
Scientists developed a hierarchically patterned substrate platform that can synergistically enhance the differentiation of human neural stem cells by simultaneously providing microscale and nanoscale spatial controls to facilitate the alignment of the cytoskeleton and the formation of focal adhesions. [ACS Nano] Abstract

Role of Astroglia in Down’s Syndrome Revealed by Patient-Derived Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Investigators used induced pluripotent stem cells derived from Down’s syndrome (DS) patients to identify a role for astrocytes in DS pathogenesis. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

prickle Modulates Microtubule Polarity and Axonal Transport to Ameliorate Seizures in Flies
Researchers show that Prickle organizes microtubule polarity and affects their growth dynamics in axons of Drosophila neurons, which in turn influences both anterograde and retrograde vesicle transport. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Activity-Dependent Structural Plasticity of Perisynaptic Astrocytic Domains Promotes Excitatory Synapse Stability
In the hippocampus, researchers found that perisynaptic astrocytic processes show extensive structural plasticity that is regulated by synaptic activity through astrocytic metabotropic glutamate receptors and intracellular calcium signaling. [Curr Biol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Functional and Molecular Defects of hiPSC-Derived Neurons from Patients with ATM Deficiency
To investigate the mechanisms of neurodegeneration, investigators reprogrammed fibroblasts from ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-null ataxia-telangiectasia patients and normal controls to pluripotency (human-induced pluripotent stem cells [hiPSCs]), and derived from these neural precursor cells able to terminally differentiate into post-mitotic neurons positive to >90% for β-tubulin III⁺/microtubule-associated protein 2⁺. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Familial Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Differentiate into Mature Neurons with Amyloidogenic Properties
Researchers differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) lines to the neuronal lineage and demonstrated that hiPSC-derived neurons have mature phenotypic and physiological properties. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Mechanisms of Neuroblastoma Cell Growth Inhibition by CARP-1 Functional Mimetics
Researchers investigated neuroblastoma (NB) inhibitory potential of CARP-1 functional mimetics (CFMs) and the molecular mechanisms involved. CFM-1, -4, and -5 inhibited NB cell growth, in vitro, independent of their p53 and MYCN status. [PLoS One] Full Article

Glioblastoma: A Pathogenic Crosstalk between Tumor Cells and Pericytes
Scientists investigated the underlying mechanism by which the most lethal brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) interacts with pre-existing blood vessels to promote tumor initiation and progression. Using mouse xenografts and laminin-coated silicone substrates, they show that GBM malignancy proceeds via specific and previously unknown interactions of tumor cells with brain pericytes. [PLoS One] Full Article

IGF-1 Enhances Cell Proliferation and Survival during Early Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Neural Progenitor-Like Cells
Based on previous studies of the roles of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in neural stem cell isolation in the laboratory, scientists hypothesized that IGF-1 can enhance proliferation and reduce apoptosis in neural progenitor-like cells (NPCs) during differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into NPCs. [BMC Neurosci] Abstract | Full Article

Graft of the Gelatin Sponge Scaffold Containing Genetically Modified Neural Stem Cells Promotes Cell Differentiation, Axon Regeneration and Functional Recovery in Rat with Spinal Cord Transection
Investigators performed gelatin sponge scaffold seeded with neurotrophin-3 and its receptor TrkC gene modifying neural stem cells for repairing spinal cord injury. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract

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Crenezumab Phase II Cognition Data in Alzheimer’s Disease Presented
AC Immune announced the presentation of data from two Phase II studies investigating whether crenezumab (anti beta-amyloid antibody) can delay cognitive and functional decline in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease by its partner Genentech. [Press release from AC Immune discussing research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference^® (AAIC^®) 2014, Copenhagen] Press Release

Drug’s Effect on Alzheimer’s May Depend on Severity of Disease
A cancer drug that has shown promise against Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in mice and has begun early clinical trials has yielded perplexing results in a novel mouse model of AD that mimics the genetics and pathology of the human disease more closely than any other animal model. [Press release from the University of Illinois discussing research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference^® (AAIC^®) 2014, Copenhagen ] Press Release

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Pfizer to Acquire InnoPharma, Inc.
Pfizer Inc. and InnoPharma, Inc. announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Pfizer will acquire InnoPharma. [InnoPharma, Inc.] Press Release

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Product Marketing Manager (Cesca Therapeutics)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunity and Neurogenesis (Karolinska Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell Biology (Yale University)

Research Associate – Generation of Laminated Neural Retinae from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (Institute of Genetic Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Experimental Neuroscience, Stem Cell Biology, and Neurotransplantation (Johns Hopkins University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Optics and Bioengineering for Engineering and/or Neuroscientific Applications (Nanyang Technological University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Neuroscience (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – CNRS)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience (CIMA/University of Navarra)

Postdoctoral Position – Neurotoxicity and Epigenetics (Thomas Jefferson University)

Scientist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Neural Differentiation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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