Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induce Non-Classical IL-10-Producing Regulatory TH17 Cells in Arthritis: Role of Gilz Scientists evaluated the molecular mechanisms involved in the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to better understand how the immune balance between Th1/Th17 and Treg cells is regulated following MSC injection. They focused their study on the role of Gilz which was recently described as an inhibitor of immune-inflammatory responses in RA. [Ann Rheum Dis] Abstract Engineering of Pre-Vascularized Urethral Patch with Muscle Flaps and Hypoxia-Activated hUCMSCs Improves Its Therapeutic Outcome In this study, with the assistance of hypoxia-activated human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs), pedicled muscle flaps were used as materials and pre-incubated in ventral penile subcutaneous cavity of rabbit for 3 weeks to prepare a pre-vascularized urethral construct. [J Cell Mol Med] Abstract Mouse Flk-1+Sca-1- Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Functional Plasticity In Vitro and Immunoregulation In Vivo Researchers isolated Flk-1+Sca-1 mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow and studied their biological characteristics and immunologic functions. They also investigated their effects on graft-versus-host disease associated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in mice. [Transplantation] Abstract Heterogeneity of Baseline Neural Marker Expression by Undifferentiated Mesenchymal Stem Cells May Be Correlated to Donor Age Researchers showed that amongst a mixed group of primary adipose and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(12–50 years), the observed variability in baseline neural marker expression may be correlated to donor age. [J Biotechnol] Abstract Overexpression of Wnt11 Promotes Chondrogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Synergism with TGF-β Scientists investigated the role of Wnt11, a member of noncanonical Wnts, in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) during chondrogenic differentiation. They observed that overexpression of Wnt11 inhibited proliferation of MSCs and caused a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. [Mol Cell Biochem] Abstract Mesenchymal Stem Cells Support Hepatocyte Function in Engineered Liver Grafts The authors describe enhanced hepatic function achieved using a strategy of sequential infusion of cells and illustrate the advantages of co-cultivating bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells with primary hepatocytes in the engineered whole-liver scaffold. [Organogenesis] Abstract A Combinatorial Cell-Laden Gel Microarray for Inducing Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Development of three dimensional (3D) microenvironments that direct stem cell differentiation into functional cell types remains a major challenge in the field of regenerative medicine. Investigators describe a new platform to address this challenge by utilizing a robotic microarray spotter for testing stem cell fates inside various miniaturized cell-laden gels in a systematic manner. To demonstrate the feasibility of their platform, they evaluated the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells within combinatorial 3D niches. [Sci Rep] Full Article Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Connexon Creative is evaluating reader interest in a new social media platform. Fill out this quick survey for your chance to win 1 of 4 $25 gift cards! Take survey here |