ESC & iPSC News Volume 14.49 | Dec 18 2019

TOP STORY

Congenital Pituitary Hypoplasia Model Demonstrates Hypothalamic OTX2 Regulation of Pituitary Progenitor Cells

Investigators established a disease model of congenital pituitary hypoplasia using patient-derived iPSCs and 3D organoid technique, in which oral ectoderm and hypothalamus developed simultaneously. [J Clin Invest] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Dorsal-Ventral Patterned Neural Cyst from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Neurogenic Niche

Scientists report a human neural tube (NT) development model, in which NT-like tissues, neuroepithelial cysts, were generated in a bioengineered neurogenic environment through self-organization of human PSCs. [Sci Adv] Full Article

Self-Organization of Mouse Stem Cells into an Extended Potential Blastoid

Investigators showed that mouse ESCs cultured under extended pluripotent conditions could be partnered with trophoblast stem cells to self-organize into blastocyst-like structures with all three embryonic and extra-embryonic lineages. [Dev Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstact

Inducible Forward Programming of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Hemato-Endothelial Progenitor Cells with Hematopoietic Progenitor Potential

Researchers unraveled the function of key transcriptional regulators SCL, LMO2, GATA2, and ETV2 on early hemato-endothelial specification and establish a fully inducible and stepwise hemato-endothelial forward programming system based on SLGE-regulated overexpression. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Genetic Tool for Fate Mapping of OCT4 (Pou5f1)-Expressing Cells and Their Progeny past the Pluripotency Stage

The CRISPR/Cas9 tool was used to manipulate the genome of mouse ESCs, and various cell culture technics—to maintain and differentiate ESCs to neural cell, lentivirus-based reprogramming technique—to generate iPSCs. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium from Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Exhibit Reduced Metabolism and Matrix Interactions

iPSCs were generated from fibroblasts isolated from age-related macular degeneration patients or age-matched controls. Retinal pigment epithelium derived from iPSCs were analyzed by morphology, marker expression, transepithelial electrical resistance, and phagocytosis of rod photoreceptor outer segments. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Modeling Heme-Mediated Brain Injury Associated with Cerebral Malaria in Human Brain Cortical Organoids

Researchers determined the effects of heme on iPSCs and a 3D cortical organoid system and assessed apoptosis and differentiation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Preconditioning the Initial State of Feeder-Free Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Promotes Self-Formation of Three-Dimensional Retinal Tissue

Scientists found that the initial human PSC (hPSC) state was a key factor and that preconditioning of the hPSC state by modulating TGF-beta and Shh signaling improved self-formation of 3D-neuroepithelium. Using the preconditioning method, several feeder-free hPSC lines robustly differentiated into 3D-retina. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Role of Adult Tissue-Derived Pluripotent Stem Cells in Bone Regeneration

Scientists evaluated if and how very small embryonic like cells, isolated from rat bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells, contributed to bone healing. [Stem Cell Rev Rep] Abstract

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Present and Future Perspectives of Using Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Organoid against Liver Failure

The authors introduce iPSC- and organoid-based therapies against liver diseases considering present and future perspectives. [Cell Transplant] Full Article

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Aspen Neuroscience Launches with $6.5 Million Seed Funding to Advance First-of-Its-Kind Personalized Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Aspen Neuroscience, Inc. announced its launch following a $6.5 million seed round — led by Domain Associates and Axon Ventures and including Alexandria Venture Investments, Arch Venture Partners, OrbiMed and Section 32 — to develop the first autologous cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease. [Aspen Neuroscience, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

$13 Million Grant to Probe the Genome of Heart Cells

The work outlined in this grant is expected to yield novel insight into heart disease and spur the design of new therapies. It will also help the researchers improve their ability to coax human cells into becoming various types of heart cells. [Gladstone Institutes] Press Release

Scientists on the Move

In today’s political climate of possible scientific funding cuts and immigration policy uncertainty, headlines forecast a grim effect on scientific research. [Scientific American] Editorial

UK Election Dashes Scientists’ Hopes of Staying in the EU

The United Kingdom is now firmly on the path towards leaving the European Union, after the Conservative party won a majority of 79 seats in general election – a result that has major implications for science. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Tissue Stem Cell Regulation by Autonomous and Non-Autonomous Mechanisms
July 12-17, 2020
Ventura, California, United States

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NEW Scientist – Stem Cell Biology (Genentech, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Organ Progenitor Fate (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Cardiac iPSCs (Stanford Cardiovascular Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – iPSC Heart Cells (Stanford University)

Research Techician – iPSC Culture Lab (University of Luxembourg)

Postdoctoral Associate – Stem Cell Research (University of Minnesota Twin Cities)

Multiple Positions – Stem Cell Biology (NIH NCATS Stem Cell Translation Laboratory)

Research Assistant – Stem Cells and Engineering (New York Blood Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – CRISPR/Cas9 in ESCs (Institute of Molecular Biology GmbH)

Postdoctoral Researcher – iPSC Models in Neurology (IRIBHM)

Assistant Specialist – Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (University of California, Davis)

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