ESC & iPSC News Volume 15.05 | Feb 12 2020

TOP STORY

IGF1-Mediated Human Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal Recapitulates the Embryonic Niche

Researchers derived several PSC lines that expressed pluripotency-associated genes, retained high viability and a normal karyotype, and could be genetically modified or differentiated into multiple cell lineages. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Transcriptional Landscape of Myogenesis from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveals a Key Role of TWIST1 in Maintenance of Skeletal Muscle Progenitors

Scientists characterized the transcriptional landscape of distinct human myogenic stages, including OCT4::EGFP+ PSCs, MSGN1::EGFP+ presomite cells, PAX7::EGFP+ skeletal muscle progenitor cells, MYOG::EGFP+ myoblasts, and multinucleated myotubes. [eLife] Full Article

Pten-Mediated Gsk3β Modulates the Naïve Pluripotency Maintenance in Embryonic Stem Cells

The authors showed that the Pten-inhibitor SF1670 contributed to sustaining mouse ESCs and that Pten activation by the S380A, T382A, and T383A mutations suppressed the pluripotency of ESCs. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Activin A and BMP4 Signaling Expands Potency of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Serum-Free Media

Investigators showed that culturing ESCs in Activin A and BMP4, and in the absence of MEK1/2 inhibitor (ABC/L medium), established advanced stem cells derived from ESCs. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

The Novel Application of Cordycepin in Maintaining Stem Cell Pluripotency and Increasing iPS Cell Generation Efficiency

Researchers report that cordycepin promoted the expression of pluripotency markers in ES and iPS cells. ESCs treated with cordycepin demonstrated their potential for generating embryoid bodies and differentiating into all three germ layers. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Sox2 Controls Schwann Cell Self-Organization through Fibronectin Fibrillogenesis

Investigators found that mouse primary sensory neurons and human iPSC-derived motoneurons required the Sox2-dependent fibronectin matrix in order to migrate along the oriented Schwann cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Flexible Substrate Is Key to Appropriate Contractile Behaviour of hiPSC Derived Cardiomyocytes

Scientists examined the contractile behaviour of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes on a range of substrates including standard tissue culture plastic to determine the influence on the time course and synchronicity of cell contraction. [Biophys J] Abstract

Upregulation of the MAGUK Sap97 Enhances Protein Expression in Stem Cell Derived Myocytes

Researchers tested the hypothesis that upregulation of synapse associated protein 97 (Sap97) would increase protein expression and thereby enhance human iPSC-derived cardiac myocyte maturation. [Biophys J] Abstract

3D Bioprinting Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Tissues Using a Novel Fibrin Bioink Containing Drug Releasing Microspheres

Scientists demonstrated how their novel fibrin-based bioink formulation combined with drug releasing microspheres could serve as a tool for bioprinting tissues using human iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells. [Front Bioeng Biotechnol] Full Article

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Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Homeostatic, Stressed, and Malignant Stem Cells

The authors discuss how post-transcriptional mechanisms enable stem cell homeostasis and responsiveness to developmental cues and environmental stressors by rapidly shaping the content of their proteome and how these processes are disrupted in pre-malignant and malignant states. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract

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

PharmaCyte Biotech Receives Certificates of Analysis and Batch Records for Its Clinical Trial Product in Pancreatic Cancer

PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. announced that it has received the Certificates of Analysis and the records from both batches of its clinical trial product manufactured by Austrianova Singapore. [PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.] Press Release

We Need Better Regulation of Stem Cell Therapies, Especially Rogue Clinics

Rogue stem cell clinics continue to victimize hopeful patients seeking cures for cancer, Parkinson’s disease, autism, chronic pain, and more. Most of these treatments are unproven and unsupported by evidence, wasting precious time and health care dollars for desperate patients and often doing more harm than good to patients’ health and survival. [STAT News] Press Release

Trump Proposes Significant Cuts to NIH for 2021 Budget

The president’s request for next year’s federal budget includes a seven percent drop in funding for the National Institutes of Health and reductions for other science agencies. [The Scientist] Editorial

Major Cancer Institute Sued by Its Own Researchers Over ‘Tapering’ Funding

Alleging that a leading cancer funder is slashing their support in an “unethical and reckless” way, six prominent cancer researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have filed a lawsuit to compel it to continue its current level of support. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 15^th Swiss Stem Cell Network Annual Meeting
June 26, 2020
Bern, Switzerland

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

NEW Research Assistant – Cellular Generation and Phenotyping (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Human iPS Models of Parkinson’s Disease (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Stem Cell Niche Biology (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Positions – Create ‘Foie Gras’ in Vitro from Stem Cells (KU Leuven)

PhD Position – Human Inducible Stem Cells (University of Fribourg)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Biology (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Training Fellow – Drosophila Genetics (The Francis Crick Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Research (Georgetown University Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Endocrinology (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center)

Scientist – Stem Cell Biology (Genentech, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Organ Progenitor Fate (University of Copenhagen)

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

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