Cord Blood News Volume 2.45 | Dec 2 2010

Researchers Identify Protein Essential for Cell Division in Blood-Forming Stem Cells 
Researchers have discovered that a protein known to regulate cellular metabolism is also necessary for normal cell division in blood-forming stem cells. [Press release from the University of Michigan discussing online prepublication in Nature]

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Study Shows That Blood Stem Cells Are Influenced by Their Offspring
A new study has shown that mature blood cells can communicate with, and influence the behavior of, their stem cell ‘parents’. [Press release from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

Lkb1 Regulates Cell Cycle and Energy Metabolism in Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Lkb1 is required for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent and AMPK-independent mechanisms, revealing differences in metabolic and cell-cycle regulation between HSCs and some other hematopoietic progenitors. [Nature]
 
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Their Mature Progeny
Researchers demonstrate that the megakaryocytosis and increased platelet mass in mice with mutations in the Myb or p300 genes causes reduced circulating thrombopoietin (TPO) concentration and TPO starvation of the stem cell compartment, which is exacerbated because these cells additionally exhibit impaired responsiveness to TPO. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]
 
Dynamic Adhesion of Umbilical Cord Blood Endothelial Progenitor Cells Under Laminar Shear Stress
Researchers characterized the dynamic adhesion of umbilical-cord-blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells to surfaces coated with fibronectin. [Biophys J]
 
Lymphocyte Recovery Predicts Outcomes in Cord Blood and T-Cell Depleted Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation
Results suggest that absolute lymphocyte count recovery is an important prognostic indicator for patients treated with cord blood and T-cell-depleted peripheral haploidentical transplants. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant]

Development of a High Resolution Purification Method for Precise Functional Characterization of Primitive Human Cord Blood-Derived CD34-Negative SCID-Repopulating Cells
Researchers succeeded in highly purifying the CD34^– severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-repopulating cells using 18 Lin monoclonal antibodies and the intra-bone marrow injection technique. [Exp Hematol]

IL-27 Induces the Differentiation of Tr1-Like Cells from Human Naive CD4+ T Cells via the Phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3
Researchers showed that IL-27 induced IL-10 and IFN-gamma, but had no effect on IL-2, TNF-alpha and IL-4 production from human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells. [Immunol Lett]

Cotransplantation of Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stromal Cells Enhances Hematopoietic Reconstitution and Engraftment in Irradiated BABL/c Mice
Findings suggest the role of human umbilical cord blood-derived stromal cells in facilitating hematopoietic reconstitution and engraftment when cotransplanted with hematopoietic cells. [Cancer Biol Ther]
 
CXCR4-Transfected Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Exhibit Enhanced Migratory Capacity Toward Gliomas
Results indicate that stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha/CXCR4 could be involved in recruitment of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells to glioma cells and that overexpression of CXCR4 may be a useful tool for stem cell-based glioma therapy. [Int J Oncol]

Blood Stem Cell Research to Benefit from Stem Cells Australia Initiative
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute will partner in a newly established $32 million initiative to position Australia as an international hub for stem cell research. [Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Press Release]
 
Cord Blood Donations Only in 5 New Jersey Hospitals, Down from 25
Mothers wishing to donate umbilical cord blood for public use can do so in only five hospitals statewide, down from 25 less than a year ago, even as the number of diseases it treats continues to rise. [North Jersey Media Group]
 
Growth Review Highlights Life Sciences as a Key Sector; Confirms Introduction of Patent Box and Reviews R&D Tax Credits
The government’s growth review “The path to strong, sustainable and balanced growth”, launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, is a promising road map to enable the UK to build its vibrant life sciences sector. [The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Press Release]
 
New International Competition Focuses on Early Career Scientists
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute launched an international competition to select up to 35 early career scientists working at academic institutions in 18 countries on five continents with the goal of helping these talented individuals establish independent research programs. [Howard Hughes Medical Institute Press Release]

NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan Welcome Publication of Stem Cell Strategy Report
The report from the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum, which was commissioned by the Department of Health and led by NHS Blood and Transplant, sets out a plan which includes increasing the number of umbilical cord blood units banked in the UK and improving the performance of UK based stem cell registries. [National Health Service, United Kingdom]

FDA and Life Sciences Industry Relationship Is Complicated by New Science and Changing Expectations, Finds PwC Survey
Growing public demand for increased medical device and drug safety, as well as the need to develop medical products faster, is complicating the current regulatory approval process and relationship between the life sciences industry and its chief regulator, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)
 
European Medicines Agency (European Union)
 
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

Inaugural Theranostics for Personalised Medicine
May 18-19, 2011
London, United Kingdom
 
13th Annual C21 BioVentures
May 24-26, 2011
Napa, United States

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