Cord Blood News Volume 4.41 | Oct 18 2012

Generation of Integration-Free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Postnatal Blood Mononuclear Cells by Plasmid Vector Expression
Blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) are easily isolated from umbilical cord blood or adult peripheral blood, and can be used fresh or after freezing. Researchers described a detailed, validated protocol for effective generation of integration-free human induced pluripotent stem cells from blood MNCs by plasmid vectors. [Nat Protoc] Abstract

Comparison of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Derived from Fresh and Cryopreserved Whole Cord Blood in the Generation of Humanized Mice
Investigators compared the efficiency of CD34⁺ stem cells isolated from cryopreserved cord blood from a blood bank (CCB) and fresh cord blood in generating highly engrafted humanized mice in NOD-SCID IL2Rγ^null rodents. Results reveal that the application of CCB samples for the engraftment of humanized mice does not result in less engraftment or a loss of differentiation and function of its subpopulations. [PLoS One]
Full Article

Notch Signaling Inhibits CD4 Expression during Initiation and Differentiation of Human T Cell Lineage
Researchers investigated the contribution of Notch signaling and stromal support cells to differentiation of adult and cord blood human hemopoietic stem cells, using the Notch signaling OP9Delta co-culture system. [PLoS One] Full Article

Reconstitution of Maturating and Regulatory Lymphocyte Subsets after Cord Blood and BMT in Children
Some clinical characteristics of cord blood transplantation (CBT) might be explained by specificities in the reconstitution of immune subsets differing by their maturation stage or their implication in GvHD, tolerance or immune responses against tumor or infectious agents. Here, researchers compared the immune reconstitution of several of these subsets after CBT and BMT. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

The Expressions of Co-Stimulatory Molecules Are Altered on Putative Antigen-Presenting Cells in Cord Blood
Researchers aimed to estimate the expressions of both B7-H1 and B7-H4 as well as CD200 and CD200R co-stimulatory molecules on immature myeloid and lymphoid dendritic cells, B CD19⁺ lymphocytes and monocytes in umbilical cord blood of healthy neonates and in peripheral blood of healthy adults. [Am J Reprod Immunol] Abstract

Therapeutic Effects of Human Mesenchymal and Hematopoietic Stem Cells on Rotenone-Treated Parkinsonian Mice
To appreciate the potential applications of stem cell technology in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, it is important to understand the characteristics of the various types of stem cells. Here, researchers designed a set of experiments to compare the ability of three types of human stem cells-mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow CD34⁺ cells, and cord blood CD34⁺ cells-using rotenone-treated NOD/SCID mice. [J Neurosci Res] Abstract

An Optimized Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometry Protocol for Human T Regulatory Cell Analysis on Fresh and Viably Frozen Cells, Correlation with Epigenetic Analysis, and Comparison of Cord and Adult Blood
The authors described an optimized multi-parameter flow cytometry protocol for the quantification of human T regulatory (Treg) cells from freshly obtained and viably frozen samples and correlations with epigenetic Treg cell analysis. They applied these two methodologies to characterize Treg cell differences between cord blood and adult peripheral blood. [J Immunol Methods] Abstract

Distinct Immunomodulatory and Migratory Mechanisms Underpin the Therapeutic Potential of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Autoimmune Demyelination
Researchers simultaneously assessed the therapeutic efficacy of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as well as MSCs isolated from adipose tissue and umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. [Cell Transplant] Abstract

Pioneering iPS Cell Scientist Kazutoshi Takahashi Receives NYSCF – Robertson Prize in Stem Cell Research
The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) will award a Japanese scientist with the NYSCF – Robertson Prize for his extraordinary achievements in translational stem cell research. Dr. Takahashi was lead author on a series of landmark papers that described reprogramming adult cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which were published while he was a postdoctoral researcher in Shinya Yamanaka’s, MD, PhD, laboratory at Kyoto University. [The New York Stem Cell Foundation] Press Release

Cryo-Cell Reports Fiscal Third Quarter Financial Results
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. announced financial results for the third quarter ended August 31, 2012. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

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)

View our events page to see a complete list of events in the cord blood community.

Scientific Communications & Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Quality Control Operations Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Product Manager – Hematopoietic (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Product Quality Scientist (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Clinical Lab Scientist – Cord Blood (Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center)

Research Associate – Quality Assurance (University of California)

Postdoctoral Position in Mouse Stem Cell Biology (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Fellow in Stem Cells and Cancer (Tsinghua University)

Research Associate I – The Stem Cell Therapeutics and Vascular Biology Lab (Blood Systems Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Transcription Factors in Blood Cell Development (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Tumor Stem Cells (Cancer Institute of New Jersey)


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