ESC & iPSC News Volume 10.11 | Mar 25 2015

Extensive MicroRNA-Mediated Crosstalk between lncRNAs and mRNAs in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
To gain insight into long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-mRNA miRNA-mediated crosstalk, investigators analyzed transcriptome-wide changes induced by the targeted knockdown of over 100 lncRNA transcripts in mouse embryonic stem cells. [Genome Res] Abstract

In Vitro Generation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Lung Organoids
Researchers report the step-wise differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into lung organoids. By manipulating developmental signaling pathways hPSCs generate ventral-anterior foregut spheroids, which are then expanded into human lung organoids. [eLife] Full Article | Press Release

Modeling and Studying Mechanism of Dilated Cardiomyopathy Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Patients
To study the molecular mechanisms underlying dilated cardiomyopathy in DMD heart, researchers generated cardiomyocytes from DMD and healthy control induced pluripotent stem cells. [Dis Model Mech] Abstract

Factor Induced Reprogramming and Zinc Finger Nuclease Aided Gene Targeting Cause Different Genome Instability in β-Thalassemia iPSCs
To examine the mutation status of the edited induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) genome and trace the origin of possible mutations at different steps, scientists generated virus-free iPSCs from amniotic cells carrying homozygous point mutations in β-hemoglobin gene (HBB) that cause severe β-thalassemia, corrected the mutations in both HBB alleles by ZFN-aided gene targeting, and obtained the final HBB gene corrected iPSCs by excising the exogenous drug resistant gene with Cre recombinase. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

RELB Alters Proliferation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells via IMP3- and LIN28-Mediated Modulation of the Expression of IGF2 and Other Cell-Cycle Regulators
The authors showed that RELB enhances the proliferation of hESCs and human induced pluripotent stem cells without affecting their pluripotency. They demonstrated that RELB does this by interacting with two RNA-binding proteins LIN28A and IMP3 (IGF-2 mRNA-binding protein 3); further, these interactions control mRNA levels and protein expression of IGF-2 and key cell-cycle genes. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Genetic Heterogeneity of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Results from 24 Clones Derived from a Single C57BL/6 Mouse
To assess the degree of genetic heterogeneity, and to determine whether some cells are more genetically “fit” for reprogramming, scientists performed exome sequencing on 24 mouse induced pluripotent stem cell clones derived from skin fibroblasts obtained from two different sites of the same eight-week-old C57BL/6J male mouse. [PLoS One] Full Article

Reprogramming of HUVECs into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (HiPSCs), Generation and Characterization of hiPSC-Derived Neurons and Astrocytes
With the objective of establishing reliable tools to study neurodegenerative diseases, researchers reprogrammed human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) into iPSCs. Using a novel and direct approach, HiPSCs were differentiated into cells of central nervous system lineage, including neuronal, astrocyte and glial cells, with high efficiency. [PLoS One] Full Article

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

City of Hope Launches Stem Cell Therapy Clinic to Fight Incurable Disease in New Ways
The City of Hope officially opened the Alpha Clinic for Cell Therapy and Innovation for patients battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The Alpha Clinic is funded by an $8 million, five-year grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine that will be supplemented by matching funds from City of Hope. [City of Hope] Press Release

Researchers Aim to Broaden Understanding of How Toxins Affect the Body
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers received $6 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop models and screening tools that will rapidly advance knowledge of the health effects of an ever-growing assortment of environmental toxins. Awarded through the EPA Science to Achieve Results program, the grant will create the Human Models for Analysis of Pathways Center at UW-Madison. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] Press Release

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U.K. Budget Includes New Money for Innovation
The United Kingdom’s budget contained few surprises for researchers — the core science budget is planned over five years — but did yield more than £240 million of additional funding and some details about previously announced commitments. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NSF Unveils Plan to Make Scientific Papers Free
The National Science Foundation (NSF) released a long-anticipated policy that will require its grantees to make their peer-reviewed research papers freely available within 12 months of publication in a journal. [ScienceInsider] Editorial | Policy

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Scientist – Reprogramming and Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology Endoderm Lineages (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

PhD Position – Early Human Brain Development Modeling with hiPSCs (University of Bonn)

Postdoctoral Position – Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Study Metabolism and Gene Expression Regulating Neural Tube Development (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Postdoctoral Associate – RNA Modification in Stem Cell Biology and Cancer Development (Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Positions – Interface of Physics and Stem Cell Biology (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Stem Cell Engineering (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

Principal Investigators – Cell & Developmental Biology (University of Dundee)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs) and the Peripheral Nervous System (Inserm)

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