ESC & iPSC News Volume 10.21 | Jun 3 2015

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    ESC & iPSC News 10.21 June 3, 2015

    ESC & iPSC News

         In this issue: Publications | Reviews | Industry News | Policy News | Events | Jobs
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    TOP STORY
    Functional Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells on a Chip
    The authors described a robust microfluidics-based approach for the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells directly on a chip. Extrinsic signal modulation, achieved through optimal frequency of medium delivery, can be used as a parameter for improved germ layer specification and cell differentiation. [Nat Methods] Abstract
    Going to ISSCR 2015? We’ll see you there!

     
    PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)
    Functional Cortical Neurons and Astrocytes From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in 3D Culture
    Researchers presented a simple and reproducible 3D culture approach for generating a laminated cerebral cortex-like structure, named human cortical spheroids (hCSs), from pluripotent stem cells. [Nat Methods] Abstract | Press Release

    Mitochondrial E3 Ligase March5 Maintains Stemness of Mouse ES Cells via Suppression of ERK Signaling
    Scientists showed that March5, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is involved in maintaining mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell pluripotency. [Nat Commun] Full Article

    Distinct Roles of DNMT1-Dependent and -Independent Methylation Patterns in the Genome of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
    The authors generated base-resolution DNA methylomes for a series of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) knockout embryonic stem cells, with deep coverage at highly repetitive elements. They showed that DNMT1 and DNMT3a/3b activities work complementarily and simultaneously to establish symmetric CG methylation and CHH (H = A, T or C) methylation. [Genome Biol] Abstract | Full Article

    mtDNA Mutagenesis Disrupts Pluripotent Stem Cell Function by Altering Redox Signaling
    Investigators studied the effect of mtDNA mutagenesis on reprogramming and stemness of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and showed that PSCs select against specific mtDNA mutations, mimicking germline and promoting mtDNA integrity despite their glycolytic metabolism. [Cell Rep] Full Article

    Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Microvesicles Transmit RNAs and Proteins to Recipient Mature Heart Cells Modulating Cell Fate and Behavior
    Scientists found that transfer of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) components by hiPS-derived microvesicles impacted on transcriptome and proteomic profiles of target cells as well as exerted proliferative and protective effects on cardiac mesenchymal cells, and enhanced their cardiac and endothelial differentiation potential. [Stem Cells] Abstract

    An Inducible Caspase-9 Suicide Gene to Improve the Safety of Therapy Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
    Scientists developed a direct and efficient human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) killing system that provides a necessary safety mechanism for therapies using hiPSC. [Mol Ther] Abstract

    CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Reporter Knock-In in Mouse Haploid Embryonic Stem Cells
    Investigators report the application of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in of a reporter cassette, which does not disrupt endogenous target genes in mouse haploid embryonic stem cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

    Wnt/β-Catenin and MEK-ERK Signaling are Required for Fibroblast-Derived Extracellular Matrix-Mediated Endoderm Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells
    Researchers demonstrated that growth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) on fibroblast-derived extracellular matrix resulted in hESCs losing their stemness and proliferation potential. [Stem Cell Rev] Abstract

    A CRISPR/Cas-Mediated Selection-Free Knockin Strategy in Human Embryonic Stem Cells
    Through the use of iCRISPR, an efficient gene-editing platform recently developed, scientists demonstrated a knockin strategy without drug selection for both active and silent genes in human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Lineage-specific hESC reporter lines are useful for real-time monitoring of cell-fate decisions and lineage tracing, as well as enrichment of specific cell populations during hESC differentiation. [Stem Cell Rep] Full Article

    View Webinar: Genome Editing: From Modeling Disease to Novel Therapeutics

     
    REVIEWS
    Pluripotency and Epigenetic Factors in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Fate Regulation
    The authors focus on the latest insight into the molecular mechanisms mediated by pluripotency factors as well as their roles during differentiation. They also discuss recent advances on understanding the function of the epigenetic regulators, Polycomb and MLL complexes, in embryonic stem cell biology. [Mol Cell Biol] Abstract

    Retrotransposons Shape Species-Specific Embryonic Stem Cell Gene Expression
    The authors discuss retrotransposon functions in embryonic stem cells, focusing on recent mechanistic advances of how HERV-H has been adopted to preserve human naïve pluripotency and how particular LINE-1, SVA and ERV family members recruit species-specific transcriptional repressors. [Retrovirology] Full Article

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

     
    INDUSTRY NEWS
    Cancer Genetics Selected to Power Next-Generation Sequencing Services for ReproCELL, a Global Regenerative Medicine Market Leader, in a Multi-Year Agreement
    Cancer Genetics, Inc. announced that it was selected by ReproCELL, Inc. to provide next-generation sequencing based services and molecular information to enhance ReproCELL’s translational medicine initiatives. [Cancer Genetics, Inc.] Press Release

    Researchers at the Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa and CHEO Awarded $28.5M From the Canada Foundation for Innovation for Research in Regenerative Medicine, Neuroscience and Other Areas
    Scientists from The Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), will share $28,511,215 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support cutting-edge research in stem cells, pediatric diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. [Ottawa Hospital Research Institute] Press Release

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    POLICY NEWS
    Sluggish Data Sharing Hampers Reproducibility Effort
    An initiative that aims to validate the findings of key cancer papers is being slowed by an unexpected hurdle — problems accessing data from the original studies. [Nature News] Editorial

    Global Research Chiefs Seek Ways to Foster Serendipity
    How can research funding agencies foster scientific breakthroughs? Funding agency heads tackled that question this week at the annual meeting of the Global Research Council. Their conclusion: Researchers need freedom and the flexibility that leads to serendipity, and they should be encouraged to take risks even if it leads to failure. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

     
    EVENTS
    NEW Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS) 2015
    November 17-18, 2015
    Singapore, Singapore

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

     
    JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    NEW Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetics, Stem Cells and Cancer (University of Copenhagen)

    NEW PhD position – Molecular Biology and DNA Demethylation (Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz)

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

    Postdoctoral Position – Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency and Self-Renewal (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences )

    Cell Biology Specialist (California Institute of Technology)

    Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer, Stem Cell, and Developmental Biology (Columbia University Medical Center)

    Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – iPSC Research and Banking (University of Magna Graecia)

    Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Biology, Epigenetics & Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

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

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