ESC & iPSC News Volume 11.05 | Feb 10 2016

Myotubes Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Mirror In Vivo Insulin Resistance
Scientists created a novel cellular model of human muscle insulin resistance by differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells from individuals with mutations in the insulin receptor into functional myotubes and characterizing their response to insulin in comparison with controls. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]
Abstract | Full Article

Cellular Ontogeny and Hierarchy Influence the Reprogramming Efficiency of Human B-Cells into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Investigators demonstrated that human fetal liver-derived CD19⁺ B-cells are 110-fold easier to reprogram into induced pluripotent stem cells than those from cord blood and peripheral blood. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Establishment of Feeder-Free Culture System for Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell on DAS Nanocrystalline Graphene
The authors demonstrated a feeder-free and xeno-free culture system for human pluripotent stem cells expansion using diffusion assisted synthesis (DAS)-grown nanocrystalline graphene, a synthetic non-biological nanomaterial which completely rules out the concern of human pathogen contamination. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Histone H4 Acetylation and the Epigenetic Reader Brd4 Are Critical Regulators of Pluripotency in Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers present a quantitative and comprehensive study of the abundance levels of histone post-translational modifications during the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells using mass spectrometry. [BMC Genomics] Full Article

Hepatic Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells on Human Liver Progenitor HepaRG-Derived Acellular Matrix
Scientists used human liver progenitor HepaRG-derived acellular matrix as a hepatic progenitor-specific matrix to induce hepatic commitment of human pluripotent stem cell-derived definitive endoderm cells. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

Therapeutic Benefits of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
The authors demonstrated that both induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-conditioned medium significantly reduced the right ventricular systolic pressure and ameliorated the hypertrophy of the right ventricle in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension rats in models of both disease prevention and disease reversal. [PLoS One] Full Article

Retinoic Acid Specifically Enhances Embryonic Stem Cell Metastate Marked by Zscan4
Investigators report that in embryonic stem cell (ESC) cultures treated with retinoic acid, Zscan4 ESCs metastate is strongly enhanced. [PLoS One] Full Article

Mucin-Inspired Thermoresponsive Synthetic Hydrogels Induce Stasis in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells and Human Embryos
Scientists report cellular stasis for both human pluripotent stem cell colonies and preimplantation embryos immersed in a wholly synthetic thermoresponsive gel comprising poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer worms. [ACS Cent Sci]
Full&nbspArticle | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

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Asterias Biotherapeutics Receives Orphan Drug Designation for AST-OPC1 for the Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury
Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced receipt of orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its product development candidate, AST-OPC1. AST-OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor population derived from human embryonic stem cells, has been shown in animals or in vitro to have three potentially reparative functions that address the complex pathologies observed at the injury site of a spinal cord injury. [Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

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Obama Makes Risky Bid to Increase Science Spending
With less than a year before he leaves office, US President Barack Obama is making a strong push to increase spending on scientific research. His fiscal year 2017 budget plan calls for a 4% bump in research and development funding across the federal government. [Nature News] Editorial

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NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Immunology, Cancer, and Stem Cells (University of Connecticut)

NEW PhD Position – Developmental Epigenetics (Institut of Molecular Biology)

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Human Stem Cells (University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Transcription and Epigenetics (Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics)

Research Associate – ES Cell Biology Team (Kymab Ltd)

Postdoctoral Position – Genetics and Genomics of Stem Cells (Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Biology (University of Texas)

Postdoctoral Candidate – Embryonic Stem Cells and Chromatin Biology (University of Michigan)

Development Engineer/Scientist – Regenerative Medicine (Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine)

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