ESC & iPSC News Volume 11.22 | Jun 8 2016

TOP STORY

Generation of Mice with Longer and Better Preserved Telomeres in the Absence of Genetic Manipulations

Although telomere length is genetically determined, mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells with telomeres of twice the normal size have been generated. Scientists used such ES cells with ‘hyper-long’ telomeres, which also express green fluorescent protein, to generate chimeric mice containing cells with both hyper-long and normal telomeres. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

ZFP57 Maintains the Parent-Of-Origin-Specific Expression of the Imprinted Genes and Differentially Affects Non-Imprinted Targets in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

To address the role of ZFP57 on all its target sites, investigators performed high-throughput and multi-locus analyses of inbred and hybrid mouse embryonic stem cells lines carrying different gene knockouts. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article

Creation of a Library of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Parkinsonian Patients

The authors report the generation of a comprehensive library of induced pluripotent stem cells lines of familial Parkinson’s disease and an associated synucleinopathy, multiple system atrophy. [Sci Rep] Abstract

Induction of Germ Cell-like Cells from Porcine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Scientists developed a defined culture system for the induction of primordial germ cell-like cells from porcine induced pluripotent stem cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Dynamic Changes of X Chromosome Inactivation during Early Culture of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Through comparing the X chromosome inactivation states in 18 paired human embryonic stem cells cell lines throughout early culture, investigators revealed a uniform dynamic change during this culture period under a widely used culture condition. [Stem Cell Res] Abstract

Concurrent Progress of Reprogramming and Gene Correction to Overcome Therapeutic Limitation of Mutant ALK2-iPSC

Scientists attempted to generate the mutant ALK2-iPSCs (mALK2-iPSCs) from fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva-human dermal fibroblasts. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

The BRPF2/BRD1-MOZ Complex Is Involved in Retinoic Acid-Induced Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists investigated whether BRPF2 is involved in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) differentiation. BRPF2 depletion resulted in abnormal formation of embryoid bodies, downregulation of differentiation-associated genes, and persistent maintenance of alkaline phosphatase activity even after retinoic acid-induced differentiation, indicating impaired differentiation of BRPF2-depleted ESCs. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

Gene-Specific Assessment of Guanine Oxidation as an Epigenetic Modulator for Cardiac Specification of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Researchers developed a Hoogsteen base pairing-mediated PCR-sequencing assay to detect 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) lesions that can subsequently cause G to T transversions during PCR. They then used this assay to assess the epigenetic and transient 8-oxoG formation in the Tbx5 gene of R1 mouse embryonic stem cells subjected to oxidative stress by removing 2-mercaptoethanol from the culture media. [PLoS One] Full Article

Resveratrol Promotes Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to Cardiomyocytes

Using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), researchers investigated the effects of different concentrations of resveratrol exposure on mESCs viability, expression levels of cardiac marker genes in embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from mESCs, expression levels of maturity indicative cardiac markers in cardiomyocytes derived from mESCs, and the beating properties of EBs. [Cardiovasc Ther] Abstract

Modeling Simple Repeat Expansion Diseases with iPSC Technology

The authors review the current knowledge on the modeling of repeat expansion diseases with human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived cells, focusing on the disease phenotypes recapitulated in these models. [Cell Mol Life Sci] Abstract

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

DCGI Gives Limited Approval to Market First Allogeneic Cell Therapy Product in India Stempeutics Puts India on The “World Map of Regenerative Medicine”

Stempeutics Research announced that the Drugs Controller General India (DCGI) has granted limited approval for manufacturing & marketing of stem cell based biological product Stempeucel^® for the treatment of Buerger’s disease. [Stempeutics Research] Press Release

Amarantus Announces cGMP Manufacturing Readiness for Its Engineered Skin Substitute (ESS) Program at Lonza Walkersville

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc. announced that the current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) manufacturing process for its ESS program is now qualified at Lonza Walkersville, Inc. [Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc.] Press Release

NIH Gets $2 Billion Boost in Senate Spending Bill

A Senate spending panel approved a $2 billion boost in 2017 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or a 6.2% increase to $34.1 billion. It’s the second year in a row that the Senate has slated the agency for a large increase after 12 years of flat budgets. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

U.K. Government Isn’t Tracking Policy-Related Research

Government agencies in the United Kingdom do a poor job of keeping tabs on research they fund to set policies, according to a report released by Sense About Science, a London-based group that advocates for the use of scientific evidence in policymaking. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells and Regeneration
July 24-29, 2016
Keystone, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Bioscience Research (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Bioinformatics Exploring Early Human Development and Stem Cell Biology (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell/Genome Editing/Neuroscience (University of California, Davis)

Postdoctoral Fellow (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Scientific Communications and Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Technical Sales Representative (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Myogenic and Progenitor Cell (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation (Washington University School of Medicine)

Scientist – Target Validation (Innate Pharma)

Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetics of Aging (Leibniz Institute on Aging)

Scientist and Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cells (National Institutes of Health)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell/Genome Editing/Neuroscience/Neurodegeneration (Brigham & Women’s Hospital)

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