ESC & iPSC News Volume 12.22 | Jun 7 2017

TOP STORY

Specification and Diversification of Pericytes and Smooth Muscle Cells from Mesenchymoangioblasts

Elucidating the pathways that lead to vasculogenic cells, and being able to identify their progenitors and lineage-restricted cells, is critical to the establishment of human pluripotent stem cell models for vascular diseases and development of vascular therapies. Researchers found that mesoderm-derived pericytes and smooth muscle cells originate from a clonal mesenchymal progenitor mesenchymoangioblast. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Fetal Therapy Model of Myelomeningocele with Three-Dimensional Skin Using Amniotic Fluid Cell-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Scientists performed antenatal treatment of myelomeningocele with an artificial skin using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from a patient with Down syndrome (AF-T21-iPSCs) and twin-twin transfusion syndrome (AF-TTTS-iPSCs) to a rat model. They manufactured three-dimensional skin with epidermis generated from keratinocytes derived from AF-T21-iPSCs and AF-TTTS-iPSCs and dermis of human fibroblasts and collagen type I. For generation of epidermis, they developed a protocol using Y-27632 and epidermal growth factor. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Press Release

Cryopreservation Maintains Functionality of Human iPSC Dopamine Neurons and Rescues Parkinsonian Phenotypes In Vivo

Midbrain dopamine neurons were derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and cryopreserved in large production lots for biochemical and transplantation studies. Grafted neurons retained midbrain lineage with extensive fiber innervation in both rodents and monkeys. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Disrupting Interactions between β-Catenin and Activating TCFs Reconstitutes Ground State Pluripotency in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists investigated whether replacing CHIR with iCRT3, a small molecule that abrogates β-catenin-TCF interaction, can still retain ground state pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells. Their data suggested that iCRT3+PD mediated co-inhibition of MEK and β-catenin/TCF-dependent transcriptional activity over multiple passages significantly reduces expression of differentiation markers, as compared to 2i. [Stem Cells] Abstract

PRMT8 Controls the Pluripotency and Mesodermal Fate of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Enhancing the PI3K/AKT/SOX2 Axis

Protein arginine methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) was expressed and then its level gradually decreased during spontaneous differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). PRMT8 loss- or gain-of-function studies demonstrated that PRMT8 contributed to longer maintenance of hESC pluripotency, even under basic fibroblast growth factor-deprived conditions. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Cell Fiber-Based Three-Dimensional Culture System for Highly Efficient Expansion of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The authors describe a scalable culture system using the cell fiber technology for the expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells. The cells were encapsulated and cultured within the core region of core-shell hydrogel microfibers, resulting in the formation of rod-shaped or fiber-shaped cell aggregations with sustained thickness and high viability. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Genome-Wide Profiling and Differential Expression of microRNA in Rat Pluripotent Stem Cells

Investigators performed deep sequencing of small RNA molecules in the embryonic fibroblasts, embryonic stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells of laboratory rats. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 674 known microRNAs (miRNAs) and 394 novel miRNA candidates in all of the samples. [Sci Rep] Full Article

High Quality Clinical Grade Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Fresh Discarded Embryos

Researchers developed a novel two-step and sequential media system of clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) derivation and successfully generated seven new hESC lines of widely varying HLA type, carefully screened for genetic health, from human embryos donated under the highest ethical and moral standards under an integrated Good Manufacturing Practice system which extends from hESC banking all the way back to gamete and embryo procurement. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Fluorescent Tagged Episomals for Stoichiometric Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Reprogramming

Investigators modified the original set of vectors to express spectrally separable fluorescent proteins to allow for enrichment of transfected cells. The vectors were then tested against the standard original vectors for reprogramming efficiency and for the ability to enrich for stoichiometric ratios of factors. They showed that these vectors can assist in tracking episomal expression in individual cells and can select the reprogramming factor dosage. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Potent and Reversible Lentiviral Vector Restriction in Murine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers report that transduction with HIV-1-based, lentiviral vectors was impaired in murine pluripotent stem cells. Analyses of early retroviral events in induced pluripotent stem cells revealed that the restriction is independent of envelope choice and does not affect reverse transcription, but perturbs nuclear entry and proviral integration. [Retrovirology] Full Article

Compliant Substratum Guides Endothelial Commitment from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Investigators hypothesized that substrate compliance could modulate mesoderm differentiation kinetics from human induced pluripotent stem cells and affect downstream endothelial cell commitment. They demonstrated that mechanical priming during mesoderm induction activates the Yes-associated protein and drives Wnt/β-catenin signaling. [Sci Adv] Full Article

Concise Review: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Drug Discovery for Mitochondrial Disease

The authors discuss the promises and challenges of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based drug discovery for mitochondrial disease with a specific focus on neurological conditions. They anticipate that a proper use of the potent iPSC technology will provide critical support for the development of innovative therapies against these untreatable and detrimental disorders. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Full Article

Criteria for Chamber-Specific Categorization of Human Cardiac Myocytes Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

Scientists discuss the need for chamber-specific pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in a number of areas as well as current approaches employed to assess these cells on their likeness to those from different chambers of the heart. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Full Article

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

Emory-Yonsei Partnership Strengthens Faculty Collaboration

The project being funded is a collaboration between Emory’s Young-sup Yoon, professor of medicine and biomedical engineering, and Yonsei’s Seung-Woo Cho, associate professor of biotechnology, both stem cell experts. This effort is funded in part by a collaborative agreement between Emory University and Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, as part of Emory’s Korea Initiative. Shin’s co-principal investigator on the project is Soonmyung Paik, professor in the Severance Biomedical Science Institute and Department of Medical Oncology at Yonsei University School of Medicine. [Emory University] Press Release

Meet Four U of T Engineering Graduate Students Awarded Vanier Scholarships

Four U of T Engineering students will each receive $150,000 from the 2017 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. The funding will support research into everything from faster download speeds to technologies to repair damaged hearts. [University of Toronto Engineering] Press Release

Critics Challenge NIH Finding that Bigger Labs Aren’t Necessarily Better

A strident debate has erupted among biomedical researchers over a proposed National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy that would shift money from richer to poorer labs. The policy — which would limit investigators to the equivalent of three NIH grants — is based largely on an agency-led analysis of lab productivity. It found that once an NIH-funded lab grows to a certain size, each additional grant produces a smaller productivity boost. But NIH’s study, and one graph in particular, has drawn widespread criticism. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Trump Retains Collins as NIH Director

President Donald Trump announced that he is keeping Francis Collins as director of the National Institutes of Health. Collins, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2009, was asked to stay on temporarily after the election. The decision comes despite a recent call from some conservative members of Congress to fire Collins because he supports embryonic stem cell research. Collins has said he would return to full-time research if Trump asked him to step down. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Romania’s Science Reforms Prompt Boycott

Researchers in Romania are stepping up protests against controversial government science reforms. Hundreds of scientists at leading research institutions say they will refuse to sit on national panels that assess and award grants, after the Romanian researchers’ association Ad Astra called for the boycott. But not all scientists in the country support the move. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 6^th Annual International Symposium on Regenerative Rehabilitation
November 1-3, 2017
Pittsburgh, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Metabolic Regulation of Embryonic Stem Cells (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Scientific Sales Representative – Media (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bioinformatics (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Position – Regulation of Embryonic Stem Cells (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Senior/Principle Research Associate – Cell and Molecular Biology (Editas Medicine)

Assistant Professor – Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (Harvard University)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Cardiovascular (Columbia University Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Modeling of Diabetes (University of California, San Diego)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Multiple Areas (University of Oklahoma)

Assistant or Associate Member – Stem CellGene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology (University of California, Davis)

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