ESC & iPSC News Volume 12.40 | Oct 11 2017

TOP STORY

New Type of Stem Cell Line Produced Offers Expanded Potential for Research and Treatments

Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have created Expanded Potential Stem Cells in mice, for the first time, that have a greater potential for development than current stem cell lines. These stem cells have the features of the very first cells in the developing embryo, and can develop into any type of cell. [Press release from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Live Imaging Reveals that the First Division of Differentiating Human Embryonic Stem Cells Often Yields Asymmetric Fates

To track how human ESCs incipiently exit pluripotency, investigators established a system to differentiate human ESCs as single cells and conducted live imaging to track their very first cell division. They followed the fate of their earliest daughters as they remained undifferentiated or differentiated toward the primitive streak (the earliest descendants of pluripotent cells). [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Hotspots of De Novo Point Mutations in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The authors investigated point mutations identified by whole-genome sequencing in mouse and human iPSCs in the context of epigenetic status. In contrast to disease-causing single-nucleotide polymorphisms, de novo point mutations introduced during reprogramming were underrepresented in protein-coding genes and in open chromatin regions, including transcription factor binding sites. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Can Differentiate via Multiple Paths to the Same State

Scientists applied single-cell RNA sequencing to compare two motor neuron differentiation protocols: a standard protocol approximating the embryonic lineage, and a direct programming method. [eLife] Abstract

Phosphorylation of Threonine³⁴³ Is Crucial for OCT4 Interaction with SOX2 in the Maintenance of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency

Researchers found that substitution of threonine³⁴³ by alanine, but not aspartic acid, caused a significant loss of OCT4-phosphorylation signal in ESCs. Loss of such OCT4-phosphorylation compromised its interaction with SOX2 but promoted interaction with SOX17. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Gene Editing in Rat Embryonic Stem Cells to Produce In Vitro Models and In Vivo Reporters

Scientists used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to target genomic mutations and insertions. They evaluated utility for directed mutagenesis and recovered clones with biallelic deletions in Lef1. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Small Molecule Antagonist of Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans Restricts Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in a Pluripotent State

The authors showed that surfen, an antagonist of cell-surface glycosaminoglycans required for growth factor association with cognate receptors, acted as a potent and general inhibitor of differentiation and promoter of pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem2714 cells. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Tfcp2l1 Represses Multiple Lineage Commitment of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells through Mta1 and Lef1

Investigators showed that knockdown of Tfcp2l1 in mouse ESCs induces the expression of endoderm, mesoderm and trophectoderm markers. Functional analysis of mutant forms of Tfcp2l1 revealed that Tfcp2l1 depends on its N terminus and CP2-like domain to maintain the undifferentiated state of mouse ESCs. [J Cell Sci] Abstract

Morphological Analysis of Live Undifferentiated Cells Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers assessed the morphological features of live undifferentiated cells remaining after differentiation induction as a basic investigation into the clinical application of iPS cells. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Effect of Mechanical Strain on the Pluripotency of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells Seeded in a Collagen-I Scaffold

Scientists aimed to characterize the mechanical environment within the transplanted construct in an in vivo murine fracture model using computational analyses and to reproduce this mechanical environment in vitro to elucidate the role of these mechanical factors on mouse ESC pluripotent gene expression. [J Orthop Res] Abstract

Nanog Expression in Embryonic Stem Cells – An Ideal Model System to Dissect Enhancer Function

The authors highlight recent advances on transcriptional enhancers, focusing on studies performed in ESCs. In addition, they argue that the Nanog locus, which encodes for an ESC-critical TF, is particularly informative because it contains multiple co-regulated genes and enhancers in close proximity to one another. [Bioessays] Abstract

Stem Cells and Genome Editing: Approaches to Tissue Regeneration and Regenerative Medicine

The authors provide an overview of current work, from high-regeneration animal models, to stem cell-based culture models, transplantation technologies, large-animal chimeric models, and programmable nuclease-based genome-editing technologies. [J Hum Genet] Abstract

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

Unique and Comprehensive Collection of Stem Cell Lines Available to Researchers around the Globe

The New York Stem Cell Foundation and the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation partnered to create a unique and comprehensive collection of juvenile Batten disease induced pluripotent stem cells. [The New York Stem Cell Foundation] Press Release

iPSC Line Licensed to Universal Cells to Assist in the Development of Universal Donor Cell Line

The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement to provide its clinical-grade iPSC line to Universal Cells. Under the terms of the agreement, Universal Cells will license CGT Catapult’s iPSC line for use in the continued research and development of its novel, clinic ready universal donor cell line. [The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult] Press Release

Asterias Announces Two Significant Developments for Spinal Cord Injury Program

Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced new twelve-month data from the first efficacy cohort in the company’s ongoing Phase I/IIa SCiStar study designated to evaluate safety and efficacy of AST-OPC1. [Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Publishers Threaten to Remove Millions of Papers from ResearchGate

Millions of articles might soon disappear from ResearchGate, the world’s largest scholarly social network. Five publishers said they had formed a coalition that would start ordering ResearchGate to remove research articles from its site because they breach publishers’ copyright. [Nature News] Editorial

Navajo Nation Reconsiders Ban on Genetic Research

When the Navajo Nation opens its first oncology centre next year in Tuba City, Arizona, clinicians there may be able to offer a service that has been banned on tribal lands for 15 years: analyzing the DNA of Navajo tribe members to guide treatments and study the genetic roots of disease. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 14^th Annual Stem Cell Symposium: Technology Innovation for Stem Cell Research and Therapy
February 2, 2018
Los Angeles, California, United States

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

NEW Head of Facility – Gene Editing and Embryology (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Doctoral Grant – Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Organoids (University of Antwerp)

Faculty Positions – Stem Cells or Organoid Models (Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells, Development and Cancer (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Wound Healing (University of Connecticut Health Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Cell Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes (University of Copenhagen)

Research Associate – Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Generation of Neuronal Model Systems (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cell Biology of Tubulogenesis (University of Copenhagen)

Technical Director – Personalized Stem Cell Banking (Brilliant Research)

Faculty Position – Stem Cell Research (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Assistant Professorship – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine)

Director – Stem Cell Research Facility (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Islet Biology (Sanofi)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Research (Tsinghua University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Tissue Engineering (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Multiple Areas (University of Oklahoma)

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