ESC & iPSC News Volume 13.32 | Aug 15 2018

TOP STORY

Tbx6 Induces Nascent Mesoderm from Pluripotent Stem Cells and Temporally Controls Cardiac versus Somite Lineage Diversification

Tbx6 knockout in mouse PSCs using CRISPR/Cas9 technology inhibited mesoderm and cardiovascular differentiation, whereas transient Tbx6 expression induced mesoderm and cardiovascular specification from mouse and human PSCs via direct upregulation of Mesp1, repression of Sox2, and activation of BMP/Nodal/Wnt signaling. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Maf1 and Repression of RNA Polymerase III-Mediated Transcription Drive Adipocyte Differentiation

Reduced Maf1 expression in mouse ESCs and preadipocytes impaired adipogenesis, while ectopic Maf1 expression in Maf1-deficient cells enhanced differentiation. RNA pol III repression by chemical inhibition or knockdown of Brf1 promoted adipogenesis. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Maturation of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells by Soluble Factors Secreted from Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Scientists revealed that iPS-cardiomyocytes (CMs) co-cultured with mesenchymal stem cells displayed aligned myofibrils with A-, H-, and I-bands that could contract and relax quickly, indicating the promotion of differentiation and the establishment of iPS-CM structural framework, and showed clear gap junctions and an electric pacing of >2 Hz, indicating enhanced cell-cell interactions. [Mol Ther] Abstract

Tributyltin Inhibits Neural Induction of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers assessed the effect of tributyltin on neural differentiation and found that it reduced the expression of several neural differentiation marker genes, which were also downregulated by mitofusin1 knockdown in iPSCs. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Single Cell Analysis Reveals a Biophysical Aspect of Collective Cell-State Transition in Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Investigators considered that the cell state is like a ball fluctuating on a potential landscape, and found that the cooperativity affected the fluctuation. Importantly, the cooperativity temporarily decreased and increased in the intermediate state of cell differentiation, leading to cell-state transition in unison. [Sci Rep] Full Article

New Insights into the Genic and Metabolic Characteristics of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Women

A polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patient-derived iPSC model was established from somatic cells of PCOS patients. The PCOS patient-derived iPSCs demonstrated decreased mitochondrial respiration ability and glycolytic function but increased mitochondrial copy numbers and biogenesis. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Combining Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Zebrafish Embryos to Evaluate Developmental Toxicity of Chemical Exposure

A set of eleven chemicals of known mammalian in vivo teratogenicity were tested in the assays and correlations to mammalian data investigated. Using mouse ESCs, proliferation, differentiation, and cytotoxicity of the chemicals were measured. In zebrafish embryos, lethality and the lowest effect level concentrations for morphological malformations were determined. [Reprod Toxicol] Abstract

Induced Expression of Endogenous CXCR4 in iPSCs by Targeted CpG Demethylation Enhances Cell Migration toward the Ligand CXCL12

Infection of mouse iPSCs with the engineered CXC receptor type 4 b (CXCR4b)-TAL-ten-eleven translocation 1 in the form of lentiviral particles induced the loci-specific CpG demethylation and subsequent activation of CXCR4 expression in mouse iPSCs. [Inflammation] Abstract

Effective Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Dental Cells

Scientists report a new cultivation protocol, supported by transwell membrane cell culture that made it possible to differentiate iPSCs into dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells with abilities to initiate the first stages in de novo tooth formation. [Dev Dyn] Abstract

Reduced MEK Inhibition Preserves Genomic Stability in Naïve Human ES Cells

Researchers provided a simple modification of the 5i/LAF protocol to enable robust growth and reduced genomic instability in naïve human ESCs (hESCs). They also introduced a new set of MEK inhibitors replacing PD0325901 to grow naïve hESCs and a short protocol to adapt 5i/LAF cells to t2iLGöY medium. [Protoc exch] Full Article

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Dedifferentiation, Transdifferentiation and Cell Fusion: In Vivo Reprogramming Strategies for Regenerative Medicine

The authors review the main mechanisms of tissue regeneration, underlying the importance of cell dedifferentiation and reprogramming. They discuss the significance of cell fate and identity changes in the context of regenerative medicine, with a particular focus on strategies aiming at the promotion of the body’s self-repairing mechanisms. [FEBS J] Abstract | Full Article

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

Cellect and Cell2in Launch Collaboration to Significantly Improve Stem Cell Selection and Expansion

According to the agreement, the companies will conduct scientific evaluations combining Cellect’s technology platform ApoGraft^™ with Cell2in’s proprietary identification technology FreSHtracer^™ which monitors stem cell quality by utilizing a fluorescent dye to characterize their oxidative stress state. [Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

MDI Biological Laboratory Announces Morris Scientific Discovery Fund

The MDI Biological Laboratory has announced the formation of the Morris Scientific Discovery Fund, which will provide a total of up to $250,000 per year for eligible research programs. [MDI Biological Laboratory] Press Release

USC Stem Cell Researchers Neil Segil and Qi-Long Ying Awarded $4 Million NIH Grants

Two USC Stem Cell scientists have received new research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The combined grants will allow research into why humans cannot recover from hearing loss but birds and reptiles can, and how two unique proteins affect stem cell renewal. [University of Southern California] Press Release

How Unpaywall Is Transforming Open Science

Unpaywall has become indispensable to many academics, and tie-ins with established scientific search engines could broaden its reach. On 26 July, Elsevier announced plans to integrate Unpaywall into its Scopus database searches, allowing it to deliver millions more free-to-read papers to users than it does currently. [Nature News] Editorial

Iranian Students Protest US Visa Slowdown

The rate at which the US government grants visas to prospective students from Iran has declined dramatically during President Donald Trump’s time in office, according to US government data. And the visas that are granted take more time to arrive, according to a group of Iranian students that is petitioning the Trump administration to speed up the process. [Nature News] Editorial

Hundreds of Researchers from Harvard, Yale and Stanford Were Published in Fake Academic Journals

In the so-called “post-truth era,” science seems like one of the last bastions of objective knowledge, but what if science itself were to succumb to fake news? Over the past year, German journalist Svea Eckert and a small team of journalists went undercover to investigate a massive underground network of fake science journals and conferences. [Vice Media LLC] Editorial

Survey of U.S. Government Scientists Finds Range of Attitudes toward Trump Policies

It’s widely assumed that many U.S. government scientists disagree with President Donald Trump on several of his controversial science appointments, his proposed deep cuts to research, and a spate of executive actions aimed at overturning current government policies to combat climate change. Some have publicly voiced their concerns. But what do the rank-and-file really think of working for this president? [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Gottlieb: FDA Will Streamline Drug Safety Evaluations

The FDA will soon standardize the way it handles data on the safety and effectiveness of drugs in an effort to reduce inconsistencies in the drug review process. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW EMBO Workshop on Molecular Mechanisms of Developmental and Regenerative Biology
November 11-13, 2018
Singapore, Singapore

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

NEW Assistant/Associate Professor – Stem Cell or Organoid Model Research (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center)

Senior Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Assistant – Chromatin & Development Research (Medical Research Council)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Cell Fate & Early Development Research (Medical Research Council)

Postdoctoral Associate – Developmental Immunology & Human PSC-Based Disease Models (University of Massachusetts)

Postdoctoral Position – Pluripotency, Signaling & Epigenetics (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Cellular Basis of Morphogenesis (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology (University of California, Berkeley)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Stem Cell Biology (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Research Associate/Scientist – iPSC Research and Manufacture (Evotec AG)

Postdoctoral Fellow – hiPSC Based Cardiac Regeneration (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Skeletal Muscle Disease Modeling and Regeneration (Duke University)

Scientist/Senior Scientist – Bioprocess Engineering (Bluerock Therapeutics, LLC.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Associate – hiPSC-Based Brain Organoids (Rutgers University)

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