ESC & iPSC News Volume 5.03 | Jan 27 2010

TOP STORY

New Way to Generate Abundant Functional Blood Vessel Cells From Human Stem Cells Discovered
In a significant step toward restoring healthy blood circulation to treat a variety of diseases, a team of scientists has developed a new technique and described a novel mechanism for turning human embryonic and pluripotent stem cells into plentiful, functional endothelial cells, which are critical to the formation of blood vessels. [Weill Cornell Medical College, New York]

Derive iPSCs feeder-free* with mTeSR®1 by STEMCELL Technologies     *Sun et al., PNAS, 2009

SCIENCE NEWS

Singapore Scientists Discover New Concoction to Reprogram Differentiated Cells into Pluripotent Stem Cells
Scientists have discovered a transcription factor, known as Nr5a2, which is responsible for the reprogramming of differentiated cells into stem cells. [Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore]

Experimental Stem Cell Treatment Arrests Acute Lung Injury in Mice, Study Shows
Stem cell researchers exploring a new approach for the care of respiratory diseases report that an experimental treatment involving transplantable lung cells was associated with improved outcomes in tests on mice with acute lung injury. [University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Knockdown of Fanconi Anemia Genes in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reveals Early Developmental Defects in the Hematopoietic Lineage
Researchers have created a human-specific in vitro system to study early hematopoietic development in Fanconi anemia using a lentiviral RNAi strategy in human embryonic stem cells. [Blood]

Regeneration and Reprogramming Compared
Investigators hypothesised that there are parallels between dedifferentiation or reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells and the natural process of dedifferentiation during epimorphic regeneration. [BMC Biol]

Treatment with Normal Prion Protein Delays Differentiation and Helps to Maintain High Proliferation Activity in Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists show that treatment of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with full-length recombinant prion protein folded into an (alpha)-helical conformation similar to that of the cellular form of prion protein delayed the spontaneous differentiation of hESCs and helped to maintain their high proliferation activity during spontaneous differentiation. [J Neurochem]

Laminin Regulates Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Migration: Involvement of Epac1/Rap1 and Rac1/cdc42
Findings indicate that laminin binds both alpha6beta1 integrin and laminin receptor 1, and induces signaling focal adhesion kinase/paxillin and cAMP/Epac1/Rap1. These signaling merge at Rac1/CDC42 and subsequently activate p21-activated kinase (PAK) 1. Activated PAK1 enhances E-cadherin complex disruption and finally increases mouse embryonic stem cells migration. [Am J Physiol-Cell Ph]

Effects of Oxidative Stress on Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, Senescence, and Self-Renewal
This study investigated the effects of oxidative stress induced by H2O2 on several major cellular activities of mouse embryonic stem cells. [Stem Cells Dev]

Human Amniotic Epithelial Cell Feeder Layers Maintain Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency Via Epigenetic Regulation of the c-Myc Promoter
Researchers found that CpG islands 5′ of the c-Myc gene remain hypomethylated in mouse embryonic stem cells cultured on human amniotic epithelial cells. [Acta Bioch Bioph Sin]

POLICY NEWS

National Institutes of Health Recommends Approval of Another Stem Cell Line
A National Institutes of Health advisory committee voted to recommend the first human embryonic stem cell line leftover from Bush administration rules, receive federal research funding. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Maryland Stem Cell Commission Gets 141 Applications for Grants
The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission has received 141 applications for $45 million in research grants, but only $12 million is available.  [Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, United States]

Re-Restricting Stem Cell Research in Michigan
The state Senate Health Policy Committee is expected to vote on restrictions and rules surrounding embryonic stem cell research at Michigan clinics and universities. [Michigan Senate Health Policy Committee, United States]

Stem Cell OK Should Be Law, Backers Say
President Barack Obama’s 2009 executive order that lifted some stem cell research restrictions should be codified into law so future lawmakers cannot undo it, a national stem cell research advocate said recently. [Genetics Policy Institute, United States]

In Tough Economic Times, National Institutes of Health Head Looks to Clinic
As he puts together his budget proposal for the coming year, National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins plans to do something a little different – emphasizing the “health” in the name of his U.S. agency. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Clarification on the Extended Error Correction Window and Format of the Research Strategy Section for Restructured Applications Intended for Due Dates on or After January 25, 2010 (NOT-OD-10-050) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

FY2010 Recovery Act Funding Announcements: Clarification on Page Limitations for Bibliography and References Cited Section (NOT-OD-10-051) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Clarification of SF424 (R&R) Application Instructions for Resubmissions of Revision and Renewal Applications (NOT-OD-10-052) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

EVENTS

CHI’s Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference 2010
February 3-5, 2010
San Francisco, United States

SMI’s 2nd Annual Stem Cells Conference 2010
February 15-16, 2010
London, United Kingdom

Keystone Symposia: Stem Cell Differentiation and Dedifferentiation (B4)
February 15-20, 2010
Keystone, United States

5th Annual Stem Cell Summit
February 16, 2010
New York, United States

SBE’s 2nd International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering
May 2-5, 2010
Boston, United States

16th Annual ISCT meeting
May 23-26, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

5th World Congress on Regenerative Medicine
October 5-7, 2010
Hannover Germany

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Business Development Europe – Cell Therapy Products (PALL Corporation)

Research & Development Scientist – Pancreatic Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research & Development Scientist – Endothelial Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

Research & Development Scientist – Epithelial Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

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