ESC & iPSC News Volume 6.17 | May 4 2011

Cells Derived from Different Stem Cells: Same or Different?
A team of researchers has now determined that mouse induced pluripotent stem and parental embryonic stem cells show highly similar capacity to be differentiated in vitro into definitive endoderm progenitors. [Press release from EurekAlert! discussing online prepublication in the Journal of Clinical Investigation]

Versatility of Stem Cells Controlled by Alliances, Competitions of Proteins
A research team showed that different transcription factors compete and cooperate in the cells to produce complex bindings along crucial sequences of DNA. This game of molecular “capture the flag,” played in teams and amid shifting alliances, appears to be a necessary part of what determines whether stem cells retain their pluripotency and whether specialized, or differentiated, cells can regain it. [Press release from Brown University discussing online prepublication in Genome Research]

Gladstone Scientist Makes Key Innovations in Stem-Cell Technology
A scientist has made two significant stem-cell discoveries that advance medicine and human health by creating powerful new approaches for using stem cells and stem-cell-like technology. [Press release from Gladstone Institute discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science]

Mouse ES and iPS Cells Can Form Similar Definitive Endoderm Despite Differences in Imprinted Genes
Scientists show that both mouse iPS and parental ES cells exhibited highly similar in vitro capacity to undergo directed differentiation into definitive endoderm progenitors. [J Clin Invest]

Genome-Wide Regulation of 5hmC, 5mC, and Gene Expression by Tet1 Hydroxylase in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers report that Tet1 binds to unmodified C or 5 position of cytosine (5mC)- or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC)-modified CpG-rich DNA through its CXXC domain. [Mol Cell]

Combinatorial Binding of Transcription Factors in the Pluripotency Control Regions of the Genome
Researchers demonstrate by cross-species comparison and by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) that the contextual sequence determinants learned in vitro are sufficient to predict POU2F1 binding in vivo. [Genome Res]

Rapid Induction and Long-Term Self-Renewal of Primitive Neural Precursors from Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Small Molecule Inhibitors
Investigators report synergistic inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3, transforming growth factor β, and Notch signaling pathways by small molecules can efficiently convert monolayer cultured human embryonic stem cells into homogenous primitive neuroepithelium within 1 week under chemically defined condition. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Eed/Sox2 Regulatory Loop Controls ES Cell Self-Renewal through histone methylation and acetylation
Researchers demonstrate the existence of a regulatory loop in embryonic stem (ES) cells between Sox2 and embryonic ectoderm development (Eed). [EMBO J]

Scalable Expansion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in Suspension Culture
Investigators describe a straightforward culture protocol for the expansion of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells in suspension culture. [Nat Protoc]

Cellular Diversity Within Embryonic Stem Cells: Pluripotent Clonal Sublines Show Distinct Differentiation Potential
Findings identify novel elements for the biological understanding of embryonic stem cell and provide new tools with a major potential for their future in vitro and in vivo use. [J Cell Mol Med]

Epigenetic Regulation of Nanog Expression by Ezh2 in Pluripotent Stem Cells
Scientists examined the impact of the histone methyltransferase Ezh2 on pluripotent stem cells and on Nanog expression. [Cell Cycle]

The Cell Cycle Inhibitor p27^Kip1 Controls Self-Renewal and Pluripotency of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Regulating the Cell Cycle, Brachyury and Twist
Results define p27^Kip1 expression levels as critical for self-renewal and pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and suggest a role for p27^Kip1 in controlling an epithelial to mesenchymal transition in hESC. [Cell Cycle]

USC Invests in Biomedical Engineering Innovations
The University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering, the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation and the Los Angeles Basin Clinical Translational Science Institute have been selected to participate in the exclusive Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program. [University of Southern California Press Release]

NIH Grant Launches Center for Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology
The Center for Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology has been tapped to become one of a select group of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research centers, as a part of a grant of about $10 million awarded earlier. [Stanford University School of Medicine Press Release]

International Stem Cell Successfully Completes First Series of Preclinical Testing of Hepatocytes Derived from Human Parthenogenetic Stem Cells
International Stem Cell Corporation announces successful completion of the first series of preclinical testing of hepatocytes derived in the lab from human parthenogenetic stem cells. [International Stem Cell Corporation Press Release]

Stanford Creates First PhD Program in Stem Cell Science
Stanford University’s Faculty Senate approved the creation of what officials believe is the first stem cell science PhD program in the nation and, perhaps, the world. The new doctoral program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine is also the first interdisciplinary doctoral program created by the School of Medicine in recent years. [Stanford University School of Medicine Press Release]

UCSF Scientists Honored by National Academy of Sciences
Alexander D. Johnson, PhD, and Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, have been elected as members of the National Academy of Sciences for their excellence in original scientific research. [University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Press Release]

Scientists Oppose European Stem Cell Patent Ban
Research scientists hit out at a European Court of Justice case they say could block development of embryonic stem cell-based therapies in Europe. [European Court of Justice, Luxembourg]

NIH Wins Appeal of Stem Cell Injunction
A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a high-stakes law suit challenging the legality of the Obama Administration’s policy on human embryonic stem cells. [U.S. Court of Appeals, United States]

New NIH Council of Councils Members Named
The National Institutes of Health announced the appointments of 20 individuals to the NIH Council of Councils. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

NIH Establishes Working Group on the Future Biomedical Research Workforce
A new working group at the National Institutes of Health will examine the future of the biomedical research workforce in the United States. The group will recommend actions to the Advisory Committee to the Director to ensure a diverse and sustainable biomedical and behavioral research workforce. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2011-9822) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2011-9823) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2011-9936) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2011-10292) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2011-10297) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Additional Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition and Removal of Character Limit for Comments (NOT-OD-11-066) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Periodic Review of Existing Regulations; Retrospective Review Under E.O. 13563 (FR Doc. 2011-10131) [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

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

Lab Technologist – Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies)

Senior Postdoctoral Fellow (New York Stem Cell Foundation)

Postdoc in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Bioprocessing (School of Biotechnology at the Royal Institute of Technology)

Postdoctoral Position in Stem Cells and Epigenetics (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)

Stem Cell Biologist (Pfizer)

Postdoctoral Fellow (Stanford University)

Senior Postdoctoral Fellow (New York Stem Cell Foundation)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (University of Ottawa)

Postdoctoral Positions in Epigenomics (Umeå University)

Postdoc in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Bioprocessing (School of Biotechnology at the Royal Institute of Technology)

Postdoctoral Position (Spanish National Cancer Center)

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