ESC & iPSC News Volume 7.21 | May 30 2012

Isolation of Primitive Endoderm, Mesoderm, Vascular Endothelial and Trophoblast Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
BMP4-induced progenitors exhibited gene signatures of mesoderm, trophoblast and vascular endothelium, suggesting correspondence to gastrulation-stage primitive streak, chorion and allantois precursors, respectively. The same progenitor classes emerged during the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells. [Nat Biotechnol] Abstract

Lysine-Specific Demethylase 2A (KDM2A) Normalizes Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Keratinocytes
While attempting to improve proliferation of hES-cell-derived Nod keratinocytes, which grow poorly and have a short life span, scientists found that high expression of the KDM2A gene improves the poor proliferation of the cells. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Neuronal Properties, In Vivo Effects and Pathology of a Huntington’s Disease Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Results indicate that, although Huntington’s disease (HD)-induced pluripotent stem cell carrying 72 CAG repeats can form GABAergic neurons and give rise to functional effects in vivo, without showing an overt HD phenotype, it is highly susceptible to proteasome inhibition and develops HD pathology at later stages of transplantation. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Press Release

High Basal γH2AX Levels Sustain Self-Renewal of Mouse Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Investigators report that not only mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), but also mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs), have high basal levels of phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γH2AX). They showed that basal γH2AX levels decrease upon ESC and iPSC differentiation and increase when the cells are treated with self-renewal enhancing small molecules. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Atomic Force Mechanobiology of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
The authors describe a method using atomic force microscopy to quantify the mechanobiological properties of pluripotent, stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, including contraction force, rate, duration, and cellular elasticity. [PLoS One] Full Article

Trace Metals Alter DNA Repair and Histone Modification Pathways Concurrently in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Investigators tested whether in vitro acute metal exposure, with or without recovery, alters epigenetic pathways in mouse embryonic stem cells. [Toxicol Lett] Abstract

Activated Charcoal Composite Biomaterial Promotes Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Toward Neuronal Lineage
Scientists showed for the first time, a natural coal-based activated charcoal composite biosubstrate can support and promote neuronal differentiation in human embryonic stem cells. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract

Generation of Regionally Specified Neural Progenitors and Functional Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells under Defined Conditions
Researchers have developed a method to generate human neural progenitors and neurons from human embryonic stem cells, which recapitulates human fetal brain development. [Cell Rep]
Full Article | Press Release

Cellectis Stem Cells Proudly Announces the Launch of the World’s Very First Human iPS Cell-Derived Hepatocyte Product
Cellectis stem cells announced the launch of a human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell derived hepatocyte product, hiPS-HEP^TM. [Cellectis Group] Press Release

UC San Diego Researchers Receive New CIRM Funding
Five scientists from the University of California (UC), San Diego and its School of Medicine have been awarded almost $12 million in new grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to conduct stem cell-based research into regenerating spinal cord injuries, repairing gene mutations that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and finding new drugs to treat heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease. [University of California, San Diego Health System] Press Release

California’s Stem Cell Agency Announces International Collaborations and $69 Million in New Research Funding
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine announced its first ever collaboratively funded research projects with China and the federal government of Australia, a new project with Germany, plus $69 million for research to help develop therapies for 15 diseases in its latest round of funding. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine] Press Release

White House Petitioned to Make Research Free to Access
More than 17,000 people have signed an online petition urging US President Barack Obama to require all scientific journal articles resulting from US taxpayer-funded research to be made freely available online. [White House, United States] Press Release

New Russian Science Minister Will Continue Push from Academy to Universities
Andrei Fursenko will not return as Minister for Education and Science in the new cabinet. In his cabinet seat will be Dmitry Livanov, rector of the National University of Science and Technology. Among his priorities were the need to raise research funding, improve the quality of research evaluation, and shift the emphasis in research from Russian Academy of Sciences institutes to universities. [Minister for Education and Science, Russia] Press Release

Horizon 2020: A €80 Billion Battlefield for Open Access
As negotiations proceed to shape the next installment of Europe’s gargantuan research funding programs, scientists, librarians, and publishers are eagerly awaiting the answer to a critical question: How strong will the new seven-year program, called Horizon 2020, be on Open Access? [European Commission, European Union] Press Release

Scientist – Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientist – Epithelial Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Business Analyst – Product Management (STEMSOFT Software, Inc.)

Scientist – hPSC Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientist – Mesenchymal Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Associate – Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Associate – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Technologist – Contract Assay Services (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Induced Neurogenesis (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Stem Cell Researcher (BioTalentum Ltd.)

Research Scientist (Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology)

Research Associate – Medical Genetics (University of British Columbia)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 50,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in ESC & iPSC News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.