ESC & iPSC News Volume 7.28 | Jul 18 2012

Metabolic Correction of Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria with iPSCs Free of Reprogramming Factors
The authors isolated keratinocytes from a congenital erythropoietic porphyria-affected individual and generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with two excisable lentiviral vectors. [Am J Hum Genet] Abstract

Generation of Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes as a Cellular Model of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Researchers produced an in vitro cellular model of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and determined whether the model could recapitulate key features of the disease phenotype. [Eur Heart J] Abstract

Comparative Study of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Bone Marrow Cells, Hair Keratinocytes, and Skin Fibroblasts
Scientists compared human-induced pluripotent stem cells derived from different somatic cell sources regarding their generation efficiency and cardiac differentiation potential, and functionalities of cardiomyocytes. [Eur Heart J] Abstract

Gap 1 Phase Length and Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal
Investigators showed that, in murine embryonic stem cells, elongation of the cell cycle and elongation of G1 are compatible with their pluripotent state. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Donor-Dependent Variations in Hepatic Differentiation from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers developed an improved hepatic differentiation protocol and compared 28 human induced pluripotent stem cell lines originated from various somatic cells and derived using retroviruses, Sendai viruses, or episomal plasmids. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Conversion from Mouse Embryonic to Extra-Embryonic Endoderm Stem Cells Reveals Distinct Differentiation Capacities of Pluripotent Stem Cell States
Findings suggest that the potential of mouse embryonic stem cells includes the capacity to give rise to both extra-embryonic and embryonic lineages. [Development] Abstract

Role of Mismatch Repair Enzymes in GAA-TTC Triplet-Repeat Expansion in Friedreich’s Ataxia Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) patient fibroblasts after transduction with the four transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc. These cells were differentiated into neurospheres and neuronal precursors in vitro, providing a valuable cellular model for FRDA. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Role of the MicroRNA-17-92 Cluster in the Endothelial Differentiation of Stem Cells
Investigators demonstrated that microRNA (miR)-17, miR-18, miR-19 and miR-20 are increased upon the induction of endothelial cell differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. [J Vasc Res] Abstract | Full Article

Chondrogenic Differentiation In Vitro of Murine Two-Factor Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Is Comparable to Murine Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers showed that murine induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogrammed by exogenous expression of the two transcription factors Oct4 and Klf4, differentiate into chondrocytes in vitro characterized by the appearance of Alcian blue-stained nodules and the expression of cartilage-associated genes and proteins. [Cells Tissues Organs] Abstract

ACT Announces First Stargardt Patient Treated with Higher Dosage of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT) announced treatment of the fourth patient, the first in the second patient cohort, in its U.S. clinical trial for Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy. The patient was injected with 100,000 human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells, as compared with the 50,000 cell dose used in the three patients of the first cohort. [Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.] Press Release

$2 Million to Study Role-Switching Cells in Heart Failure
The National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $2 million to a team of scientists from Washington University in St. Louis and InvivoSciences to construct artificial tissue models that will allow the rapid testing of new drugs for heart failure. [Washington University in St. Louis] Press Release

EU Commission Backs Open-Access Science Publishing
The European Commission has backed calls for free access to publicly funded research in a move that could force a major change in the business model for publishers such as Reed Elsevier. [European Commission, Europe] Press Release

Drastic Cuts at Italian Institutes Infuriate Researchers
Italian scientists are up in arms over proposed budget cuts at over a dozen national research institutes as part of a spending review that will strike €26 billion from the national government’s budget. [Italian Government, Italy] Press Release

Italian Scientists Fight Tightened Rules on Animal Testing
Italy may soon become the European country with the most restrictive legislation on animal experimentation, if a draft law due for discussion in the Senate is approved in its current form. The Italian government says that it considers the draft “a good balance point”, but scientists fear that the restrictions would hamper biomedical research and damage the country’s pharmaceutical industry. [Italian Government, Italy]
Press Release

Egypt’s President ‘to Link Science to Society’
Egypt’s newly elected president, Mohamed Morsi, has ambitious plans for science and is committed to linking research to local needs and boosting private sector science funding, officials say. [Egyptian President, Egypt] Press Release

UK Funders Seek Integrity Upgrade
The major science funders in the United Kingdom are to introduce a set of principles on research integrity as a condition for receiving their grants. [Universities UK, United Kingdom] Press Release

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

Scientist – Epithelial Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies, 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.)

Research Technologist – Media Development (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Technologist – Research and Development (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientific Communications & Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Quality Control Operations Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Stem Cell Researcher (BioTalentum Ltd.)

Postdoctoral Research Position (University Lille 2 France)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells (Children’s Hospital of Chicago Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Mechanobiology (National Institute for Materials Science)


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