CDKL5 Ensures Excitatory Synapse Stability by Reinforcing NGL-1-PSD95 Interaction in the Postsynaptic Compartment and Is Impaired in Patient iPSC-Derived Neurons Similarly to rodent neurons, iPSC-derived neurons from patients with cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) mutations exhibit aberrant dendritic spines, thus suggesting a common function of CDKL5 in mice and humans. [Nat Cell Biol] Abstract Modeling Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis Syndrome Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Researchers report the development of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line from a patient with supravalvular aortic stenosis caused by the premature termination in exon 10 of the elastin gene due to an exon 9 4-nucleotide insertion. [Circulation] Abstract Extracellular Matrix Promotes Highly Efficient Cardiac Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells: The Matrix Sandwich Method Scientists sought to develop a more effective protocol for cardiac differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells by using extracellular matrix in combination with growth factors known to promote cardiogenesis. [Circ Res] Abstract Mitotically Inactivated Embryonic Stem Cells Can Be Utilized as an In Vivo Feeder Layer to Nurse Damaged Myocardium following Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Pre-Clinical Study The authors aimed to determine if irradiated embryonic stem cells improve post ischemic cardiac function without adverse consequences. [Circ Res] Abstract Histone Deacetylase 1 Deficiency Impairs Differentiation and Electrophysiological Properties of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Induced Pluripotent Cells Researchers analyzed how the loss of a key chromatin modifying enzyme, histone deacetylase 1, affects early and cardiovascular differentiation of both embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells. They also investigated potential differences between these two cell types when differentiation is induced. [Stem Cells] Abstract A Shrna Functional Screen Reveals Non-Metastatic Cell Signalings Are Crucial for Embryonic Stem Cell Renewal Revealing the underlying mechanism of embryonic stem cell (ESC) characteristics is important for the application of ESCs in clinical medicine. Investigators performed systematic functional screen in mouse ESCs with 4801 shRNAs that target 929 kinases and phosphatases. [Stem Cells] Abstract 3-O-Sulfated Heparan Sulfate Recognized by the Antibody HS4C3 Contribute to the Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells via Fas Signaling Researchers present the first demonstration that activation of Fas signaling is mediated by an increase in the HS4C3-binding epitope and indicates a novel signaling pathway for differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Direct Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Haploid Spermatogenic Cells Researchers demonstrated that human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells differentiate directly into advanced male germ cell lineages, including postmeiotic, spermatid-like cells, in vitro without genetic manipulation. [Cell Rep] Abstract | Press Release |