ESC & iPSC News Volume 7.36 | Sep 12 2012

Increased Proteasome Activity in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Is Regulated by PSMD11
Researchers show that human embryonic stem cells exhibit high proteasome activity that is correlated with increased levels of the 19S proteasome subunit PSMD11 and a corresponding increased assembly of the 26S/30S proteasome. [Nature] Abstract

Direct Reprogramming of Fibroblasts into Embryonic Sertoli-Like Cells by Defined Factors
Researchers demonstrated the generation of induced embryonic Sertoli-like cells by ectopic expression of five transcription factors. These Sertoli-like cells facilitated neuronal differentiation and self-renewal of neural progenitor cells, supported the survival of germ cells in culture, and cooperated with endogenous embryonic Sertoli and primordial germ cells in the generation of testicular cords in the fetal gonad. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release

LIN28 Binds Messenger RNAs at GGAGA Motifs and Regulates Splicing Factor Abundance
LIN28 is a conserved RNA-binding protein implicated in pluripotency, reprogramming, and oncogenesis. Through crosslinking and immunoprecipitation coupled with high-throughput sequencing in human embryonic stem cells and somatic cells expressing exogenous LIN28, researchers have defined discrete LIN28-binding sites in a quarter of human transcripts. [Mol Cell] Abstract | Press Release

Immunomodulation by Transplanted Human Embryonic Stem Cell- Derived Oligodendroglial Progenitors in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Results suggest that transplantation of human embryonic stem cell derived-oligodendroglial progenitors can alter the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through immunomodulation, potentially providing new avenues for stem cell-based treatment of multiple sclerosis. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Pathogenic Mutation of Activin Receptor-Like Kinase 2 Inhibits Ips Cell Reprogramming and Maintenance: Mechanisms of Reprogramming and Strategy for Drug Identification
Investigators showed that generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva-derived skin fibroblasts is repressed because of incomplete reprogramming and inhibition of iPS cell maintenance. [Stem Cells] Abstract

CD166^pos Subpopulation from Differentiated Human Embyronic Stem and iPS Cells Support Repair of Acute Lung Injury
Scientists demonstrated the proof-of-concept of using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for the repair of acute lung injury, showing the potential usefulness of using patient’s own iPS cells to prevent immune rejection which arises from allogenic transplantation. [Mol Ther] Abstract

Imaging, Quantification and Visualization of Spatio-Temporal Patterning in mESC Colonies under Different Culture Conditions
Results provide a first quantitative assessment of temporal mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) colony formation and estimates of structural differences between colony growth under different culture conditions. [Bioinformatics] Abstract | Full Article

Induction of Cancerous Stem Cells during Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation
Utilizing mouse embryonic stem cells as a model, it was illustrated that environmental aberrancy during differentiation leads to the emergence of pluripotent cells showing cancerous characteristics. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Lessons from Human Teratomas to Guide Development of Safe Stem Cell Therapies
Investigators reviewed the features of teratomas derived experimentally from human pluripotent stem cells and argue that they most closely resemble spontaneous benign teratomas that occur early in both mouse and human life. [Nat Biotechnol] Abstract

MicroRNA-Mediated Somatic Cell Reprogramming
Reports have shown that the microRNA expression pattern plays a crucial role in somatic cell reprogramming and ectopic introduction of embryonic stem cell (ESC)-specific microRNAs reverts cells back to an ESC-like state, although, the exact mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. This review describes recent work that has focused on microRNA-mediated approaches to somatic cell reprogramming as well as some of the pros and cons to these approaches and a possible mechanism of action. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract

Medical College of Wisconsin Researcher to Study Lou Gehrig’s Disease
The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a $40,000 grant from the ALS Association’s Jeff Kaufman Fund to study the impact of skeletal muscle on the progression of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. In the research project, Dr. Ebert plans to develop a novel system to generate and characterize the skeletal muscle from ALS patient’s induced pluripotent stem cells. [Medical College of Wisconsin] Press Release

California’s Stem Cell Agency Boosts Heart Disease Research at Sanford-Burnham
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has awarded a $1.58 million grant to Huei-Sheng Vincent Chen, PhD, associate professor at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham). This new funding will allow Chen and his team to develop personalized models of inherited heart conditions using stem cells derived from patients’ own skin cells. They will also use these models to develop new therapies. [EurekAlert!] Press Release

Finding the Pathways to Drug-Induced Liver Injury
With the support of a three-year, $1.29 million grant from Connecticut’s Stem Cell Research Program, a team of scientists is investigating whether genes play a role in determining a person’s susceptibility to drug-induced liver injury. The researchers are currently developing a line of induced pluripotent stem cells, that are derived from skin and blood cells and can be turned into liver cells called hepatocytes. [University of Connecticut] Press Release

Obama and Romney Tackle 14 Top Science Questions
Scientific American partnered with grassroots organization ScienceDebate.org to encourage the two main presidential candidates – Barack Obama and Mitt Romney – to answer 14 questions on some of the biggest scientific and technological challenges facing the nation. [Presidential Candidates, United States]
Press Release

U.K. Devotes £10 Million to Open Access Shift
Following up on recommendations to make more research freely available to scientists and the public, the U.K. government pledged £10 million toward making scientific papers open access. [U.K. Government, United Kingdom] Press Release

NSF Reshuffling Highlights Global Science
Subra Suresh has been an advocate of greater international scientific collaboration since becoming director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) two years ago. And a reshuffling of four programs within his office reinforces that message. [National Science Foundation, United States] Press Release

NEW 9^th Stem Cell Research & Therapeutics Conference
October 24-26, 2012
Philadelphia, United States

NEW Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig ²⁰¹²
November 29-30, 2012
Leipzig, Germany

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

Scientist – Mesenchymal Cell Research (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 Position – Biomedical Engineering (School of Medicine, Tsinghua University)

Research Associate – Quality Assurance (University of California)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Models of Host-Pathogen Interactions (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Stem Cell Research Technician (University of Nantes, France)

Postdoctoral Position in Stem Cell Laboratory (Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology)


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