ESC & iPSC News Volume 8.33 | Aug 21 2013

Complement Anaphylatoxin C3a Is a Potent Inducer of Embryonic Chick Retina Regeneration
Scientists showed that complement fragment C3a is sufficient to induce complete regeneration of the embryonic chick retina from stem/progenitor cells present in the eye, independent of fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling. Instead, C3a induces retina regeneration via STAT3 activation, which in turn activates the injury- and inflammation-responsive factors, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Efficient Genome Engineering in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Cas9 from Neisseria meningitidis
Using a distinct clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) system from Neisseria meningitidis, investigators demonstrated efficient targeting of an endogenous gene in three human pluripotent stem cells lines using homology-directed repair. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Baculoviral Transduction Facilitates Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nuclease-Mediated Targeted Transgene Integration and Cre/LoxP Cassette Exchange in Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers report a baculovirus-transcription activator-like effector nuclease system for AAVS1 locus-directed homologous recombination in human induced pluripotent stem cells. [Nucleic Acid Res] Full Article

Efficient, Long Term Production of Monocyte-Derived Macrophages from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells under Partly-Defined and Fully-Defined Conditions
Scientists described a method for deriving monocytes and macrophages from human pluripotent stem cells which improves on previously published protocols in that it uses entirely defined, feeder- and serum-free culture conditions and produces very consistent, pure, high yields across both human embryonic stem cell and multiple human induced pluripotent stem cell lines over time periods of up to one year. [PLoS One]
Full Article

Enhanced Reconstruction of Rat Calvarial Defects Achieved by Plasma-Treated Electrospun Scaffolds and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
The capacity of polyethersulfone (PES) and plasma-treated PES scaffolds to support the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells was investigated by MTT assay and for common osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium mineral deposition and bone-related genes. [Cell Tissue Res] Abstract

Influence of Biological Matrix and Artificial Electrospun Scaffolds on Proliferation, Differentiation and Trophic Factor Synthesis of Rat Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists investigated proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, growth and neurotrophic factor synthesis of rat embryonic stem cells cultured in 2D and 3D conditions generated using Cultrex® Basement Membrane Extract and in poly-(L-lactic acid) electrospun microfibers. [Matrix Biol] Abstract

Vitamin C Facilitates Pluripotent Stem Cell Maintenance by Promoting Pluripotency Gene Transcription
Scientists found that vitamin C maintained the morphology of mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) colonies and inhibited mESC differentiation. Gene expression profiling revealed that the genes down-regulated by vitamin C were grouped in the regulation of differentiation and development, while most of the up-regulated genes were enriched in the regulation of transcription involving numerous pluripotency factors, which was further confirmed by real time quantitative PCR. [Biochimie] Abstract

Onset of Rosette Formation During Spontaneous Neural Differentiation of hESC and hiPSC Colonies
Investigators examined the involvement of early neural markers – OTX2, PAX6, Sox1, Nestin, NR2F1, NR2F2, and IRX2 – in the onset of rosette formation, during spontaneous neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) colonies. [Gene] Full Article

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Stem Cell Research Lab to Open at Tehnopol
A stem cell research lab was opened at Tehnopol, a science park in Tallinn. In cooperation with the Cell Therapy Cluster, the Enterprise Estonia and EU-funded lab will be used to develop high-quality cell treatment products. [Estonian Public Broadcasting] Press Release

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$250 Million Regenerative Medicine Plan Part of Rudd Labor Health Policy
Scientists would be able to “grow” kidneys for patients under a plan by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to develop regenerative medicine in Australia. Mr. Rudd will outline his plan for the nation to play a leading role in the next frontier of healthcare in Brisbane, where he will announce a $250 million investment fund to take medical research breakthroughs from the lab to the patient. [Government of Australia, Australia] Press Release

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Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Position – Neurosteroids and Neural Stem Cells in Developing Brain (Children’s National Medical Center)

Tenure-Track Position – Cell Biologist (McGill University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Stem Cell Biology and Hematopoiesis (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Stem Cell Researcher – Heart Research Group (University of Tampere)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Therapy and Epigenetics of Retina (University of Pittsburgh, Ophthalmology)

Director of Cell Processing Facility (S L Collins Associates, Inc.)

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