ESC & iPSC News Volume 8.44 | Nov 6 2013

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    ESC & iPSC News 8.44 November 6, 2013

    ESC & iPSC News

         In this issue: Publications | Reviews | Industry News | Policy News | Events | Jobs
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    TOP STORY
    Derivation of Novel Human Ground State Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells
    Researchers established defined conditions that facilitate the derivation of genetically unmodified human naive pluripotent stem cells from already established primed human embryonic stem cells, from somatic cells through induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming or directly from blastocysts. [Nature]
    Abstract | Press Release
    Derivation of Metabolically Active Hepatocytes from Pluripotent Stem Cells - View On-Demand Webinar Now.

     
    PUBLICATIONS ( Ranked by impact factor of the journal)
    Mosaic Copy Number Variation in Human Neurons
    Investigators used single-cell genomic approaches to map DNA copy number variation in neurons obtained from human induced pluripotent stem cell lines and postmortem human brains. [Science]
    Abstract | Press Release

    Single-Cell Methylome Landscapes of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Early Embryos Analyzed Using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing
    Researchers describe a methylome analysis technique that enables single-cell and single-base resolution DNA methylation analysis based on reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. The technique is highly sensitive and can detect the methylation status of up to 1.5 million CpG sites within the genome of an individual mouse embryonic stem cell. [Genome Res] Abstract

    Coordinate Nodal and BMP Inhibition Directs Baf60c-Dependent Cardiomyocyte Commitment
    Scientists showed that the endoderm-derived dual Nodal/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist Cerberus-1 in embryonic stem cell cultures orchestrates two signaling pathways that direct the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex to cardiomyogenic loci in multipotent progenitors, activating lineage-specific transcription. [Genes Dev] Abstract

    iPSC-Derived Neural Precursors Exert a Neuroprotective Role in Immune-Mediated Demyelination via the Secretion of LIF
    Scientists showed that mouse induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural stem/precursor cells – when intrathecally transplanted after disease onset – ameliorate clinical and pathological features of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. [Nat Commun] Abstract

    Autophagy Regulates Homeostasis of Pluripotency-Associated Proteins in hESCs
    Researchers demonstrate that autophagy acts together with the ubiquitin-proteasome system to modulate the levels of pluripotency-associated (PA) proteins in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Autophagy inhibition impaired the pluripotency despite increment of PA proteins in hESCs. [Stem Cells] Abstract

    Nanotopographical Control for Maintaining Undifferentiated Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colonies in Feeder Free Conditions
    A substrate featuring arrays of increasing nanopillar diameter was devised to investigate the effects of varying surface nanotopography on the maintenance of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells colonies in the absence of feeder cells. [Biomaterials] Abstract

    The Effect of Multivalent Sonic Hedgehog on Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Dopaminergic and GABAergic Neurons
    Researchers designed multivalent biomaterials presenting Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in defined spatial arrangements and investigated the role of Shh valency in ventral specification of human embryonic stem cells into these therapeutically relevant cell types. [Biomaterials] Abstract

    Comprehensive Quantitative Comparison of the Membrane Proteome, Phosphoproteome and Sialiome of Human Embryonic and Neural Stem Cells
    To obtain information about membrane-associated proteins and their modified amino acids potentially involved in changes of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs) as well as to investigate potential new markers for these two cell stages, scientists performed large-scale quantitative membrane-proteomic of hESCs and NSCs. [Mol Cell Proteomics] Abstract

    LSD1 Regulates Pluripotency of Embryonic Stem/Carcinoma Cells through HDAC1-Mediated Deacetylation of Histone H4 at Lysine 16
    The authors found that LSD1 interacts with HDAC1 to regulate the proliferation of embryonic stem/embryonic carcinoma/teratocarcinoma cells through H4K16 acetylation, which they showed is a critical substrate of HDAC1. [Mol Cell Biol] Abstract

    Functional Roles of Nurr1, Pitx3 and Lmx1a in Neurogenesis and Phenotype Specification of Dopamine Neurons during In Vitro Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells
    To elucidate detailed functional mechanisms of key fate-determining transcription factors (e.g., Nurr1, Pitx3, and Lmx1a) and their functional interplay for midbrain dopamine neurons, researchers developed a highly efficient gain-of-function system by transducing the neural progenitors derived from embryonic stem cells with retroviral vectors, allowing the analysis of downstream molecular and cellular effects. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract

    Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Modeling of Multisystemic, Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis
    The authors describe the directed differentiation of transthyretin amyloidosis patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells into hepatocytes that produce mutant transthyretin, and the cardiomyocytes and neurons normally targeted in the disease. [Stem Cell Rep]
    Full Article | Press Release

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    REVIEWS
    The Use of Small Molecules in Somatic-Cell Reprogramming
    The authors provide a brief introduction to reprogramming followed by a detailed review of the major classes of small molecules that have been used to date and what future opportunities can be expected from these. [Trends Cell Biol] Abstract

    Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

    Enter to Win: Free ISCT 2014 Conference Registration in Paris, France!

     
    INDUSTRY NEWS
    $100 Million Gift Launches Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center
    Businessman and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has committed $100 million to the creation of the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center at the University of California, San Diego. [University of California, San Diego]
    Press Release

    Bioheart Announces Agreement with Global Stem Cell Group to Provide Bioheart Therapies and Training
    Bioheart, Inc. announced an agreement with Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. to provide Bioheart therapies and products to its worldwide network of physicians and qualified patients. [Bioheart Inc.] Press Release

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    POLICY NEWS
    Bill Revising Federal Grants Process Wouldn’t Change Practices at National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, Says Sponsor
    The author of legislation that would alter how federal agencies manage competitive grants says his bill isn’t aimed at research agencies and “would not change” how those agencies do their jobs. He also said he plans to fix several provisions that are causing the most heartburn among academics and their institutions. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

    Grant-Giving Freeze Lifted at Texas Cancer Institute
    Texas’s beleaguered cancer institute got some good news on 30 October when state politicians lifted a moratorium imposed on grants in December 2012. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institution of Texas in Austin was created in 2007 when Texans voted in favor of a $3 billion cancer initiative to fund scientific research, promote cancer prevention and foster commercialization. But the Texas agency has been dogged by accusations of favoritism, conflicts of interest and botched management. [Nature News] Editorial

     
    EVENTS
    NEW Danish Stem Cell Society’s 3rd Symposium
    March 7-8, 2014
    Nyborg, Denmark

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

     
    JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    NEW Assistant Director (Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine)

    Postdoctoral Position – Human Stem Cells (Sabine Costagliola-ULB)

    Faculty Position – Stem Cell Biology (University of Notre Dame / College of Science)

    Postdoctoral Associate – Human and Mouse Stem Cell Biology, Pancreatic and Liver Specification and In Vitro Disease Modeling (Baylor College of Medicine)

    Postdoctoral Position – RNA & Stem Cell Biology (Cancer Research Centre of Lyon)

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Stem Cells (Bioprocessing Technology Institute)

    PhD Student – Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (TU Dresden)

    Research Scientist – Stem Cell Research (Approach People Recruitment)

    Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

    Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

    Research Associate – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)


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