ESC & iPSC News Volume 8.46 | Nov 20 2013

A Fully Defined and Scalable 3D Culture System for Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation
Researchers report a simple, defined, efficient, scalable, and good manufacturing practice-compatible 3D culture system for human pluripotent stem cells expansion and differentiation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Analysis of DNA Methylation Reveals a Partial Reprogramming of the Müller Glia Genome during Retina Regeneration
Because somatic cell reprogramming during induced pluripotent stem cell generation is accompanied by changes in DNA methylation, especially in pluripotency factor gene promoters, scientists aimed to determine whether DNA methylation changes also underlie Müller glia reprogramming following retinal injury. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Oct4 Is Required ~E7.5 for Proliferation in the Primitive Streak
Using a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase and floxed alleles of Oct4, scientists investigated the effect of depleting Oct4 in mouse embryos between the pre-streak and headfold stages, ~E6.0-E8.0, when Oct4 is found in dynamic patterns throughout the embryonic compartment of the mouse egg cylinder. [PLoS Genet] Full Article

RNAi-Dependent and Independent Control of LINE1 Accumulation and Mobility in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists showed that Dicer- and Ago2-dependent RNAi restricts long-interspersed elements-1 accumulation and retrotransposition in undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells, derived from blastocysts. [PLoS Genet] Full Article

Comparative Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Profiling Identifies a Novel Role for AXL in Human Stem Cell Pluripotency
Researchers present the first detailed and distinct repertoire of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) characteristic for human pluripotent stem cell pluripotency by determining both the expression and phosphorylation profiles of RTKs in human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells using RT-PCR with degenerate primers that target conserved tyrosine kinase domains and phospho-RTK array, respectively. [Hum Mol Genet] Abstract

Dual Functions of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 Alpha for the Commitment of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Toward a Neural Lineage
Investigators demonstrated that the oxygen-sensitive hypoxia-inducible transcription factor, Hif-1α, is an essential regulator for neural commitment of embryonic stem cells. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract

EDA-Containing Fibronectin Increases Proliferation of Embryonic Stem Cells
The authors investigated if the fibronectin isoform that contains the extra domain A (FN EDA⁺) increased proliferation of mouse and human embryonic stem cells. They analyzed cell proliferation using conditioned media produced by different mouse embryonic fibroblast lines genetically engineered to express FN constitutively including or excluding the EDA domain, and in media supplemented with recombinant peptides containing or not the EDA. [PLoS One] Full Article

MiR-223 Regulates Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation by Targeting the Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptor/Akt Signaling Pathway
Levels of MicroRNA-223 (miR-223) were detected in differentiated versus undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In addition, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation were assayed in these two hESC populations and were compared in the presence of exogenous miR-223 and miR-223 inhibitor. [PLoS One] Full Article

The Presenilin-1 ΔE9 Mutation Results in Reduced γ-Secretase Activity, but Not Total Loss of PS1 Function, in Isogenic Human Stem Cells
Scientists used isogenic euploid human induced pluripotent stem cell lines to generate and study an allelic series of Presenilin 1 (PS1) mutations, including heterozygous null mutations and homozygous and heterozygous familial Alzheimer’s disease PS1 mutations. [Cell Rep]
Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

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Life Stem Genetics Announces James Vanden Bosch as Chief Medical Stem Cell Specialist
Life Stem Genetics, Inc. announced that its Regenerative Specialist, James Vanden Bosch, BHA, has been given the title and responsibility of Chief Medical Stem Cell Specialist at Life Stem Genetics. [Business Wire] Press Release

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House Hearing Skates over Big Disagreements on NSF Reauthorization
Congressional hearings can sometimes hide more than they reveal. So it was, when the research panel of the U.S. House of Representatives science committee held its first public airing of a bill that would make some controversial changes to peer review at the National Science Foundation (NSF). [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Open-Access Group Sanctions Three Publishers after Science ‘Sting’
A leading trade association for the publishers of free, open-access scientific journals has expelled two of its members, and put a third on probation, as a result of a controversial investigative journalism project published earlier this year by Science. The Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association announced on its blog that it is terminating the memberships of publishers Hikari Ltd. and Dove Medical Press and placing the membership of SAGE Publications “under review” for six months. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Liver Tissue Engineering (Harvard Medical School)

PhD Studentship – Wnt-Signaling and Stem Cell Biology (University of Amsterdam)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells and Epigenetics (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

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)

Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

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

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