ESC & iPSC News Volume 9.08 | Mar 5 2014

GCNF-Dependent Activation of Cyclin D1 Expression via Repression of Mir302a during ES Cell Differentiation
Scientists define the role of germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF) in the activation of cyclin D1 expression during embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation as a model of early development. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Micropattern Width Dependent Sarcomere Development in Human ESC-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Human embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived cardiomyocytes were seeded onto controlled two-dimensional micropatterned features, and an improvement in sarcomere formation and cell alignment was observed in specific feature geometries. [Biomaterials] Abstract | Press Release

Phosphorylation of the Retinoic Acid Receptor RARγ2 Is Crucial for the Neuronal Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers investigated the in vivo relevance of RARs phosphorylation during retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. [J Cell Sci] Abstract

Graphene Oxide Promotes the Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to Dopamine Neurons
Scientists determined the effects of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and graphene on the dopamine neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. [Nanomedicine] Abstract

Patient-Derived Skeletal Dysplasia iPSCs Display Abnormal Chondrogenic Marker Expression and Regulation by BMP2 and TGFβ1
To study early stages of aberrant cartilage formation in vitro, researchers generated the first induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from fibroblasts of a skeletal dysplasia patient with a lethal form of metatropic dysplasia, caused by a dominant mutation (in the calcium channel gene TRPV4. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract

Soluble Factors Secreted by Differentiating Embryonic Stem Cells Stimulate Exogenous Cell Proliferation and Migration
Embryonic stem cells were differentiated as embryoid bodies (EBs) in vitro and media conditioned by EBs was collected at different intervals of time. Gene and protein expression analysis of several different growth factors secreted by EBs were examined by PCR and ELISA analysis, respectively, as a function of time. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Abstract | Full Article

Evidences for the Involvement of Cell Surface Glycans in Stem Cell Pluripotency and Differentiation
The author characterized the surface glycans of induced pluripotent stem cells generated from menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal cells (iPS-MBMC). They demonstrated that, upon spontaneous differentiation, iPS-MBMC present high amounts of terminal β-galactopyranoside residues, pointing to an important role of terminal-linked sialic acids in pluripotency maintenance. [Glycobiology] Abstract

An Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) Reveals Multiple Expression and Functional Differences in HLHS-Derived Cardiac Myocytes
Using recent advances in the field of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), investigators were able to generate an iPSC model of HLHS malformation and characterize the properties of cardiac myocytes differentiated from these and control-iPSC lines. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

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

Cardio3 BioSciences Strengthens IP Portfolio with New US Patent
Cardio3 BioSciences announced that it has strengthened its IP portfolio following the United States Patent and Trademark Office issuing of a Notice of Allowance for patent application number US 12/994,626. The patent application covers compositions and methods for obtaining cells to treat heart tissue and specific parts of the Cardiopoiesis process by which Cardio3 BioSciences re-programs stem cells into cardiac progenitor cells during manufacturing. [Cardio3 BioSciences] Press Release

New wallchart from our sponsor:
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (a Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology collaboration). Request your free copy.

Slow Recovery for Embattled Spanish Research Agency
Spain’s largest public research organization released its action plan for 2014 to 2017. As outlined by Spanish National Research Council President Emilio Lora-Tamayo in the prologue, over the next 4 years the council aims to concentrate its efforts on “try[ing] to solve or at least palliate” two major threats to its 125 institutes: an aging and shrinking workforce and limited management flexibility. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

UK Moves to Legalize Controversial IVF Technique
The United Kingdom inched closer to legalizing a controversial method of reproduction, known as mitochondrial replacement, or ‘three-parent IVF’. The Department of Health announced a public consultation of draft legislation that would allow the procedures, which are intended to prevent children from inheriting diseases caused by faulty mitochondria. [Nature News] Editorial

Publishers Withdraw More than 120 Gibberish Papers
The publishers Springer and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers are removing more than 120 papers from their subscription services after a French researcher discovered that the works were computer-generated nonsense. [Nature News] Editorial

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

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

NEW Director of GMP/GLP Quality Operations (University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine)

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

NEW Scientific Communications & Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cells (CREI Stem Cells, SkolTech)

Postdoctoral Position – Cardiovascular Electrophysiology Research Involving Human ESC or iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology (McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Cell-Cell Interactions in Mammalian Development (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (European Bioinformatics Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Signaling and Epigenetics (Fondazione Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare)

Postdoctoral Position – Systems Biology of Cellular Reprogramming (University of California, San Diego)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Morphogenetic Signaling Pathways in Development and Disease (University of Rochester Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetic Regulation of Heart Formation Using Human ES & iPS Cells (University of Pittsburgh)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – PSC Biology and Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 50,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.