ESC & iPSC News Volume 9.09 | Mar 12 2014

Akt-mTOR Pathway Inhibits Apoptosis and Fibrosis in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity Following Embryonic Stem Cell Transplantation
The long term impact of embryonic stem cells and conditioned medium on apoptosis, fibrosis, cytoplasmic vacuolization, oxidative stress, and their associated mediators were examined. [Cell Transplant] Abstract

Embryonic Stem Cells and Released Factors Stimulate c-Kit^+ve/FLK-1^+ve Progenitor Cells and Promote Neovascularization in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy
Investigators transplanted conditioned media and embryonic stem cells in the doxorubicin induced cardiomyopathy injured heart and evaluated their potential to inhibit vascular cell death, activate endogenous c-kit^+ve and FLK-1^+ve cells, enhance neovascularization, and augment left ventricular dysfunction. [Cell Transplant] Abstract

Germline Transmission of an Embryonic Stem Cell Line Derived from BALB/c Cataract Mice
Researchers aimed to establish embryonic stem (ES) cells from inherited cataract mice. Embryos of cataract mice were cultured in chemical-defined N2B27 medium with the presence of two small molecules PD0325901 and CHIR99021 and an ES cell line was successfully established. [PLoS One] Full Article

Zscan4 Is Regulated by PI3-Kinase and DNA-Damaging Agents and Directly Interacts with the Transcriptional Repressors LSD1 and CtBP2 in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists showed that undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cell lines simultaneously express multiple members of the Zscan4 gene family, with Zscan4c, Zscan4f and Zscan4-ps2 consistently being the most abundant. [PLoS One] Full Article

De Novo Formation of Insulin-Producing “Neo-β Cell Islets” from Intestinal Crypts
Researchers report that transient intestinal expression of these factors – Pdx1, MafA, and Ngn3 – promotes rapid conversion of intestinal crypt cells into endocrine cells, which coalesce into “neoislets” below the crypt base. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Footprint-Free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Articular Cartilage with Redifferentiation Capacity: A First Step toward a Clinical-Grade Cell Source
Scientists showed that chondrocytes from autologous chondrocyte implantation donors can be efficiently reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a nonintegrating method based on mRNA delivery, resulting in footprint-free iPSCs (no genome-sequence modifications), devoid of viral factors or remaining reprogramming molecules. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveal Functional Differences between Drugs Currently Investigated in Patients with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome
Investigators undertook a systematic comparative study of the three main treatments currently administered or proposed to progeria-affected children, namely, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, the combination of an aminobisphosphonate and a statin (zoledronate and pravastatin), and the macrolide antibiotic rapamycin. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Mesenchymal Morphogenesis of Embryonic Stem Cells Dynamically Modulates the Biophysical Microtissue Niche
Scientists demonstrated that mesenchymal embryonic microtissues induced by BMP4 exhibited increased stiffness and viscosity accompanying differentiation, with cytoskeletal tension significantly contributing to multicellular stiffness. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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NeoStem and Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute Announce Second Research Collaboration Exploring NeoStem’s VSEL^TM Technology for Retinal Repair
NeoStem, Inc. announced that it has entered into a sponsored research collaboration with Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The objective of the research is to investigate the role of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs™), as well as CD34⁺ cells, in a study that will compare the efficacy of these two cell types for retinal repair. [NeoStem, Inc.] Press Release

Catalent Announces Agreement for One of the First Regenerative Therapies to Employ iPS Cells in Humans with CiRA, Kyoto University
Catalent Pharma Solutions announced an agreement with the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University in Japan to make a major advancement toward one of the first regenerative human therapies with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells applicable to humans. [Catalent, Inc.] Press Release

OHSU Announces Creation of New Embryonic Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Center
Oregon Health & Science University announced the creation of the OHSU Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D., a world-renowned leader in embryonic stem cell and gene therapy research. [Oregon Health & Science University] Press Release

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Major U.S. Science Agencies Face Flat Prospects
President Barack Obama released a $3.901 trillion budget request to Congress, including proposals for a host of federal research agencies. The unveiling is just the beginning of the annual budget process; Congress will now chew on the proposal and is likely to ignore many of the White House’s suggestions. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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Stem Cell Research Technician (Van Andel Research Institute)

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

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

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

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)

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

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

Research Technologist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

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