ESC & iPSC News Volume 9.16 | Apr 30 2014

Deep Transcriptome Profiling of Mammalian Stem Cells Supports a Regulatory Role for Retrotransposons in Pluripotency Maintenance
The authors performed deep profiling of the nuclear and cytoplasmic transcriptomes of human and mouse stem cells, identifying a class of previously undetected stem cell-specific transcripts. They showed that long terminal repeat-derived transcripts contribute extensively to the complexity of the stem cell nuclear transcriptome. [Nat Genet] Abstract | Press Release

Reprogramming Committed Murine Blood Cells to Induced Hematopoietic Stem Cells with Defined Factors
Scientists showed that transient expression of six transcription factors Run1t1, Hlf, Lmo2, Prdm5, Pbx1, and Zfp37 imparts multilineage transplantation potential onto otherwise committed lymphoid and myeloid progenitors and myeloid effector cells. Inclusion of Mycn and Meis1 and use of polycistronic viruses increase reprogramming efficacy. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Klf4 and Klf5 Differentially Inhibit Mesoderm and Endoderm Differentiation in Embryonic Stem Cells
Using microarrays and chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to ultra-high-throughput DNA sequencing, researchers showed that Krüppel-like factor (Klf)4 negatively regulates the expression of endodermal markers in the undifferentiated embryonic stem cells, including transcription factors involved in the commitment of pluripotent stem cells to endoderm differentiation. [Nat Commun] Abstract

3D In Vitro Model of a Functional Epidermal Permeability Barrier from Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Scientists demonstrated the generation of human epidermal equivalents (HEEs) from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. HEEs are structurally similar to native epidermis, with a functional permeability barrier. [Stem Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release

Primordial Dwarfism Gene Maintains Lin28 Expression to Safeguard Embryonic Stem Cells from Premature Differentiation
The authors showed that La ribonucleoprotein domain family, member 7 (Larp7) deficiency likely does not significantly increase positive transcription elongation factor b activity. They further discovered that Larp7 knockdown does not affect pluripotency but instead primes embryonic stem cells for differentiation via downregulation of Lin28, a positive regulator of organismal growth. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Epigenome Rejuvenation: HP1β Mobility as a Measure of Pluripotent and Senescent Chromatin Ground States
The authors measured the dynamics of an essential epigenetic modifier, HP1β, in human cells at different stages of differentiation using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. They found that HP1β mobility is similar in human embryonic stem cells and iPS cells where it is more mobile compared to fibroblasts; HP1β is less mobile in senescent fibroblasts than in young (dividing) fibroblasts. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Differentiation of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Alveolar Epithelial Cells In Vitro for Use In Vivo
Researchers modified a two-step protocol for embryonic stem cells that resulted in a yield of 9% surfactant protein C⁺ alveolar epithelial type II cells from mouse induced pluripotent stem cells in a 12-day period. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Increased Genomic Integrity of an Improved Protein-Based Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Method Compared with Current Viral-Induced Strategies
Investigators established an improved method for protein reprogramming by using partially purified reprogramming proteins, resulting in more efficient generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from C57/BL6J mouse hepatocytes than using protein extracts. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

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

Advanced Cell Technology’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Robert Lanza Named One of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. announced that the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, Robert Lanza, MD, has been selected for the 2014 TIME 100 annual list of the hundred most influential people in the world. [Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.] Press Release

From our sponsor: Free wallchart from Nature Neuroscience – Neural Stem Cells. Request your copy.

NSF’s Science Board Criticizes Bill to Alter Agency’s Programs
The presidentially appointed oversight body to the National Science Foundation (NSF) has taken the unprecedented step of publicly criticizing pending legislation that it feels would be harmful to the $7 billion research agency. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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

NEW Postdoctoral Associate – Hematopoietic Differentiation (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

NEW Research Technologist – hPSC (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Basic and Translational Neuroscience/Stem Cell Research (University of California, Davis)

Full Professor – Stem Cell Research (HUST Tongji Medical College)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Biology (Yale Stem Cell Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer – Stem Cell Research (Bioprocessing Technology Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – TGFβ-Signaling Pathway in Embryonic Stem Cells (Tsinghua University)

Stem Cell Research Technician (Van Andel Research Institute)

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)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (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.