Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 3.20 | May 24 2011

Notch-3 and Notch-4 Signaling Rescue from Apoptosis Human B-ALL Cells in Contact with Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
In this study, researchers used anti-Notch molecules neutralizing antibodies and γ-secretase inhibitor XII to investigate the role of Notch signaling pathway in the promotion of human B-ALL cell survival in presence of stromal cells support. [Blood]

High-Frequency Canonical Wnt Activation in Multiple Sarcoma Subtypes Drives Proliferation through a TCF/β-Catenin Target Gene, CDC25A
Researchers show here that 50% of human sarcomas (n = 45) and 65% of sarcoma cell lines (n = 23) of diverse histological subtypes exhibit upregulated autocrine canonical Wnt signaling. [Cancer Cell]

Targeted Gene Correction of Laminopathy-Associated LMNA Mutations in Patient-Specific iPSCs
Scientists show that helper-dependent adenoviral vectors provide a highly efficient and safe method for correcting mutations in large genomic regions in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and can also be effective in adult human mesenchymal stem cells. [Cell Stem Cell]

Integrin Activation and Internalization on Soft ECM as a Mechanism of Induction of Stem Cell Differentiation by ECM Elasticity
By using an antibody specifically recognizing the active conformation of β1 integrin, researchers observed that β1 integrin activation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was induced by soft substrate to a significantly greater degree than by stiff substrate. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]

Engineering of Large Osteogenic Grafts with Rapid Engraftment Capacity Using Mesenchymal and Endothelial Progenitors from Human Adipose Tissue
Researchers investigated whether the maintenance in culture of endothelial and mesenchymal progenitors from the stromal vascular fraction of human adipose tissue supports the formation of vascular structures in vitro and thereby improves the efficiency and uniformity of bone tissue formation in vivo within critically sized scaffolds. [Biomaterials]

C/EBP-α and C/EBP-β–Mediated Adipogenesis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) Using PLGA Nanoparticles Complexed with Poly(ethyleneimmine) 
In this study, to drive efficient adipogenic differentiation, the adipogenic transcription factors C/EBP-α and C/EBP-β fused to green fluorescent protein or red fluorescent protein were complexed with poly-ethyleneimine coupled with biodegradable PLGA nanospheres and delivered to hMSCs. [Biomaterials]

The Stimulation of the Cardiac Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Tissue Constructs that Mimic Myocardium Structure and Biomechanics
Researchers investigated whether tissue constructs resembling structural and mechanical properties of the myocardium would induce mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into a cardiac lineage, and whether further mimicking the 3-D cell alignment of myocardium would enhance cardiac differentiation. [Biomaterials]

Stacking of Aligned Cell Sheets for Layer-by-Layer Control of Complex Tissue Structure
In this study, researchers cultured human mesenchymal stem cells on patterned thermo-responsive substrates. [Biomaterials]

Effects of Inflammatory Factors on Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Role in the Promotion of Tumor Angiogenesis in Colon Cancer 
It is well documented that inflammation is an important part of the tumor microenvironment, so researchers investigated whether stimulation of mesenchymal stem cells by inflammatory cytokines would contribute to their ability to promote tumor growth. [J Biol Chem]

Human Serum is as Efficient as Fetal Bovine Serum in Supporting Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Multipotent Stromal (Mesenchymal) Stem Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Researchers carried out a side-by-side comparison of the effects of allogenic pooled human serum versus fetal bovine sera on human multipotent stromal (skeletal, mesenchymal) stem cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro and in vivo. [Stem Cell Rev]

Stem Cells, Nitrogen-Rich Plasma-Polymerized Culture Surfaces and Type X Collagen Suppression
The specific aim of this present study was to determine if the suppression of type X collagen by nitrogen-rich plasma-polymerized ethylene is maintained when mesenchymal stem cells are transferred to pellet cultures in serum-free media. [Tissue Eng Part A]

Ministry of Health Approves BrainStorm’s NurOwn™ for the First Clinical Trial of Adult Stem Cell Therapy for ALS
BrainStorm Inc., a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of the Hadassah Medical Organization, announced that Israel’s Ministry of Health has approved the Phase I/II clinical trial of NurOwn™, BrainStorm’s autologous stem cell therapy for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. [Brainstorm Inc. Press Release]

Shire to Establish New Regenerative Medicine Business Unit through Cash Acquisition of Advanced BioHealing, Inc., Including US Marketed DERMAGRAFT®
Shire plc announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Advanced BioHealing, Inc. [Shire plc Press Release]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

Implementation Coordinator – Maternity Leave Contract (STEMSOFT Software Inc.)

Assistant Professor/Tissue Engineer (The University of Texas Medical School at Houston)

Experienced Researcher Marie Curie Fellowship in Cancer Stem Cell Research (University Paris Diderot)

Post Doctoral Research Assistant (Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford)

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