Muscle Cell News 2.30 September 11, 2017 | |
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TOP STORYResearchers present a detailed protocol that describes how to initiate the in vitro differentiation of mouse and human pluripotent stem cells into cardiac progenitor cells, followed by intramyocardial delivery of the progenitor cells into neonatal rat hearts, in vivo incubation and analysis. [Nat Protoc] Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLSCTCF Counter-Regulates Cardiomyocyte Development and Maturation Programs in the Embryonic Heart Scientists showed that the genome organizer CTCF was essential for cardiogenesis and that it mediates genomic interactions to coordinate cardiomyocyte differentiation and maturation in the developing heart. Inactivation of Ctcf in cardiac progenitor cells and their derivatives in vivo during development caused severe cardiac defects and death at embryonic day 12.5. [PLoS Genet] Full Article The authors investigated regional presence and regulation of fibrosis in a pig myocardial infarction model. In vivo analysis of regional function and perfusion defined three regions: the scar, the myocardium adjacent to the scar, and the remote myocardium, maintained perfusion. [Sci Rep] Full Article SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLSInjectable Biomimetic Liquid Crystalline Scaffolds Enhance Muscle Stem Cell Transplantation Researchers engineered an in vivo delivery system to assemble scaffolds by injection of a peptide amphiphiles solution that enabled coalignment of scaffold nanofibers with endogenous myofibers. These scaffolds locally retained growth factors, displayed degradation rates matching the time course of muscle tissue regeneration, and markedly enhanced the engraftment of muscle stem cells in injured and noninjured muscles in mice. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article Mitochondrial Redox Signaling Enables Repair of Injured Skeletal Muscle Cells Investigators found that mitochondrial function was needed for plasma membrane repair in myoblasts as well as nonmuscle cells, which depended on mitochondrial uptake of calcium through the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. Calcium uptake transiently increased the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species, which locally activated the guanosine triphosphatase RhoA, triggering F-actin accumulation at the site of injury and facilitating membrane repair. [Sci Signal] Full Article | Press Release The authors optimized and validated a method, named MuQ-FISH, for analyzing telomere length in muscle stem cells (MuSCs) from either mice or humans. Their analysis showed no differences in telomere length between young and aged MuSCs from uninjured wild-type mice, but MuSCs isolated from young dystrophic mice exhibited significantly shortened telomeres. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract Scientists showed that: (1) ROS overproduction in myoblasts results in upregulation of S100B levels via NF-κB activation; and (2) ROS/NF-κB-induced accumulation of S100B caused myoblast transition into brown adipocytes. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract Researchers showed that RNA-binding fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is required to maintain the muscle stem cells (MuSC) pool. More specifically, FMRP is required for stem cell properties of muscle stem cells, which include MuSC capacity to prime the myogenic program, their self-renewal, and their capacity to efficiently regenerate muscle. [Skelet Muscle] Full Article SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLSScientists demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGFB) regulates lymphatic smooth muscle cell recruitment in multiple vascular beds. PDGFB was selectively expressed by lymphatic endothelial cells of collecting vessels. [Development] Full Article The authors investigated whether apoptosis-resistant pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells can promote the proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells, and studied the role of miR-195-5p in the crosstalk between these two types of cells. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract Researchers investigated the role of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in the progression of atherosclerosis and the underlying mechanisms, with a focus on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Overexpression of ALDH2 protected smooth muscle cells against oxygenized low-density lipoprotein-induced ER stress as well as ER stress-induced apoptosis. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract Curvature and Rho Activation Differentially Control the Alignment of Cells and Stress Fibers Investigators showed that macroscale substrates with radii of curvature from tens to hundreds of micrometers influence cell alignment. In a model system of fibroblasts, isolated cells aligned strongly in the axial direction on cylinders with radii similar to the cell length and more weakly on cylinders of much larger radius. Isolated vascular smooth muscle cells did not align as effectively as fibroblasts. [Sci Adv] Full Article | |
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REVIEWSMultiscale Technologies for Treatment of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy The authors outline recent advancements in nanotechnology that could be exploited to overcome the major obstacles in the prevention of and therapy for heart disease. They also discuss emerging trends in nanotechnology affecting the cardiovascular field that may offer new hope for patients suffering massive heart attacks. [Nat Nanotechnol] Abstract Scientists update the recent progress on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) generation from stem cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms of VSMC differentiation. They also explored how the use of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived VSMCs has changed the game for regenerative medicine by offering new therapeutic avenues to clinicians, as well as providing researchers with a new platform for modeling of vascular disease. [Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol] Abstract Researchers describe (a) the current status of clinical trials of human pluripotent stem cells compared with clinical trials of human adult or fetal stem cells, (b) the gap between fundamental research and application of human stem cells, (c) the use of biomaterials in clinical and pre-clinical studies of stem cells, and finally (d) trends in bioengineering to promote stem cell therapies for patients with myocardial infarction. [Lab Invest] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the muscle cell research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSGlobal Group to Investigate Genetic Causes of Cerebral Palsy A new international research group has been established to investigate the underlying genetic causes of cerebral palsy, spurred on by the discoveries of University of Adelaide researchers. The news comes as the Adelaide team behind the new collaboration has been awarded a $1 million grant to continue its groundbreaking work, from The Tenix and Cerebral Palsy Foundations. [The University of Adelaide] Press Release Novo Biosciences Receives Federal Grant to Advance Potential Heart Drug Novo Biosciences Inc. announced that it has received a two-year, $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health for the development of MSI-1436 as a potential regenerative medicine therapy for the treatment of patients who have suffered an acute heart attack. [MDI Biological Laboratory] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSThe Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan, announced $515 million in support for fundamental research through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) 2017 competition for the Discovery Grants program, scholarships and fellowships. This is NSERC’s largest annual investment, and it assists researchers by offering financial support though scholarships, fellowships, research supplements, and equipment grants. [Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada] Editorial Senate Panel Seeks Middle Ground on Human Fetal Tissue Research and Abortion A Senate spending panel countered a move by its House of Representatives counterpart to quash federal funding for research that uses human fetal tissue from elective abortions. The move sets up a conflict that will need to be resolved when lawmakers meet later this year to hash out differences between the House and Senate bills, which will provide funding for the National Institutes of Health in the 2018 fiscal year. [ScienceInsider] Editorial United Kingdom Wants Cozy Science Ties with Europe after Brexit The U.K. government released a long-awaited position paper on the future of scientific collaborations with the European Union after Brexit. Its overarching goal is “a more ambitious and close partnership with the EU than any yet agreed between the EU and a non-EU country.” [ScienceInsider] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Keystone Symposia: Heart Failure: Crossing the Translational Divide Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Faculty Positions – Cardiovascular Biology (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation) NEW Researcher – Skeletal Tissue Engineering (KU Leuven) NEW Research Assistant – Cardiovascular Stem Cells (University of Oxford) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Cardiology (Temple University) PhD Position – Epigenetic Regulation of Cardiac Myocyte Proliferation (KU Leuven) Postdoctoral Associate – Muscular Dystrophy (University of Florida) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Cardiovascular Experimental Therapeutics (University Health Network) PhD Student – Cardiac Stem Cell Differentiation (Ernst Moritz Arndt Universität Greifswald) Scientist – Obesity, Metabolic & Muscle Diseases (Regeneron) Postdoctoral Fellow – Diabetes and Heart Disease (University Health Network) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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