A receptor that was first identified as necessary for insulin action, that also is located on the neural stem cells found deep in the brains of mice, is pivotal for brain stem cell longevity, according to a Rutgers study, a finding that has important implications for brain health and future therapies for brain disorders.
Tag: Stem Cells
Piezo1 Possible Key to Supporting Muscle Regeneration in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Tracing the impact of a single protein, Piezo1, Penn researchers found that restoring it in muscles affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy could improve their ability to heal efficiently
Sending Stem Cells Into Space to Develop Medicine of Tomorrow
Scientists from Cedars-Sinai are gearing up to send stem cells into space to test whether it is possible to produce large batches in zero gravity for use in treating a variety of diseases back on Earth.
Researchers Use Model of Hypothalamus to Implicate Genes Associated with Sleep, BMI, Puberty, and More
A new study has implicated several genes involved in a variety of bodily functions associated with the hypothalamus, a notoriously difficult-to-study region of the brain. The findings could help clinicians identify potential causes of dysfunction for many important traits regulated by the hypothalamus, such as sleep, stress, and reproduction.
Lithium imaging method could shine new light on bipolar disorder, treatment
Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science developed a method for imaging lithium in living cells, allowing them to discover that neurons from bipolar disorder patients accumulate higher levels of lithium than healthy controls.
AMSSM Releases Position Statement on Regenerative Medicine in Sports Medicine
The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) has released a position statement on Principles for the Responsible Use of Regenerative Medicine in Sports Medicine.
Albert Einstein Cancer Center Researcher Receives NCI Outstanding Investigator Award to Study Two Deadly Blood Diseases
Ulrich G. Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Blood Cancer Institute and associate director of basic science at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center (AECC), has received a prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
UCI receives 5-year, $5 million CIRM award for training of diverse researchers
The University of California, Irvine has received a five-year, $5 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to support a comprehensive doctoral, postdoctoral and clinical researcher training program to prepare the current and next generation of leaders in stem cell biology, gene therapy and regenerative medicine.
The Promise of Regenerative Medicine to Treat Chronic Pain
Regenerative medicine has enormous implications for treatment and prevention of chronic pain including conditions like osteoarthritis, diabetic and peripheral neuropathy, and even spinal cord injuries and degenerative disk disease. According to one expert, there is potential to “[turn] back the time clock.”
Brain Organoids Mimic Head Size Changes Associated with Type of Autism
Stem cell models derived from people with specific genomic variation recapitulate aspects of their autism spectrum disorder, providing a valuable model to study the condition and look for therapeutic interventions.
Why do short-lived lung infections lead to long-lasting lung damage?
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that two populations of stem cells in the lung multiply during and after a viral respiratory infection, sometimes triggering a detrimental remodeling process that can cause persistent lung disease long after the virus has been cleared.
New Blood: Lab-Grown Stem Cells Bode Well for Transplants, Aging Research
UC San Diego researchers develop a method to grow hematopoietic stem cells in culture, with clinical implications for bone marrow transplants and aging research.
Gene “Waves” Drive Sperm Stem Cell Formation
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for male fertility. Using a technique they developed called iSLAMseq, UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers identified waves of genes responding to a transcription factor that promotes SSC formation. This led the group…
The hunt to find causes and treatments for deadly childhood cancer
Neuroblastoma is the deadliest and most common solid cancer in young children the world over, accounting for 15 per cent of all childhood cancer deaths. But Australian researchers are taking the first steps to find the cause and better treatments for this devastating disease which affects children under the age of five.

UCI-led team develops transplant biomaterial that doesn’t trigger immune response
Irvine, Calif., June 3, 2021 — A multidisciplinary research team led by Jonathan Lakey, Ph.D., professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine, has developed a biomaterial for pancreatic islet transplants that doesn’t trigger the body’s immune response. Based on stem cell technology, hybrid alginate offers a possible long-term treatment for Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune reaction that destroys pancreatic islets’ beta cells, which regulate blood glucose levels.
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.
Stem Cell Therapy Shows Potential to Heal Intestinal Disease in Premature Infants
WFIRM scientists are tackling necrotizing enterocolitis with a human placental-derived stem cell (hPSC) therapy strategy that is showing promising results.
Chemical cocktail activates stem cells, promotes repair after muscle damage
The technique used in this preclinical study could aid tissue regeneration following severe accidents, surgical resections, or progressive muscle loss due to age or genetic disease.
Stem cell therapy promotes recovery from stroke and dementia in mice
A one-time injection of an experimental stem cell therapy can repair brain damage and improve memory function in mice with conditions that replicate human strokes and dementia, a new UCLA study finds.

Targeting microRNAs could unmask hidden vulnerability in breast cancer stem cells
Researchers in Italy have identified a pair of microRNA molecules that help maintain a population of cancerous stem cells that drive the growth of breast cancers and initiate tumor relapse after treatment. The study, which will be published April 2 in the Journal of Cell Biology (JCB), reveals that targeting these microRNAs makes cancer stem cells more susceptible to some chemotherapies and could potentially improve the prognosis of patients with aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Placental Stem Cells Show Promise for Treating Preemies’ Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Article title: Human placental-derived stem cell therapy ameliorates experimental necrotizing enterocolitis Authors: Victoria G. Weis, Anna C. Deal, Gehad Mekky, Cara Clouse, Michaela Gaffley, Emily Whitaker, Cole B. Peeler, Jared A. Weis, Marshall Z. Schwartz, Anthony Atala From the authors:…

Researchers devise more efficient, enduring CAR gene therapy to combat HIV
A UCLA research team has shown that using a truncated form of the CD4 molecule as part of a gene therapy to combat HIV yielded superior and longer-lasting results in mouse models than previous similar therapies using the CD4 molecule.

Weizmann Institute Scientists Grow Advanced Mouse Embryos Outside the Uterus
In a first, the Weizmann Institute’s Prof. Jacob Hanna and his group have grown mouse embryos in an artificial uterus. The feat allows scientists to study the early stages of development, with potential implications that include understanding why implantations fail and the gestational conditions behind developmental disorders, as well as reduced need for laboratory animals.

Chemical cocktail creates new avenues for generating muscle stem cells
A UCLA-led research team has identified a chemical cocktail that enables the production of large numbers of muscle stem cells, which can self-renew and give rise to all types of skeletal muscle cells.
Individualized brain cell grafts reverse Parkinson’s symptoms in monkeys
Grafting neurons grown from monkeys’ own cells into their brains relieved the debilitating movement and depression symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison reported today.

Human Lung and Brain Organoids Respond Differently to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Lab Tests
UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers are using stem cell-derived organoids to study how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various organ systems. Their findings may help explain the wide variety in COVID-19 symptoms and aid the search for therapies.

Evan Snyder named Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has elected to its College of Fellows Evan Y. Snyder, M.D., Ph.D., professor and founding director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Snyder was nominated, reviewed, and elected by his peers and members of the College of Fellows for his seminal contributions to regenerative medicine.

‘Mini brain’ organoids grown in lab mature much like infant brains
A new study from UCLA and Stanford University researchers finds that three-dimensional human stem cell-derived ‘mini brain’ organoids can mature in a manner that is strikingly similar to human brain development.
Mount Sinai Researchers Identify Mechanisms That Are Essential for Proper Skin Development
Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that Polycomb complexes, groups of proteins that maintain gene expression patterns, are essential for proper skin development, according to a paper published in Genes & Development on February 18.

How a Single Gene Alteration May Have Separated Modern Humans from Predecessors
UC San Diego researchers discovered a single gene alteration that may help explain cognitive differences between modern humans and our predecessor, and used that information to develop Neanderthal-like brain organoids in the lab.

Scientists are a step closer to developing ‘smart’ stem cells – made from human fat
A new type of stem cell – that is, a cell with regenerative abilities – could be closer on the horizon, a new study led by UNSW Sydney shows.

UCLA scientists develop method to more efficiently isolate and identify rare T cells
Scientists from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have developed a technique that will enable researchers to more efficiently isolate and identify rare T cells that are capable of targeting viruses, cancer and other diseases.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Leads Groundbreaking Trial for COVID -19 Treatment
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researchers led a unique and groundbreaking randomized controlled trial showing umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell infusions safely reduce risk of death and quicken time to recovery for the severest COVID-19 patients, according to results published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine in January 2021.

Leaders in stem cell science, regenerative medicine combine efforts in 2021
Leaders in stem cell science and regenerative medicine will combine two separate courses into one in June 2021.

Advances in Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine Highlighted in New Regenerative Medicine Essentials Course Co-Located with 2021 World Stem Cell Summit
Leaders in stem cell science and regenerative medicine will combine two separate courses into one in June 2021.

Lab-Grown Human Brain Organoids Mimic an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Help Test Treatments
UC San Diego researchers used brain organoids to identify two drug candidates that counteract the genetic deficiencies that cause Rett syndrome, a rare form of autism spectrum disorder.

Scientists discover how COVID-19 virus causes multiple organ failure in mice
UCLA researchers are the first to create a version of COVID-19 in mice that shows how the disease damages organs other than the lungs. Using their model, the scientists discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can shut down energy production in cells of the heart, kidneys, spleen and other organs.

Development of New Stem Cell Type May Lead to Advances In Regenerative Medicine
DALLAS – Dec. 3, 2020 – A team led by UT Southwestern has derived a new “intermediate” embryonic stem cell type from multiple species that can contribute to chimeras and create precursors to sperm and eggs in a culture dish.

Gene therapy gives man with sickle cell disease the chance for a better future
In July 2019, Evie Junior enrolled in a clinical trial for an experimental stem cell gene therapy for sickle cell disease. The study is led by UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center physician-scientists Dr. Donald Kohn and Dr. Gary Schiller and funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

World’s first: Drug guides stem cells to desired location, improving their ability to heal
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have created a drug that can lure stem cells to damaged tissue and improve treatment efficacy—a scientific first and major advance for the field of regenerative medicine. The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could improve current stem cell therapies designed to treat such neurological disorders as spinal cord injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative disorders; and expand their use to new conditions, such as heart disease or arthritis.
Mount Sinai Cardiologist Awarded $2.9 Million NIH Grant to Advance Work with Stem Cells and Heart Repair after Heart Attack
Research may lead to identifying novel therapies for cardiac patients
Scientists identify compound that stimulates muscle cells in mice
UCLA researchers have identified a compound that can reproduce the effect of exercise in muscle cells in mice. The findings are published today in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.
Could a tiny fish hold the key to curing blindness?
Imagine this: A patient learns that they are losing their sight because an eye disease has damaged crucial cells in their retina. Then, under the care of their doctor, they simply grow some new retinal cells, restoring their vision.
Although science hasn’t yet delivered this happy ending, researchers are working on it – with help from the humble zebrafish. When a zebrafish loses its retinal cells, it grows new ones. This observation has encouraged scientists to try hacking the zebrafish’s innate regenerative capacity to learn how to treat human disease. That is why among the National Eye Institute’s 1,200 active research projects, nearly 80 incorporate zebrafish.

Stem cells can repair Parkinson’s-damaged circuits in mouse brains
University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers demonstrated a proof-of-concept stem cell treatment in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. They found that neurons derived from stem cells can integrate well into the correct regions of the brain, connect with native neurons and restore motor functions.
Shared protein fingerprint could simplify treatment of common inherited heart disease
University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists discovered that many different genetic mutations result in surprisingly similar changes to heart muscle proteins in patients with the most severe manifestations of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Coaxing single stem cells into specialized cells
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a unique method for precisely controlling the deposition of hydrogel, which is made of water-soluble polymers commonly used to support cells in experiments or for therapeutic purposes. The researchers noticed that their technique – which allows for the encapsulation of a single cell within a minute hydrogel droplet – can be used to coax bone marrow stem cells into specialized cells.
New Collection of Rett Syndrome Stem Cells Available from Coriell Institute for Medical Research
The Coriell Institute for Medical Research has added a new collection of stem cells to its biobank offerings. The new collection is a result of a collaboration between Coriell and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) and consists of 10 lines of human induced pluripotent stem cells created from blood donated by individuals with Rett syndrome.

Implanted Neural Stem Cell Grafts Show Functionality in Spinal Cord Injuries
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine report successfully implanting specialized grafts of neural stem cells directly into spinal cord injuries in mice, then documenting how the grafts grew and filled the injury sites, mimicking the animals’ existing neuronal network.

How airway cells work together in regeneration and aging
Researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have identified the process by which stem cells in the airways of the lungs switch between two distinct phases — creating more of themselves and producing mature airway cells — to regenerate lung tissue after an injury.
Communication between Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells and Fibers Supports Muscle Growth in Mice
A new study suggests that communication between skeletal muscle cells and muscle fibers promotes muscle growth. Adult muscle stem cells, called satellite cells, release extracellular vesicles that are delivered to muscle fibers responsible for contraction, to promote this muscle growth. The first-of-its-kind study is published ahead of print in the journal Function.