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A study that has just been published in the journal Cell Death and Differentiation is dampening those hopes of iPS. Conducted by the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Geneva and the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, with the participation of Trono’s laboratory. It concludes that the reprogrammed iPS cells exhibit a “genomic instability” that appears to be caused by the process used to return the cells to their embryonic state. Even more serious, the genetic mutations observed to resemble mutations that are found in cancer cells. The scientists draw the conclusion that reprogrammed stem cells need to be extensively investigated before they can even be considered for use in stem cell treatments on humans.Read Full Article on Medicalnewstoday.com

Ever since Prof. Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University surprised the world in 2006 with his announcement that he was able to reprogram adult skin cells into embryonic state like stem cells, major researchers and institutes all around the world started to research into induced pluripotent stem cells.(iPS)

Prof.Yamanaka’s method of reprogramming an adult skin cell into a embryonic stem cells had major problems like introduction of cancer causing genes or viruses and ineffecient for production.Derrick Rossi of Harvard University seemed to have achieved where Prof.Yamanka has failed. Dr.Rossi’s method consists of introducing a synthetic RNA into a cell which carries the genetic instructions but will not enter the DNA of the target cell. This method is different from existing methods which relied on introducing virus and genes into the cells. This method is much safer as there is no antiviral response from the cell causing a cell suicide or cancer. RNA method has also a significant advantage in the production of iPS cells. RiPS can be created even from a small number of starter cells.Dr.Rossi claimed that the modified mRNA enabled to efficiently express proteins in cells for days and weeks without causing any adverse reaction in the cells.Dr.Rossi and his team are now studying how to convert these rIPS cells in specific target type. His team in an experiment successfully reprogrammed a skin cell to a muscle cell. But there is still a lot of research to be done in creating disease specific or function specific stem cells. This discovery has significant implications not only in the field of cellular medicine but also in patients suffering from protein deficiencies because rIPS cell can be programmed to express proteins.Dr.Derrick Rossi was named in the list of Time’s “People Who Mattered 2010”. Dr.Rossi has patented this technique and will float a company which will market the technology. Time Said, “His new method could help move stem cell–based treatments for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson’s more quickly from the lab to the clinic.”

UW-Madison researcher James Thomson and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, Japan have been named co-winners of the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine for their advancements in stem cell research. Thomson and Prof. Yamanaka will receive the award in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia in March.Thomson made great contribution to stem cell research.He succeeded in genetically reprogramming adult skin cells to embryonic state. This discovery may remove the ethical issues surrounding stem cell research with embryonic stem cells. Yamanaka is recognized for generating induced pluripotent stem cells in mouse cells and for discovering human induced pluripotent stem cells. His discovery may allow researchers to obtain pluripotent stem cells without the controversial use of embryos.However, iPS stem cells are not yet proven to be safe and there is a still a long way to begin stem cell treatments with iPS.

Scientists in The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) research on a child’s own cord blood stem cells’ capability of helping to heal the damage to brain. The enrollment has begun. However, some qualifications have to be met.

 

Majority of deaths in children are caused by brain injury. As a result, the study is important for pediatric brain injury. By the way, a recently finished study at UTHealth shows positive results from a bone-marrow stem cell therapy in children with acute traumatic brain injury.

Scientists succeeded in using mouse embryonic stem cells to treat mice with retinitis pigmentosa. The study goes online in the Transplantation journal.

Specialized retinal cells maintain vision. The underlying cause of retinitis pigmentosa is due to loss/death of retinal cells. The discovery tells us the diseased retinal cells are replaced by the transplanted cells which are similar to retinal cells both in appearance and function. The research brings benefits to sight recovery. However it may lead to complications. Therefore, more studies need to be investigated to ensure the safe application in humans. Once the pending issues are addressed, it is very hopeful to treat other forms of retinal diseases via embryonic stem cell therapy.

The Australian researchers develop the first adult-induced pluripotent “stem cell lines” via skin biopsies from Friedreich Ataxia (FA) patients. And the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have the same potential as embryonic stem cells to generate any cell type of the body.

Scientists said FA iPS cells under certain conditions can be turned into specific cell types which are in great need in the disease. The study appeared in the Stem Cell Reviews and Reports journal. Given the mechanism, it is easily understood that this research can be applicable to treating other diseases like diabetes and heart diseases with stem cells.

A scientific and medical breakthrough is made by UCSF researchers. Their findings are expected to treat genetic disease via maternal stem cells before birth. The widely-accepted theory is that a developing fetus with immature immune system is the prime target for transplanted stem cells. However, researchers’ experienced many failures due to unknown immune response, which discouraged their confidence and interest. On Jan. 18, 2011, an important discovery was published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, determining mother’s blood cells in the fetus cause immune response based on mouse model experiments. Regarding application of this breakthrough, sufficient clinical trials are a must, and some other pending questions are supposed to be explained in detail. It is notable that stem cells might treat various diseases before birth in the not-so-distant future.

Top Scientists and Doctors from USA,Belgium,Poland,England and other countries will present their research findings and exchange knowledge at the Sixth Conference On Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease in New York in two day program starting on Jan 20,2010.

“The program will be dedicated to the evolving field of cell-based therapies for the repair and regeneration of cardiac and vascular disease, as well as related diseases such as diabetes and stroke.” — crf.org

 

The Learning objectives of the conference is as follows.

• Understand the scientific basis for cell-based therapies
• Describe new data regarding the capacity of specific cell lineages for cardiac repair
• Be familiar with results of clinical studies and the status of large-scale efficacy trials
• Appreciate the developmental strategies of next-generation cells, engineered tissue, and their expected first-in-human uses
• Appreciate the status of cardiovascular stem cell science at the global level, including development of resources, industry activities, strategies for collaboration, and current applicable policies

Hemoglobin A1c test, a common blood test that can be quickly administered accurately identifies pre-diabetics.The new study looked at blood test results of 1750 individuals with pre-diabetes.

Researchers at University of California have for the first time identified two molecules Robo4 and Cxcr4 that bind hematopoietic stem cells to Bone Marrow.

“If we can get specific and efficient inhibition of Robo4, we might be able to mobilize the hematopoietic stem cells to the blood more efficiently,” said Camilla Forsberg, an assistant professor of biomolecular engineering in the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz.The discovery has significant implications in the field of stem cell therapy with bone marrow transplants which are essentially hematopoietic stem cells. This discovery could make extraction and culture in lab significantly easier than current methods. Read More..