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| Accountability and Umbilical Cord Blood Legislation: CIRM's Positions
March 19, 2010 at 11:14 AM
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| As expected, directors of the California stem cell agency moved last week to attempt to sidetrack legislation aimed at ensuring affordable access to taxpayer-funded stem cell therapies and to improve accountability and transparency at the $3 billion enterprise.
The real question is what horse will CIRM have to trade in order to send the bill off to interim study, which would, in effect, kill it | | |
| A Biological Global Positioning System: Considerations for Tracking Stem Cell Behaviors in the Whole Body.
March 19, 2010 at 7:33 AM
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| | A Biological Global Positioning System: Considerations for Tracking Stem Cell Behaviors in the Whole Body. Stem Cell Rev. 2010 Mar 18; Authors: Li SC, Tachiki LM, Luo J, Dethlefs BA, Chen Z, Loudon WG Many recent research studies have proposed stem cell therapy as a treatment for cancer, spinal cord injuries, brain damage, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions. Some of these experimental therapies have been tested in small animals and, in rare cases, in humans. Medical researchers anticipate extensive clinical applications of stem cell therapy in the future. The lack of basic knowledge concerning basic stem cell biology-survival, migration, differentiation, integration in a real time manner when transplanted into damaged CNS remains an absolute bottleneck for attempt to design stem cell therapies for CNS diseases. A major challenge to the development of clinical applied stem cell therapy in medical practice remains the lack of efficient stem cell tracking methods. As a result, the fate of the vast majority of stem cells transplanted in the human central nervous system (CNS), particularly in the detrimental effects, remains unknown. The paucity of knowled! ge concerning basic stem cell biology-survival, migration, differentiation, integration in real-time when transplanted into damaged CNS remains a bottleneck in the attempt to design stem cell therapies for CNS diseases. Even though excellent histological techniques remain as the gold standard, no good in vivo techniques are currently available to assess the transplanted graft for migration, differentiation, or survival. To address these issues, herein we propose strategies to investigate the lineage fate determination of derived human embryonic stem cells (hESC) transplanted in vivo into the CNS. Here, we describe a comprehensive biological Global Positioning System (bGPS) to track transplanted stem cells. But, first, we review, four currently used standard methods for tracking stem cells in vivo: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bioluminescence imaging (BLI), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and fluorescence imaging (FLI) with quantum dots. We summarize these mo! dalities and propose criteria that can be employed to rank the! practic al usefulness for specific applications. Based on the results of this review, we argue that additional qualities are still needed to advance these modalities toward clinical applications. We then discuss an ideal procedure for labeling and tracking stem cells in vivo, finally, we present a novel imaging system based on our experiments. PMID: 20237964 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] | | |
| Multiple sclerosis - established and novel therapeutic approaches.
March 19, 2010 at 7:33 AM
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| | Multiple sclerosis - established and novel therapeutic approaches. Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem. 2010 Mar;10(1):3-15 Authors: Ehling R, Berger T, Reindl M Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological disease in young adults characterized by recurrent relapses and / or progression that are attributable to multifocal inflammation, demyelination and axonal pathology within the central nervous system. Currently approved disease-modifying treatments achieve their effects primarily by blocking the proinflammatory response in a nonspecific manner. Their limited clinical efficacy urges a more differentiated and specific therapeutic approach. Advances in understanding the pathophysiology of MS and appreciation of the contribution of neurodegenerative processes to disease pathology have led to promising therapeutic approaches at different points along the MS disease pathway: (i) monoclonal antibody therapy has provided the opportunity to rationally direct the therapeutic intervention by specifically targeting mechanisms of the immune system such as CD52 (alemtuzumab), CD25 (daclizumab), VLA-4 (natalizumab! ) and CD20 (rituximab); (ii) novel oral immunomodulating agents have shown to prevent lymphocyte recirculation from lymphoid organs such as fingolimod (FTY720); (iii) blocking of intracellular signaling cascades or ion channels at the cell-surface can protect axons from degeneration and restore axonal function in experimental settings; (iv) neuroprotective agents and stem cell therapy are able to promote remyelination and axonal regeneration in vitro. Despite the tremendous efforts undertaken, a better understanding of the sequential evolution of the MS lesion and the development of clinical surrogate markers, which allow to define subsets of patients with different forms of underlying pathogenesis, is necessary. This will pave the way for an optimized treatment approach, which will likely need both to target inflammation and to focus on promotion of neuroprotection and repair. PMID: 20236038 [PubMed - in process] | | |
| Alternative Sources of Adult Stem Cells: Human Amniotic Membrane.
March 19, 2010 at 6:31 AM
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| | Alternative Sources of Adult Stem Cells: Human Amniotic Membrane. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol. 2010 Mar 17; Authors: Wolbank S, van Griensven M, Grillari-Voglauer R, Peterbauer-Scherb A Human amniotic membrane is a highly promising cell source for tissue engineering. The cells thereof, human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) and human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSC), may be immunoprivileged, they represent an early developmental status, and their application is ethically uncontroversial. Cell banking strategies may use freshly isolated cells or involve in vitro expansion to increase cell numbers. Therefore, we have thoroughly characterized the effect of in vitro cultivation on both phenotype and differentiation potential of hAEC. Moreover, we present different strategies to improve expansion including replacement of animal-derived supplements by human platelet products or the introduction of the catalytic subunit of human telomerase to extend the in vitro lifespan of amniotic cells. Characterization of the resulting cultures includes phenotype, growth characteristics, and differentiation potential, as well as immunogenic and immunomodul! atory properties. PMID: 20237903 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] | | |
| From crabshell to chitosan-hydroxyapatite composite material via a biomorphic mineralization synthesis method.
March 19, 2010 at 6:31 AM
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| | From crabshell to chitosan-hydroxyapatite composite material via a biomorphic mineralization synthesis method. J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2010 Mar 17; Authors: Ge H, Zhao B, Lai Y, Hu X, Zhang D, Hu K Hydroxyapatite-polymer composite materials, as biological bone tissue materials, have become an important research direction. In this paper, the calcium carbonate from the crabshells was transformed into hydroxyapatite by a hydrothermal process. According to the method that we called Biomorphic Mineralization synthesis, we obtained a novel kind of hydroxyapatite-chitosan composite materials which reserved the natural perfect structure of the original crabshells. Benefited from its fine micro-structure as the crabshells, this kind of materials held a high value of tensile modulus, which is expected to be promising bone tissue engineering applications. PMID: 20237825 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] | | |
| Pluripotential Differentiation Capability of Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells in a Novel Fibrin-agarose Scaffold.
March 19, 2010 at 6:31 AM
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| | Pluripotential Differentiation Capability of Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells in a Novel Fibrin-agarose Scaffold. J Biomater Appl. 2010 Mar 17; Authors: Nieto-Aguilar R, Serrato D, Garzon I, Campos A, Alaminos M The potentiality of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured on 2D systems has been previously established. Nevertheless, very little is known so far about the differentiation potentiality of ASCs in 3D culture systems using biomaterials. In this work, we have evaluated the transdifferentiation capabilities of ASCs cultured within a novel fibrin-agarose biomaterial by histological analysis, histochemistry and immunofluorescence. Our results showed that 3D fibrin-agarose biomaterial is highly biocompatible and supports the transdifferentiation capabilities of ASCs to the osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic lineages. PMID: 20237181 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] | | |
| A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2010.
March 19, 2010 at 6:31 AM
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| | A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2010. Trends Ecol Evol. 2010 Jan;25(1):1-7 Authors: Sutherland WJ, Clout M, Côté IM, Daszak P, Depledge MH, Fellman L, Fleishman E, Garthwaite R, Gibbons DW, De Lurio J, Impey AJ, Lickorish F, Lindenmayer D, Madgwick J, Margerison C, Maynard T, Peck LS, Pretty J, Prior S, Redford KH, Scharlemann JP, Spalding M, Watkinson AR Horizon scanning identifies emerging issues in a given field sufficiently early to conduct research to inform policy and practice. Our group of horizon scanners, including academics and researchers, convened to identify fifteen nascent issues that could affect the conservation of biological diversity. These include the impacts of and potential human responses to climate change, novel biological and digital technologies, novel pollutants and invasive species. We expect to repeat this process and collation annually. PMID: 19939492 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] | | |
| Early Stages of in situ Bladder Regeneration in a Rodent Model.
March 19, 2010 at 6:20 AM
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| | Early Stages of in situ Bladder Regeneration in a Rodent Model. Tissue Eng Part A. 2010 Mar 17; Authors: Burmeister D, Aboushwareb T, Tan J, Link K, Andersson KE, Christ GJ Surgical removal of ~70% of the bladder (subtotal cystectomy; STC) was used as a model system to gain insight into the normal regenerative process in adult mammals in vivo. Female F344 rats underwent STC and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks post-STC, bladder regeneration was monitored via micro CT scans, urodynamic (bladder function studies) and pharmacologic studies, and immunohistochemistry. CT-imaging revealed a time-dependent increase in bladder size at 2, 4 and 8 wks post STC that positively correlated with restoration of bladder function in the same animal. Bladders emptied completely at all time points studied. The maximal contractile response to pharmacological activation and electrical field stimulation (EFS) increased over time in isolated tissue strips from regenerating bladders, but was still lower at all time points compared to native bladder strips. Immunostaining of the bladder wall of STC rats suggested a role for progenitor cells and cellular proliferation in ! the regenerative response. Immunostaining and the presence of EFS-induced contractile responses verified innervation of the regenerated bladder. These initial studies establish the utility of the present model system for studying de novo tissue regeneration in vivo and may provide guidance with respect to optimization of intrinsic regenerative capacity for clinical applications. PMID: 20235833 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] | | | | 
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