Stem Cells News and Research

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Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Defining neurogenic niche proteome helps identify key regulators of neurogenesis

In mammalian adult brains, neural stem cells are only present in few specific parts, so called niches. Only these niches are capable of generating new neurons.

7 Feb 2020

Researchers develop a new way of making bone-replacement materials

A new way of making bone-replacement materials that allows for cells to grow around and inside them has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham.

6 Feb 2020

New insight into genomic alterations associated with telomere maintenance mechanisms in cancer

To gain an infinite lifespan, cancer cells need to maintain the ends of their chromosomes, known as telomeres. They achieve this in various different ways.

6 Feb 2020

Age-linked cognitive decline could be slowed by immune activation

A new study published in February 2020 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), reports that activating a specific type of immune cell found in the brain could delay reduced cognition often found in older people, and even prevent neurologic degeneration of age.

5 Feb 2020

Heart muscle cells of zebrafish change their metabolism during heart regeneration

Researchers from the group of Jeroen Bakkers at the Hubrecht Institute have found that the muscle cells in the heart of zebrafish change their metabolism, the way in which they generate energy, during heart regeneration.

5 Feb 2020

Novel hydrogels degrade while stem cells flourish for tissue repair

Baby diapers, contact lenses and gelatin dessert. While seemingly unrelated, these items have one thing in common -- they're made of highly absorbent substances called hydrogels that have versatile applications.

4 Feb 2020

New handheld 3D skin printer accelerates healing of large burn wounds

A new handheld 3D printer can deposit sheets of skin to cover large burn wounds - and its "bio-ink" can accelerate the healing process.

4 Feb 2020

Renal stem cells can be isolated from urine

Researchers from the Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine at the medical faculty of Heinrich Heine University-Duesseldorf under the directorship of Prof. Dr. James Adjaye have developed a protocol for the reproducible isolation and characterization of kidney stem cells, urine-derived renal progenitor cells (UdRPCs) from donors of distinct ages, gender and ethnicity.

4 Feb 2020

Reduced scar formation in the central nervous system

Neural stem and progenitor cells, from the so-called subventricular zone, can help to repair a brain damaged by central nervous system disorders.

3 Feb 2020

Scientists describe genetic program behind primordial lung progenitors

For the first time, researchers describe the genetic program behind primordial lung progenitors--embryonic cells that give rise to all the cells that form the lining of the respiratory system after birth.

31 Jan 2020

IU researchers receive $3 million NIH grants to study cell functions in the bone marrow

More than $3 million from the National Institutes of Health will allow Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center researchers to improve understanding of the complex system of how hematopoietic stem cells survive and sustain their function in the bone marrow.

31 Jan 2020

Researchers use new technique to improve the ability to model lung diseases

Using a combination of pluripotent stem cells (cells that can potentially produce any cell or tissue type) and machine learning (artificial intelligence that allows computers to learn automatically), researchers have improved how they generate lung cells.

30 Jan 2020

Increased brain growth, mutations and autism linked in new study

Salk Institute researchers have now found a pattern of DNA damage that is unique to brain cells derived from individuals with a single form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) called macrocephalic ASD. The study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell in January 2020, may offer an explanation about the developmental misstep that caused this disease.

30 Jan 2020

Gene-editing taken to advanced levels in human stem cells

A new study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports in January 2020 reports the use of an adaptation to a commonly used gene editing technology to achieve a more than 900% increase in efficiency.

30 Jan 2020

New method for delivering NSCs to spinal cord injuries may boost repair efforts

Writing in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, an international research team, led by physician-scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, describe a new method for delivering neural precursor cells (NSCs) to spinal cord injuries in rats, reducing the risk of further injury and boosting the propagation of potentially reparative cells.

29 Jan 2020

Inducing totipotency into stem cells opens new doors for potential cell replacement therapies

Early mammalian development is a highly complex process involving elaborate and highly coordinated biological processes.

29 Jan 2020

New strategy using organoids to study childhood brain tumors

A new study reports the creation of in vitro models of brain tumors in children using organoids derived from stem cells, which will help to screen new drugs for efficacy and thus improve the rate of drug development. The study, titled 'Modeling medulloblastoma in vivo and with human cerebellar organoids,' is published in the journal Nature Communications.

29 Jan 2020

Shape-shifting cells rush to repair the defect after bone injury

Conventional thinking is that bone regeneration is left to a small number of mighty cells called skeletal stem cells, which reside within larger groups of bone marrow stromal cells.

29 Jan 2020

Researchers create new brain cancer model using genetically engineered pluripotent stem cells

Using genetically engineered human pluripotent stem cells, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers created a new type of cancer model to study in vivo how glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, develops and changes over time.

29 Jan 2020

Bone marrow chip provides new strategy for understanding Shwachman-Diamond syndrome

A new research tool that mimics the behavior of diseased bone marrow provides a new strategy for understanding the bone marrow disease, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, and hopefully, developing new treatments.

28 Jan 2020