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.

Study reshapes the understanding of telomerase's function in normal cells

New research from the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health reveals a new role for the enzyme telomerase.

3 Sep 2019

DNA methylation closely linked to telomere length

Aging is associated with multiple disease conditions. Recently it has been found that many of these illnesses are linked to the length of the telomeres at the ends of every chromosome. Telomere length (TL) is affected by both genetic and epigenetic contributions.

2 Sep 2019

New molecules that could help tackle tooth loss and regeneration discovered

Our teeth take thousands of bites per day, and understanding exactly what holds them in place and how is key to helping people live with their own teeth for longer.

30 Aug 2019

Lab-grown brain organoids and the brains of preemie babies generate similar electrical impulses

Brain organoids — also called mini-brains — are 3D cellular models that represent aspects of the human brain in the laboratory. Brain organoids help researchers track human development, unravel the molecular events that lead to disease and test new treatments.

30 Aug 2019

Psychopathy associated with robust alterations in expression of genes, study shows

The expression of many genes that have previously been associated with autism is abnormal also in violent psychopathy, a new study shows.

30 Aug 2019

“Mini Brains” in the lab show electrical activity similar to a preemie’s brain

Researchers have developed successfully mini brains in the labs which are essentially a cluster of brain cells perfused in fluids. These brain tissues are now showing electrical activity akin to real brain, explain the researchers and this is a path-breaking development in brain research.

29 Aug 2019

Exploring the impact of gut bacteria on gut health

Why do certain gastrointestinal bacteria cause disease in some people but not others? What are the underlying mechanisms responsible for this? These questions are now being addressed by a new Emmy Noether Independent Junior Research Group at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

29 Aug 2019

'Clock in a dish' provides new way to replicate developmental disorders

In early mammalian development, timing is everything. For healthy development to occur -- whether it be three weeks for a mouse or nine months for a human -- embryos follow the lead of oscillating genes, which turn on and off in precise cycles and trigger different development milestones. Oscillating genes are conductors keeping time in a symphony of growth.

29 Aug 2019

Islet-on-a-Chip to study the fundamental biology of diabetes

By combining two powerful technologies, scientists are taking diabetes research to a whole new level. In a study led by Harvard University's Kevin Kit Parker, microfluidics and human, insulin-producing beta cells have been integrated in an "Islet-on-a-Chip".

29 Aug 2019

Cancer cells ‘corrupt’ their healthy neighbors to support tumor growth

The healthy cells immediately surrounding a tumor become more stem cell-like and support cancer growth, reveals a new study published in Nature.

From The Francis Crick Institute 29 Aug 2019

Hyperactive signaling pathway blocks cell division in the aging brain

Scientists from Basel have investigated the activity of stem cells in the brain of mice and discovered a key mechanism that controls cell proliferation.

29 Aug 2019

Researchers shed new light on how the brain constructs itself

The cerebral cortex acts as the control center of our cognitive processes. During embryogenesis, dozens of types of neurons with distinct functions come together to form the circuits that drive our thoughts and actions.

29 Aug 2019

Scientists discover potential novel target for treating deadly brain cancer

Scientists at USC and UC San Diego have discovered a potential novel target for treating glioblastoma, the deadly brain cancer that took the life of Sen. John McCain and kills 15,000 Americans a year.

28 Aug 2019

Researchers study biological risk potential of nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are smaller than five nanometres - a nanometre being one millionth of a millimetre - which corresponds approximately to the size of macromolecules. Such tiny particles are very easily absorbed in body cells.

27 Aug 2019

Obesity associated with reduced taste sensation

A new study from researchers at the Binghamton University, State of University of New York has shown that obesity is associated with reduced taste responses and perception. The study on laboratory animals titled, “Taste Responses in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract of Awake Obese Rats are Blunted Compared with those in Lean Rats” has been published in the latest issue of the journal Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.

27 Aug 2019