Skin Cells News and Research

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MIT engineers discover way to grow liver-like cells to test potential malaria drugs

In 2008, the World Health Organization announced a global effort to eradicate malaria, which kills about 800,000 people every year. As part of that goal, scientists are trying to develop new drugs that target the malaria parasite during the stage when it infects the human liver, which is crucial because some strains of malaria can lie dormant in the liver for several years before flaring up.

6 Feb 2015

Progenitor cells responsible for generation and maintenance of Merkel cells

Researchers have identified a population of "progenitor" cells in the skin that are solely responsible for the generation and maintenance of touch-sensing Merkel cells. The study appears in The Journal of Cell Biology.

27 Jan 2015

Scientists take a huge step forward in identifying root causes of psoriasis

Case Western Reserve scientists have taken a huge leap toward identifying root causes of psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition affecting 125 million people around the world. Of the roughly 50,000 proteins in the human body, researchers have zeroed in on four that appear most likely to contribute this chronic disease.

22 Jan 2015

ETH Zurich researchers demonstrate promising method to fabricate cellulose-sheaths for implants

Artificial implants such as pacemakers often cause complications because the body identifies them as foreign objects. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now demonstrated a simple method to fabricate cellulose-sheaths for implants, whose micro-structured surface makes them especially biocompatible.

19 Jan 2015

UCSD nanoengineers develop temporary tattoo to measure glucose levels

Nanoengineers at the University of California, San Diego have tested a temporary tattoo that both extracts and measures the level of glucose in the fluid in between skin cells. This first-ever example of the flexible, easy-to-wear device could be a promising step forward in noninvasive glucose testing for patients with diabetes.

15 Jan 2015

UCLA researchers develop method that defines unique stages of reprogramming skin cells

In a groundbreaking study that provides scientists with a critical new understanding of stem cell development and its role in disease, UCLA researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research led by Dr. Kathrin Plath, professor of biological chemistry, have established a first-of-its-kind methodology that defines the unique stages by which specialized cells are reprogrammed into stem cells that resemble those found in the embryo.

7 Jan 2015

LIBD announces significant advances in identifying causes of schizophrenia, brain disorders

The Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) announces significant advances in identifying the causes of schizophrenia and related developmental brain disorders and translating these findings into new treatment strategies.

31 Dec 2014

Research finding could inspire new ideas for treating type 2 oculocutaneous albinism

Newly published research provides the first demonstration of how a genetic mutation associated with a common form of albinism leads to the lack of melanin pigments that characterizes the condition.

17 Dec 2014

TSRI scientists identify 'mechanoreceptor' protein that mediates sense of touch in mammals

A team led by biologists at The Scripps Research Institute has solved a long-standing mystery in neuroscience by identifying the "mechanoreceptor" protein that mediates the sense of touch in mammals.

5 Dec 2014

Researchers show that iPS cells can be used to edit genetic mutations that cause DMD

Researchers at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, show that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be used to correct genetic mutations that cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

27 Nov 2014

TSRI scientists find simple method to convert human skin cells into sensory neurons

A team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has found a simple method to convert human skin cells into the specialized neurons that detect pain, itch, touch and other bodily sensations. These neurons are also affected by spinal cord injury and involved in Friedreich's ataxia, a devastating and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease that largely strikes children.

25 Nov 2014

Dantrolene drug may be effective treatment for rare form of diabetes

A commonly prescribed muscle relaxant may be an effective treatment for a rare but devastating form of diabetes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.

24 Nov 2014

Induced neural stem cells hold promise for therapeutic transplantation

Induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) created from adult cells hold promise for therapeutic transplantation, but their potential in this capacity has been limited by failed efforts to maintain such cells in the desirable multi-potent NSC state without continuous expression of the transcription factors used initially to reprogram them.

7 Nov 2014

Wimpy antibody prevents more serious self-inflicted forms of kidney disease, researchers say

An antibody abundant in mice and previously thought to offer poor assistance in fighting against infection may actually play a key role in keeping immune responses in check and preventing more serious self-inflicted forms of kidney disease, researchers say.

3 Nov 2014

UCLA research could lead to simple saliva test for early diagnosis of deadly diseases

UCLA research could lead to a simple saliva test capable of diagnosing — at an early stage — diabetes and cancer, and perhaps neurological disorders and autoimmune diseases.

30 Oct 2014

SIRT6 protein inhibits liver and colon cancers, but promotes skin cancer caused by ultraviolet light

A new study published in Cancer Research shows SIRT6—a protein known to inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancers—can promote the development of skin cancers by turning on an enzyme that increases inflammation, proliferation and survival of sun-damaged skin cells.

16 Oct 2014

Hormone loss may cause colon cancer, say Thomas Jefferson University researchers

Some cancers, like breast and prostate cancer, are driven by hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, but to date, there are none that are driven by the lack of a hormone. New evidence suggests that human colon cells may become cancerous when they lose the ability to produce a hormone that helps the cells maintain normal biology. If verified by further studies, it suggests that treating patients at high risk for colon cancer by replacing the hormone guanylin could prevent the development of cancer.

12 Oct 2014

Research shows resveratrol in grapes inhibits bacteria that cause acne

Got grapes? UCLA researchers have demonstrated how resveratrol, an antioxidant derived from grapes and found in wine, works to inhibit growth of the bacteria that causes acne.

1 Oct 2014

Gaucher disease: an interview with Dr Clement Olivier, Shire

Gaucher disease is the most common condition within a family of rare diseases known as the lysosomal storage diseases. The disease causes lipids to accumulate in cells, which is why it is referred to as a storage disorder. The accumulation occurs mainly in the spleen, liver, and bones, but may also occur in the lungs, heart, and central nervous system.

30 Sep 2014

Research: Skin cells from pediatric patients can be used in tissue-engineered pulmonary valves

Researchers have found a way to take a pediatric patient's skin cells, reprogram the skin cells to function as heart valvular cells, and then use the cells as part of a tissue-engineered pulmonary valve.

24 Sep 2014