Somatic Cells News and Research

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Advances in use of stem cells for tissue regeneration

A major issue in the development of regenerative medicine is the cell sources used to rebuild damaged tissues.

7 Nov 2008

Measuring the footprint of cells

Even the slightest differences are important in competitive sport: To improve a ski jumper's performance, the trainer can analyze the jump very accurately using force sensors.

8 Jun 2008

Molecular alliance that sustains embryonic stem cell state

One of the four ingredients in the genetic recipe that scientists in Japan and the U.S. followed last year to persuade human skin cells to revert to an embryonic stem cell state, is dispensable in ES cells, thanks to the presence of a molecular alliance between a specific group of key proteins known as transcription factors, a research team led by the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) reports in the current issue of Nature Cell Biology.

6 Mar 2008

Anti-cancer drug made from soil bacteria

Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) have discovered a class of natural substances that are produced by soil bacteria and prevent somatic cells from dividing.

19 Nov 2007

New stem cells by reprogramming

Researchers are discovering new ways to help ‘de-program' specialised cells so that they can be re-programmed to form a range of different types of tissue, an international meeting of stem cell biologists was told.

18 Oct 2007

Better understanding of environmental influences on the aging process of stem cells

A stem cells' immediate neighborhood, a specialized environment also known as the stem cell niche, provides crucial support needed for stem cell maintenance.

10 Oct 2007

New cell death pathway involved in sperm development

Heavy and bulky sperm would not be good swimmers. To trim down, sperm rely on cell death proteins called caspases, which facilitate the removal of unwanted cellular material and radically remodel these cells into their sleek, light shape.

18 Sep 2007

Ago2 and hematopoiesis

Argonaute 2 (Ago2) is unique among its family: It is the only one of the four mammalian Argonaute proteins that exhibits endonuclease 'slicer' activity (facilitation of miRNA-guided cleavage of target mRNA).

12 Jul 2007

New type of mouse embryonic stem cell discovered

Scientists have discovered a new type of mouse embryonic stem cell that is the closest counterpart yet to human embryonic stem (ES) cells, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced.

28 Jun 2007

Breakthrough in stem cell banking

Scientists from the Research Department of Cryo-Save Group NV together with the University of Cologne (DE) have developed a new scientifically validated method to collect adult mesenchymal stem cells ("MSCs") from the lining of umbilical cord tissue.

1 Jun 2007

Connection between cancer development and Darwinian evolution explored

Cancer is a natural consequence of human evolution. Our genes have not developed to give us long and happy lives.

17 Apr 2007

Scientists alter electrical properties of cells inducing regeneration

Scientists at Forsyth may have moved one step closer to regenerating human spinal cord tissue by artificially inducing a frog tadpole to re-grow its tail at a stage in its development when it is normally impossible. Using a variety of methods including a kind of gene therapy, the scientists altered the electrical properties of cells thus inducing regeneration.

28 Feb 2007

X chromosome dosage compensation occurs in germ cells

X chromosome dosage compensation does occur in germ cells. A study published today in the open access journal Journal of Biology reveals that expression of the genes on the X chromosome is doubled in Drosophila germ cells to compensate for the missing second X chromosome.

17 Feb 2006

New insight into pathogenic mechanisms underlying basal-like breast cancers

Basal-like breast cancers (BLC) are highly aggressive tumors with a relatively poor prognosis that account for approximately 15% of sporadic human breast cancer.

16 Feb 2006

X chromosome dosage compensation proven in germ cells

16 Feb 2006

Patient-specific stem cell lines - now a real possibility

Immune rejection problems could affect any one of us. This unique research shows that producing individual patient cell lines for our own future needs is now something we might all want to consider.

28 Nov 2005

Cancer Vaccine - Synthetically generated glycopeptides from tumor cells can stimulate the formation of specific antibodies

Tumor cells and healthy somatic cells differ in the structures on their surfaces. In principle, it should thus be possible to develop a vaccine that causes a patient’s immune system to form antibodies that attack and destroy tumor cells while sparing healthy cells.

3 Nov 2005

Chinese scientists clone a goat

It was released on August 24, 2005 by Prof. Chen Dayuan (Da-Yuan Chen) from the CAS Institute of Zoology that the first success in cloning Asian Yellow Goat by nuclear transfer had recently been achieved in east China's Shandong Province.

6 Sep 2005

New technique for creating human embryonic stem cells

Researchers have developed a new technique for creating human embryonic stem cells by fusing adult somatic cells with embryonic stem cells. The fusion causes the adult cells to undergo genetic reprogramming, which results in cells that have the developmental characteristics of human embryonic stem cells.

22 Aug 2005

Bone marrow-derived cells fail to meet high expectations says Bonn study

Adult stem cells taken from bone marrow are the "shooting stars" of their field. Many research scientists have been speculating that the cells might be able to pass through the blood into diseased organs and replace defective tissue. Such cells are seen as the potential key to the treatment of certain muscle diseases.

3 Aug 2005