LONDON (Reuters)Scientists have successfully used reprogrammed stem cells to restore functioning brain cells in monkeys, raising hopes the technique could be used in future to help patients with Parkinsons disease.

Since Parkinsons is caused by a lack of dopamine made by brain cells, researchers have long hoped to use stem cells to restore normal production of the neurotransmitter chemical.

Now, for the first time, Japanese researchers have shown that human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) can be administered safely and effectively to treat primates with symptoms of the debilitating disease.

So-called iPS cells are made by removing mature cells from an individualoften from the skinand reprogramming them to behave like embryonic stem cells. They can then be coaxed into dopamine-producing brain cells.

The scientists from Kyoto University, a world-leader in iPS technology, said their experiment indicated that this approach could potentially be used for the clinical treatment of human patients with Parkinsons.

In addition to boosting dopamine production, the tests showed improved movement in affected monkeys and no tumors in their brains for at least two years.

The human iPS cells used in the experiment worked whether they came from healthy individuals or Parkinsons disease patients, the Japanese team reported in the journal Nature on Wednesday.

This is extremely promising research demonstrating that a safe and highly effective cell therapy for Parkinsons can be produced in the lab, said Tilo Kunath of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research.

The next step will be to test the treatment in a first-in-human clinical trial, which Jun Takahashi of Kyoto University told Reuters he hoped to start by the end of 2018.

Any widespread use of the new therapy is still many years away, but the research has significantly reduced previous uncertainties about iPS-derived cell grafts.

The fact that this research uses iPS cells rather human embryonic stem cells means the treatment would be acceptable in countries such as Ireland and much of Latin America, where embryonic cells are banned.

Excitement about the promise of stem cells has led to hundreds of medical centers springing up around the world claiming to be able to repair damaged tissue in conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons.

While some treatments for cancer and skin grafts have been approved by regulators, many other potential therapies are only in early-stage development, prompting a warning last month by health experts about the dangers of stem-cell tourism.

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Human Stem Cells Fight Parkinson's Disease in Monkeys - Scientific American

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Human Stem Cells Fight Parkinson’s Disease in Monkeys – Scientific American | September 1st, 2017

| Marlowe Hood |

PARIS (AFP) Lab monkeys with Parkinsons symptoms regained significant mobility after neurons made from human stem cells were inserted into their brains, researchers reported Wednesday in a study hailed as groundbreaking.

The promising results were presented as the last step before human clinical trials, perhaps as early as next year, the studys senior author, Jun Takahashi, a professor at Kyoto University, told AFP.

Parkinsons is a degenerative disease that erodes motor functions. Typical symptoms include shaking, rigidity and difficulty walking. In advanced stages, depression, anxiety and dementia are also common.

Worldwide, about 10 million people are afflicted with the disease, according to the Parkinsons Disease Foundation.

Earlier experiments had shown improvements in patients treated with stem cells taken from human foetal tissue and likewise coaxed into the dopamine-producing brain cells that are attacked by Parkinsons.

Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical that plays several key roles in the brain and body.

But the use of foetal tissue is fraught with practical and ethical problems.

So Takahashi and his colleagues, in a medical first, substituted so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can be easily made from human skin or blood. Within a year, some monkeys who had could barely stand up gradually recovered mobility.

They became more active, moving more rapidly and more smoothly, Takahashi said by email. Animals that had taken to just sitting start walking around in the cage.

These findings are strong evidence that human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons can be clinically applicable to treat Parkinsons patients, he said.

Experts not involved in the research described the results as encouraging.

The treatment, if proven viable, has the potential to reverse Parkinsons by replacing the dopamine cells that have been lost a groundbreaking feat, said David Dexter, deputy research director at Parkinsons UK.

Not only did the new cells survive but they also integrated with the existing neuronal network, he said.

Neurons made from foetal tissue grafted into brains have been known to survive for more than a decade, and the researchers said they expected those derived from iPSCs to last just as long.

Tilo Kunath, Parkinsons Senior Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said the outcome was extremely promising, and highlighted the advantage of avoiding stem cells extracted from human foetal tissue.

It means that this therapy can be used in any country worldwide, including Ireland and most of South America, where medical use of human embryonic stem cells is banned.

The results, reported in the journal Nature, were not the same for the dozen monkeys in the experiment, each of which received donor neurons from a different person.

Some were made with cells from healthy donors, while others were made from Parkinsons disease patients, said lead author Tetsuhiro Kikuchi, also from Kyoto University.

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Study shows human stem cells restore mobility in Parkinson's monkeys - Borneo Bulletin Online

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Study shows human stem cells restore mobility in Parkinson’s monkeys – Borneo Bulletin Online | September 1st, 2017

Parkinsons stem cell breakthrough

Miodrag Stojkovic/Science Photo Library

By Helen Thomson

MONKEYS with a Parkinsons-like disease have been successfully treated with stem cells that improved their movement for up to two years after transplant. A similar trial is now being prepared for people.

Parkinsons destroys dopamine-producing cells in the brain, leading to tremors and difficulty moving. Previous experiments using stem cells from embryos have shown promise in replacing lost cells, but the use of these is controversial.

Jun Takahashi at Kyoto University, Japan, and colleagues wondered whether they could treat monkeys with a disease like Parkinsons using induced pluripotent stem cells, which are made by coaxing blood or skin cells into becoming stem cells.

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The team generated stem cells from three people with Parkinsons and four without the disease. They then transformed these into dopamine-producing brain cells.

All the monkeys who received injections of these cells showed a 40 to 55 per cent improvement in their movements, matching results from previous experiments with embryonic stem cells. Monkeys who had a control injection minus the cells didnt improve (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature23664).

Stem cells from people with and without Parkinsons were equally effective. The monkeys became more active and showed less tremor, says Takahashi. Their movements became smoother.

After the transplant, the monkeys were given immunosuppressive drugs to prevent the new cells from being rejected and observed for up to two years. No serious side effects appeared during this time.

This study shows that the stem cells behave as you would like them to and they appear safe, says Roger Barker of the University of Cambridge. All of which gives one greater confidence in moving to human studies.

This article appeared in print under the headline Parkinsons stem cell breakthrough

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Human blood and skin cells used to treat Parkinson's in monkeys - New Scientist

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Human blood and skin cells used to treat Parkinson’s in monkeys – New Scientist | August 31st, 2017

This month MyChelle will be available at Kohl's stores and Kohls.com with a key assortment of cleansers, exfoliators, serums, moisturizers, and sun protection, and a focus on their innovative, professional-level ingredient pillars of Vitamin C and Vitamin Aunmatched in the natural product channel. The brand's award-winning products are formulated with bioactive, clinically-proven ingredients that won't compromise personal health or the wellbeing of the environment.

MyChelle Ingredient Integrity and Transparency

Since its founding in 2000, MyChelle has been committed to full transparency when it comes to the botanicals and high-performance ingredients it uses in its products. The company is a proud founding member of the EWG VERIFIED: For Your Health program to help consumers quickly and easily identify personal care products that are formulated without potentially hazardous ingredients, fully disclose all ingredients, and are created following good manufacturing practices.

The MyChelle Beauty Key 3

Formulated with the top 3 dermatologist-recommended ingredients, the MyChelle Beauty Key 3 integrates a powerful combination of peptides, plant stem cells, antioxidants, and retinoids to perfect, correct, and protect all skin types.

1. C the Difference with L-Ascorbic Acid

The only active form of Vitamin C, L-Ascorbic Acid enhances skin's natural renewal process, protects skin against environmental damage, reduces the appearance of dark spots, and helps to improve the look of acne scarring. The MyChelle Perfect C system includes Perfect C PRO Serum, Perfect C PRO Speed Peel, Perfect C Radiance Lotion, and Perfect C Eye Cream.

2. Remarkable Results with Retinal

The most potent non-prescription form of Vitamin A, Retinal promotes healthy skin renewal and helps minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation by accelerating cellular turnover. The MyChelle Remarkable Retinal system includes Remarkable Retinal Serum, Remarkable Retinal Night Cream, and Remarkable Retinal Eye Cream.

3. We've Got You Covered with 100% Mineral-Based Sun Protection

Titanium Dioxide- and/or Zinc Oxide-based formulas prevent both UVA and UVB damage with a safe and highly effective physical layer of protection. The MyChelle Sun Care collection includes Sun Shield Clear Stick SPF 50, Sun Shield Liquid Tint SPF 50 - Nude, and Sun Shield SPF 28 Unscented.

For updated MyChelle company news, events, and retail promotions, follow MyChelle on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the MyChelle blog for expert skin care advice.

About MyChelle Dermaceuticals

Founded in 2000, MyChelle was the natural industry's first to use anti-aging peptides, plant stem cells, and clinically proven dermatological ingredients. Our 360-degree approach to beauty provides clean, conscious, and comprehensive products that are bioactive and ethically sourced.

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Natural Skin Care Authority MyChelle Launches at Nationwide Department Store - PR Newswire (press release)

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Natural Skin Care Authority MyChelle Launches at Nationwide Department Store – PR Newswire (press release) | August 30th, 2017

[FEATURED] This month saw skincare brand Nikel Cosmetics hosting a series of educational talks around the country with Leigh-Anne Williams

August is Womens Month and Nikel Cosmetics kicked off celebrations with a series of skincare events, hosted by TV presenter and local celeb,Leigh-Anne Williams. Thetour took SA by storm, starting in Cape Town on 5 August, moving toDurban on the 12th,andfinishing off in Johannesburg on 19 August.

Women came out in droves tolearnabouttheir skin types and experience the exclusive Nikel skincare brand. Leigh-Anne also shared her skincare journey, her experience with the products and their efficacy.

Tea Visek, Director: Cos Chem (the distributor of Nikel Cosmetics in South Africa), helped answer questions about skincare concerns raisedby the members of the audiences.She also explainedin depth the natural ingredients in the productsand how to customise the rangeto ensure maximum efficiency for individualised skincare.

Different skin types and problems require different skin regimens, saidTea. For that reason, its very important to choose the right combination of products for you, so that you canget the bestresults.

For example, one of the most common skin problems weve encountered whentalking to our customers is oily skin with dehydrated patches, often the result of external influences on the skin. Dry areas appear on parts of the face, while the rest remains oily. In these cases, what is needed is targeted care that restores hydration without clogging the pores oradding oil to already oily skin.

Tea recommends the Nikel Evening Primrose Oil, whichcanbe appliedtothe dry areas of the face and offers intense hydration. This should befollowed by the Nikelhidris Face Cream for additional moisturisingcare.

Of course, before starting any skincare routine, you should make sure theskin is clean. Try the mild Nikel Cleansing Milk with Immortelly, which doesntdry out the skin. It removes make-up and other impurities from the skin and you dont have to rinse it off with water.

Finally, to refresh the face at any hour of the day, Tea recommends spritzingNikel Alpine Rose Tonic with stem cells on the face and leaving itto dry naturally.

To find out more about different skin problems and their solutions, visit NikelsOnline Beauty Consultant.

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Your skincare problems solved - DestinyConnect

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Your skincare problems solved – DestinyConnect | August 30th, 2017

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is stepping up efforts to better regulate an emerging field of medicine that holds significant promise for curing some of the most troubling diseases by using the body's own cells.

A small number of "unscrupulous actors" have seized on the promise of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies to mislead patients based on unproven, and in some cases, dangerously dubious products, the FDA said on Monday. (bit.ly/2iB4Xls)

Regenerative medicine makes use of human cells or tissues that are engineered or taken from donors. Health regulators have approved some types of stem cell transplants that mainly use blood and skin stem cells after clinical trials found they could treat certain types of cancer and grow skin grafts for burn victims.

But many potential therapies are still in the earliest stages of development. These therapies are sometimes advertised with the promise of a cure, but they often have scant evidence backing their efficacy or safety.

The FDA said it had taken steps to tackle the problem of some "troubling products" being marketed in Florida and California.

Federal officials on Friday seized from San Diego-based StemImmune Inc vials containing hundreds of doses of a vaccine reserved only for people at high risk for smallpox, the FDA said. (bit.ly/2wC1DMU)

The seizure followed recent FDA inspections that confirmed the vaccine was used to create an unapproved stem cell product, which was then given to cancer patients, the agency added.

The FDA also sent a warning letter to a Sunrise, Florida-based clinic for marketing stem cell products without regulatory approval and for major deviations from current good manufacturing practices. (bit.ly/2giGlx9)

The health regulator will present a new policy framework this fall that will more clearly detail the "rules of the road" for regenerative medicine, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a cancer survivor, said in a statement.

Reporting by Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Tamara Mathias; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar

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FDA steps up scrutiny of stem cell therapies - Reuters

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on FDA steps up scrutiny of stem cell therapies – Reuters | August 28th, 2017

It is a question people have been asking forwell-- ages. Is there a way to turn back the aging process in people?

For centuries, people have been looking for a fountain of youth. The idea is that if you find a magical fountain, and drink from its waters, you will not age.

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Len searched for waters with magical powers in the early 1500s. But what he found instead is the American state of Florida.

Researchers in New York did not find an actual fountain of youth, but they may have found a way to turn back the aging process. It appears the answer may be hidden right between your eyes, in an area called the hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus is part of your brain. It controls important activities within the body. They include growth, reproduction and the way we process food.

Researchers at New Yorks Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that hypothalamus neural stem cells also influence how fast aging takes place in the body.

What are stem cells? They are simple cells that can develop into specialized cells, like blood or skin cells. Stem cells can also repair damaged tissues and organs.

Dongsheng Cai is a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was the lead researcher in a study on aging in mice. He and his team reported their findings in the journal Nature.

Cai explains what they found.

"Aging speed is controlled, can be controlled by a particular place in the body, which is the hypothalamus. And it can be controlled by a particular type of cells, which are hypothalamus stem cells. I think these findings are quite interesting, potentially even remarkable."

He adds that when the hypothalamus starts aging, so does the body.

"So when hypothalamus function is in decline, particularly the loss of hypothalamus stem cells, and this protection against the aging development is lost, it eventually leads to aging."

Using this information, the researchers began trying to activate, or energize, the hypothalamus in laboratory mice. They did this by injecting the animals with stem cells.

Later, the researchers examined tissues and tested for changes in behavior. They looked for changes in the strength and coordination of the animals muscles. They also studied the social behavior and cognitive ability of the mice.

The researchers say the results show that the treatment slowed aging in the animals.

Cai says injecting middle-aged mice with stem cells from younger mice helped the older animals live longer.

"When we injected the hypothalamus stem cells, which were derived from young mice, we injected them to the middle-aged mice and that was, in fact, to slow down aging. So the mouse aged slowly and they also have increased their lifespan, which is longevity."

But these results were just from studying mice in a laboratory. If the mice can live longer, does that mean people could have longer lives? The next step is to see if the anti-aging effects also work in human beings.

"If we can translate what we have seen in animals to humans, I think humans, they can function better during later ages, later stage of aging."

Cai and his team say their studies may have other benefits. They say the findings could lead to new ways to help doctors identify and treat any number of age-related health issues.

Im Anne Ball.

Kevin Enochs reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Now, test your understanding with this short quiz.

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fountain n. a device or structure that sends a stream of water into the air in a garden, park, etc

neural adj. of, relating to, or involving a nerve or the nervous system

remarkable adj. unusual or surprising : likely to be noticed

function n. the job or duty of a person

coordination n. the process of organizing people or groups so that they work together properly and well

cognitive adj. of, relating to, or involving conscious mental activities (such as thinking, understanding, learning, and remembering)

benefit n. a good or helpful result or effect

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Researchers Use Brain Cells to Control Aging in Mice - VOA Learning English

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Researchers Use Brain Cells to Control Aging in Mice – VOA Learning English | August 28th, 2017

By: Barbara McClure, RN, BSHA | A Defined Image, Med SpaPublished: 2017-08-26 23:01Date Modified: 2017-08-26 23:01

A Breakthrough approach to skin rejuvenation ProCell Therapies brings together professional Dermabrasion & Microchanneling technology with Stem Cell science and the Procell device for an exciting new approach to skin rejuvenation.

Clinical studies prove that this breakthrough treatment achieves better results with shorter recovery time than far more invasive & expensive procedures such as fractional lasers and deep chemical peels for fine lines, scars, acne, acne scarring, sun damage & laxity.

ProCell Therapies are the perfect complement to facial fillers, neurotoxin injections, and deeper skin tightening procedures, like fractional CO2 resurfacing and RF microneedling.

How does Procell Work?Dermabrasion & Microchanneling with Procell stimulates the basal layer of the epidermis that produces keratinocytes to increase production of new collagen and elastin through the release of growth factors and cytokines. Unlike more aggressive treatments like fractional lasers and chemical peels that injure the skin to cause a healing response, Procell triggers the gene expression of growth factors, peptides and cytokines with minimal to no damage to the dermis. These sophisticated, organic, autologous electro-chemical compounds increase production of collagen and elastin for firmness, elasticity, and texture & tone. Procell works wonderfully in combination with microdermabrasion. Livra Stem Cytokine serums are applied during and after treatment to penetrate the skin and deliver high concentrations of growth factors that enhance production of healthy new skin.

Unlike growth factor serums made from other sources, Procells Livra serums are derived from mesenchymal stem cells that produce the full array of peptides, growth factors and cytokines specifically for regeneration of healthy, new skin!. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 770-978-0956

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Introducing ProCell Therapies Dermabrasion, Microchanneling, and Stem Cell Therapy - Gwinnett Citizen

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Introducing ProCell Therapies Dermabrasion, Microchanneling, and Stem Cell Therapy – Gwinnett Citizen | August 27th, 2017

Going bald is a worry thatcrosses many people's minds at least once intheir lives.

Unless you are super cool and look like Michael Jordan, Zinedine Zidane or Bruce Willis, losing your hair can be a traumatic experience.

Studies have shown that bald men are more intelligent, but it's still a hard thing to live with if you're attached to your flowing locks.

At least 50 per cent of men will experience some form of baldness in their lifetime.

This can be cause by all sorts of things, ranging from age to genetics, illness and hormones.

For many it will happen before they reach their fifties, but for some it could even start occurring as early as their twenties.

If you feel that you are starting to bald however, new research might have just answered your prayers.

The good folks overat the University of California have been conducting studies on mice and have discovered a new way to make hair grow.

By increasing the production of lactate in hair cells, previously redundant follicles have appeard tostart growing again.

The study has been published by Nature,and showed that hair cells are quitedifferent to the other skin cells in the body.

These cells produce something called pyruvate, which is a glucose that if sent to the 'powerhouse of the cell' (the mitochondria) can actually help hair grow.

Heather Christofk, the co-author of the study is quoted as saying:

Our observations about hair follicle stem cell metabolism prompted us to examine whether genetically diminishing the entry of pyruvate into the mitochondria would force hair follicle stem cells to make more lactate, and if that would activate the cells and grow hair more quickly.

They carried out their theory on two sets of mice, one that had been engineered to not produce lactate and one that had been engineered to produce lactate.

The grop that waslackinglactatestruggled togrow hair, while the group withmore lactate actually saw an increase in hair growth.

William Lowry, another author on the study, adds:

Before this, no one knew that increasing or decreasing the lactate would have an effect on hair follicle stem cells.

Once we saw how altering lactate production in the mice influenced hair growth, it led us to look for potential drugs that could be applied to the skin and have the same effect.

The scientists have now managed to identify two different drugs which could help humans suffering from hair loss.

These are called RCGD423 and UK5099, which both help hair produce lactate - but we should stress that these haven't been tested on humans.

Aimee Flores, a predoctoral trainee who is credited as the first author on the study, says:

The idea of using drugs to stimulate hair growth through hair follicle stem cells is very promising given how many millions of people, both men and women, deal with hair loss.

I think we've only just begun to understand the critical role metabolism plays in hair growth and stem cells in general; I'm looking forward to the potential application of these new findings for hair loss and beyond.

What's even better is that if the research and drugs turn out to be a success, it could be used to help those who suffer fromalopecia, the hair loss condition which effects two in every1,000 people in the UK.

HT Daily Mail Uni Lad NatureNHS

More: No one can believe how much hair this baby has

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Researchers think they've found a simple cure for baldness - The indy100

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Researchers think they’ve found a simple cure for baldness – The indy100 | August 27th, 2017

There are many claims that stem cells possess anti-ageing properties and other secrets to youth and regeneration. However, there has not been much scientific proof demonstrating these touted abilities.

Dr Paul Lucas, an assistant professor of orthopaedics and pathology from the New York Medical College in the United States, notes that the words stem cells are thrown around far too casually, and that many people assume that they are a single type of cell.

The definition of stem cell is an operational definition.

That is, it describes what the cell can do, and not any particular protein or other marker it can make, he says.

According to him, a stem cell is a cell that can:

Differentiate into at least one phenotype (cell type), and

Has the ability to divide, with at least one daughter cell remaining a stem cell.

Lots of hype, very little biology. I have written several answers on the website Quora that address this.

Pills and creams are not legit.

The skin has a barrier called the stratum corneum that prevents bacteria from getting inside the body.

The stratum corneum will also block stem cells, which are much, much larger than bacteria, in the form of a cream.

Any stem cell will not survive in a pill with no water. And of course, any cell will not survive the hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

So there is no way stem cells in either a pill or a cream can get inside the body.

Even if a stem cell could get inside the body, there is very little data that any stem cell will be anti-ageing its a way to separate people from their money.

There are several reasons stem cells do not counter ageing.

Stem cells are not magic. They are not magic pixie dust you can sprinkle on everything and make it be perfect.

Ageing has many causes. One of them is DNA and cellular damage.

It is thought that the various adult stem cells are the cells of origin of cancer. The data is very solid for at least hepatomas and leukaemias.

That means that stem cells can suffer mutations that alter cellular function degrading it in some cases, and causing it to go haywire and be cancer in others.

Also, how are stem cells to be injected? Into each tissue? Every muscle, organ, tendon, ligament, etc?

Or are the stem cells to be injected into a vein and travel to all parts of the body?

There are two technical problems with this:

Injecting into a vein means that most of the cells are going to be trapped in the lungs before they go out to the rest of the body, as our veins all lead first to our heart, then our lungs.

Blood vessels are sealed tubes. Think pipes.

Just how are the stem cells supposed to exit the pipes?

This is especially true for reversing ageing in the most important organ the brain.

The neural tissue in the brain is separated from the blood vessels by another layer of tissue called the blood-brain barrier.

Even if stem cells got out of the blood vessels in the brain, they are not going to get to the neural tissue, which is the tissue that needs to rejuvenate.

There is no way any injected stem cells are just going to magically replace all the aged cells in the body.

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialised cell types. Photo: 123rf.com

Plants are very different from us. No cell from a plant is going to be able to incorporate into our tissues and act like a stem cell.

Many mammalian stem cells particularly mesenchymal stem cells synthesise and secrete several proteins.

Some of these proteins are growth factors in that they cause other cells to divide.

The claim seems to be that plant growth factors will have the same effect on human cells as they do on plant cells.

That is false.

Even some of the skincare people admit this. The following quote is from the website of a US-based skincare company that uses both human and plant stem cells: That said, unlike human stem cells, the growth factors, cytokines and other proteins, which are the products of plant stem cells, do not have the ability to act in the same way in humans, as in plants.

Plant stem cells communicate in a different biochemical language that human cells do not recognise.

First is the source.

ESCs are the inner cell mass of a five to seven-day-old blastocyst, which is formed after the sperm successfully fertilises the egg.

PSCs come either from the tissue of the placenta itself or from the Whartons jelly of the umbilical cord.

Secondly, ESCs are pluripotent, meaning they are able to differentiate into every tissue of the body. They can also form tumours in our body.

PSCs are essentially adult stem cells that have limited proliferation potential, i.e. the cell has a fixed number of times it can divide before it dies. They are multipotent, meaning that they have the ability to form more than one cell type, and do not form tumours.

Probably less costly, but no more effective.

The treatment uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

The discoverer of MSCs Prof Dr Arnold Caplan says they should be called mesenchymal secreting cells. Notice that he does not consider them stem cells!

MSCs secrete a large number of cytokines that reduce inflammation. It is inflammation that causes pain.

Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen also reduce inflammation.

A stem cell injection with MSCs is essentially putting little aspirin factories at the site of injury.

They reduce the pain, but do little or nothing to regenerate the tissue.

For young athletes, reducing inflammation will allow the bodys healing process to work better, and thus, improve outcome.

For older patients? There is less capacity for healing.

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Are stem cells really the fountain of youth? - Star2.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Are stem cells really the fountain of youth? – Star2.com | August 26th, 2017

Soon we will be closing the pool, putting away the patio furniture, and getting jackets out of the closet. As summer comes to an end, our skin is usually in need of some tender loving care and it is a good time to think about repairing your summer skin damage.

Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa, in Peru, Illinois, provides medical-grade professional cosmetic treatments for the skin. We asked them to give their opinion on the top 3 procedures they do to reverse sun damage. Dr. NicoleNorris says Microneedling, Laser Photofacial and Chemical peels are by far the most effective ways to reverse damage from thermal energy safely and effectively.

We all know that UVA and UVB radiation from the sun is stronger in the summer, although it affects our skin all year long. This radiation produces free radicals in our skin and slows our skins ability to repair itself. When damage persists and the skin cannot keep up with the repair backlog, wrinkles, poor texture and skin laxity are formed. Microneedling, also referred to as collagen induction therapy, utilizes a device with multiple small needles which penetrate the skin, stimulating the skin to repair itself. Through these new open channels in the skin, products can also be introduced into the dermis without any barrier. Dr. Norris comments, At our office, we like to put hyaluronic acid, a building block of collagen, into the skin while the microneedling channels are still open. We are also seeing great results with a new product on the market that stimulates brand new skin stem cells. When we are born, a certain number of skin stem cells are activated that we use our whole lives to repair injured skin. These old stem cells get tired out, so activating new ones is really at the forefront of skin rejuvenation . Microneedling is done with topical numbing medicine making it very tolerable. There is some initial redness after the procedure but special make-up can be applied, if necessary, to cover it. Results are gradually seen over time as it takes our bodies about 3 to 6 months to make new collagen. The degree of skin damage determines how many treatments are needed.

When it heats up outside, we are not only exposed to UVA and UVB radiation that directly contributes to older looking skin, but also to heat. Heat stimulates our pigment cells which produce pigment or melanin. These pigment deposits create our tan, but also freckles, and worse yet, age spots. A laser treatment called Photofacial or Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is the most effective way to destroy pigment that has accumulated in the skin. The treatment is quick and feels like a few warm rubber band snaps. There is no downtime. In 7-14 days, you begin to see the pigment slough off. Depending how deep the pigment is deposited, determines how many IPL treatments you will need.

Medical-grade chemical peels are performed to treat unwanted pigment deposits in the skin as well as lines, skin texture and skin laxity. A combination of acids are applied to the skin for a brief period of time in multiple layers. The acids stimulate the skin to repair itself. A medium to deep chemical peel stimulates skin cell turnover which is important in treating aging skin. When we are 20 years old, our skin cell turnover to repair damaged skin is 10 days. Every 10 years, the time it takes to produce new skin goes up by 10 days. This is the physiologic reason that we gradually look older. Chemical peels decrease our time for new skin production resulting in reversal of facial aging states Tamara Smith, RN at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa. Chemical peels are usually done in a series and are customized to each patient. If done correctly, chemical peels are not painful and you may experience a few days of mild flaking after the procedure.

I think many patients are fearful of these medical-grade skin rejuvenation procedures because of what they see on reality television and what they read on the internet. I encourage anyone interested in improving their appearance, repairing their summer sun damage, or deciding to not age gracefully to try these procedures under the supervision of a qualified physician, advises Dr. Norris. At Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa, they are offering a Flight of Medical Spa Procedures Package. This is a great way to rejuvenate your summer skin while sampling some new procedures. The flight includes 1 Microneedling procedure, 1 IPL Photofacial, and 1 Chemical Peel and is being offered for $300 off through September 30, 2017. Call 815-780-8264 for your appointment today. Mention Medical Spa Flight when you call. Procedures are typically done 3-4 weeks apart.

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Three Medical Spa Procedures to Reverse Your Summer Skin Damage - LaSalle News Tribune

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Three Medical Spa Procedures to Reverse Your Summer Skin Damage – LaSalle News Tribune | August 24th, 2017

- Meeting medical and beauty standards, the mask focuses on skincare and rejuvenation with advanced technologies

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- French traditional medicine manufacturer Santinov has developed and launched its CICABEL mask using stem cells as the main material, through its strong technological power and years of research. The mask focuses on daily skincare based on advanced technologies, and meets medical standards, aiming to become a premium beauty product.

Based on 130 years of French brand heritage

In 1887, the great-grandfather of M.D. Jean-Pierre, the owner of the CICABEL brand, founded medical institutions and laboratories for skin wound healing. In 2007, M.D. Jean-Pierre founded a laboratory specializing in the research on facial skin based on more than 130 years of experience in skin rejuvenation and wound healing, and officially created the CICABEL brand. The CICABEL mask is the first mask product under the brand, and is one of the few beauty products on the market that feature bio-medical technologies.

Bold breakthrough, aiming to create revolutionary skin aesthetics

In terms of ingredients, the CICABEL mask selects purified elements that can provide energy for skin stem cells, to protect and activate the cells and promote the proliferation of skin epidermal cells and the anagenesis of skin fibrosis. This improves facial skin's self-healing and rejuvenation speed, achieving the goal of deep skincare.

Future mask innovator goes global

Facial rejuvenation is becoming the main theme of skincare, which provides a huge development space for CICABEL's proprietary technologies and drives the brand to go global. The brand is expected to set off an upsurge in the high-tech medical skincare sector.

CONTACT: 400-639-1958, rel="nofollow">hantao@1958difo.com

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French CICABEL Mask Launched, Changing Traditional Mask Products - Markets Insider

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on French CICABEL Mask Launched, Changing Traditional Mask Products – Markets Insider | August 24th, 2017

It sounds like science fiction: with a light zap of electricity, a tiny stamp-like device transforms your skin cells into reservoirs of blood vessels or brain cells, ready to heal you from within.

Recently, a team of medical mavericks at the Ohio State University introduced a device that does just that. The technology, dubbed tissue nanotransfection (TNT), is set to blow up the field of organ regeneration.

When zapped with a light electrical jolt, the device shoots extra bits of DNA code from its nanotube arrays directly into tiny pores in the skin. There, the DNA triggers the cells to shed their identity and reprograms them into other cell types that can be harvested to repair damaged organs.

Remarkably, the effect spreads with time. The rebooted cells release tiny membrane bubbles onto their neighboring skin cells, coaxing them to undergo transformation. Like zombies, but for good.

So far, the device has already been used to generate neurons to protect the brains of mice with experimental stroke. The team also successfully healed the legs of injured mice by turning the skin cells on their hind limbs into a forest of blood vessels.

While still a ways from human use, scientists believe future iterations of the technology could perform a myriad of medical wonders: repairing damaged organs, relieving brain degeneration, or even restoring aged tissue back to a youthful state.

By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced. We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining, says lead author Dr. Chandan Sen, who published the result in Nature Nanotechnology.

In my lab, we have ongoing research trying to understand the mechanism and do even better, adds Dr. L. James Lee, who co-led the study with Sen. So, this is the beginning, more to come.

The Ohio teams research builds on an age-old idea in regenerative medicine: that even aged bodies have the ability to produce and integrate healthy, youthful cellsgiven the right set of cues.

While some controversy remains on whether replacement cells survive in an injured body, scientistsand some rather dubious clinicsare readily exploring the potential of cell-based therapies.

All cells harbor the same set of DNA; whether they turn into heart cells, neurons, or back into stem cells depend on which genes are activated. The gatekeeper of gene expression is a set of specialized proteins. Scientists can stick the DNA code for these proteins into cells, where they hijack its DNA machinery with orders to produce the protein switchesand the cell transforms into another cell type.

The actual process works like this: scientists harvest mature cells from patients, reprogram them into stem cells inside a Petri dish, inject those cells back into the patients and wait for them to develop into the needed cell types.

Its a cumbersome process packed with landmines. Researchers often use viruses to deliver the genetic payload into cells. In some animal studies, this has led to unwanted mutations and cancer. Its also unclear whether the reprogrammed stem cells survive inside the patients. Whether they actually turn into healthy tissue is even more up for debate.

The Ohio teams device tackles many of these problems head on.

Eschewing the need for viruses, the team manufactured a stamp-sized device out of silicon that serves as a reservoir and injector for DNA. Microetched onto each device are arrays of nanochannels that connect to microscopic dents. Scientists can load DNA material into these tiny holding spots, where they sit stably until a ten-millisecond zap shoots them into the recipients tissue.

We based TNT on a bulk transfection, which is often used in the lab to deliver genes into cells, the authors explain. Like its bulk counterpart, the electrical zap opens up tiny, transient pores on the cell membrane, which allows the DNA instructions to get it.

The problem with bulk transfection is that not all genes get into each cell. Some cells may get more than they bargained for and take up more than one copy, which increases the chance of random mutations.

We found that TNT is extremely focused, with each cell receiving ample DNA, the authors say.

The device also skips an intermediary step in cell conversion: rather than turning cells back into stem cells, the team pushed mouse skin cells directly into other mature cell types using different sets of previously-discovered protein factors.

In one early experiment, the team successfully generated neurons from skin cells that seem indistinguishable from their natural counterparts: they shot off electrical pulses and had similar gene expression profiles.

Surprisingly, the team found that even non-zapped cells in the skins deeper layers transformed. Further testing found that the newly reprogrammed neurons released tiny fatty bubbles that contained the molecular instructions for transformation.

When the team harvested these bubbles and injected them into mice subjected to experimental stroke, the bubbles triggered the brain to generate new neurons and repair itself.

We dont know if the bubbles are somehow transforming other brain cell types into neurons, but they do seem to be loaded with molecules that protect the brain, the researchers say.

In an ultimate test of the devices healing potential, the researchers placed it onto the injured hind leg of a handful of mice. Three days prior, their leg arteries had been experimentally severed, whichwhen left untreatedleads to tissue decay.

The team loaded the device with factors that convert skin cells into blood vessel cells. Within a week of conversion, the team watched as new blood vessels sprouted and grew beyond the local treatment area. In the end, TNT-zapped mice had fewer signs of tissue injury and higher leg muscle metabolism compared to non-treated controls.

This is difficult to imagine, but it is achievable, successfully working about 98 percent of the time, says Sen.

A major draw of the device is that its one-touch-and-go.

There are no expensive cell isolation procedures and no finicky lab manipulations. The conversion happens right on the skin, essentially transforming patients bodies into their own prolific bioreactors.

This process only takes less than a second and is non-invasive, and then youre off. The chip does not stay with you, and the reprogramming of the cell starts,says Sen.

Because the converted cells come directly from the patient, theyre in an immune-privileged position, which reduces the chance of rejection.

This means that in the future, if the technology is used to manufacture organs immune suppression is not necessary, says Sen.

While the team plans to test the device in humans as early as next year, Sen acknowledges that theyll likely run into problems.

For one, because the device needs to be in direct contact with tissue, the skin is the only easily-accessible body part to do these conversions. Repairing deeper tissue would require surgery to insert the device into wounded areas. And to many, growing other organ cell types is a pretty creepy thought, especially because the transformation isnt completely localnon-targeted cells are also reprogrammed.

That could be because the body is trying to heal itself, the authors hypothesize. Using the chip on healthy legs didnt sprout new blood vessels, suggesting that the widespread conversion is because of injury, though (for now) there isnt much evidence supporting the idea.

For another, scientists are still working out the specialized factors required to directly convert between cell types. So far, theyve only had limited success.

But Sen and his team are optimistic.

When these things come out for the first time, its basically crossing the chasm from impossible to possible, he says. We have established feasibility.

Image Credit: Researchers demonstrate tissue nanotransfection,courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

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This Chip Uses Electricity to Reprogram Cells for Healing - Singularity Hub

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on This Chip Uses Electricity to Reprogram Cells for Healing – Singularity Hub | August 22nd, 2017

Deadly gene mutations removed from human embryos in landmark study, reports The Guardian. Researchers have used a gene-editing technique to repair faults in DNA that can cause an often-fatal heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

This inherited heart condition is caused by a genetic change (mutation) in one or more genes. Babies born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have diseased and stiff heart muscles, which can lead to sudden unexpected death in childhood and in young athletes.

In this latest study researchers used a technique called CRISPR-cas9 to target and then remove faulty genes. CRISPR-cas9 acts like a pair of molecular scissors, allowing scientists to cut out certain sections of DNA. The technique has attracted a great deal of excitement in the scientific community since it was released in 2014. But as yet, there have been no practical applications for human health.

The research is at an early stage and cannot legally be used as treatment to help families affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. And none of the modified embryos were implanted in the womb.

While the technique showed a high degree of accuracy, its unclear whether it is safe enough to be developed as a treatment. The sperm used in the study came from just one man with faulty genes, so the study needs to be repeated using cells from other people, to be sure that the findings can be replicated.

Scientists say it is now important for society to start a discussion about the ethical and legal implications of the technology. It is currently against the law to implant genetically altered human embryos to create a pregnancy, although such embryos can be developed for research.

The study was carried out by researchers from Oregon Health and Science University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the US, the Institute for Basic Science and Seoul University in Korea, and BGI-Shenzen and BGI-Quingdao in China. It was funded by Oregon Health and Science University, the Institute for Basic Science, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, the Moxie Foundation and the Leona M. and HarryB. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Shenzhen Municipal Government of China. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

The Guardian carried a clear and accurate report of the study. While their reports were mostly accurate, ITV News, Sky News and The Independent over-stated the current stage of research, with Sky News and ITV News saying it could eradicate thousands of inherited conditions and the Independent claiming it opens the possibility for inherited diseases to be wiped out entirely. While this may be possible, we dont know whether other inherited diseases might be as easily targeted as this gene mutation.

Finally, the Daily Mail rolls out the arguably tired clich of the technique leading to designer babies, which seems irrelevant at this point. The CRISPR-cas9 technique is only in its infancy and (ethics aside) its simply not possible to use genetic editing to select desirable characteristics - most of which are not the result of one single, identifiable gene. No reputable scientist would attempt such a procedure.

This was a series of experiments carried out in laboratories, to test the effects of the CRISPR-Cas9 technique on human cells and embryos. This type of scientific research helps us understand more about genes and how they can be changed by technology. It doesnt tell us what the effects would be if this was used as a treatment.

Researchers carried out a series of experiments on human cells, using the CRISPR-cas9 technique first on modified skin cells, then on very early embryos, and then on eggs at the point of fertilisation by sperm. They used genetic sequencing and analysis to assess the effects of these different experiments on cells and how they developed, up to five days. They looked specifically to see what proportion of cells carrying faulty mutations could be repaired, whether the process caused other unwanted mutations, and whether the process repaired all cells in an embryo, or just some of them.

They used skin cells (which were modified into stem cells) and sperm from one man, who carried the MYBPC3 mutation in his genome, and donor eggs from women without the genetic mutation. This is the mutation known to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Normally in such cases, roughly half the embryos would have the mutation and half would not, as theres a 50-50 chance of the embryo inheriting the male or female version of the gene.

The CRISPR-cas9 technique can be used to select and delete specific genes from a strand of DNA. When this happens, usually the cut ends of the strand join together, but this causes problems so cant be used in the treatment of humans. The scientists created a genetic template of the healthy version of the gene, which they introduced at the same time as using CRISPR-cas9 to cut the mutated gene. They hoped the DNA would repair itself with a healthy version of the gene.

One important problem with changing genetic material is the development of mosaic embryos, where some of the cells have corrected genetic material and others have the original faulty gene. If that happened, doctors would not be able to tell whether or not an embryo was healthy.

The scientists needed to test all the cells in the embryos produced in the experiment, to see whether all cells had the corrected gene or whether the technique had resulted in a mixture. They also did whole genome sequencing on some embryos, to test for unrelated genetic changes that might have been introduced accidentally during the process.

All embryos in the study were destroyed, in line with legislation about genetic research on embryos.

Researchers found that the technique worked on some of the stem cells and embryos, but worked best when used at the point of fertilisation of the egg. There were important differences between the way the repair worked on the stem cells and the egg.

Only 28% of the stem cells were affected by the CRISPR-cas9 technique. Of these, most repaired themselves by joining the ends together, and only 41% were repaired by using a corrected version of the gene.

67% of the embryos exposed to CRISPR-cas9 had only the correct version of the gene higher than the 50% that would have been expected had the technique not been used. 33% of embryos had the mutated version of the gene, either in some or all their cells.

Importantly, the embryos didnt seem to use the template injected into the zygote to carry out the repair, in the way the stem cells did. They used the female version of the healthy gene to carry out the repair, instead.

Of the embryos created using CRISPR-cas9 at the point of fertilisation, 72% had the correct version of the gene in all their cells, and 28% had the mutated version of the gene in all their cells. No embryos were mosaic a mixture of cells with different genomes.

The researchers found no evidence of mutations induced by the technique, when they examined the cells using a variety of techniques. However, they did find some evidence of gene deletions caused by DNA strands splicing (joining) themselves together without repairing the faulty gene.

The researchers say they have demonstrated how human embryos employ a different DNA damage repair system to adult stem cells, which can be used to repair breaks in DNA made using the CRISPR-cas9 gene-editing technique.

They say that targeted gene correction could potentially rescue a substantial portion of mutant human embryos, and increase the numbers available for transfer for couples using pre-implantation diagnosis during IVF treatment.

However, they caution that despite remarkable targeting efficiency, CRISPR-cas9-treated embryos would not currently be suitable for transfer. Genome editing approaches must be further optimised before clinical application can be considered, they say.

Currently, genetically-inherited conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cannot be cured, only managed to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. For couples where one partner carries the mutated gene, the only option to avoid passing it on to their children is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. This involves using IVF to create embryos, then testing a cell of the embryo to see whether it carries the healthy or mutated version of the gene. Embryos with healthy versions of the gene are then selected for implantation in the womb.

Problems arise if too few or none of the embryos have the correct version of the gene. The researchers suggest their technique could be used to increase the numbers of suitable embryos. However, the research is still at an early stage and has not yet been shown to be safe or effective enough to be considered as a treatment.

The other major factor is ethics and the law. Some people worry that gene editing could lead to designer babies, where couples use the tool to select attributes like hair colour, or even intelligence. At present, gene editing could not do this. Most of our characteristics, especially something as complex as intelligence, are not the result of one single, identifiable gene, so could not be selected in this way. And its likely that, even if gene editing treatments became legally available, they would be restricted to medical conditions.

Designer babies aside, society needs to consider what is acceptable in terms of editing human genetic material in embryos. Some people think that this type of technique is "playing God" or is ethically unacceptable because it involves discarding embryos that carry faulty genes. Others think that its rational to use the scientific techniques we have developed to eliminate causes of suffering, such as inherited diseases.

This research shows that the questions of how we want to legislate for this type of technique are becoming pressing. While the technology is not there yet, it is advancing fast. This research shows just how close we are getting to making genetic editing of human embryos a reality.

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Gene editing used to repair diseased genes in embryos - NHS Choices

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Gene editing used to repair diseased genes in embryos – NHS Choices | August 22nd, 2017

In 2013, University of Virginia researcher Michael McConnell published research that would forever change how scientists study brain cells.

McConnell and a team of nationwide collaborators discovered a genetic mosaic in the brains neurons, proving that brain cells are not exact replicas of each other, and that each individual neuron contains a slightly different genetic makeup.

McConnell, an assistant professor in the School of Medicines Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, has been using this new information to investigate how variations in individual neurons impact neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and epilepsy. With a recent $50,000 grant from the Bow Foundation, McConnell will expand his research to explore the cause of a rare genetic disorder known as GNAO1 so named for the faulty protein-coding gene that is its likely source.

GNAO1 causes seizures, movement disorders and developmental delays. Currently, only 50 people worldwide are known to have the disease. The Bow Foundation seeks to increase awareness so that other probable victims of the disorder can be properly diagnosed and to raise funds for further research and treatment.

UVA Today recently sat down with McConnell to find out more about how GNAO1 fits into his broader research and what his continued work means for all neuropsychiatric disorders.

Q. Can you explain the general goals of your lab?

A. My lab has two general directions. One is brain somatic mosaicism, which is a finding that different neurons in the brain have different genomes from one another. We usually think every cell in a single persons body has the same blueprint for how they develop and what they become. It turns out that blueprint changes a little bit in the neurons from neuron to neuron. So you have slightly different versions of the same blueprint and we want to know what that means.

The second area of our work focuses on a new technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs. The technology permits us to make stem cell from skin cells. We can do this with patients, and use the stem cells to make specific cell types with same genetic mutations that are in the patients. That lets us create and study the persons brain cells in a dish. So now, if that person has a neurological disease, we can in a dish study that persons disease and identify drugs that alter the disease. Its a very personalized medicine approach to that disease.

Q. Does cell-level genomic variety exist in other areas of the body outside the central nervous system?

A. Every cell in your body has mutations of one kind or another, but brain cells are there for your whole life, so the differences have a bigger impact there. A skin cell is gone in a month. An intestinal cell is gone in a week. Any changes in those cells will rarely have an opportunity to cause a problem unless they cause a tumor.

Q. How does your research intersect with the goals of the Bow Foundation?

A. Let me back up to a little bit of history on that. When I got to UVA four years ago, I started talking quite a lot with Howard Goodkin and Mark Beenhakker. Mark is an assistant professor in pharmacology. Howard is a pediatric neurologist and works with children with epilepsy. I had this interest in epilepsy and UVA has a historic and current strength in epilepsy research.

We started talking about how to use iPSCs the technology that we use to study mosaicism to help Howards patients. As we talked about it and I learned more about epilepsy, we quickly realized that there are a substantial number of patients with epilepsy or seizure disorders where we cant do a genetic test to figure out what drug to use on those patients.

Clinical guidance, like Howards expertise, allows him to make a pretty good diagnosis and know what drugs to try first and second and third. But around 30 percent of children that come in with epilepsy never find the drug that works, and theyre in for a lifetime of trial-and-error. We realized that we could use iPSC-derived neurons to test drugs in the dish instead of going through all of the trial-and-error with patients. Thats the bigger project that weve been moving toward.

The Bow Foundation was formed by patient advocates after this rare genetic mutation in GNAO1 was identified. GNAO1 is a subunit of a G protein-coupled receptor; some mutations in this receptor can lead to epilepsy while others lead to movement disorders.

Were still trying to learn about these patients, and the biggest thing the Bow Foundation is doing is trying to address that by creating a patient registry. At the same time, the foundation has provided funds for us to start making and testing iPSCs and launch this approach to personalized medicine for epilepsy.

In the GNAO1 patients, we expect to be able to study their neurons in a dish and understand why they behave differently, why the electrical activity in their brain is different or why they develop differently.

Q. What other more widespread disorders, in addition to schizophrenia and epilepsy, are likely to benefit from your research?

A. Im part of a broader project called the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network that is conducting research on diseases that span the neuropsychiatric field. Our lab covers schizophrenia, but other nodes within that network are researching autism, bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome and other psychiatric diseases where the genetic cause is difficult to identify. Thats the underlying theme.

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Researcher Seeks to Unravel the Brain's Genetic Tapestry to Tackle Rare Disorder - University of Virginia

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Researcher Seeks to Unravel the Brain’s Genetic Tapestry to Tackle Rare Disorder – University of Virginia | August 22nd, 2017

First came the prospect of pigs incubating human organs. Now a medical ethicist is raising new moral questions by suggesting scientists create human-animal chimeras to produce human eggs.

While the goal, for now, would be to create a ready supply of eggs purely for biomedical research purposes, should the hybrid human eggs turn out to be as good as ones produced by humans, I do not see any reason for not using them for treating human infertility, said Csar Palacios-Gonzlez, of the Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at Kings College London.

In a commentary in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Palacios-Gonzlez tests arguments against creating chimeras for human gamete production, and finds all of them wanting.

Despite ongoing research and scientific and ethical discussions about the development of chimeras capable of producing solid organs such as kidneys and hearts for transplantation purposes, he writes, no wide discussion of the possibility of creating chimeras-IHGP (intended for human gamete production) has taken place. If anything, scientists have fallen over themselves to reassure the public steps will be taken to avoid creating such creatures.

A leading Canadian reproductive biologist called the paper deeply thought provoking and says the idea isnt outside the realm of possibility.

Humans are mammals and there is really nothing intrinsically different about the process of reproduction between humans and every other mammal, said Roger Pierson, a world expert on ovarian physiology at the University of Saskatchewan.

There is really nothing intrinsically different about the process of reproduction between humans and every other mammal

Were talking here not about what the combination of mammalian gametes might become, but were talking about the actual biological processes of passing our DNA from one generation to the next, he said.

The biology that comes out of this analysis is questioning some of the tenets of our assumptions about reproduction.

In theory, the process could involve interspecies blastocyst complementation the same technique researchers are exploring to create pigs capable of generating human organs for transplant.

A blastocyst an early embryo is taken from an animal and genes crucial for the development of a particular cell line or organ edited out. In this case you would aim at the reproductive system, Palacios-Gonzlez said in an interview.

Next, human pluripotent stem cells (cells that have the potential to develop into any type of tissue in the body) taken from a donors skin are injected into the blastocyst to compensate for the existing niche, he said. In this case human stem cells would complete the reproductive system, which would then create gametes.

What conceivably could result is the ovary of a sow (or cow or other animal) that produces human eggs.

In January, Salk Institute scientists reported in the journal Cell they had succeeded in creating the first human-pig chimera embryos. None were allowed to grow beyond four weeks and half were abnormally small. But in others, the human stem cells survived and turned into progenitors for different tissues and organs.

The achievement was hailed a scientific tour de force. It also rattled ethicists, who warned of the remote but not impossible risk human stem cells intended to morph into a new liver, pancreas or heart could wend their up to the animals brain, raising the prospect of a chimera with human consciousness.

Others worried about transplanted human stem cells generating reproductive tissues. Few people want to see what might result from the union between a pig with human sperm and a sow with human eggs, the New York Times warned.

Palacios-Gonzlez said that as far as he is aware, no one is actively pursuing creating chimeras capable of producing human sperm or eggs. But maybe I am wrong, the world is just too big. (The research that comes closest, he said, was published in 2014, when stem cells were taken from a skin sample from a man who produced no sperm and transplanted into the testicles of a mouse, where they became immature sperm.)

However, Palacios-Gonzlez argues that claims that the creation of chimeras violates human dignity are just false.

Most dont consider lab mice grafted with human cells such a violation, he writes in Reproductive BioMedicine.Neither do we consider that human dignity is violated when someone receives a pig heart valve, which effectivelyturnsthem into a chimera.

If human dignity is tied tothe possession of certain higher mental capacities, he added, gene-editing tools like CRISPR could be used to avoid generating brain tissue, thereby reducingthe possibility of accidentally creating a chimera with human brain cells.

Fears a human egg-producing chimera could become pregnant is a practical issue that could easily be avoided by, for example, creating only female chimeras, he writes.This would be the most sensible thing to do given that there is no shortage of human sperm for research purposes.

Even if it should one day become desirable to create chimeras capable of producing both eggs and sperm,we could just take the appropriate measures for (the chimeras) to be segregated by sex.

He also argues that whether generated by humans or chimeras human gametes do not possess intrinsic worth capable of being debased and that the eggs incubated by chimeras could go toward research capable of saving peoples lives.

Pierson said that, with focused work and funding, this kind of work could be done in probably a year or less. This is not far fetched.

This is not about having a male mouse thats ejaculating human sperm, coupled with a female mouse thats ovulating human eggs and creating a human embryo in the mouse, Pierson said.

Rather, among research questions, Its about understanding what our reproductive processes are and what they could become, he said. We need to lay down the ethical principles for exploring these new types of ideas.

Pierson said it could be the next step toward the completely lab-based generation of sperm and eggs. In vitro gametogenesis, or IVG, a technique still in its infancy, is aimed at creating functional sperm and eggs from induced stem cells. Last year, researchers in Japan reported in the journal Nature they had created mouse pups born from eggs created in a petri dish.

Pierson said any eggs generated from a nonperson chimera would likely come from a cow, and not a mouse, noting cows and humans share similar ovarian function.

NYU School of Medicine bioethicist Arthur Caplan said the technology is a decade or more away and would need safety testing in animals for another few years, if it even worked.

Safety issues are huge for chimeras, just huge, he added, including unknown mutations, subtle chemical differences in the derived eggs and the risk of communicating animal viruses.

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No moral reason not to create chimeras capable of making human eggs, ethicist argues - National Post

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on No moral reason not to create chimeras capable of making human eggs, ethicist argues – National Post | August 22nd, 2017

Those suffering from hair loss problems could soon be worry free thanks to a bunch of researchers at UCLA. The team found that by activating the stem cells in the hair follicles they could make it grow. This type of research couldnt come soon enough for some. We may have finally found a cure for patients suffering from alopecia or baldness.

Hair loss is often caused by the hair follicle stem cells inability to activate and induce a new hair growth cycle. In doing the study, researchers Heather Christofk and William Lowry, of Eli Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA discovered that the metabolism of hair follicle stem cells is far different to any other cell found within the skin. They found that as hair follicle stem cells absorb the glucose from the bloodstream they use it to produce a metabolite called pyruvate. The pyruvate is then either sent to the cells mitochondria to be converted back into energy or is converted into another metabolite called lactate.

Christofk is an associate professor of biological chemistry and molecular and medical pharmacology and he says, Our observations about hair follicle stem cell metabolism prompted us to examine whether genetically diminishing the entry of pyruvate into the mitochondria would force hair follicle stem cells to make more lactate and if that would activate the cells and grow hair more quickly. First, the team demonstrated how blocking the lactate production in mice prevented the hair follicle stem cells from activating. Then, with the help of colleagues at the Rutter lab at the University of Utah, they increased the lactate production in the mice and as a result saw an accelerated hair follicle stem cell activation and therefore an increase in the hair cycle.

Once we saw how altering lactate production in the mice influenced hair growth, it led us to look for potential drugs that could be applied to the skin and have the same effect, confirms Lowry, a professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology. During the study, the team found two drugs in particular that influenced hair follicle stem cells to promote lactate production when applied to the skin of mice. The first is called RCGD423. This drug is responsible for allowing the transmission of information from outside the cell right to the heart of it in the nucleus by activating the cellular signaling pathway called JAK-Stat. The results from the study did, in fact, prove that JAK-Stat activation will lead to an increased production of lactate which will enhance hair growth. UK5099 was the second drug in question, and its role was to block the pyruvate from entering the mitochondria, forcing the production of lactate and accelerating hair growth as a result.

The study brings with it some very promising results. To be able to solve a problem that affects millions of people worldwide by using drugs to stimulate hair growth is brilliant. At the moment there is a provisional patent application thats been filed in respect of using RCGD423 in the promotion of hair growth and a separate provisional patent in place for the use of UK5099 for the same purpose. The drugs have not yet been tested in humans or approved by the Food and Drug Administration as fit for human consumption.

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Scientists Discover New Hair Growth Technique Using Stem Cells ... - TrendinTech

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Scientists Discover New Hair Growth Technique Using Stem Cells … – TrendinTech | August 19th, 2017

Fertile sperm are rare in men with an extra sex chromosome

Dennis Kunkle Microscopy/SPL

By Andy Coghlan

Turning skin cells into sperm may one day help some infertile men have babies. Research in mice has found a way to make fertile sperm from animals born with too many sex chromosomes.

Most men have two sex chromosomes one X and one Y but some have three, which makes it difficult to produce fertile sperm. Around 1 in 500 men are born with Klinefelter syndrome, caused by having an extra X chromosome, while roughly 1 in 1000 have Double Y syndrome.

James Turner of the Francis Crick Institute in London and his team have found a way to get around the infertility caused by these extra chromosomes. First, they bred mice that each had an extra X or Y chromosome. They then tried to reprogram skin cells from the animals, turning them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which are capable of forming other types of cell.

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To their surprise, this was enough to make around a third of the skin cells jettison their extra chromosome. When these cells were then coaxed into forming sperm cells and used to fertilise eggs, 50 to 60 per cent of the resulting pregnancies led to live births.

This suggests that a similar technique might enable men with Klinefelter or Double Y-related infertility to conceive. But there is a significant catch.

We dont yet know how to fully turn stem cells into sperm, so the team got around this by injecting the cells into mouse testes for the last stages of development. While this led to fertile sperm, it also caused tumours to form in between 29 and 50 per cent of mice.

What we really need to make this work is being able to go from iPS cells to sperm in a dish, says Turner.

It has to be done all in vitro, so only normal sperm cells would be used to fertilise eggs, says Zev Rosenwaks of the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. The danger with all iPS cell technology is cancer.

Journal reference: Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aam9046

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Stem cell technique could reverse a major type of infertility - New Scientist

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem cell technique could reverse a major type of infertility – New Scientist | August 17th, 2017

New research funded by the National Institutes of Health used 3-D collections of brain tissue grown from human cells to study the brains star-shaped astrocytes. (Image credit: Sergiu Pasca, Stanford University)

BETHESDA, Md. (CN) Its been two years since Stanford neurobiologists published a method for converting adult skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells that could then be grown into 3-D clusters of brain cells.

The National Institutes of Health reported Wednesday that another crop of scientists have been studying the growth of star-shaped brain cells known as human cortical spheroids (hCSs) in these cell clusters.

Their findings, published in Neuron, confirm that the maturation of lab-grown cells largely mimics that of cells taken directly from brain tissue during very early life, a critical time for brain growth.

Because of the critical role this process plays in normal brain development, further study of lab-grown hCSs could uncover the underlying developmental biology at the core of various neurological and mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism.

The hCS system makes it possible to replay astrocyte development from any patient, said Ben Barres, a Stanford professor of neurobiology who co-led the 2015 study, as quoted the NIH in a Wednesday article.

Thats huge, Barres added. Theres no other way one could ever do that without this method.

Steven Sloan, a student in Stanfords MD/Ph.D. program, led the astrocyte-comparison study published in the latest issue of Neuron.

The team grew the hCSs for 20 months, one of the longest-ever studies of lab-grown human brain cells, according to the report by the NIH, which funded the research in part through its National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Jill Morris, who directs the NINDS, said the work by Sloans team addresses a significant gap in human brain research by providing an invaluable technique to investigate the role of astrocytes in both normal development and disease.

David Panchision, program director at the National Institute of Mental Health, which also helped fund the study, also spoke to the studys importance.

Since astrocytes make up a greater proportion of brain cells in humans than in other species, it may reflect a greater need for astrocytes in normal human brain function, with more significant consequences when they dont work correctly, Panchision added.

One point that the researchers emphasized, however, is that hCSs are only a model and lack many features of real brains.

Moreover, certain genes that are active in fully mature astrocytes never switched on in the hCS-grown astrocytes, which they could conceivably do if the cells had more time to develop, the NIH article says. To address this question, the researchers now hope to identify ways to produce mature brain cells more quickly. hCSs could also be used to scrutinize precisely what causes astrocytes to change over time and to screen drugs that might correct any differences that occur in brain disease.

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New Cell Study Pulls Curtain on Schizophrenia, Autism - Courthouse News Service

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on New Cell Study Pulls Curtain on Schizophrenia, Autism – Courthouse News Service | August 16th, 2017

New research reveals that a low-calorie diet rejuvenates the biological clock in a powerful manner, keeping the body younger.

Scientists have determined that a diet low in calories facilitates the energy-regulating processes. A low-calorie diet also helps to keep the body younger. These results were recently outlined in Cell. The finding is attributable to scientists at the University of California at Irvine's Center for Epigenetics and Metabolism. The team of scientists has revealed the manner in which the body's circadian rhythms alter due to the aging process. These rhythms are the body's biological clock. The circuit controlled by the clock directly connectedto aging is centered on the efficient metabolism of energy in cells.

About the Study

The group of scientists used mice for their study. These mice were tested at six months and at 18 months of age. Tissue samples were taken from their livers. This isthe organ that serves as the interface between food intake and energy distribution within the body. Energy is metabolized in cells in accordance with nuanced circadian controls.

Findings

The scientists determined the 24-hour cycle of the older mice's metabolic systems stayed the same. There were significant changes in the circadian mechanism that triggers genes on and off according to the usage of energy within cells. This means older cells process energy in an inefficient manner. The mechanism works quite well in young mice but shuts off in older mice.

A second group of older mice was provided with a diet containing 30 percent fewer calories. This intake period lasted half a year. Energy processing in the cells ended up more than unchanged. Caloric restriction functions through a rejuvenation of the biological clock. Inthe context of the study, good aging is the result of a good clock.

Collaboration for Confirmation

A companion study outlined in Cell explains the work performed by a group of researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine. These researchers collaborated with the team described above to gauge body clock functionality in stem cells from the muscle and skin of young and old mice. They determined a diet low in calories conserved the majority of rhythmic functions that occur during youth. This is the additional proof needed to show a low-calorie diet significantly contributes to the prevention of the aging process's effects. It is important to keep the stem cells' rhythm young as these cells will function to renew and preserve day-night tissue cycles.

Consuming less food seems to ward off tissue aging. As a result, stem cells do notreprogram circadian activities. Thestudies described above are important as they help explain why low-calorie diets slow aging in mice. The same results might hold true for human beings.

The Study's Importance

Prior fruit fly studies have shown diets low in calories boost longevity. However, the research described above is the first to show caloric restriction impacts circadian rhythms' impact on cell aging. These studies reveal the cell path through which the aging process is controlled. The findings serve as an introduction as to how the elements of aging can be controlled in terms of pharmacology.

What's Next?

The scientists involved in these studies are adamant it is necessary to continue examining why metabolism produces a dominant effect on stem cell aging. When the link that delays or promotes aging has been pinpointed, treatments must be developed to regulate the link.

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A Low-Calorie Diet Slows Aging - Anti Aging News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on A Low-Calorie Diet Slows Aging – Anti Aging News | August 15th, 2017