Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

By genetic reprogramming, matured human cells, usually blood cells, can be transformed into hiPSCs. As hiPSCs exhibit properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable resources for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy. In countries like Japan, USA and UK, a number of hiPSC bank initiatives have sprung up to make hiPSCs available for stem cell research and medical studies.

Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, "It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested if donors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, Senior Consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, said "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells. This is a well-designed, applicable technique that can unlock unrealized potential of biobanks around the world for hiPSC studies at a scale that was previously not possible."

Prof Hong Wanjin, Executive Director at IMCB, said "Research on hiPSCs is now highly sought-after, given its potential to be used as a model for studying human diseases and for regenerative medicine. Translational research and technology innovations are constantly encouraged at IMCB and this new technique is very timely. We hope to eventually help the scientific community gain greater accessibility to hiPSCs for stem cell research through this innovation."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by A*STAR. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Stem cells created from a drop of blood: DIY finger-prick technique opens door for extensive stem cell banking

SINGAPORE: Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood.

The new technique could potentially boost the number and diversity of donors, and facilitate the setting up of large-scale hiPSC banks, said the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in a news release on Thursday.

Current sample collection for reprogramming into human induced pluripotent stem cells include invasive methods, such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off potential donors.

Although the stem cells may also be generated from blood cells, a large amount of blood is usually required.

But scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into human induced pluripotent stem cells.

As those cells show properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy.

The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency.

The work is published online in the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal.

Lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique Dr Jonathan Loh Yuin Han said, "Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

Senior consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, said, "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells."

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A*STAR scientists create stem cells from drop of blood

The DIY finger-prick technique opens door for extensive stem cell banking

1. Scientists at A*STARs Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

3. Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the worlds first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

4. The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

5. By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

6. Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested ifdonors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests.

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:: 20, Mar 2014 :: A*STAR SCIENTISTS CREATE STEM CELLS FROM A DROP OF BLOOD

Course Description: Regenerative medicine focuses on harnessing the power of ones own stem cells and regenerative capabilities to restore function to damaged cells, tissues and organs. In April 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) implemented regulations governing the use of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) in humans including bone, ligament, skin, dura mater, stem cells, cartilage cells, and various other cellular and tissue-based products. Currently, there is an ongoing debate in the industry on how such therapies should be regulated by FDA or under the practice of medicine, under federal law or state law, and as drugs or simply biologics.

This 2-day interactive seminar on FDA regulations of regenerative medicine will cover:

-How FDA is currently regulating regenerative therapies and products intended for both human and veterinary use. -The distinction being made between human regenerative products and their regulation as drugs, biologics, devices, and combination products. -The New Drug Application (NDA) and the Biologic License Application (BLA) review and approval processes including a discussion of available options, application components, relevant meetings, timing, costs and approval requirements. -The option for obtaining designation and approval as Orphan Drug Product. -Designing and conducting appropriate clinical trials to support the approval of regenerative therapies. -FDAs regulation of some regenerative medicine products and accessories as Medical Devices. -The Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) being applied by FDA to human regenerative products. -The labeling and marketing of regenerative products and therapies. -The potential for enforcement action and recommendations for mitigating that risk. -The current regulation of veterinary cellular treatments including autologous, allogeneic and xenogeneic cellular products in the United States.

Learning Objectives: Participants who attend this course on FDA regulation of regenerative medicines will leave with a comprehensive understanding of:

-How FDA regulates regenerative treatments and therapies? -The HCT/P Criteria and Minimal Manipulation Standard. -The Drug and Biological Approval Process. -Regenerative Products as Medical Devices. -How to Design Appropriate Clinical Trials? -Applicable cGMPs and cGLPs. -Marketing Exclusivity and Patent Restoration. -Product Labeling, Marketing and Advertising. -FDA and other Federal Agency Enforcement Action. -The Regulation of Veterinary Regenerative Medicine. -The New Animal Drug Application (NADA) Process. -Veterinary User Fees and Waivers.

Who will benefit: This course is designed for professionals in stem cell, biotech, pharmaceutical and animal drug companies, veterinary hospitals and clinics. The following personnel will find this session valuable:

-Senior quality managers -Quality professionals -Regulatory professionals -Compliance professionals -Production supervisors -Manufacturing engineers -Production engineers -Design engineers -Labelers and Private Labelers -Contract Manufacturers -Importers and Custom Agents -U.S. Agents of Foreign Corporations -Process owners -Quality engineers -Quality auditors -Document control specialists -Record retention specialists -Medical affairs -Legal Professionals -Financial Advisors and Institutional Investors -Consultants, Inspectors and cGMP Experts

Link:
FDA's Regulation of Regenerative Medicine including Stem Cell Treatments, Tissue Engineering, Etc.

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

12-Mar-2014

Contact: Camille Gamboa camille.gamboa@sagepub.com 805-410-7441 SAGE Publications

Los Angeles, CA (March 12, 2014) Researchers have found that sutures embedded with stem cells led to quicker and stronger healing of Achilles tendon tears than traditional sutures, according to a new study published in the March 2014 issue of Foot & Ankle International (published by SAGE).

Achilles tendon injuries are common for professional, collegiate and recreational athletes. These injuries are often treated surgically to reattach or repair the tendon if it has been torn. Patients have to keep their legs immobilized for a while after surgery before beginning their rehabilitation. Athletes may return to their activities sooner, but risk rerupturing the tendon if it has not healed completely.

Drs. Lew Schon, Samuel Adams, and Elizabeth Allen and Researchers Margaret Thorpe, Brent Parks, and Gary Aghazarian from MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, conducted the study. They compared traditional surgery, surgery with stem cells injected in the injury area, and surgery with special sutures embedded with stem cells in rats. The results showed that the group receiving the stem cell sutures healed better.

"The exciting news from this early work is that the stem cells stayed in the tendon, promoting healing right away, during a time when patients are not able to begin aggressive rehabilitation. When people can't fully use their leg, the risk is that atrophy sets in and adhesions can develop which can impact how strong and functional the muscle and tendon are after it is reattached," said Dr. Schon. "Not only did the stem cells encourage better healing at the cellular level, the tendon strength itself was also stronger four weeks following surgery than in the other groups in our study," he added.

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For further information on how to take care of your feet and ankles, or to find a local orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, visit the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society patient website at http://www.footcaremd.org.

"Stem Cell-Bearing Suture Improves Achilles Tendon Healing in a Rat Model" by Samuel B. Adams, Jr, MD; Margaret A. Thorpe, BS; Brent G. Parks, MSc; Gary Aghazarian, BS; Elizabeth Allen, MD; and Lew C. Schon, MD in the March 2014 Foot & Ankle International.

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Stem cells inside sutures could improve healing in Achilles tendon injuries

Auckland scientists have discovered new cells with stem cell properties in human skin, opening the door to a range of new treatments for skin diseases and unhealed wounds.

Auckland scientists have discovered new cells with stem cell properties in human skin, opening the door to a range of new treatments for skin diseases and unhealed wounds.

The scientists, Professor Rod Dunbar, Dr Vaughan Feisst, Dr Anna Brooks and Jenni Chen, are members of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, and the research was carried out in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland.

They identified mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) in the dermis, the middle layer of skin, and discovered that these could turn themselves into fat cells. This signals that they can probably become other types of cells that repair and regenerate tissue, like similar stem cells found in fat and bone marrow.

"Nobody has identified these cells before, so this opens the door to advances in both skin healing and skin diseases," says Professor Dunbar. "Every time you find new cells with stem cell-like properties, you know youre onto something that could have major implications."

"Its a really exciting discovery," he adds. "We try to avoid getting too carried away about our results because were constitutionally cautious - but this discovery is a pretty fundamental finding."

The team hopes that its research, which started in 2011, could eventually lead to treatments for conditions that severely thicken the skin such as keloid scarring, in which tough, irregularly-shaped scars grow and spread. The team also suspects loss of these MPC cells may prevent proper healing, when, for example, radiation treatment for cancer has damaged the skin.

The tissue used in the research came from men and women who had undergone procedures such as liposuction, abdominoplasty or breast reduction with Auckland surgeons Ms Michelle Locke, Mr Jonathan Wheeler and Mr Julian Lofts. All patients consented to their tissue being used for the study.

The research involved sorting many millions of cells - "like sorting mixed-up flocks of sheep into their different breeds", says Professor Dunbar - with a laser-based technology called flow cytometry.

The research is published this week as the cover article in the March 2014 edition of the international journal Stem Cells and Development.

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Auckland scientists discover new stem cell in human skin

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Newswise SAN DIEGO Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., will receive the 2014 Pezcoller Foundation-American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Award for Cancer Research at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014, to be held in San Diego, Calif., April 5-9, in recognition of her seminal work contributing to the understanding of mammalian skin, skin stem cells, and skin-related diseases, particularly cancers, genetic diseases, and proinflammatory disorders.

Fuchs is the Rebecca C. Lancefield professor and head of the Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development at The Rockefeller University in New York, N.Y., and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She will give her lecture, Stem Cells in Silence, Action, and Cancer, Sunday, April 6, 4:30 p.m. PT, in Halls F-G in the San Diego Convention Center.

Dr. Fuchs is an exceptional scientist, and we are delighted to recognize her pioneering research on the biology of skin stem cells and how they go awry in human diseases of the skin, including cancer, said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (hon.), chief executive officer of the AACR. Her seminal studies have had a profound impact not only on the field of cancer research, but also on the research disciplines of genetics and dermatology.

Fuchs is highly regarded for her studies using reverse genetics to understand the biological basis of normal and abnormal skin development and function. Among her important research discoveries was the clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of skin stem cells to produce the epidermis and its appendages, including hair follicles and sweat and oil glands. She has also defined how the normal biology of skin stem cells can be deregulated in skin cancers and other hyperproliferative disorders of the skin.

I'm honored, delighted, and humbled to receive this award from the AACR, said Fuchs. My students, postdocs, and staff, present and past, are the ones who truly merit recognition. My group has long had an interest in skin stem cells, how they make and repair tissues, and how this goes awry in cancers. As a basic scientist who studies the fundamental mechanisms underlying stem cell biology and cancer, it is particular pleasing to be recognized not only by basic cancer biologists, but also by physician scientists and clinicians. It is the diversity and breadth of the AACR that make this Society and this honor so special.

The Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award, now in its 17th year, recognizes an individual scientist of international renown who has made a major scientific discovery in basic or translational cancer research.

As recipient of this award, Fuchs will also present the Ninth Annual Stanley J. Korsmeyer Lecture at the Venetian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Padua, Italy, prior to the Pezcoller Foundations official award ceremony in Trento, Italy, May 2014.

Fuchs was named one of the inaugural Fellows of the AACR Academy last year. She has received many additional honors throughout her career, including the AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship, the National Medal of Science, the Albany Prize in Medicine, the Kligman-Frost Leadership Award from the Society of Investigative Dermatology, LOreal-Unesco Award, the March of Dimes Prize, and the Pasarow Award for Cancer Research. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the European National Academy of Sciences (EMBO).

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Pezcoller Foundation and American Association for Cancer Research Honor Outstanding Achievements of Dr. Elaine Fuchs

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Mar-2014

Contact: Lauren Riley lauren.riley@aacr.org 215-446-7155 American Association for Cancer Research

SAN DIEGO Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., will receive the 2014 Pezcoller Foundation-American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Award for Cancer Research at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014, to be held in San Diego, Calif., April 5-9, in recognition of her seminal work contributing to the understanding of mammalian skin, skin stem cells, and skin-related diseases, particularly cancers, genetic diseases, and proinflammatory disorders.

Fuchs is the Rebecca C. Lancefield professor and head of the Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development at The Rockefeller University in New York, N.Y., and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She will give her lecture, "Stem Cells in Silence, Action, and Cancer," Sunday, April 6, 4:30 p.m. PT, in Halls F-G in the San Diego Convention Center.

"Dr. Fuchs is an exceptional scientist, and we are delighted to recognize her pioneering research on the biology of skin stem cells and how they go awry in human diseases of the skin, including cancer," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (hon.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Her seminal studies have had a profound impact not only on the field of cancer research, but also on the research disciplines of genetics and dermatology."

Fuchs is highly regarded for her studies using reverse genetics to understand the biological basis of normal and abnormal skin development and function. Among her important research discoveries was the clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of skin stem cells to produce the epidermis and its appendages, including hair follicles and sweat and oil glands. She has also defined how the normal biology of skin stem cells can be deregulated in skin cancers and other hyperproliferative disorders of the skin.

"I'm honored, delighted, and humbled to receive this award from the AACR," said Fuchs. "My students, postdocs, and staff, present and past, are the ones who truly merit recognition. My group has long had an interest in skin stem cells, how they make and repair tissues, and how this goes awry in cancers. As a basic scientist who studies the fundamental mechanisms underlying stem cell biology and cancer, it is particular pleasing to be recognized not only by basic cancer biologists, but also by physician scientists and clinicians. It is the diversity and breadth of the AACR that make this Society and this honor so special."

The Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award, now in its 17th year, recognizes an individual scientist of international renown who has made a major scientific discovery in basic or translational cancer research.

As recipient of this award, Fuchs will also present the Ninth Annual Stanley J. Korsmeyer Lecture at the Venetian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Padua, Italy, prior to the Pezcoller Foundation's official award ceremony in Trento, Italy, May 2014.

See the article here:
Pezcoller Foundation and AACR honor outstanding achievements of Dr. Elaine Fuchs

Health

Teruhiko Wakayama, a respected stem cell scientist from Japans RIKEN Institute, said he is not certain about the methods used in two studies he co-authored with lead investigator Haruko Obokata.

In the ground-breaking work, heralded by some in the field as a game-changer in the way stem cells are made, Obokata and her team, which included researchers from Harvard University and other international institutes, detailed how they were able to coax already developed cells to revert back to an embryonic-like state to become stem cells by simply exposing them to chemical solutions (mostly acidic) or physical stress. Stem cells can be manipulated to develop into any of the bodys tissues to repair or replace diseased cells.

The controversy erupted when Obokata and her team published a tips sheet for other researchers to follow to replicate their work. But inconsistencies between the newly released methods and the original protocol in the papers, as well as questions about images in the published work, led some to wonder about the validity of the results. Wakayama himself said he was able to repeat the study only once, with Obokatas assistance, but not on his own.

MORE: The Rise and Fall of the Cloning King

In a press conference in Japan last month, Wakayama, who is best known for using stem cell techniques to clone mice, said he asked all of the scientists involved to retract the papers, which were published in the journal Nature in January, and to have the data and results reviewed by other scientists. RIKEN is investigating the work, as is Nature.

The development adds another black eye to the field of stem cell science, which is ripe with possibility but has struggled to establish its credibility. In 2006, Korean researcher Woo Suk Hwang claimed he had become the first to successfully clone human cells, generating patient-specific lines of stem cells from a persons skin cell. The work turned out to be fraudulent, and the stem cells derived from an already established technique of extracting them from existing embryos.

Since then, both policy makers and those in the field have been more skeptical of milestone claims for good reason, as the latest study shows.

Originally posted here:
Stem Cell Researcher Calls for Retraction of His Own Work

Harvard scientists have made a breakthrough in studying early onset Alzheimers Disease by converting patients skin cells into neurons in the hopes of facilitating a better understanding of the disease and creation of drug therapies.

The study, led by Tracy Young-Pearse, a Harvard Stem Cell Institute affiliate and member of Brigham and Womens hospital, concluded what had previously only been observed in micethat the early onset of Alzheimers is directly correlated to higher levels of amyloid beta protein 42. Most people generally produce amyloid beta with only 40 amino acids, but in early onset of the disease, amyloid beta protein 42, which has two extra amino acids, was more prevalent.

As a form of progressive dementia that affects more than 26 million people worldwide, early onset AD usually brings about cognitive decline and memory loss in individuals in their 30s to 50s while the more common late onset AD tends to affect individuals in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Researchers also concluded that the neurons had higher amounts of tau protein, a classic signal of Alzheimers presence.

The recent findings could lead to the development of potential therapies for this common disease.

The ability to direct stem cells generated from patients to become brain cells allows us with an unprecedented opportunity to study, on a large scale, living patient-derived brain cells in a dish, Young-Pearse said. Not only can we use these to better understand the mechanisms underlying the disease, but we also can use these to test novel therapeutic strategies in the cell types involved in the disease.

Moreover, this research serves as a proof-of-concept that stem cells can be used to model diseases and discover therapies.

The field is highly collaborative, working together to[make] different types of neurons that are affected in various neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's, ALS, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease, Young-Pearse said.

Staff writer Arjun S. Byju can be reached at arjun.byju@thecrimson.com.

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Researchers Find Novel Methods to Study Alzheimer's

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) March 10, 2014

Histogen Aesthetics, a subsidiary of regenerative medicine company Histogen, Inc. focused on skin care and cosmeceuticals, announced today that the Company has acquired the CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatments line of skincare products.

Histogen Aesthetics will continue sales of the eleven existing CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatments skincare products, while bringing new innovation to the line through the addition of a unique regenerative medicine technology, working to improve skin aging at a cellular level.

We have long admired the science, clinical data and elegant formulas behind the CellCeuticals line, and see it as an ideal fit for our recently revitalized aesthetics subsidiary, said Dr. Gail K. Naughton, CEO and Chairman of Histogen, Inc. We are very excited to begin infusing unique cell-signaling factors into the CellCeuticals regimen, to truly transform skin one cell at a time.

Dr. Naughton has spent more than 30 years in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and holds over 100 patents in the field. She founded Histogen in 2007, focused on developing therapies that work to stimulate the stem cells in the body to regenerate tissues and organs. Through this work, she has also seen how different compositions of human proteins can have cosmetic benefits, particularly in anti-aging and rejuvenation.

I am pleased that the CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatments will evolve, and see Histogen Aesthetics as an excellent home for this innovative product line, said Paul Scott Premo, co-founder of CellCeuticals Skin Care, Inc. I believe the addition of this regenerative medicine technology will be the opportunity to introduce a new generation of products that are the vanguard of regenerative skin care.

The CellCeuticals system is made up of eleven distinctive products including the Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser, CellGenesis Regenerative Skin Treatment, and PhotoDefense Color Radiance SPF55+ with proprietary and patented PhotoPlex technology. The line is currently available at retailers including QVC.com, Dermstore.com, and Nordstrom.com, as well as http://www.cellceuticalskincare.com.

About Histogen Aesthetics Histogen Aesthetics LLC, formed in 2008 as a subsidiary of Histogen, Inc., focuses on the development of innovative skin care products utilizing regenerative medicine technology. Histogen Aesthetics technology is based on the expertise of founder Dr. Gail K. Naughton, in which fibroblasts are grown under unique conditions, producing a complex of naturally-secreted proteins and synergistic bio-products known to stimulate skin cells to regenerate and rejuvenate tissues. In 2014, Histogen Aesthetics acquired CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatments, a line of scientifically-proven products that reactivate cells to help aging skin perform and look healthier and younger. For more information, visit http://www.cellceuticalskincare.com.

About Histogen Histogen is a regenerative medicine company developing solutions based upon the products of cells grown under proprietary conditions that mimic the embryonic environment, including low oxygen and suspension. Through this unique technology process, newborn cells are encouraged to naturally produce the vital proteins and growth factors from which the Company has developed its rich product portfolio. Histogen's lead product, Hair Stimulating Complex (HSC) has shown success in two Company-sponsored clinical trials as an injectable treatment for alopecia. In addition, the human multipotent cell conditioned media produced through Histogen's process is also being researched for oncology applications, and in orthopedics through joint venture PUR Biologics, LLC. For more information, please visit http://www.histogen.com.

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Histogen Aesthetics Acquires CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatments

By Marcus Johnson

Stem cell researchers from Harvard have been able to turn patients skin cells into neurons that can be affected by early-onset Alzheimers. Experts believe that this will make it easier to gather the results of cells affected by the disease. It is also believed that the research will make the development of new treatments a faster process.

The research was published in the Human Molecular Genetics journal and headed by Tracy Young-Pearse. The data showed that peopl suffering from Alzheimers had cell mutations t similar to mutations occurring in mice. We see this mild increase in A42 in cells from patients with Alzheimer's disease, which seems to be enough to trigger disease processes, said Young-Pearse. We also see increases of a smaller species of amyloid-beta called A38, which was unexpected as it should not be very aggregation prone. We don't fully understand what it means, but it may combine with other forms of amyloid-beta to stimulate plaque formation.

The researchers hope that their work can lead to new drugs that are more effective against the disease. Alzheimers drugs have had a high rate of failure during clinical trials because much of the drug development was based on non-human models. Young-Pearse hopes that their research can make it easier to treat the disease and develop new drugs. Because of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, we were able to work with other researchers to make patient cells into any type of neuron," said Young-Pearse. "The environment provides a really nice system for testing many kinds of hypotheses.

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Stem Cells Driving Alzheimer's Research

(PRWEB) March 07, 2014

Dr. Vincent Giampapa, Co-founder and Chief Medical Offer of CellHealthTM Institute (CHI), will appear as a guest on A Healthy You and Carol Alt March 8th and 9th at 4pm EST on FOX. Dr. Giampapa and the former supermodel, healthy living expert and show host Carol Alt will explore the new technology of banking ones own adult stem cells for future use through CHIs new program, MyStemBank, http://www.MyStemBank.com. The show will dive deep into the real life needs for this new type of bio-insurance and will explain the ins and outs of the adult stem cell collection and storage process.

The human body is comprised of trillions of cells, which make up the skin, bones, muscles, tissues, and organs. They perform various, critical functions including transmitting signals, producing energy, and defending the body against illness. The mother of all of those cells is our adult stem cells.

Adult stem cells are the reservoir from which cells can be used now and in the future for both preventive health and disease treatment. The implications of this on our human health are tremendous, says Dr. Giampapa.

Tune in to learn about how this fascinating new preventive health practice is becoming as popular as cord blood storage and how MyStemBanks gold standard of adult stem cell collection differs from other types of collection.

Dr. Vincent Giampapa will also be a featured expert on Stem Cell Universe with Stephen Hawking, airing on Science Channel on March 13th, 9am PST/EST that will discuss in greater detail the importance of adult stem cell collection.

CellHealthTM Institute, a research based biotech company committed to developing and delivering the highest quality products and services that will enable and empower people to live healthier lives, longer. CHI is committed to developing and delivering high quality and high efficacy products to empower people to take control of their health at its most basic, cellular level. CHI collaborates with top-tier research universities and biotech companies to offer breakthrough nutritional supplements, lifestyle education, and fully integrated personalized health programs. CHI is also committed to pushing the limits of current medical practice to unlock the secrets of chronic illness, disease and aging by exploring the possibilities of advanced stem cell therapies.

For more information or press inquires please go to http://www.mystembank.com or call 844-709-7836.

View original post here:
CellHealth Institutes Dr. Vincent Giampapa Unveils MyStemBank: A Revolutionary Type of Adult Stem Cell Bio ...

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

6-Mar-2014

Contact: Jessica Maki jmaki3@partners.org 617-525-6373 Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, MA A team of Alzheimer's disease (AD) researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has been able to study the underlying causes of AD and develop assays to test newer approaches to treatment by using stem cells derived from related family members with a genetic predisposition to (AD).

"In the past, research of human cells impacted by AD has been largely limited to postmortem tissue samples from patients who have already succumbed to the disease," said Dr. Tracy L. Young-Pearse, corresponding author of the study recently published in Human Molecular Genetics and an investigator in the Center for Neurologic Diseases at BWH. "In this study, we were able to generate stem cells from skin biopsies of living family members who carry a mutation associated with early-onset AD. We guided these stem cells to become brain cells, where we could then investigate mechanisms of the disease process and test the effects of newer antibody treatments for AD."

The skin biopsies for the study were provided by a 57-year-old father with AD and his 33 year-old- daughter, who is currently asymptomatic for AD. Both harbor the "London" familial AD Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) mutation, V7171. More than 200 different mutations are associated with familial AD. Depending on the mutation, carriers can begin exhibiting symptoms as early as their 30s and 40s. APPV7171 was the first mutation linked to familial AD and is the most common APP mutation.

The BWH researchers submitted the skin biopsies to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, where the cells were converted into induced pluripotent stem cells (or iPSCs). Dr. Young-Pearse's lab then directed the stem cells derived from these samples into neurons specifically related to a particular region of the brain which is responsible for memory and cognitive function. The scientists studying these neurons made several important discoveries. First, they showed that the APPV7171 mutation alters APP subcellular location, amyloid-beta protein generation, and then alters Tau protein expression and phosphorylation which impacts the Tau protein's function and activity. Next, the researchers tested multiple amyloid-beta antibodies on the affected neurons. Here, they demonstrated that the secondary increase in Tau can be rescued by treatment with the amyloid -protein antibodies, providing direct evidence linking disease-relevant changes in amyloid-beta to aberrant Tau metabolism in living cells obtained directly from an AD patient.

While AD is characterized by the presence of amyloid-beta protein plaques and Tau protein tangles, observing living cell behavior and understanding the mechanisms and relationship between these abnormal protein deposits and tangles has been challenging. Experimental treatments for AD are using antibodies to try to neutralize the toxic effects of amyloid-beta, because they can bind to and clear the amyoid-beta peptide from the brain.

This study is the first of its kind to examine the effects of antibody therapy on human neurons derived directly from patients with familial AD.

"Amyloid-beta immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic option in AD, if delivered early in the disease process," said Dr. Young-Pearse. "Our study suggests that this stem cell model from actual patients may be useful in testing and comparing amyloid-beta antibodies, as well as other emerging therapeutic strategies in treating AD."

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Alzheimer's research team employs stem cells to understand disease processes and study new treatment

Doctors in London have devised a way to reconstruct human ears and noses with stem cells taken from body fat, BBC News reported.

In a study published in the journal Nanomedicine, researchers from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London said theyve successfully used fat stem cells to grow cartilage in a laboratory setting. Using ear-shaped scaffolding to ensure that the stem cells grow into the desired shape, physicians said they hope to someday be able to implant lab-grown cartilage underneath a persons skin to correct facial abnormalities.

While more testing needs to be done before the technique is used in patients, researchers hope to use this method to help patients with conditions like microtia a congenital deformity that can leave a child with a missing or malformed ear. Currently, the only corrective procedure available to these children involves taking cartilage from the childs ribs a procedure that leaves permanent scaring and requires multiple surgeries.

"It would be the Holy Grail to do this procedure through a single surgery," study author Dr Patrizia Ferretti told BBC News."So, decreasing enormously the stress for the children and having a structure that hopefully will be growing as the child grows."

The researchers also said the technique could be useful in correcting cartilage damage in the nose.

Click for more from BBC News.

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Doctors grow ears, noses using body fat stem cells

The breakthrough might set up another showdown about cloning for therapeutic purposes

OHSU Photos

From Nature magazine

It was hailed some 15 years ago as the great hope for a biomedical revolution: the use of cloning techniques to create perfectly matched tissues that would someday cure ailments ranging from diabetes to Parkinsons disease. Since then, the approach has been enveloped in ethical debate, tainted by fraud and, in recent years, overshadowed by a competing technology. Most groups gave up long ago on the finicky core method production of patient-specific embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from cloning. A quieter debate followed: do we still need therapeutic cloning?

A paper published this week by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a reproductive biology specialist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Beaverton, and his colleagues is sure to rekindle that debate. Mitalipov and his team have finally created patient-specific ESCs through cloning, and they are keen to prove that the technology is worth pursuing.

Therapeutic cloning, or somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), begins with the same process used to create Dolly, the famous cloned sheep, in 1996. A donor cell from a body tissue such as skin is fused with an unfertilized egg from which the nucleus has been removed. The egg reprograms the DNA in the donor cell to an embryonic state and divides until it has reached the early, blastocyst stage. The cells are then harvested and cultured to create a stable cell line that is genetically matched to the donor and that can become almost any cell type in the human body.

Many scientists have tried to create human SCNT cell lines; none had succeeded until now. Most infamously, Woo Suk Hwang of Seoul National University in South Korea used hundreds of human eggs to report two successes, in 2004 and 2005. Both turned out to be fabricated. Other researchers made some headway. Mitalipov created SCNT lines in monkeys in 2007. And Dieter Egli, a regenerative medicine specialist at the New York Stem Cell Foundation, successfully produced human SCNT lines, but only when the eggs nucleus was left in the cell. As a result, the cells had abnormal numbers of chromosomes, limiting their use.

Monkeying around Mitalipov and his group began work on their new study last September, using eggs from young donors recruited through a university advertising campaign. In December, after some false starts, cells from four cloned embryos that Mitalipov had engineered began to grow. It looks like colonies, it looks like colonies, he kept thinking. Masahito Tachibana, a fertility specialist from Sendai, Japan, who is finishing a 5-year stint in Mitalipovs laboratory, nervously sectioned the 1-millimetre-wide clumps of cells and transferred them to new culture plates, where they continued to grow evidence of success. Mitalipov cancelled his holiday plans. I was happy to spend Christmas culturing cells, he says. My family understood.

The success came through minor technical tweaks. The researchers used inactivated Sendai virus (known to induce fusion of cells) to unite the egg and body cells, and an electric jolt to activate embryo development. When their first attempts produced six blastocysts but no stable cell lines, they added caffeine, which protects the egg from premature activation.

None of these techniques is new, but the researchers tested them in various combinations in more than 1,000 monkey eggs before moving on to human cells. They made the right improvements to the protocol, says Egli. Its big news. Its convincing. I believe it.

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Patient-Specific Human Embryonic Stem Cells Created by Cloning

Sir Ian Wilmut proposes an alternative method as a possible means of creating a mammoth--or a hybrid. Such research could lead to major biological discoveries and advances

Wikimedia Commons/Mammut

Editor's note: The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation UK, an online publication covering the latest research.

By Ian Wilmut, University of Edinburgh

It is unlikely that a mammoth could be cloned in the way we created Dolly the sheep, as has been proposed following the discovery of mammoth bones in northern Siberia. However, the idea prompts us to consider the feasibility of other avenues. Even if the Dolly method is not possible, there are other ways in which it would be biologically interesting to work with viable mammoth cells if they can be found.

In order for a Dolly-like clone to be born it is necessary to have females of a closely related species to provide unfertilised eggs, and, if cloned embryos are produced, to carry the pregnancies. Cloning depends on having two cells. One is an egg recovered from an animal around the time when usually she would be mated.

In reality there would be a need for not just one, but several hundred or even several thousand eggs to allow an opportunity to optimise the cloning techniques. The cloning procedure is very inefficient. After all, after several years of research with sheep eggs, Dolly was the only one to develop from 277 cloned embryos. In species in which research has continued, the typical success rate is still only around 5% at best.

Elephant eggs

In this case the suggestion is to use eggs from elephants. Because there is a danger of elephants becoming extinct it is clearly not appropriate to try to obtain 500 eggs from elephants. But there is an alternative.

There is a considerable similarity in the mechanisms that regulate function of the ovaries in different mammals. It has been shown that maturation of elephant eggs is stimulated if ovarian tissue from elephants is transplanted into mice.

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Produce Woolly Mammoth Stem Cells, Says Creator of Dolly the Sheep

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

4-Mar-2014

Contact: Jen Middleton jen.middleton@ed.ac.uk 44-131-650-6514 University of Edinburgh

Horses suffering from neurological conditions similar to those that affect humans could be helped by a breakthrough from stem cell scientists.

Researchers who are the first to create working nerve cells from horse stem cells say the advance may pave the way for cell therapies that target conditions similar to motor neurone disease.

The research could also benefit horses affected by grass sickness, a neurological condition that affects around 600 horses a year in the UK.

Little is known about the disease, which causes nerve damage throughout the body. It is untreatable and animals with the most severe form usually die or have to be put down.

The advance by the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute will provide a powerful tool for those studying horse diseases. It will also help scientists to test new drugs and treatments.

The researchers took skin cells from a young horse and turned them into stem cells using a technique that was originally developed for human cells. The reprogrammed cells are pluripotent, which means they can be induced to become any type of cell in the body.

The team used them to create nerve cells in the laboratory and tested whether they were functional by showing that they could transmit nerve signals in a test tube.

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Horses set to gain health benefits from stem cell advance

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Researchers in London, UK, are investigating the effectiveness of stem cell therapies for facial reconstruction.

A joint team, from London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and University College London's Institute of Child Health, has published the findings of their research in the journal Nanomedicine.

This follows the recent news that another UK-based team, of The London Chest Hospital, has begun the largest ever trial of adult stem cells in heart attack patients.

Great Ormond Street has a proven track record in facial reconstruction, particularly with regard to treating children with a missing or malformed ear - a condition called microtia. This kind of reconstructive surgery involves taking cartilage from the patient's ribs to craft a "scaffold" for an ear, which is then implanted beneath the skin.

Despite successes with this method, the researchers thought the treatment may be improved by bringing stem cells into the process.

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Reconstructing faces using human stem cells from fat

Scientists have managed to use body fat and turned it into cartilage It is now hoped technique could help patients born with microtia At the moment, doctors take cartilage from other parts of the body

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 06:43 EST, 2 March 2014 | UPDATED: 06:46 EST, 2 March 2014

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British scientists are aiming to grow ears and noses in a laboratory to transplant then into humans.

Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London have managed to use abdominal body fat and turn it into cartilage.

It is now hoped that the technique could help patients who have been born with microtia, which means the ear fails to develop properly, or who have been in an accident.

Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital are aiming to grow ears and noses in a laboratory to transplant then into humans

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Ears and noses to be grown in lab from stem cells for human transplants thanks to revolutionary technique