PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

3-Dec-2014

Contact: Glenna Picton picton@bcm.edu 713-798-4710 Baylor College of Medicine @bcmhouston

HOUSTON - (Dec. 3, 2014) - A novel mechanism - similar to how normal tissue stem cells respond to wounding - might explain why bladder cancer stem cells actively contribute to chemo-resistance after multiple cycles of chemotherapy drug treatment. Targeting this "wound response" of cancer stem cells can potentially provide a novel approach for therapeutic invention, said researchers from the National Cancer Institute-designated Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

The results of their study appear online in the journal Nature today.

"Treatment for advanced bladder cancer is limited to surgery and chemotherapy. There are no targeted treatments available," said Dr. Keith Syson Chan, an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology and of urology and the corresponding author on the report. "The chemotherapy response is far from ideal so the clinical goal is to advance research into this area and uncover a much more targeted approach."

Together with co-lead authors Antonina Kurtova, a graduate student in the Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Program at Baylor, and Dr. Jing Xiao, research assistant in urology at Baylor, Chan and his team sought out to identify mechanisms underlying the development of resistance in bladder cancer that has invaded the muscles. They found that regrowth of cancer stem cells actively contributes to therapy resistance between drug treatment cycles.

"This is a paradoxical mechanism leading to resistance, one we didn't expect," said Chan. "The cancer stem cells actively regrow and respond to the induced damage or apoptosis (cell death) caused by chemotherapy in between the different cycles, similar to how normal tissue stem cells respond to wound-induced damages."

The proliferation is stimulated by the release of a metabolite (or factor) called prostaglandin E2 or PGE2 from the dying cells, which causes the cancer stem cells to repopulate tumors that were reduced in size by chemotherapy, they found.

In normal cells, this is a part of the wound repair process when PGE2 induces tissues stem cells to regrow; in cancer PGE2 ironically induces regrowth of more cancer stem cells in between chemotherapy cycles, Kurtova and Xiao said.

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'Wound response' of cancer stem cells may explain chemo-resistance in bladder cancer

Experience a New Dimension in Skin Care

The RG-Cell is the latest, breakthrough, anti-aging, skin care cosmaceutical to hit the market. It features a unique proprietary blend of stem cell activators programmed to protect your skin and visibly fight aging at the cellular level.

Scientists have shown that reactivating your dormant stem cells is the most effective process for skin rejuvenation and regeneration. This process stimulates fibroblast production of collagen, increasing skin firmness and elasticity, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a smoother, silkier, vibrant and younger looking skin.

The Mayo Clinic defines Stem cells are the body's raw materials: They are cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or in a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells, called daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new stem cells (self-renewal) or become specialized cells (differentiation) with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, skin cells or heart muscle or bone. Stem cells are unique no other cell in the body has the natural ability to generate new cell types.

They can divide (through mitosis where they split into 2 separate but identical sets with 2 separate nuclei) or differentiate into diverse and specific cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells. In mammals, there are two broad types of stem cells:

Many specialized cells, such as in the skin, or blood, have a lifespan of only a few days. For these tissues to function, a steady replenishment of specialized cells is indispensable.

First, they are able to differentiate into all the different cell types that make up their respective tissue a property called pluripotency.

Second, they need to renew themselves in order to be able to supply new specialized tissue cells throughout life.

Skin is an essential tissue in our bodies. It is our bodys largest organ. Our skin protects us from infection, irritation and dehydration, and allows us to feel many different things, such as pressure, stress or heat. Our skin has to be constantly renewed throughout our lives and relies on a whole host of different stem cells to keep it in good shape.

Stem cells (SCs) residing in the epidermis and hair follicle ensure the maintenance of adult skin homeostasis and hair regeneration, but they also participate in the repair of the epidermis after injuries.

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Skin Care Treatment with RG-Cell Stem Cell Support Serum

Released: 1-Dec-2014 1:00 PM EST Embargo expired: 3-Dec-2014 5:00 AM EST Source Newsroom: McMaster University Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise Hamilton, ON (Dec. 3, 2014) Scientists at McMaster University have discovered that human stem cells made from adult donor cells remember where they came from and thats what they prefer to become again.

This means the type of cell obtained from an individual patient to make pluripotent stem cells, determines what can be best done with them. For example, to repair the lung of a patient with lung disease, it is best to start off with a lung cell to make the therapeutic stem cells to treat the disease, or a breast cell for the regeneration of tissue for breast cancer patients.

Pluripotency is the ability stem cells have to turn into any one of the 226 cell types that make up the human body.The work challenges the previously accepted thought that any pluripotent human stem cell could be used to similarly to generate the same amount of mature tissue cells.

This finding, published today in the prestigious science journal Nature Communications, will be used to further drug development at McMaster, and potentially improve transplants using human stem cell sources.

The study was led by Mick Bhatia, director of the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Human Stem Cell Biology and he is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

Its like the stem cell we make wants to become a doctor like its grandpa or an artist like its great-grandma, said Bhatia.

Weve shown that human induced pluripotent stem cells, called iPSCs, have a memory that is engraved at the molecular/genetic level of the cell type used to make them, which increases their ability to differentiate to the parent tissue type after being put in various stem cell states.

So, not all human iPSCs are made equal, Bhatia added. Moving forward, this means that iPSC generation from a specific tissue requiring regeneration is a better approach for future cellular therapies. Besides being faster and more cost-efficient in the development of stem cell therapy treatments, this provides a new opportunity for use of iPSCs in disease modeling and personalized drug discovery that was not appreciated before.

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Not All Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Are Made Equal

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

3-Dec-2014

Contact: Veronica McGuire vmcguir@mcmaster.ca 90-552-591-402-2169 McMaster University @mcmasteru

Hamilton, ON (Dec. 3, 2014) - Scientists at McMaster University have discovered that human stem cells made from adult donor cells "remember" where they came from and that's what they prefer to become again.

This means the type of cell obtained from an individual patient to make pluripotent stem cells, determines what can be best done with them. For example, to repair the lung of a patient with lung disease, it is best to start off with a lung cell to make the therapeutic stem cells to treat the disease, or a breast cell for the regeneration of tissue for breast cancer patients.

Pluripotency is the ability stem cells have to turn into any one of the 226 cell types that make up the human body.The work challenges the previously accepted thought that any pluripotent human stem cell could be used to similarly to generate the same amount of mature tissue cells.

This finding, published today in the prestigious science journal Nature Communications, will be used to further drug development at McMaster, and potentially improve transplants using human stem cell sources.

The study was led by Mick Bhatia, director of the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Human Stem Cell Biology and he is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

"It's like the stem cell we make wants to become a doctor like its grandpa or an artist like its great-grandma," said Bhatia.

"We've shown that human induced pluripotent stem cells, called iPSCs, have a memory that is engraved at the molecular/genetic level of the cell type used to make them, which increases their ability to differentiate to the parent tissue type after being put in various stem cell states.

Continued here:
Not all induced pluripotent stem cells are made equal: McMaster researchers

NEWS

1200+ scientists, patient advocates from 40 countries in town for summit

Posted December 02, 2014, 6:04 PM Updated December 02, 2014, 6:33 PM

SAN ANTONIO - More than a thousand scientists, industry leaders and patient advocates from 40 countries are headed to San Antonio for the World Stem Cell Summit.

Organizers are calling it the center of the universe when it comes to stem cells and regenerative medicine.

On Tuesday the summit kicked off with Public Education Day, where some of the smartest scientists in the field broke the topic down into bite-sized pieces.

"To be able to replenish our cells that die within a tissue on a daily basis, in order for us to be able to heal wounds, we have to have stem cells," said Elaine Fuchs, an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

She started her research in the field in the 1970s with work on skin stem cells, and said she was fascinated with creating skin in a petri dish that could then be used for burn therapy.

Fuchs spoke at Public Education Day about the most basic biology of stem cells and said that knowledge is leading to a new world in medicine.

"The biology of stem cells is gong to be and is being extremely valuable in terms of developing new therapies and coming up with new drugs to treat various different devastating diseases," Fuchs said.

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World Stem Cell Summit kicks off in SA with Public Education Day

MIAMI (PRWEB) December 01, 2014

MIAMI, Dec. 1, 2014Stem Cell Training, Inc., a division of Global Stem Cells Group, Inc., has announced plans to launch a post graduate studies program in stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine in 2015.

The program will include five days of intensive, interactive training coursework with classroom instruction and laboratory practice through didactic lectures, hands-on practical experience in laboratory protocols and relevant lessons in regulatory practices. Global Stem Cells Group Advisory Board member Dr. David B. Harrell, PhD will teach the coursework and perform laboratory instruction, accompanied by a series of guest lecturers from the Global Stem Cells Group faculty of scientists.

Attendees will receive hands-on training in techniques for a variety of laboratory processes, and gain insight into the inner workings of a cGMP laboratory and FDA registered tissue bank. Regenerative medicine experts with more 15 years of experience in the field will train attendees and provide the necessary tools to implement regulatory and clinical guidelines in a cGMP laboratory setting

The graduate course is to be held four times in Miami in 2015.

Course details, objectives and instruction include:

Didactic Lectures will include:

For additional information, visit the Stem Cell Training, Inc. website, email info(at)stemcelltraining(dot)net, or call 305-224-1858.

About Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions. With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Link:
Global Stem Cell Groups Stem Cell Training to Launch Post-graduate Studies Program in Stem Cell Therapies and ...

Okayama City, Japan (PRWEB UK) 2 December 2014

Researchers at Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Kyorin University School of Medicine have successfully generated a kidney-like structure from just a single cell.

It has been predicted that the kidney will be among the last organs successfully regenerated in vitro due to its complex structure and multiple functions, states Shinji Kitamura, Hiroyuki Sakurai and Hirofumi Makino at the beginning of their latest report, before continuing to describe results suggesting a far more positive prognosis for the pace of kidney regeneration research. Despite the anatomical challenges posed by the kidney anatomy and the complexities understood from embryonic kidney development processes, the researchers have demonstrated that kidney-like structures can be generated from just a single adult kidney stem cell.

In embryos, kidney development requires two types of primordial cells cells at the earliest stage of development. However by generating kidney-like structures from a single type of kidney stem cell the researchers provide evidence for differences in the organ development in adults and embryos.

Kitamura, Sakurai and Makino researchers from Okayama and Kyorin Universities - took kidney stem cells from the different kidney components of microdissected adult rats and grew them in culture. A method for growing three-dimensional cell clusters showed that kidney-like structures could form so long as the initial cell cluster was large enough.

The minimum cluster size required might suggest that not all the kidney stem cells have stem cell characteristics. Therefore the researchers cloned kidney stem cells and confirmed that kidney-like structures still formed from the clusters of clone cells after a few weeks.

The researchers add, Although the physiological roles of such cells are currently unclear, analogous cells in the adult human kidney would be a valuable resource for the regeneration of kidneys in vitro.

Background Kidney structure There are more than a dozen distinct types of cell in the kidneys. The basic structural unit of the kidney is the nephron, which filters the blood to regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances such as sodium salts. Each nephron comprises several well-defined segments: the glomerulus, the proximal tubule, the loop of Henle, the distal tube and the collecting duct.

In embryo kidney organogenesis two primordial cell types are required to differentiate into all the different cell types in the kidney: metanephric mesenchymal cells and uteric bud cells. Kitamura, Sakurai and Makino produced kidney cells that could differentiate into a kidney-like structure without these primordial cell types, suggesting these are adult kidney stem cells.

Obtaining kidney stem cells The researchers microdissected adult rat kidneys into segments from the glomeruli, proximal convoluted tubule (S1/PCT), proximal straight tubule (S2, S3), medullary thick ascending limb of Henles loop and the collecting duct. They then grew the cells on mouse mesenchymal cells. While there is no known single biomarker for adult kidney stem cells, immunohistochemical anaylysis identified a number of markers in the kidney stem cells- that are found in embryonic or adult kidneys.

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Kidney organ regeneration research leaps forward

- As improved R&D climate supports development, stem cell therapeutics market expected to boom globally

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Stem cells have the potential to transform healthcare by enabling the cost-effective treatment of many conditions that currently have poor treatment options. This will be particularly important for the rapidly growing aged population as well as the rising proportion of patients with neurological and chronic conditions. Stem cells may enable regenerative treatments that avoid traditional drugs, devices and surgery for these patient groups.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Analysis of the Global Stem Cell Market, finds that the market earned revenues of US$40.01 billion in 2013 and estimates this to nearly triple to US$117.66 billion in 2018 at a compound annual growth rate of 24.1 percent. The study covers human adult and embryonic stem cells. While North America is the market leader with more than half of the global stem cell market share, the Asia-Pacific is expected to record the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period. In fact, the APAC stem cell market, which was valued at US$5.60 billion in 2013, is projected to increase to US$18.71 billion by 2018.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://corpcom.frost.com/forms/APAC_PR_DJeremiah_P805-52_10Nov14.

"The overall R&D funding for stem cell research has increased significantly in the past 5 to 10 years and will reach desired heights in the years to come," said Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Consultant Sanjeev Kumar. "The number of venture capital firms investing in stem cell research has risen and government funding agencies have begun to acknowledge the future benefits of the stem cell industry."

While the stiff regulations that previously guarded stem cell research have begun to relax, other legal and ethical issues continue to hamper research. For instance, research institutes that adopt policies addressing concerns surrounding the use of human embryonic tissues may hinder the overall research process, which usually involves several collaborative enterprises. Other market challenges include insurers' reluctance to pay for expensive stem cell therapies and the likelihood that patients themselves will be unable to afford these treatments.

"The global stem cell industry is in an early stage of development, with a handful of small and large participants," noted Kumar. "In the near future, mergers, acquisitions and collaborations will accelerate growth, with multinational companies and larger pharmaceutical companies playing a key role in facilitating these activities. As the market evolves, standards and new regulatory frameworks are expected to ease market challenges."

In the meantime, the market's growth potential is being underlined by promising results from clinical trials and the escalating importance of stem cell banking services across the globe. Eventually, the technology is expected to play a crucial function in various areas including neurological disorders, orthopaedics, cancer, haematological disorders, injuries and wound care, cardiovascular diseases, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, incontinence and liver disorders. Therapeutics manufacturers are also likely to explore the relevance of stem cells in other areas and combine them with existing applications to enhance treatment options.

Analysis of the Global Stem Cell Market is part of the Life Sciences (http://www.lifesciences.frost.com) Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan's related studies include: Analysis of the Global Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market, Western European Companion Diagnostics Market, Analysis of the Global Biosimilars Market, and Analysis of the US Retinal Therapeutics Market. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

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Stem Cells to Revolutionise the Future of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Medicine

MIAMI (PRWEB) December 01, 2014

GlobalStemCellsGroup.com has announced plans to team with Portal Medestetica, the largest physician portal in Lain America, to launch Portalstemcells.com, a new portal dedicated to providing physicians in Spain and Latin America with relevant information, clinical research news and products relating to stem cells and regenerative medicine.

The new collaboration between Global Stem Cells Group and Portal Medestetica will answer a growing need to expand the reach of high-impact news, studies and breakthroughs, and significantly advance the clinical utilization of stem cell research and clinical trials throughout Latin America. The Portalstemcells.com site is designed to help promote the latest state-of-the-art developments in regenerative medicine as they become available, and to share educational content with physicians throughout the region.

Portalstemcells.com will be the ideal vehicle to promote education and cutting-edge science throughout the region, says Ricardo de Cubas, founder of Global Stem Cells Group. The potential of regenerative medicine and stem cells therapies inspiring the medical community to find real opportunities to repair or replace tissue damaged from disease, relieve pain and provide the potential for curing chronic diseases where no cure existed before.

The Portalstemcells.com site is aimed at fostering growth and ethical development in the fast-moving field of stem cell medicine by filling a gap in the resources available throughout Latin America. The goal is to elevate the delivery of stem cell science in order to impact the lives of many patients worldwide.

For more information visit the Global Stem Cells website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About the Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.

With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

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Global Stem Cells Group and Portal Medestetica to Launch Latin American Stem Cell Portal

Stem Cell Therapy Skin Repair, Anti Aging and Anti Wrinkle Cream - As Seen On Tv - Look Younger
http://www.ReadTheReviewsFirst.com Truvisage Anti-Aging Skin Care System Free Trial.

By: Greg Smith

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Stem Cell Therapy Skin Repair, Anti Aging and Anti Wrinkle Cream - As Seen On Tv - Look Younger - Video

At Stem Cell Treatment Institute advanced stem cell procedures are performed at some of the most scientifically advanced hospitals in the world. Stem cell therapy is focused on affecting physical changes in the Spinal Cord that can improve a patient's quality of life. Spinal Cord Injury patients can be treated by lumbar puncture (injecting the cells into the cerebrospinal fluid), IV, or other techniques. Typically this is an outpatient procedure. however patients may stay for 4 or 5 nights in our suites during the process.

Treatment using autologous (patient source) or donor cells (placenta) are available

If Autologous Bone Marrow is used bone marrow is collected from the patient's iliac crest (hip bone) using thin-needle puncture under local anesthesia. Once the bone marrow collection is complete, patients may return to their suite or hotel and go about normal activities.

The stem cells are then processed in a state-of-the-art laboratory. In the lab, both the quantity and quality of the stem cells are measured. The stem cells are then implanted back into the patient by lumbar puncture or IV.

Cost: Stem cell treatments begin around $13,500 (adults).

To contact us and learn more Click Here >>>

We offer Stem Cell treatments with enhanced or manipulated stem cells. These expanded and mobilized stem cells have been found to provide better results than non-manipulated stem cell applications. Manipulation or amplification of the stem cells is done in the lab, where care is taken to retain the cell properties. These expanded and mobilized cells provide superior results and cell recovery has been found to occur twice as fast as with non-manipulated stem cell applications.

Studies where both types of cells were used show that results were quicker and were obtained predominantly from the manipulated stem cells.

Stem Cells can come from the patients fat or bone marrow, but stem cells from donor placenta or umbilical cord blood is also available and may have improved benefits. Donor characteristics (i.e., age) play a key role in treatment success. Your individual situation will be considered and suitable options will be discussed.

As we age our stem cells become less effective. For this reason younger cells are often preferred. We do not need to go all the way back to an early stage embryo to get young cells. Young cord blood cells can be used from The Placenta, Umbilical Cord, and other young sources. These cord blood cells are more likely than stem cells found in bone marrow to have proliferative properties. This means that stem cells found in cord blood have a greater ability to regenerate.

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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury

The Safety and Efficacy of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Spinal Cord Injury Patients Location: China

Overview: This trial aims to investigate transplantation of umbilical cord stem cells from patients with paraplegia. The study is being conducted at the General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces in Haidian. Stem cells derived from donated umbilical cord blood will be given to the trial participants via the femoral artery. The trial expect to enrol 20 patients with traumatic paraplegia [levels T10 through to L2] between April 2012 and December 2013. Participants will be assessed for complications and for improvement in functions such as bladder contracting capacity as well as sensory responsiveness.

Trial Design: Safety and Efficacy Study

Status: Open - Recruiting

Stem Cell: Umbilical Cord Stem Cells

Intrathecal Transplantation Of Autologous Adipose Tissue Derived MSC in the Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Location: South Korea

Overview: This trial is investigating the effects of stem cells from the patient's own fat in the treatment of chronic spinal cord injury. The trial is being conducted at the Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul and plans to recruit 15 participants. The fat stem cells will be injected into the fluid surrounding the spinal (intrathecal injection) three times over approximately two months. Participants will be monitored for complications and assessed for changes in neurological and sensory function. The trial is expected to complete in December 2013.

Trial Design: Safety and Efficacy Study

Status: Open - Recruiting

Stem Cell: Adult Fatty Tissue Stem Cells

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Spinal Cord Injury - Stem Cells Australia

A decade ago, a dream team of researchers from Pittsburgh to South Korea claimed a medical invention that promised to reshape a culture war.

The scientists said they custom-designed stem cells from cloned human embryos. The scientific breakthrough was celebrated around the globe.

Then the bottom fell out.

A scandal erupted over fabricated data, and University of Pittsburgh biologist Gerald Schatten was forced to pull back the findings. Critics cast the 2004 discovery as a farce, a high-profile fraud that forced the journal Science into a rare retraction in January 2006.

Eight years later, the push to use stem cells as a medical treatment continues, but scholars balk at the suggestion that anyone is trying to make genetically identical individuals.

We're not here to clone human beings, for gosh sakes, said John Gearhart, a stem cell researcher and University of Pennsylvania professor in regenerative medicine. Instead, he said, scholars are working to manipulate stem cells to produce heart cells for cardiac patients, brain cells for neurological patients and other custom transplants that could match a person's genetic makeup.

Schatten's work continues at the Magee-Womens Research Institute at Pitt, where university officials cleared him of scientific misconduct, and he remains a vice chairman for research development. He focuses on educating and training physician-scientists and other scientists, a school spokeswoman wrote in a statement. She said Schatten was traveling and was unable to speak with the Tribune-Review.

Researchers have turned the onetime myth of developing stem cells into reality.

At the Oregon Health and Science University, researchers succeeded by blending unfertilized human eggs with body tissue to mold stem cells. Scholars say the cells could let doctors grow customized organs for transplants and other therapies.

The approach engineered by biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov's research team last year in Portland is among two that scientists are using to forge laboratory-made stem cells the so-called master cells that can transform into other body parts without relying on donated human embryos. Federal law tightly controls the use of taxpayer money for embryonic research.

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Advances reshape stem cell research

Latest Hair Loss Research : Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Nutrition for Hair Loss
For More Details Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/SuperStemCellNutrition.

By: Palu Sot

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Latest Hair Loss Research : Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Nutrition for Hair Loss - Video

Researchers from the University of Dresden have usedembryonic stem cells to grow an intact spinal cord in a petri dish, the team reported this week. Its an enormous achievement in a field that has long viewed neural tissue as the ultimate challenge, and one which could give hope to millions of people suffering fromspinal cord injuries.

Neurons, the cells that form the thinking matrix of your brain and carry its orders to the rest of your body, are very difficult to grow. For a long time growing neurons was thought to be impossible, but then it was discovered that olfactory neurons regrow. This is why you can lose your sense of smell for a few days then slowly regain it; the neuron ends, basically open-ended synapses facing into your nasal cavity, areburned away by corrosive smells, butslowly growback. Intense study followed this discovery, as scientists tried to track down how our olfactory neurons regrow, and others packed them directly into severed spinal cords with real success. In the image above, olfactory neurons have granted a lab rat regains some ability to walk again after being paralyzed (though to be fair, those same researchers are the ones who paralyzed it).

Even if you can grow one, the spinal cord still needs to form connections with an incredible number of body parts.

Now, rather than trying toforceour spinal neurons to act like nasalones, this German teammay have a way of making new ones from scratch. Certain diseases and massive injuries could easily render a spine beyond all hope of repair, but in such a situation a full replacement might still work. Remember, though, that one of the reasons neurons are hard to work with is that they must form complex synaptic connections with other neurons to work properly; just growing the spinal cord is only half the battle, and the patients body still has to accept the new routing hardware and integrate it properly.Still, even just the ability to closelyobserve the growth ofa full spinal cord could move neuronal research forward by leaps and bounds.

This technique worked essentially by letting the stem cells go to work and getting as far out of the way as possible; rather than introducing some novel new growth factor, the researchers basically just created an environment where the spine could grow just like it would in a body. Their setup involved inserting small bubbles of stem cells into a nutrient-rich growth mediumand letting them go from there.Given all the opportunities they required, the cells naturally started coordinating andshuntinggrowth factors around most notably the trio of hedgehog signaling molecules.

The teams diagram shows inserted ESC colonies growing into larger cysts which eventually associate.

The most famous of the three-member band, both for its name and its function, is Sonic Hedgehog, which can stimulate directed neuron growth through itsconcentration gradient. A high concentration of Sonic Hedgehog leads the cord to growmotor neurons tocarry the brains muscular commands, while a lower concentration near the top of the cord will lead to interneurons that wire up the spine itself. This is roughly analogous to growth factors in trees, where the widen the trunk molecule is made at the bottom and ferried up, and the split the trunk into branches molecule is made at the top and ferried down; the two opposing concentration gradients lead to the tree-shaped trees we all know so well, with branches becoming less common toward the bottom, where trunk-width takes priority.

In this case, the stem cells and spinal cord were froma mouse, which allowed for lower cost and ethical considerations, butthe principles of growth and signaling should bethe same. This technique made use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which in humans must be collected from fertility clinics and similar, but the ultimate human progenitor cell might not be necessary to further research. As scientists come to understand the mechanics of this breakthrough better, and replicate its results a few more times, it would presumably become possible to begin thisprocesswithinduced stem cells made from adult tissue. If not, this will remain an interesting research tool with little real-world applicabilitydue to the costs and regulatory problemswith ESCs.

Star Trek had a spinal transplant episode but even in the 24th century, its an experimental procedure.

Lab-grown organs are coming far, fast. Somewhere in the world today there are gel baths and petri dishes growing human bladders, eyes, and penises, esophagi, livers, and breasts. Even the quest for lab grown meatfalls under the same basic research umbrella, as scientists use similartechniques to create high quality chicken andbovine skeletal muscle. As with this spinal cord, each of these areas of research is trying to create laboratory conditions that perfectly mimic the body, so cells grow and develop normally.

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Spinal cord has successfully been grown in a lab

Author: Ian Murnaghan BSc (hons), MSc - Updated: 11 September 2014 | Comment

A bone marrow stem cell transplant uses stem cells derived from bone marrow to provide a fresh and healthy source of new blood cells which in turn, allows for a patient to receive higher doses of chemotherapy to treat certain types of cancer such as leukaemia. This ultimately means that a person has a better chance of surviving cancer. The bone marrow stem cells may be allogeneic and therefore donated by a family member of stranger, or they may be autologous, which utilizes a patient's own stem cells.

Bone marrow stem cells are found in bone marrow and in a person's blood. After stem cells multiply, they form immature blood cells, which are then subject to a collection of changes that allow them to develop into mature blood cells. Once mature, the blood cells migrate from the marrow and are introduced into the bloodstream, where they provide important functions in keeping the body alive and healthy.

A patient will usually receive some chemotherapy to reduce cancer cells before stem cells are collected. The harvested stem cells are also treated to ensure that no cancer cells remain. Higher doses of chemotherapy are then given, sometimes alongside complete body radiation, to confirm that no cancer remains. Stem cells are then transplanted back into the body via a rapid injection. Stem cells will eventually migrate to the bone marrow, where they latch onto other cells there and develop into the different blood cells.

Stem cells are then infused into the patient via an intravenous line over several hours. Stem cells travel to the patient's bone marrow where they develop and produce the blood cells necessary for blood functioning. Patients may also still be given drug therapy for some time to reduce the chances of immune rejection.

Bone marrow stem cell harvests are clearly a life saving technique for those suffering from certain cancers such as leukaemia. They are one of the 'older' stem cell therapies and have been proven effective for decades now. There are, however, still issues of rejection that warrant further development and refinement of stem cell harvesting techniques. It is hoped that scientists will continue to focus on research to improve the odds of success for this important treatment.

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Bone Marrow Stem Cell Harvest

Cell Therapy Limited on Crowdcube - Repairing Broken Hearts
HeartcelTM is a novel stem cell therapy that can regenerate the heart following heart failure - a Cell Therapy Ltd Medicine.

By: Cell Therapy Ltd

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Cell Therapy Limited on Crowdcube - Repairing Broken Hearts - Video

Stem Cells Enhancement Naturally!
How to Enhance Your Bone Marrow Stem Cells.

By: Dave W Easter

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Stem Cells Enhancement Naturally! - Video

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Affordable Care Act Updates: CBSNewYork.com/ACA

Health News & Information: CBSNewYork.com/Health

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) A New York woman battling leukemia was especially grateful this Thanksgiving, as she credited the kindness of a total stranger with helping save her life.

They found the donor, and it was just basically like a weight lifted off my shoulders, said Jeanine Walsh, 38.

As CBS2s Dr. Max Gomez reported Thursday, Walsh the mother of two young children has been battling leukemia for the second time in two years.

I was in total and complete shock, she said.

No members of Walshs family were a match for her, but a willing donor was found through the national registry. Peripheral stem cells were collected from the donor, located in the Western U.S., earlier this week.

The process took just a few hours.

We attach the patient, that is the donor, to a machine. The machine takes blood form the donor, filters out the stem cells if you will, and returns the rest of the blood to the donor, said Dr. Michael Schuster, director of stem cell transplantation at Stony Brook University Hospital.

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Stranger Donates Stem Cells In Hopes Of Curing New York Woman With Leukemia

Stem Cell Therapy Project
Daniel, John, Magno, Thahn, Victor, Vivian show the world just exactly what stem cells really are.

By: John Peterman

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