Father-of-two James Cross, 55, suffered a heart attack in February Surgeons at the London Chest Hospital offered him a unique chance Experimental therapy involved injecting stem cells from Mr Cross's hip into his heart in the hope they would encourage the organ to repair itself It appears to have worked as Mr Cross's heart muscle function has increased from 21% after the attack to 37% and it is still improving Experts hope the new technique will increase survival rates by a quarter

By John Naish

Published: 20:38 EST, 8 September 2014 | Updated: 07:12 EST, 9 September 2014

James Cross, 55,was offered experimental treatment after suffering a heart attack in February

After James Cross had a heart attack in February, he was given a unique chance for a new life.

Surgeons at the London Chest Hospital offered the 55-year-old experimental therapy that involved injecting his own stem cells into the damaged organ.

This was done in the hope that it would encourage his heart to repair itself.

The injected stem cells should prevent the hearts muscle tissue from becoming increasingly damaged after suffering a lack of oxygen during the heart attack.

And it seems to have worked.

After the heart attack, I had 21 per cent of my heart muscle functioning, as opposed to the normal 61 per cent, says James.

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Could stem cells from your hip repair your heart after an attack?

CHILHOWIE, Va. You wouldnt think from seeing her smile and watching her run and play that there is anything wrong with 5-year-old Nevaeh Bruner of Chilhowie.

But shes lucky to be alive and faces a lengthy procedure that could be her only chance for survival.

Pam Troxel Buchanan, the little girls great aunt, and Donna Hamm, her great-great aunt, are taking care of Nevaeh and tear up just thinking about what this little girl has been through and what she faces in her fight to live.

She is a very strong little girl. I couldnt do it, said Buchanan.

Nevaeh has been diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare disease that causes a complete failure of production of all types of blood cells. As a result, the bone marrow contains large numbers of fat cells instead of the blood-producing cells that would normally be present. It is a potentially fatal blood disease in which there are not enough stem cells in the bone marrow or the stem cells have stopped working effectively.

Buchanan said that last November Nevaehs teacher at Chilhowie Elementary School noticed bruising on her body. She had shown no other symptoms of illness, Buchanan said, so her parents were advised to take her to Niswonger Childrens Hospital in Johnson City, Tennessee, where there is a St. Jude affiliate clinic.

Buchanan said they spent a month running tests and the doctors told Nevaehs parents that her blood count was so low that she would not have lived much longer had she not received treatment. The little girl, who was 4-years-old at the time, has undergone numerous procedures, including surgery, transfusions, chemotherapy and radiation. She is taking oral chemotherapy and having blood transfusions as needed, but she is being weaned off the chemo to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

The chemo is also causing her kidneys to malfunction, bringing her close to kidney failure, Buchanan said.

She will always be in stage two kidney disease, Buchanan said. She will have sensitive kidneys and have to live with that.

The only option at this point is a bone marrow transplant, Buchanan said. Two donor matches have been found and the procedure will take place at St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee, at the end of this year or next spring, Buchanan said.

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One Lucky Little Girl

Aging News & Information

Aging Muscles May Be Restored by Discovery of a Key to Making Muscle

Results hailed as important step toward developing new muscle to treat muscle diseases; good news for seniors with muscles wasting away from aging

Sept. 8, 2014 Promising results have been achieved in repairing damaged tissue in muscles which could lead to a new therapeutic approach to treating the millions of people suffering from muscle diseases, including those with muscular dystrophies and muscle wasting associated with cancer and aging seniors, according to the study, published September 7 in Nature Medicine.

Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) in La Jolla, California, have developed this novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles. The technique also creates a sustainable pool of muscle stem cells needed to support multiple rounds of muscle repair.

There are two important processes that need to happen to maintain skeletal-muscle health. First, when muscle is damaged by injury or degenerative disease such as muscular dystrophy, muscle stem cellsor satellite cellsneed to differentiate into mature muscle cells to repair injured muscles.

Second, the pool of satellite cells needs to be replenished so there is a supply to repair muscle in case of future injuries. In the case of muscular dystrophy, the chronic cycles of muscle regeneration and degeneration that involve satellite-cell activation exhaust the muscle stem-cell pool to the point of no return.

Related Archive Stories

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Aging Muscles May Be Restored by Discovery of a Key to Making Muscle

So, when teenagers receive their National Insurance number through the post, why not also include an invitation to join the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register, and give them a chance to save a life at 16?

Email your MP to ask them to support Anthony Nolan's plan

Stem cell donations can play a crucial role in the treatment of blood cancers such as leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In the UK each year 2,000 people with blood cancer need a donation of healthy cells, and every single one of them depends on the kindness of a stranger. This is where the Anthony Nolan register comes in.

When a patient needs a lifesaving transplant, their medical team works with us to find a match.

Today there are over half a million people on our donor register. That number grew by 55,000 names last year.

But only six per cent of those donors are aged between 16 and 20, and we need many more in this age group to come forward. We know that young people are more likely to be chosen by doctors as donors for people with blood cancer.

This is why Anthony Nolan recruits young people from the age of 16 and why sending registration information with National Insurance numbers could be such an important move.

Similar measures have been taken before. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency includes information on organ donation when it delivers new driving licences. This is an innovative way to get individuals to think about a small but significant commitment they can make to help others.

Young people such as Victoria Rathmill and Celyn Evans are ground-breakers, and should be applauded as pioneers. What they have done takes courage. But the point of being a pioneer is to forge a path that others will follow. Our proposal, a simple awareness-raising measure, will help a great many people. It won't even cost the taxpayer a penny, as all expenses will be paid by Anthony Nolan.

We already have over 530,000 incredible people on our register, which is an amazing achievement. Sadly, its not enough. If we are to find a match for every person who needs one, we urgently need more people in their teens and twenties to sign up in the fight against blood cancer. By taking on our proposal, the Government can make it easier for young people to do just that.

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Help Anthony Nolan save a life at 16

Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have developed a novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles. The technique also creates a sustainable pool of muscle stem cells needed to support multiple rounds of muscle repair. The study, published September 7 in Nature Medicine, provides promise for a new therapeutic approach to treating the millions of people suffering from muscle diseases, including those with muscular dystrophies and muscle wasting associated with cancer and aging.

There are two important processes that need to happen to maintain skeletal-muscle health. First, when muscle is damaged by injury or degenerative disease such as muscular dystrophy, muscle stem cells -- or satellite cells -- need to differentiate into mature muscle cells to repair injured muscles. Second, the pool of satellite cells needs to be replenished so there is a supply to repair muscle in case of future injuries. In the case of muscular dystrophy, the chronic cycles of muscle regeneration and degeneration that involve satellite-cell activation exhaust the muscle stem-cell pool to the point of no return.

"Our study found that by introducing an inhibitor of the STAT3 protein in repeated cycles, we could alternately replenish the pool of satellite cells and promote their differentiation into muscle fibers," said Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program at Sanford-Burnham. "Our results are important because the process works in mice and in human muscle cells."

"Our next step is to see how long we can extend the cycling pattern, and test some of the STAT3 inhibitors currently in clinical trials for other indications such as cancer, as this could accelerate testing in humans," added Sacco.

"These findings are very encouraging. Currently, there is no cure to stop or reverse any form of muscle-wasting disorders -- only medication and therapy that can slow the process," said Vittorio Sartorelli, M.D., chief of the Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation and deputy scientific director at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). "A treatment approach consisting of cyclic bursts of STAT3 inhibitors could potentially restore muscle mass and function in patients, and this would be a very significant breakthrough."

Revealing the mechanism of STAT3

STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) is a protein that activates the transcription of genes in response to IL-6, a signaling protein released by cells in response to injury and inflammation. Prior to the study, scientists knew that STAT3 played a complex role in skeletal muscle, promoting tissue repair in some instances and hindering it in others. But the precise mechanism of how STAT3 worked was a mystery.

The research team first used normally aged mice and mice models of a form of muscular dystrophy that resembles the human disease to see what would happen if they were given a drug to inhibit STAT3. They found that the inhibitor initially promoted satellite-cell replication, followed by differentiation of the satellite cells into muscle fibers. When they injected the STAT3 inhibitor every seven days for 28 days, they found an overall improvement in skeletal-muscle repair, and an increase in the size of muscle fibers.

"We were pleased to find that we achieved similar results when we performed the experiments in human muscle cells," said Sacco. "We have discovered that by timing the inhibition of STAT3 -- like an "on/off" light switch -- we can transiently expand the satellite-cell population followed by their differentiation into mature muscle cells."

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Researchers discover key to making new muscles

Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) September 08, 2014

Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute has become an R3 Stem Cell Center of Excellence. Patients are immediately able to benefit from the regenerative medicine procedures at the Center, including bone marrow or amniotic derived stem cells for arthritis, sports injuries, and all types of chronic pain issues. Call R3 Stem Cell for scheduling at (844) GET-STEM.

R3 Stem Cell works with the best Board Certified providers nationwide, bringing the latest cutting edge regenerative medicine procedures to those in need. The top Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Raj, is the medical director of Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute and has performed over 50 stem cell procedures to date. Patients have include elite athletes, celebrities, executives, students, manual laborers and senior citizens. In other words, every walk of life can benefit.

The procedures offered include stem cell therapy for arthritis, back pain, cartilage defects, tendonitis, migraines, fracture healing and ligament injuries. The procedures are often able to help patients avoid the need for surgery and provide excellent pain relief with increased function.

Said R3 CEO Bob Maguire, MBA, Dr. Raj is a highly respected, skilled and compassionate provider who is committed to providing cutting edge options to his patients. It can help them heal faster while achieving pain relief. Thats what R3 Centers of Excellence strive for and have been very successful with to date.

Several different types of regenerative medicine procedures are offered at the R3 Center of Excellence. Amniotic stem cell procedures have shown amazing benefits in small studies to date. The fluid is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled c-section, with the material being processed at an FDA regulated lab. No fetal tissue is involved or embryonic stem cells.

Bone marrow aspirate stem cell therapy is also offered, with the same day procedure injecting the processed bone marrow into the problem area. A high concentration of stem cells and growth factors sparks an impressive healing process, which can often regenerate damaged tissue.

Platelet rich plasma therapy is also offered, which involves a simple blood draw from patients. Studies are beginning to show that the regenerative medicine procedures work well for helping patients avoid the need for joint replacement surgery and also assisting athletes to get back on the field faster than otherwise.

Financing is available for the procedures at all R3 Stem Cell Centers of Excellence. Call (844) GET-STEM for more information and scheduling with stem cell treatment Los Angeles trusts.

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Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Becomes R3 Stem Cell Center of Excellence

Freeport, Grand Bahama (PRWEB) September 08, 2014

Adult stem cell therapy for heart disease has emerged as a new treatment alternative for those living with a poor quality of life as a result of severe coronary artery disease. Okyanos is slated to begin delivering this innovative new treatment in September, 2014, and is now screening qualified heart disease candidates. The procedure will be performed in their newly constructed state-of-the-art Phillips catheterization lab, as announced last month.

Just 50 miles from US shore, Okyanos cardiac cell therapy is available to qualified patients with advanced stages of coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). The screening process consists of a thorough review of your medical history by the Okyanos Chief Medical Officer and Cardiologist, Dr. Howard Walpole, as well as consultation done in conjunction with your cardiologist. You must be able to travel as the protocol is delivered in Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.

"As a leader in cardiac cell therapy, Okyanos is very excited to bring this innovative treatment and new standard of care to patients in a near-shore, regulated jurisdiction, said Matt Feshbach, CEO and co-founder of Okyanos. Our innovative treatment will restore blood flow to the heart helping it begin the process of healing itself, thereby improving the quality of life for heart disease patients who have exhausted all other options.

Over 12 million Americans suffer from some form of heart disease costing $108.9 billion dollars annually in the US alone. Several million patients have now exhausted the currently available methods of treatment but continue to suffer daily from chronic heart disease symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and chest discomfort that can make simple activities challenging. Cardiac cell therapy stimulates the growth of new blood vessels which can lead to reduced angina and reduced re-hospitalizations resulting in an improvement in quality of life.

The Okyanos procedure is performed by prestigious US-licensed chief cardiologist, Dr. Howard Walpole. It is the first cardiac cell therapy procedure for heart failure and disease available outside of clinical trials in which the bodys own adult stem cells, derived from fat tissue, are injected directly into the damaged part of the heart via a catheter to restore blood flow and repair tissue damaged by a heart attack or disease.

The procedure begins with the extraction of a small amount of your body fat, a process done using advanced water-assisted liposuction technology. After separating the fat tissue using a European Union-approved cell processing device the Okyanos cardiologist immediately injects these cells into and around the low blood flow regions of the heart via a cathetera protocol which allows for better targeting of the cells to repair damaged heart tissue. Because the treatment is minimally invasive it requires that patients be under only moderate sedation. Post-procedural recovery consists of rest in a private suite for several hours that comfortably accommodates up to 3 family members.

Okyanos Heart Institute is scheduled to begin delivery in October. Patients can contact Okyanos at http://www.Okyanos.com or by calling toll free at 1-855-659-2667.

About Okyanos Heart Institute: (Oh key AH nos) Based in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Okyanos Heart Institutes mission is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy. Okyanos adheres to U.S. surgical center standards and is led by CEO Matt Feshbach and Chief Medical Officer Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.A.I. Okyanos Treatment utilizes a unique blend of stem and regenerative cells derived from ones own adipose (fat) tissue. The cells, when placed into the heart via a minimally-invasive catheterization, stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Angiogenesis facilitates blood flow in the heart and supports intake and use of oxygen (as demonstrated in rigorous clinical trials such as the PRECISE trial). The literary name Okyanos, the Greek god of the river Okeanos, symbolizes restoration of blood flow.

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Okyanos Cardiac Cell Therapy Clinic Scheduled to Open

Human trials on the effectiveness of using adult stem cells in the fight against cornea transplant rejection could be under way within the next five years.

Corneal eye disease is the fourth most common cause of blindness in the world and affects more than 10 million people worldwide. New research from NUI Galway has found that transplant rejection rates could be reduced to as low as 10% by administering a stem cell grown from the bone marrow of adult donors.

Although 100,000 people worldwide undergo cornea transplants each year, about 30% are unsuccessful due to rejection by the patients own immune system.

An unhealthy cornea affects vision by scattering or distorting light and causing glare and blurred vision.

Corneal transplants are the most widely used treatments where the diseased or scarred cornea is replaced with healthy tissue from an organ donor.

Researchers from NUI Galways Regenerative Medicine Institute previously found that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) release chemicals capable of adjusting the immune system balance in the body.

The cells can be readily obtained and grown from the bone marrow of adult donors and the finding led them to study their usefulness in combating cornea transplant rejection.

The teams lead scientist, Dr Oliver Treacy, said the model system they developed led to an increase in cells called regulatory T-cells, which dampen down inflammation, and a decrease in the number of natural killer cells, key players in the rejection process.

Consultant ophthalmologist at Galway University Hospital, Gerry Fahy, who was involved in the study, said corneal transplant rejection could result in blindness and was not uncommon in high-risk patients.

This important research presents a potentially new avenue of treatment to prevent transplant rejection and save vision in this vulnerable group of patients, said Mr Fahy.

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Stem cells could cut high rate of cornea transplant rejection

Durham, NC (PRWEB) September 05, 2014

A study published in STEM CELLS on August 30, 2014, details a new, simple, and highly efficient way to convert cells taken from an adults skin into stem cells that have the potential to differentiate into white blood cells.

Stem cells are the keystone of regenerative medicine due to their ability to be coaxed into becoming nearly any cell in the body. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are of particular interest because they can be generated directly from adult cells and thus many of the controversies associated with embryonic stem cells are avoided.

However, a major problem with iPSCs is their propensity to differentiate into immature cells. This is particularly true of hematopoietic (blood) cells, and the ability to generate long-term, re-populating hematopoietic stem cells has long eluded researchers.

In terms of potential clinical applications, the hematopoietic system represents one of the most suitable tissues for stem cell-based therapies as it can be relatively easily reconstituted upon bone marrow or umbilical cord blood cell transplantation. However, and even though much effort has focused on the derivation of hematopoietic cells from iPSCs, their grafting and differentiation potential remains limited, said Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, Ph.D., of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif.

He and his colleagues at the Salk Institute, the Center of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona, and the Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, decided to tackle this problem using a gene called Sox2 and a gene-regulating molecule called miRNA 125b. The Sox2 gene was used as a primer to coax human fibroblasts (the most common cells of connective tissue in animals) into differentiating into CD34+ cells, which are primitive blood- and bone marrow-derived progenitor cells. The miRNA 125b was then added to facilitate the differentiation of these CD34+ stem cells into more mature, hematopoietic-like stem cells.

To our knowledge this is the first time human skin cells have been converted into white blood-like cells with reconstitution and migratory potential, able to further mature in vivo and, more importantly, to graft into distant hematopoietic sites Dr. Belmonte said. Our results indicate this strategy could help circumvent obstacles to reprogramming human cells into blood cells that have clinical potential.

Jan Nolta,Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS, said, we are proud to feature this interesting work that shows that miRNA 125b facilitates the differentiation of fibroblast-derived progenitors into more mature, hematopoietic-like stem cells. This is exciting for future research into the blood-forming system. ###

The full article, Conversion of Human Fibroblasts into Monocyte-Like Progenitor Cells, can be accessed at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/stem.1800/abstract.

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New Study Shows Simple Conversion of Skin Cells Into White Blood-Like Cells

Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Illness and So Called untreatable Diseases
Stem Cell Therapy with Mesenchymal stem cells are pluripotent and adult cells with fibroblastoid morphology and plasticity, toward various cell lineages such as chondrocytes, osteocytes and...

By: enjades

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Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Illness and So Called untreatable Diseases - Video

From the perspective of a community physician, the stem cell research, at this point, is not a priority. Given the daunting task of not only curing the present crop of diseases but also preventing them, and of course, building the human resource as the backbone of the health care system these should be the priority. Joseph Carabeo, convenor, Rx Abolish Pork Barrel Movement

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL Bulatlat.com

MANILA Eleazar Sobinsky, president of the Lung Center of the Philippines Employees Association-Alliance of Health Workers cannot decipher how the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) has helped the poor. Of the P115 million ($263,822) DAP funds received by LCP, P70 million ($160,587) was spent for the stem cell research project and the rest was spent for the procurement of equipment.

He said if the DAP has helped the poor, why are there more indigent patients waiting in line at the LCPs out-patient department?

Joseph Carabeo, convenor of the Rx Abolish Pork Barrel Movement and a community doctor for the past 28 years, said that the stem cell research project does not even help solve the longtime health problems of Filipinos.

The stem cell research in LCP is a mispriority, said Carabeo in an interview with Bulatlat.com. There are many problems in the health sector that has to be addressed. We think, the DOH is merely riding the bandwagon on the stem cell research intervention in health care, wellness and primarily rejuvenation, Carabeo said.

Eleazar Sobinsky, union president of the Lung Center Employees Union said if the DAP has helped the poor, why are there more indigent patients waiting in line at the LCPs out-patient department? (Photo by A. Umil/ Bulatlat.com)

Stem cells according to http://www.stemcellnetwork.ca are the precursors of all cells in the human body.

Stem cells are very special, powerful cells found in both humans and non-human animals. They have been called the centerpiece of regenerative medicine medicine that involves growing new cells, tissues and organs to replace or repair those damaged by injury, disease or aging, the website said.

In the Philippines, Carabeo said, the medical community is not even united in the use of stem cell therapy in curing diseases. He said it is still under research in the Philippines. The Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (PSEM) for one has even warned the public on the use of stem cell therapy as treatment for diabetes.

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DAP-funded stem cell research a wrong priority

By Daniella Walsh on September 04th, 2014

By Daniella Walsh | LB Indy

Leslies stem cell

Janet Dreyer earned a doctorate in molecular biology, but in her 50s enrolled at the Pasadena College of Art and Design and became hooked on art. After a hiatus from both science and art for travel, shes back to art, creating a work that combines her training in both fields, The Stem Cell Scientist.

Dreyers computer generated work came to life at the request of Laguna Beach glass and multi-media artist Leslie Davis, who organized The Art of Stem Cells. The show features conceptual works by 29 artists. Their themes address debilitating diseases and injuries and the work of scientists trying to find cures. The month-long exhibition opens Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana.

Dreyer delved into history when she built a mosaic for the show. The work includes references to the regenerating powers of the Egyptian scarab god Khepri, showing him rolling a cell instead of the sun, among other images. I chose the mosaic format because the tiles create a sense of motion reminding me of developing cells, Dreyer said.

The exhibitions opening and closing receptions will not only showcase what results when artists interact with 23 scientists, but also introduce art patrons to researchers and examples of their state-of-the art stem cell pursuits. Half of all proceeds will benefit research at the center, led for the past eight years by Dr. Peter Donovan, to whom the show is dedicated.

With a keen interest in science and particularly stem cell therapy, Davis has forged a connection to UC Irvines Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. But since 2005, Davis twin interests have yielded three other medical related art exhibitions, including one for Mission Hospital.

It was her brainpower that led to pairing center researchers with artists selected on the strength and nature of their work.

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Stem Cells Star in Marriage of Art and Science

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

5-Sep-2014

Contact: Lisa Newbern lisa.newbern@emory.edu 404-727-7709 Emory Health Sciences

Creating induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells allows researchers to establish "disease in a dish" models of conditions ranging from Alzheimer's disease to diabetes. Scientists at Yerkes National Primate Research Center have now applied the technology to a model of Huntington's disease (HD) in transgenic nonhuman primates, allowing them to conveniently assess the efficacy of potential therapies on neuronal cells in the laboratory.

The results were published in Stem Cell Reports.

"A highlight of our model is that our progenitor cells and neurons developed cellular features of HD such as intranuclear inclusions of mutant Huntingtin protein, which most of the currently available cell models do not present," says senior author Anthony Chan, PhD, DVM, associate professor of human genetics at Emory University School of Medicine and Yerkes National Primate Research Center. "We could use these features as a readout for therapy using drugs or a genetic manipulation."

Chan and his colleagues were the first in the world to establish a transgenic nonhuman primate model of HD. HD is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that leads to the appearance of uncontrolled movements and cognitive impairments, usually in adulthood. It is caused by a mutation that introduces an expanded region where one amino acid (glutamine) is repeated dozens of times in the huntingtin protein.

The non-human primate model has extra copies of the huntingtin gene that contains the expanded glutamine repeats. In the non-human primate model, motor and cognitive deficits appear more quickly than in most cases of Huntington's disease in humans, becoming noticeable within the first two years of the monkeys' development.

First author Richard Carter, PhD, a graduate of Emory's Genetics and Molecular Biology doctoral program, and his colleagues created iPS cells from the transgenic monkeys by reprogramming cells derived from the skin or dental pulp. This technique uses retroviruses to introduce reprogramming factors into somatic cells and induces a fraction of them to become pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are able to differentiate into any type of cell in the body, under the right conditions.

Carter and colleagues induced the iPS cells to become neural progenitor cells and then differentiated neurons. The iPS-derived neural cells developed intracellular and intranuclear aggregates of the mutant huntingtin protein, a classic sign of Huntington's pathology, as well as an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress.

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Disease in a dish approach could aid Huntington's disease discovery

Credit: Samantha Morris, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital

As in this map on the cover of Cell, a cell has many possible destinations or fates, and can arrive at them through three main stem cell engineering methods:

reprogramming (dialing a specialized cell, such as a skin cell, back to a stem-like state with full tissue-making potential) differentiation (pushing a stem cell to become a particular cell type, such as a blood cell) direct conversion (changing one kind of specialized cell to another kind)

Freely available on the Internet, CellNet provides clues to which methods of cellular engineering are most effectiveand acts as a much-needed quality control tool.

To date, there has been no systematic means to determine how closely cells made in a petri dish approximate natural tissues in the body, says George Q. Daley, MD, PhD, director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Boston Childrens Hospital, senior investigator on two studies published by Cell last week.

CellNet adds that analytical rigor and even suggests ways to make the cells better. As shown below, the algorithms inputs are engineered cells made through the different methods. The outputs are comparisons of these cells gene regulatory networks (which genes are turned on or off) to those of the real-life cells or tissues theyre meant to emulate. At far right, the algorithm flags potential genetic on/off switches that a scientist could target to improve upon his or her cells, then ranks them in order of priority.

Courtesy Patrick Cahan, PhD

CellNet will also be a powerful tool to advance synthetic biologyto engineer cells for specific medical applications, says James Collins, PhD, of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Boston University, and co-senior author on the first study, which used CellNet to assess cells created in 56 published studies.

The second study delved into a recurring question in stem cell biology: Is it feasible to directly convert one specialized cell type to another, skipping the laborious process of making a stem cell?

Previously, most attempts to directly convert one specialized cell type to another have depended on a trial-and-error approach, notes Patrick Cahan, PhD, a Daley lab member and principal architect of CellNet.

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Stem cell medicine gets a roadmap and a quality ...

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

3-Sep-2014

Contact: Robert Miranda cogcomm@aol.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Putnam Valley, NY. (Sept. 3, 2014) A team of researchers from Korea and Canada have found that transplantation of B10 cells (a stable immortalized human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell line; B10 hMSC) directly into the bladder wall of mice modeled with spinal cord injury (SCI) helped inhibit the development of bladder fibrosis and improved bladder function by promoting the growth of smooth muscle cells in the bladder.

The study will be published in a future issue of Cell Transplantation and is currently freely available on-line as an unedited early e-pub at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/pre-prints/content-CT-1227_Lee.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause severe lower urinary tract dysfunction and conditions such as overactive bladder, urinary retention and increased bladder thickness and fibrosis. HMSCs, multipotent cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including bone cells, cartilage cells, and fat cells, have been transplanted into injured spinal cords to help patients regain motor function.

In this study, mice receiving the B10 hMSCs injected directly into the bladder wall experienced improved bladder function while an untreated control group did not.

"Human MSCs can secrete growth factors," said study co-author Seung U. Kim of the Division of Neurology at the University of British Columbia Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. "In a previous study, we showed that B 10 cells secrete various growth factors including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and that HGF inhibits collagen deposits in bladder outlet obstructions in rats more than hMSCs alone. In this study, the SCI control group that did not receive B10 cells showed degenerated spinal neurons and did not recover. The B10-injected group appeared to have regenerated bladder smooth muscle cells."

Four weeks after the onset of SCI, the treatment group received the B10 cells transplanted directly into the bladder wall. To track the transplanted B10 cells via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers labeled them with fluorescent magnetic particles.

"HGF plays an essential role in tissue regeneration and angiogenesis and acts as a potent antifibrotic agent," explained Kim.

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Transplanted stem cells help prevent bladder fibrosis after spinal cord injury

PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -

Nearly 120 doctors, nurses, technicians and other Singing River Health System employees lined up to register as a bone marrow donor in honor of their co-worker, Dr. Jeremy Simpler, who is battling cancer.

"I don't want to get emotional, but very, very devastating when we found this out because he is wonderful. He's a people person. He treated us like family," Singing River Health System Surgical Tech Patricia Taylor said.

A stranger, who gave 40 seconds to get his or her cheeks swabbed, could end up saving Simpler's life. Now, his co-workers want to repay that favor.

"Every day, we have someone looking for a match," Mattie Coburn, with the Mississippi Marrow Donor Program said.

Coburn said 70 percent of patients who need a transplant rely on the registry, because they do not have a match in their family.

There are two different ways donors are asked to donate.

"Bone marrow transplant, it is outpatient. You are put to sleep under anesthesia. We are going to go to the hip and pelvic bone with a sterile needle and syringe," Coburn said. "You are not going to feel it. We keep you overnight for observation, and release you with a Band-Aid over where the needles were. PBSC, peripheral blood stem cell, is similar to giving platelets. We draw blood, separate the cells, you get your blood back."

Three years ago, Singing River Health System Dr. Clinton Hull donated bone marrow.

"It was a really good feeling," Hull said. "The last communication I had through the bone marrow service was the patient had returned to their daily activities and living, so that makes me feel really good."

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Co-workers honor doctor by registering as bone marrow donors

7 hours ago Stem cells. Credit: Nissim Benvenisty - Wikipedia

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)adult cells reprogrammed back to an embryonic stem cell-like statemay hold the potential to cure damaged nerves, regrow limbs and organs, and perfectly model a patient's particular disease. Yet through the reprogramming process, these cells can acquire serious genetic and epigenetic abnormalities that lower the cells' quality and limit their therapeutic usefulness.

When the generation of iPSCs was first reported in 2006, efficiency was paramount because only a fraction of a percentage of reprogrammed cells successfully became cell lines. Accordingly, the stem cell field focused on reprogramming efficiency to boost the pool of cells that could be studied. However, as scientists gained an increased understanding of the reprogramming process, they realized that myriad variables, including the ratio of reprogramming factors and the reprogramming environment, can also greatly affect cell quality.

Now researchers working in the lab of Whitehead Institute Founding Member Rudolf Jaenisch together with scientists from the Hebrew University have determined that the reprogramming factors themselves impact the reprogramming efficiency and the quality of the resulting cells. Their work is described in the current issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.

"Postdoctoral researcher Yosef Buganim and Research Scientist Styliani Markoulaki show that a different combination of reprogramming factors may be less efficient than the original, but can produce much higher quality iPSCs," says Jaenisch, who is also a professor of biology at MIT. "And quality is a really important issue. At this point, it doesn't matter if we get one colony out of 10,000 or one out of 100,000 cells, as long as it is of high quality."

To make iPSCs, scientists expose adult cells to a cocktail of genes that are active in embryonic stem cells. iPSCs can then be pushed to differentiate into almost any other cell type, such as nerve, liver, or muscle cells. Although the original combination of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Myc (OSKM) efficiently reprograms cells, a relatively high percentage of the resulting cells have serious genomic aberrations, including aneuploidy, and trisomy 8, which make them unsuitable for use in clinical research.

Using bioinformatic analysis of a network of 48 genes key to the reprogramming process, Buganim and Markoulaki designed a new combination of genes, Sall4, Nanog, Esrrb, and Lin28 (SNEL). Roughly 80% of SNEL colonies made from mouse cells were of high quality and passed the most stringent pluripotency test currently available, the tetraploid complementation assay. By comparison, only 20-30% of high quality OSKM passed the same test. Buganim hypothesizes that SNEL reprograms cells better because, unlike OSKM, the cocktail does not rely on a potent oncogene like Myc, which may be causing some of the genetic problems. More importantly, the cocktail does not rely on the potent key master regulators Oct4 and Sox2 that might abnormally activate some regions in the adult cell genome.

To better understand why some reprogrammed cells are of high quality while others fall short, Buganim and Markoulaki analyzed SNEL colonies down to the genetic and epigenetic level. On their DNA, SNEL cells have deposits of the histone protein H2AX in locations very similar to those in ESCs, and the position of H2AX seems to predict the quality of the cell. The researchers believe this characteristic could be used to quickly screen for high quality colonies.

But for all of its promise, the current version of SNEL seems unable to reprogram human cells, which are generally more difficult to manipulate than mouse cells.

"We know that SNEL is not the ideal combination of factors," says Buganim, who is currently a Principal Investigator at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. "This work is only a proof of principle that says we must find this ideal combination. SNEL is an example that shows if you use bioinformatics tools you can get better quality. Now we should be able to find the optimal combination and try it in human cells to see if it works."

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New reprogramming factor cocktail produces therapy-grade induced pluripotent stem cells

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

4-Sep-2014

Contact: Laia Cendrs laia.cendros@crg.eu 34-933-160-237 Center for Genomic Regulation

This news release is available in Spanish.

The protein Nanog, a transcription factor, is key to maintaining stem cells in a pluripotent state. Researchers from the Centre for Genomic Regulation have been investigating the role of this protein, and have just published an article in the prestigious journal Cell Reports where they reveal the mechanism whereby Nanog acts. The scientists have discovered that Nanog involves other agents and they have been able to detail their dynamics. In particular, by studying another protein that is also involved in cell reprogramming (beta-catenin) they have been able to improve the knowledge of Nanog's functioning.

Cell renewal is a natural process that takes place constantly in our body. For this to happen, we have stem cells that are responsible for generating new cells to replenish and renew those that die. Stem cells give rise to undifferentiated pluripotent cells which have the ability to become any cell type. These pluripotent cells follow a differentiation path towards specialisation, which can produce any cell type from neurones to skin.

The scientists want to understand the mechanisms that allow stem cells to either differentiate or remain pluripotent. There are also many studies that seek to reverse this process, to enable already differentiated cells to be reprogrammed and become pluripotent. Knowing all the players in these processes is of vital importance for understanding how stem cells work and allowing progress in regenerative medicine.

"We knew that Nanog was somehow involved in keeping stem cells pluripotent; now we know which mechanism it uses and we understand better how it works", explains Luca Marucci, one of the authors of the work from the cell reprogramming and regeneration laboratory at the CRG, led by researcher Pia Cosma. "Studying this process has allowed us to discover not only Nanog's key role in reprogramming, but also the dynamics of another protein, known as beta-catenin. We now know that beta-catenin, just like Nanog, continuously fluctuates in the cell and does not only appear when reprogramming is activated", adds Elisa Pedone, co-author of the work from the same laboratory.

In order to understand and define parameters for the activity of both proteins, the researchers have developed a mathematical model that could explain this dynamic. The model could be useful for understanding the behaviour of these proteins in the cell both over time and in different situations.

We are talking about a basic discovery on the functioning and dynamics of stem cell reprogramming. An ever-more studied process that holds great hope for the medicine of the future. The laboratory at the Centre for Genomic Regulation led by the ICREA research professor, Pia Cosma, is making a definitive contribution to this knowledge. Her group looks at basic mechanisms that orchestrate cell differentiation and reprogramming, right up to concrete reprogramming methods for repairing damage in certain tissues.

More:
New protagonist in cell reprogramming discovered

Stem Cell Therapy Testimonial
Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Testimonial. Dr. Lox can be reached at http://www.drloxstemcells.com or Call (844) 440-8503 for information on Stem Cell Therapy.

By: Dr. Lox

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Stem Cell Therapy Testimonial - Video

This has reference to the article titled Regenerative medicinean alternative to facelifts and surgery by Alex Y. Vergara (Lifestyle Wellness section, 6/17/14).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has noted that the procedureautologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections and cell therapy injections that involve cell extracts taken from sheep and rabbit fetuses featured in the article, i.e., getting the patients blood, processing it, and once the blood is processed, injecting its growth factors back to the patients anesthetized faceare analogous to stem cell procedure.

PRP and cell therapy injections are outside the initial three standard healthcare procedures recognized by the FDA, namely: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, corneal resurfacing with limbal stem cells, and skin regeneration with epidermal stem cells.

The article also featured Swiss-made cellular products (known as MFIII Nano Cell Extracts and

Myopep Peptide Therapy) which are claimed to decrease fat buildup and to contour the body.

It must be stressed that the recognized skin regeneration procedure applies only to skin grafting for burn patients and not for any antiaging indications or aesthetic reason as featured in the subject news item.

To date, no human cells, tissues and cellular- and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) are currently registered with the FDA; hence, any information on products and treatments which claims to use stem cells and the likewhether the information is in the form of an advertisement or information materialsis illegal as this could mislead the public on the standard of safety, efficacy and quality of the FDA-recognized HCT/P.

FDA highly recognizes the role of the media in promoting the consumers basic right to information. But it is our responsibility to give the consumers accurate facts and correct information to enable them to make an informed choice and be free from exploitation.

KENNETH Y.

HARTIGAN-GO, MD,

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FDA on alternative regenerative med