23 hours ago

What if repairing large segments of damaged muscle tissue was as simple as mobilizing the body's stem cells to the site of the injury? New research in mice and rats, conducted at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine, suggests that "in body" regeneration of muscle tissue might be possible by harnessing the body's natural healing powers.

Reporting online ahead of print in the journal Acta Biomaterialia, the research team demonstrated the ability to recruit stem cells that can form muscle tissue to a small piece of biomaterial, or scaffold that had been implanted in the animals' leg muscle. The secret to success was using proteins involved in cell communication and muscle formation to mobilize the cells.

"Working to leverage the body's own regenerative properties, we designed a muscle-specific scaffolding system that can actively participate in functional tissue regeneration," said Sang Jin Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of regenerative medicine and senior author. "This is a proof-of-concept study that we hope can one day be applied to human patients."

The current treatment for restoring function when large segments of muscle are injured or removed during tumor surgery is to surgically move a segment of muscle from one part of the body to another. Of course, this reduces function at the donor site.

Several scientific teams are currently working to engineer replacement muscle in the lab by taking small biopsies of muscle tissue, expanding the cells in the lab, and placing them on scaffolds for later implantation. This approach requires a biopsy and the challenge of standardizing the cells.

"Our aim was to bypass the challenges of both of these techniques and to demonstrate the mobilization of muscle cells to a target-specific site for muscle regeneration," said Lee.

Most tissues in the body contain tissue-specific stem cells that are believed to be the "regenerative machinery" responsible for tissue maintenance. It was these cells, known as satellite or progenitor cells, that the scientists wanted to mobilize.

First, the Wake Forest Baptist scientists investigated whether muscle progenitor cells could be mobilized into an implanted scaffold, which basically serves as a "home" for the cells to grow and develop. Scaffolds were implanted in the lower leg muscle of rats and retrieved for examination after several weeks.

Lab testing revealed that the scaffolds contained muscle satellite cells as well as stem cells that could be differentiated into muscle cells in the lab. In addition, the scaffold had developed a network of blood vessels, with mature vessels forming four weeks after implantation.

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Research in rodents suggests potential for 'in body' muscle regeneration

Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) September 03, 2014

Stem Cell technology is the future; looking younger and better without plastic surgery is here now. Stem Cell Beautys debut product line StemLife is spearheading the current beauty renaissance. Among websites that provide stem cell beauty products, Stem Cell Beauty is in a league of its own.

Science is always advancing, why shouldn't your beauty products? questions Albert Faleski, Director of Operations at StemCellBeauty.com.

Most products on the shelves are outdated, whereas we take a different approach to find a formula that works with your body, reinvigorating your own stem cells to provide actual results.

The science behind StemLife is nothing short of groundbreaking. Its trademarked FixT Technology was achieved through reverse engineering to understand how the body maintains and heals itself with our own endogenous combinations of adult stem cells. With this knowledge they developed a means to mimic the natural stem cell processes in our body. Unlike other beauty brands, StemLife uses specific combinations of stem cell types, each cultured under specific state-dependent conditions, using cell types and states that are ideal for the particular tissue. It then creates a set of molecules from multiple stem cell types that is complete and fully formed, rendering maximum benefit and efficiency. This approach of stem cell skin care is extremely unique.

Other leading stem cell-based beauty companies use simpler technology where one stem cell type is chosen to make their molecules. This one-size fits all approach is not efficient and lacks the complexity of StemLifes FixT technology. Some companies mash the cells without allowing their molecules to fully process, which again leads to underachieving results. Many of the largest companies have made no attempt to use new science to formulate better products, providing their customers with over-priced serums proven to be archaic.

StemLifes cutting edge formula is shaping the future of hair regrowth as well, providing an ultramodern solution to those looking to slow the hands of time. Their most popular product, The Advanced Hair Treatment for Women, is essentially the hidden gem the world has been waiting for.

Its popularity stems back to the fact that it actually works. Faleski explained.

Were not big on gimmicks. We prefer showing our customer actual people who have had actual results with our products. After seeing life-changing hair growth with their own eyes, we are confident new customers will try it and have amazing results of their own. The Advanced Hair Treatment for Women is an incredible product that sells itself.

StemLifes most interesting product to date is the Natural Lash & Brow Lash Extend. This product boasts ingredients that are formulated to generate eyelash growth. In a market where eyelash extensions have been the go-to fix for longer lashes, being able to naturally grow them is a revolutionary concept.

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Stem Cell Beauty: The Online Shop Revolutionizing the Beauty Industry

La Jolla, CA (PRWEB) September 03, 2014

A new study, published on Aug. 8th, 2014 in Stem Cells Translational Medicine, has shown the positive effect stem cell therapy has had on a group of patients only 6 months after their treatment. Researchers observed significant improvements in disease-related complications in each of the 5 patients included in the study. Post-treatment brain scans of each patient revealed that stroke-related damage was reduced over time. Further, at six-month follow-ups patients demonstrated improvements in standard measures of stroke-related disability and impairment.

Researchers are being cautiously optimistic when considering these results. Similar improvements are often seen in stroke patients as part of the normal recovery process and state that more thorough studies will need to be completed. Nonetheless, the findings are absolutely astounding as the five patients included in this study suffered severe strokes. Four out of five of the patients had the most serious type of stroke. Normally only 4% of these patients survive and are able to live independently after six months of a stroke occurrence.

Clinical studies for stem cell treatment are currently being offered by StemGenex to patients diagnosed with Stroke and other degenerative neurological diseases. Innovation is truly a driving force for StemGenex. Stroke Patients who receive stem cell treatment through StemGenex receive multiple therapeutic modalities they simply cannot find elsewhere under one roof, said Jeremiah McDole, Director of Scientific Research and Development at StemGenex. Offering targeted therapies that deliver stem cells past the blood brain barrier is essential to providing effective treatment for patients with neurological disorders.

StemGenex takes a unique approach of compassion and empowerment while providing access to the latest stem cell therapies for degenerative neurological diseases including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Alzheimers disease, and others. Rita Alexander, founder of StemGenex and the companys first stem cell patient, insists that all patients be treated like they are one of our loved ones. Hope, compassion, and the relentless pursuit for an end to these diseases are the primary focus.

To find out more about stem cell therapy, contact StemGenex either by phone at (800) 609-7795 or email Contact@stemgenex.com

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Latest Study on Stem Cell Therapy Shows Promising Signs of Recovery for Stroke Patients and Support for StemGenex ...

The treatment involves injecting up to 20 million stem cells into patients' brains. It was tested on patients at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital in 2012.

The Surrey-based company said it would work at 10 sites across the UK, including the Southern General, on a Phase II efficacy study of the ReN001 treatment involving 41 patients.

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The treatment is designed to deliver a meaningful improvement in upper limb function in disabled stroke patients.

In May, the company said data from a long-term follow- up involving 11 patients included in a Phase I safety study of ReN001 at the Glasgow hospital observed sustained reductions in neurological impairment and spasticity in most patients. No cell-related or immunological adverse events were reported .

Yesterday, Reneuron said it has also started a Phase I safety study at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee of its ReN009 therapy for people with lower limb ischaemia. It will involve nine patients.

Reneuron says the disease is common in patients with diabetes and can lead to amputation of the limb.

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Reneuron tests stem cell stroke treatment

Spinal Cord Injury

Damage to the spinal cord usually results in impairments or loss of muscle movement, muscle control, sensation and body system control.

Presently, post-accident care for those who suffer spinal cord injuries focuses on extensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation therapies; teaching the injured person how to cope with their disability.

A number of published papers and case studies support the feasibility of treating spinal cord injury with allogeneic human umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells and autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells.

Feasibility of combination allogeneic stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury: a case report co-authored by Stem Cell Institute Founder Dr. Neil Riordan references many of them. Published improvements include improved ASIA scores, improved bladder and/or bowel function, recovered sexual function, and increased muscle control.

The adult stem cells used in spinal cord injury investigational treatments at the Stem Cell Institute come from two sources: the subjects own bone marrow (autologous mesenchymal and CD34+) and human umbilical cord tissue (allogeneic mesenchymal).

A licensed anesthesiologist harvests bone marrow from both hips under light general anesthesia in a hospital operating room. This procedure takes about 1 1/2 2 hours. Before they are administered to the subject, these bone marrow-derived stem cells must pass testing for quality, bacterial contamination (aerobic and anaerobic) and endotoxin.

All donated umbilical cords are screened for viruses and bacteria to International Blood Bank Standards.

Our stem cell clinical protocol for spinal cord injury calls for a total of 16 injections over the course of 4 weeks.

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Stem Cell Therapy || Spinal Cord Injury || Investigational ...

FATHER-OF-TWO Johnny Pearson's life was saved when a stranger donated stem cells. The pair became friends and raised thousands for charity by running in the London Marathon together. By health reporter Kate Liptrot.

EARLIER this year Johnny Pearson became the first person to run the London Marathon alongside the unrelated stem cell donor who had saved his life.

The 44-year-old was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2010 and often thought of the stranger had been who allowed him to have a bone marrow transplant two years later.

Earlier this year he met 23-year-old donor Sean Hagan for the first time - and weeks after meeting they ran the London marathon to raise money and awareness for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust.

The wine trader from Thorpe Underwood was first diagnosed with the aggressive form of cancer in September 2010 when he had been to see the doctor after feeling slightly under the weather and the doctor had done a blood test just to make sure.

He was driving home from work when he received a phone call from the doctor to say that something was seriously wrong and he needed to turn around and go to York Hospital.

Johnny started chemotherapy days later and after six months of gruelling chemotherapy was finally in remission and returned home to his wife, Sarah, and young boys, Jack, now 12, and Archie, now ten.

But in July 2011, Johnny received the devastating news that leukaemia had returned. This time, Johnny would need a bone marrow transplant to survive and the race was on to find a matching donor.

It was the worst possible news and I thought that my life was over," Johnny said, "The last hope was a bone marrow transplant and I remember waiting to hear if there was a matching donor.

"It was a very difficult time for me and my family as we knew that my life was in someone elses hands. After what seemed like the longest few months of my life, my doctor sat me down and told me that Anthony Nolan had found a donor.

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Running with a real lifesaver

(PRWEB UK) 2 September 2014

Schools in the UK are preparing to become actively involved in helping to educate parents and children on the health benefits of stem cell banking.

BioEden the specialist tooth stem cell bank are producing educational materials for schools which includes a delightfully illustrated book Nothing but the Tooth which is available from today.

The book although a fun fictional piece starring a 21st Century Super Tooth Fairy and a small boy called Nigel, is based on fact and educates both children and adults alike on stem cell banking from teeth. The book follows Nigel as he visits the BioEden stem cell laboratory and brings home to the reader why stem cell banking today is a simple yet invaluable way of storing good health for the future.

It is now known that naturally shed milk teeth in young children contain a vital source of mesenchymal stem cells. These cells have the ability to morph into other types of cells and can create cartilage, tissue, skin and bone.

As the teeth fall out naturally, the process of harvesting cells is non-invasive and many parents choose this method for this very reason. Stem cell banking from teeth is also the least expensive form of banking and parents can now pay a low monthly fee, instead of a single sum.

As there is no telling exactly when a tooth will fall, despite the tell-tale wobble, a spare tooth collection capsule is provided for the school so that if the tooth falls out in the classroom or playground, the tooth can be safely collected and stored without delay.

The BioEden process is so simple that the teacher is merely required to place the tooth into the capsule with some fresh cows milk, place in a refrigerator, and then notify the parent or guardian.

BioEden have been invited into schools from late September and will be supported by TV Celebrity Cook Sally Bee, whose own children have their stem cells stored with the bank. Sally has a rare heart condition, and it was her personal experience that led her to bank her childrens stem cells.

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A new term for teachers sparks interest in tooth stem cell banking -- Source:BioEden

Ed Tessaro, 68, just joined the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the social media fundraising phenomenon that has brought in over $100 million in donations to fight ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Ed Tessaro has been fighting the disease for more than five years.

But Tessaro's challenge is different than most. Tessaro has been fighting the disease for more than five years.

"My arms and legs are weaker, when I walk I'm pretty much at risk," Tessaro told CBS News. "That's really the only bad news. I'm breathing at 100 percent of normal, which is great news."

In ALS, motor neurons, the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles, detach from the muscle and die. Patients lose control of movement and eventually their ability to breathe on their own. The cause of ALS is unknown.

Tessaro is one of 30 patients in a clinical trial who had stem cells injected into their spinal column in an attempt to slow the progression of the disease.

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What's the Ice Bucket Challenge all about? A "60 Minutes" story about the fortitude of many ALS patients shows why they need more research fundin...

Normally, neurons are surrounded by cells that protect and nourish them. New research suggests that in ALS patients, these supporting cells become killers, poisoning the motor neurons. Animal studies have found stem cells can help heal the toxic supporting cells.

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Research making ALS less of a mystery

23 hours ago The biobank comprises three cryotanks, equipped with cooled protective hoods, and a transfer station from which the sample containers are transported via a rail system. There is enough space for approximately 60,000 samples. Credit: Fraunhofer IBMT

For the development of new drugs it is crucial to work with stem cells, as these allow scientists to study the effects of new active pharmaceutical ingredients. But it has always been difficult to derive enough stem cells of the right quality and in the right timeframe. A central biobank is about to remedy the situation.

Human stem cells allow scientists to assess how patients are likely to respond to new drugs and to examine how illnesses come about. For a few years now, it has been possible to take tissue samples from adults and use reverse programming to artificially produce stem cells, which have the potential to create any kind of cell found in the human body. Before this discovery, pharmaceutical researchers had to use adult stem cells or primary cells, which have a more limited potential. Another option is to use stem cells derived from human embryos, but quite apart from the ethical considerations these cells are available only in limited diversity. The new technique makes it possible for instance to reprogram adult skin or blood cells so that they behave in a similar way to embryonic stem cells and can become any type of cell. "These are known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells for short," says Dr. Julia Neubauer from the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT in St. Ingbert, Germany. Although an increasing number of local biobanks have emerged in recent years, none of them fulfills the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry and research institutions. What is needed is a supply of 'ready-to-use' stem cells, which means large numbers of consistently characterized, systematically catalogued cells of suitable quality.

At the beginning of 2014, the IBMT teamed up with 26 industry and research partners to launch a project aimed at establishing a central biobank the European Bank for induced pluripotent Stem Cells (EBiSC) to generate iPS cells from patients with specific diseases or genetic mutations (http://ebisc.org/). Six months into the project and the first cells are available for use in the development of new drugs. By its three-year mark, it is hoped the project will be in a position to offer over 1000 defined and characterized cell lines comprising a hundred million cells. Such quantities are needed because a single drug screening involves testing several million cells. The main biobank facility is being built in the English city of Cambridge and an identical "mirror site" will be set up at the IBMT's Sulzbach location in Germany.

Gently freezing cells

The IBMT was brought on board for EBiSC by virtue of the comprehensive expertise it gained through participation in the EU's "Hyperlab" and "CRYSTAL" projects. For EBiSC, IBMT scientists are responsible for freezing the cells and for automating cell cultivation and the biobank itself. For an efficient long-term storage of functional stem cells, they have to be cooled down to temperatures of below 130 degrees Celsius in a controlled way. The scientists have to prepare the cells so they can survive the cold shock of nitrogen gas. The IBMT has, for instance, developed technologies that allow cells to be frozen in an extremely gentle way. "Cells don't like being removed from the surface they are grown on, but that's what people used to do in order to freeze them. Our method allows the cells to stay adherent," explains Neubauer.

Just as with foodstuffs, stem cells depend on an unbroken cold chain to preserve their functionality and viability. The scientists store the cells in special containers or cryotanks each measuring one by two meters. To remove a particular sample, the scientists have to open the cryotank. The problem is that this exposes all the other samples to warmer ambient air, causing them to begin to thaw out. "It's just like when you go to your refrigerator at home it's not a good idea to leave the door open too long," says Neubauer. She and her colleagues at the IBMT and industry partner Askion GmbH have together developed a stem cell biobank complete with protective hoods that protect the other samples whenever the cryotank is opened. In addition to maintaining the temperature, the hoods help keep another key shelf-life criterion, humidity, at a constant level.

Flawless freezing is important, but it is just as important to automate the whole process. "That not only guarantees consistency, it's what makes it possible to provide large quantities of cells of the required quality in the first place," says Neubauer. And the scientists' cooling process already boasts a finished technology. In their automated biobank, each cell sample is labelled with barcodes to allow them to be tracked. The samples travel along a conveyor belt to the individual cyrotanks, and a computer monitors the entire freezing and storage process.

Now the scientists are working on automating cell cultivation or the multiplying of the cells. There are essentially two possible approaches. One is to use robots that translate each preparation step into a mechanical one. The other is to use stirred bioreactors that provide free-moving cells with the ideal supply of nutrients and oxygen. Both technologies feature in the IBMT's portfolio. "By the time the project is completed, we'll know which is the better method for what we're trying to do," says Neubauer.

Explore further: Animal-free reprogramming of adult cells improves safety

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Central biobank for drug research

Cell Therapy for Osteoarthritis
This video is about my PhD investigating the role of microRNAs during chondrogensis of human embryonic stem cells. This research is sponsored by the BBSRC DTP.

By: Rosie Griffiths

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Cell Therapy for Osteoarthritis - Video

ReNeuron Group Quote more

Price: 3.51

Chg: -0.29

Chg %: -7.63%

Date: 11:45

Stem cell therapy group Reneuron said it remains on track with the first patients having been dosed in two its clinical trials.

The phase II trial for the ReN001 cell therapy candidate for stroke disability and the phase I trail for ReN009 cell therapy candidate for critical limb ischaemia have both begun.

The ReN001 trial is on course to have generated six month follow-up data by the end of 2015, while ReN009 study should give results in the first half of next year.

Chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Hunt said that Reneuron's core therapeutic programmes remain on track towards "further important clinical milestones" over the next 18 months.

"In particular, the commencement of dosing of patients in two new clinical trials, in stroke and limb ischaemia, marks another significant step in Reneuron's evolution into a fully-fledged clinical development business and a leading player in the increasingly exciting field of cell therapy and regenerative medicine," Hunt said.

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Reneuron on track for clinical milestones as studies get underway

Scientific publications from PubMed.gov

PubMed comprises more than 23 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

Regen Med. 2013 May;8(3):271-81 Authors: Ning G, Tang L, Wu Q, Li Y, Li Y, Zhang C, Feng S

Abstract AIM: We aim to explore the repair mechanism after the transplantation of CD34(+) human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBCs) in traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.

MATERIALS & METHODS: Wistar rats with SCI were randomly divided into three groups: DMEM injection (group A); CD34(+) HUCBC transplantation on the first day after injury (group B); and CD34(+) HUCBC transplantation on the sixth day after injury (group C). The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores were used to evaluate motor behavior. At the injured site, the infarct size, blood vessel density, and survival and neural differentiation of transplanted cells were analyzed.

RESULTS: It was found that the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score in group B was significantly higher than other groups (p < 0.05), and the infarct size and blood vessel density at the injured site were significantly different (p < 0.01). However, the transplanted cells survived at least 3 weeks at the injured site, but did not differentiate into neural cells.

CONCLUSION: These results suggested transplantation of CD34(+) HUCBCs during the acute phase could promote the functional recovery better than during the subacute phase after SCI by raising blood vessel density, suggesting the possible clinical application for the treatment of spinal injury.

PMID: 23627822 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Cytotherapy. 2013 Feb;15(2):185-91 Authors: Liu J, Han D, Wang Z, Xue M, Zhu L, Yan H, Zheng X, Guo Z, Wang H

Abstract BACKGROUND AIMS: The purpose of this study was to observe the clinical effect and safety of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) in treating spinal cord injury (SCI) by intrathecal injection.

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Spinal cord injury and stem cell publications

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How much does stem cell therapy cost
http://www.thanyapurahealth.com/health-services/natural-stem-cell-activationregenerative-therapy/how-much-does-stem-cell-therapy-cost/ Find out about how much stem cell therapy will cost you...

By: Thanyapura Health Centre

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Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How much does stem cell therapy cost - Video

Kansas RMC Stem Cell Therapy in the US
In the past, stem cell treatment was only available in Europe. Now, in the US, we are able to provide this potentially life changing treatment to people like you at a very reasonable price....

By: Digital Concierge

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Kansas RMC Stem Cell Therapy in the US - Video

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

29-Aug-2014

Contact: Kris Kitto kris@morethanpr.com 303-320-7790 The Bawmann Group

AURORA, Colo. (Sept. 2, 2014) A team of scientists from the University of Colorado School of Medicine has reported the breakthrough discovery of a process to expand production of stem cells used to treat cancer patients. These findings could have implications that extend beyond cancer, including treatments for inborn immunodeficiency and metabolic conditions and autoimmune diseases.

In an article published Aug. 29 in PLOS ONE, researchers from the Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology and Taiga Biotechnologies, Inc. said they have uncovered the keys to the molecular code that appear to regulate the ability of blood stem cells to reproduce and retain their stem-like characteristics.

The team developed protein products that can be directly administered to blood stem cells to encourage them to multiply without permanent genetic modifications.

"Use of stem cells to treat cancer patients who face bone marrow transplants has been a common practice for four decades," said Yosef Refaeli, Ph.D., an associate dermatology professor and one of the study's lead scientists. "The biggest challenge, however, has been finding adequate supplies of stem cells that help patients fight infection after the procedure."

Gates Stem Cell Center Director Dennis Roop, Ph.D., recognized the magnitude of the team's work.

"Researchers have long attempted to increase the number of blood stem cells in a lab," Roop said. "Most of those approaches have been limited by the nature of the resulting cells or the inadequate number of cells produced."

The technology described in the PLOS ONE article has worked with blood stem cells obtained from cord blood, adult bone marrow or peripheral blood from adults.

Originally posted here:
CU scientists' discovery could lead to new cancer treatment

A new research has revealed that three major pigment cell types i.e. black cells, reflective silvery cells, and yellow cells helped in forming the stripes on zebrafish.

The research conducted by Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tubingen showed that the yellow cells undergo dramatic changes in cell shape to tint the stripe pattern of zebrafish.

First author Prateek Mahalwar said that they were surprised to observe such cell behaviours, which were totally unexpected color pattern formation.

The study revealed that the three cell types reached the skin by completely different routes. A pluripotent cell population situated at the dorsal side of the embryo gave rise to larval yellow cells, which covered the skin of the embryo and began to multiply at the onset of metamorphosis when the fish was about two to three weeks old.

However, the black and silvery cells came from a small set of stem cells, which is associated with nerve nodes located close to the spinal cord in each segment.

Brigitte Walderich, a co-author of the Science paper, explained that they were surprised to discover that the small clusters of fluorescently labelled cells in the embryo, which could be followed during larval and juvenile stages to unravel growth and behaviour of the yellow cells, divided and multiplied as differentiated cells to cover the skin of the fish before the silvery and black cells arrive to form the stripes.

The study is published in journal Science.

(Posted on 29-08-2014)

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How zebrafish forms its stripes revealed

The zebrafish, a small fresh water fish, owes its name to a striking pattern of blue stripes alternating with golden stripes. Three major pigment cell types, black cells, reflective silvery cells, and yellow cells emerge during growth in the skin of the tiny juvenile fish and arrange as a multilayered mosaic to compose the characteristic colour pattern. While it was known that all three cell types have to interact to form proper stripes, the embryonic origin of the pigment cells that develop the stripes of the adult fish has remained a mystery up to now. Scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tbingen have now discovered how these cells arise and behave to form the 'zebra' pattern. Their work may help to understand the development and evolution of the great diversity of striking patterns in the animal world.

Beauty in the living world amazes poets, philosophers and scientists alike. Nobel prize laureate Christiane Nsslein-Volhard, Director of the Department for Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, has long been fascinated by the biology behind the colour patterns displayed by animals. Her group uses zebrafish as a model organism to study the genetic basis of animal development.

New research by Nsslein-Volhard's laboratory published in Science shows that the yellow cells undergo dramatic changes in cell shape to tint the stripe pattern of zebrafish. "We were surprised to observe such cell behaviours, as these were totally unexpected from what we knew about colour pattern formation," says Prateek Mahalwar, first author of the study. The study builds on a previous work from the laboratory, which was published in June this year in Nature Cell Biology (NCB), tracing the cell behaviour of silvery and black cells. Both studies describe diligent experiments to uncover the cellular events during stripe pattern formation. Individual juvenile fish carrying fluorescently labelled pigment cell precursors were imaged every day for up to three weeks to chart out the cellular behaviours. This enabled the scientists to trace the multiplication, migration and spreading of individual cells and their progeny over the entire patterning process of stripe formation in the living and growing animal. "We had to develop a very gentle procedure to be able to observe individual fish repeatedly over long periods of time. So we used a state of the art microscope which allowed us to reduce the adverse effects of fluorescence illumination to a minimum," says Ajeet Singh, first author of the earlier NCB study.

Surprisingly, the analysis revealed that the three cell types reach the skin by completely different routes: A pluripotent cell population situated at the dorsal side of the embryo gives rise to larval yellow cells, which cover the skin of the embryo. These cells begin to multiply at the onset of metamorphosis when the fish is about two to three weeks old. However, the black and silvery cells come from a small set of stem cells associated with nerve nodes located close to the spinal cord in each segment. The black cells reach the skin migrating along the segmental nerves to appear in the stripe region, whereas the silvery cells pass through the longitudinal cleft that separates the musculature and then multiply and spread in the skin.

Brigitte Walderich, a co-author of the Science paper, who performed cell transplantations to trace the origin of yellow cells, explains: "My attempt was to create small clusters of fluorescently labelled cells in the embryo which could be followed during larval and juvenile stages to unravel growth and behaviour of the yellow cells. We were surprised to discover that they divide and multiply as differentiated cells to cover the skin of the fish before the silvery and black cells arrive to form the stripes."

A striking observation is that both the silvery and yellow cells are able to switch cell shape and colour, depending on their location. The yellow cells compact to closely cover the dense silvery cells forming the light stripe, colouring it golden, and acquire a loose stellate shape over the black cells of the stripes. The silvery cells thinly spread over the stripe region, giving it a blue tint. They switch shape again at a distance into the dense form to aggregate, forming a new light stripe. These cell behaviours create a series of alternating light and dark stripes. The precise superposition of the dense form of silvery and yellow cells in the light stripe, and the loose silvery and yellow cells superimposed over the black cells in the stripe cause the striking contrast between the golden and blue coloration of the pattern.

The authors speculate that variations on these cell behaviours could be at play in generating the great diversity of colour patterns in fish. "These findings inform our way of thinking about colour pattern formation in other fish, but also in animals which are not accessible to direct observation during development such as peacocks, tigers and zebras," says Nsslein-Volhard -- wondering how her cats got their stripes.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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How the zebrafish gets its stripes: Uncovering how beautiful color patterns can develop in animals

Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

A major challenge before new biotechnology start-up companies, especially ones in the biotech start-up dense realm of Boston-Cambridge, is gaining visibility that can lead to important strategic alliances and able investors. James Sherley, the Director of Bostons Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC (ASCTC), has made increasing the local and national visibility of his company an important priority since he started the company in September 2013.

In addition to a social media marketing campaign launched earlier in July of this year, Director Sherley has targeted research and development conferences both nationally and internationally to increase industry awareness of ASCTCs unique portfolio of intellectual property available for licensing and its current commercial development targets. The company is focused on producing two products to address two important needs in drug development and regenerative medicine, respectively, that it is uniquely positioned to address.

ASCTCs most advanced product is an assay that can detect, very early in the drug development pipeline, drug candidates that will ultimately fail because of their toxicity to tissue stem cells. ASCTC developed the new technology in partnership with AlphaSTAR, Corporation, located in Long Beach, California. Currently, such lurking drugs are not detected until after expensive animal testing, more expensive clinical trials, or worse, after marketing. Director Sherley refers to the second product as, A future of pounds and pounds of normal adult tissue stem cells. The company holds a patented technology for mass production of human tissue stem cells. The initial production target is human liver stem cells that can be used to make mature human liver cells for use in drug development and to support liver transplant patients. The company also holds patents for production of pancreatic stem cells and hair follicle stem cells.

The sponsor the 2014 Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Conference, in Boston, September 15-16, Terrapinn, Inc., invited ASCTC to attend as a VIP guest. Although ASCTC will not make a formal presentation at this conference, Director Sherley will participate in a roundtable discussion on the topic, Articulating value for up-and-coming regenerative medicine, stem cell and cell-based therapies.

Later in September (22-24), Director Sherley will present one of the selected Next Generation Presentations for new companies at BioPharm America 2014, also taking place in Boston. In addition to the public presentation, ASCTC will also participate in confidential partnering meetings with potential investors and strategic alliance partners arranged by conference organizers.

In October, Director Sherley will present to a primarily academic research audience a more detailed accounting of ASCTCs computer simulation technology for quantifying tissue stem cells in culture. This technology is the basis for the companys new assay for tissue stem cell toxicity. Director Sherley is particularly interested in the response from several experts in tissue stem cell growth dynamics who are invited speakers. The symposium, which will take place at Rhode Island Hospital, a medical affiliate of Brown University in Providence, has the goal of presenting emerging disruptive research in the area of Novel Stem Cells and Vesicles. Director Sherley is a member of the symposium organizing committee. ************************************************************************************************************* The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC (ASCTC) is a Massachusetts life sciences company established in September 2013. ASCTC Director and founder, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is the foremost authority on the unique properties of adult stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing iPSCs. Currently, ASCTC is employing its technological advantages to pursue commercialization of mass-produced therapeutic human liver cells and facile assays that are early warning systems for drug candidates with catastrophic toxicity due to adverse effects against adult tissue stem cells.

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The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC Participates in Multiple Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Conferences ...

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