1 hour ago The way cells divide to form new cellsto support growth, to repair damaged tissues, or simply to maintain our healthy adult functioningis controlled in previously unsuspected ways UC San Francisco researchers have discovered. The findings, they said, may lead to new ways to fight cancer. The steps leading a quiet cell to make and divvy up new parts to form daughter cells rely on some of the cell's most complex molecular machines. Different machines play key roles at different stages of this cell cycle. Each of these cellular machines consists of many proteins assembled into a functioning whole. They carry out such tasks as repairing DNA in the newly replicated gene-bearing chromosomes, for instance, or helping pull the chromosomes apart so that they can be allocated to daughter cells. In a study published online on October 10, 2013 in the journal Molecular Cell, UCSF researchers led by molecular biologist Davide Ruggero, PhD, associate professor of urology, and computational biologist Barry Taylor, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, found that the production of entire sets of proteins that work together to perform such crucial tasks is ramped up together, all at oncenot due to the transcription of … Continue reading →

A team of British scientists has released a major study that could represent a breakthrough in the treatment of human neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. In a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the team said that it had halted brain cell death in mice by using a drug-like compound that was injected into the animals' stomachs through a mouth tube. The team induced a neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal prion proteins -- the nearest model of human disorders that can be found in animals -- before treating one group with the compound. According to the study, the mice who were treated remained free of symptoms like memory loss, impaired reflexes, and limb dragging five weeks later. The treated mice also lived longer than the untreated mice. "We were extremely excited when we saw the treatment stop the disease in its tracks and protect brain cells, restoring some normal behaviours and preventing memory loss in the mice, " lead scientist Giovanna Mallucci told Sky News. The study stresses that human trials have yet to be undertaken, and points out that it could be a decade or more before a medicine for the treatment of human … Continue reading →

Durham, NC (PRWEB) October 10, 2013 Researchers have discovered a new, highly efficient way to produce neural stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells that can then go on to form neurons in the brain. The discovery, reported in the current issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, could greatly accelerate the development of new drug and cell therapies for people suffering from brain injuries or disease. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), show great promise in regenerative medicine due to their ability to be coaxed into becoming different specific types of cells. These cells can theoretically then go on to help the body heal itself by replacing or repairing damaged or dead cells. However, the current methods for inducing neural stem cells involve time-consuming, multiple labor-intensive steps that cannot be easily automated or made GMP (good manufacturing practice) compliant for clinical grade manufacture. In addition, not many of the neural stem cells produced this way can be expanded and coaxed into becoming different neural subtypes specific to the brain regions responsible for controlling different functions. Towards this critical need, we have developed a simple one-step protocol with a … Continue reading →