Pluripotent embryonic stem cells encapsulated in the fiber scaffold developed at IBN. Credit: A*STAR Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Thanks to the ability of pluripotent stem cells to self-renew and differentiate into a wide variety of specialized cell types, they are expected to revolutionize the treatment of illnesses such as type I diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Before this becomes a reality, however, scientists must develop culture systems to mass-produce these cells. To overcome the limitations of previous single-layer-substrate systems, a research team in Singapore has developed three-dimensional scaffolds that stimulate stem cell proliferation and differentiation under defined chemical conditions. Importantly, the system can be scaled up. The scaffolds consist of microscopic fibers obtained by weaving together polymer strands bearing opposite charges. Hongfang Lu and Andrew Wan from the A*STAR Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology led the research. Wan notes that the fiber-based scaffold not only avoids the need to consume large quantities of key growth factors, but it would also shield the cells from the shear stresses generated in large-scale bioreactors. To manufacture the scaffold, the researchers opted for a positively charged biopolymer called chitin, which they extracted from crab shell, and a negatively charged polymer called sodium alginate. After … Continue reading →

Public release date: 27-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Kim Polacek kim.polacek@moffitt.org 813-745-7408 H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have discovered that the micro ribonucleic acid miR-214 plays a critical role in regulating ovarian cancer stem cell properties. This knowledge, said the researchers, could pave the way for a therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. The study appears in a recent issue of the The Journal of Biological Chemistry. According to the study's lead author, Jin Q. Cheng, Ph.D., M.D., senior member of the Molecular Oncology Department and Molecular Oncology and Drug Discovery Program at Moffitt, certain miRNAs can cause therapeutic resistance and cancer metastasis by regulating multiple gene targets. Previous work has shown that one microRNA miR-214 is elevated in cancer. In ovarian cancer, up-regulated miR-214 has been associated with late-stage and high-grade tumors. In past research, miR-214 has also been associated with resistance to the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, but the role played by miR-214 in cancer stem cells had not been determined. "Evidence suggests that cancer stem cells are responsible for cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, chemoresistance and relapse," Cheng said. "Data are emerging to support the role of both miRNAs … Continue reading →

September 26, 2012 Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online Scientists from the La Jolla, California-based Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute recently discovered kinase inhibitors, which could help facilitate the production of stem cells in the laboratory as well as increase the amount of cells for projects related to disease research and drug development. Researchers were initially interested in quickening the process utilized in the production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a special group of stem cells that can be derived from any kind of an adult cell in the laboratory. iPSCs have been used to produce cells of all types, including cells from the brain, heart and muscles. The team of investigators found that kinase inhibitors could limit the activity of kinase, enzymes that assist in cellular communication, growth and survival. When they combined starter cells along with kinase inhibitors, they discovered that they could produce more iPSCs than the method that has been used in the past by scientists. Generating iPSCs depends on the regulation of communication networks within cells, remarked the studys senior author Tariq Rana, program director in Sanford-Burnhams Childrens Health Research Center, in a prepared statement. So, when you start manipulating which genes are … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Celprogen Inc., a leader in the Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics industry for the development of stem cell technologies for regenerative medicine, today announced that they obtained a Patent for Treating Lactose Intolerance Utilizing Genetically Engineered Bacteria US8,236,297B2. Acquired lactase deficiency is the most common disorder of complex carbohydrate absorption throughout the world, affecting 75% of world population. In the United States 15% of Caucasians, over 50% of Hispanics and over 80% of African-Americans suffer from lactose intolerance. The present invention relates to genetically engineered bacteria that are able to colonize the mammalian intestine and actively produce mammalian lactase. This lactose-digesting enzyme is stable and active under the conditions normally found in the mammalian small intestine. Experimental subjects colonized with the genetically engineered bacteria show improved ability to digest lactose in dairy foods. About Celprogen Inc. Celprogen Inc. is a global Stem Cell Research & Therapeutics company which is developing a proprietary portfolio of unique therapeutics products and life science research tools that includes genetic engineering technologies, stem cell technologies for regenerative medicine, as well as bio-engineering products for tissue & organ transplants. Headquartered in San Pedro, California, Celprogen is committed to the research, development, and manufacture … Continue reading →