Newswise UCLA stem cell researchers have shown that insulin and nutrition keep blood stem cells from differentiating into mature blood cells in Drosophila, the common fruit fly, a finding that has implications for studying inflammatory response and blood development in response to dietary changes in humans. Keeping blood stem cells, or progenitor cells, from differentiating into blood cells is important as they are needed to create the blood supply for the adult fruit fly. The study found that the blood stem cells are receiving systemic signals from insulin and nutritional factors, in this case essential amino acids, that helped them to maintain their stemness, said study senior author Utpal Banerjee, professor and chairman of the molecular, cell and developmental biology department in Life Sciences and a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine at UCLA. We expect that this study will promote further investigation of possible direct signal sensing mechanisms by mammalian blood stem cells, Banerjee said. Such studies will probably yield insights into chronic inflammation and the myeloid cell accumulation seen in patients with type II diabetes and other metabolic disorders. The study appears March 11, 2012 in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Cell Biology. In … Continue reading →

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO.OB - News) http://www.internationalstemcell.com, a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic, cosmetic and research products, announced today that it had obtained new capital financing and made important changes in the composition of its Board of Directors to ensure that Independent Directors hold the majority of Board seats. The financing consists of $5 million in newly issued Series G Convertible Preferred Stock (without warrants), convertible into Common Stock at a conversion price of $0.40/share, the market price of the Companys Common Stock on the date the offer to purchase was made. This financing was made by AR Partners LLC, a healthcare investment firm owned by Dr. Andrey Semechkin, ISCOs CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors. Concurrently with the closing of this financing, the Company elected to its Board of Directors Dr. James Berglund, co-founder of Enterprise Partners Venture Capital - one of the premier venture capital firms in the field of healthcare technology founded in 1985. Dr. Berglund, with his extensive professional experience, continues as an active participant in the biotech and healthcare industries. Dr. Berglund will replace Kenneth C. Aldrich, co-founder and former CEO of the Company during the period 2008-2009, … Continue reading →

CLEARWATER, FL--(Marketwire -03/12/12)- Biostem U.S., Corporation (OTCQB: BOSM.PK - News) (Pinksheets: BOSM.PK - News) (Biostem, the Company), a fully reporting public company in the stem cell regenerative medicine sciences sector, announced today the addition of cardiothoracic surgeon Thomas W. Prendergast, M.D. to its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors (SAMBA). Biostem CEO, Dwight Brunoehler stated, "The Company is now positioned for growth and international expansion. Adding a world class team of clinical, laboratory, and regulatory experts for our Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors to guide our pursuits is essential. Dr. Prendergast brings a wealth of experience not only in the scientific aspects of stem cell use in regenerative medicine, but also in forging research and international economic development opportunities." Dr. Prendergast is a busy clinical cardiothoracic surgeon, who performs 200-250 open-heart operations and 5 to 15 heart transplants each year. He is deeply involved in numerous clinical and research activities associated with stem cells and heart repair. He is presently Director of Cardiac Transplantation at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey where he holds an Associate Professorship of Surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. In addition to being an active … Continue reading →

Public release date: 12-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Sarah Jackson press_releases@the-jci.org 919-684-0620 Journal of Clinical Investigation EDITOR'S PICK Restoring what's lost: uncovering how liver tissue regenerates The liver is unique among mammalian organs in its ability to regenerate after significant tissue damage or even partial surgical removal. Laurie DeLeve and her colleagues at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles wanted to better understand which cells are specifically responsible for driving liver regeneration. A specialized cell type, known as liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, has generally been thought to promote regeneration of liver tissue. However, the DeLeve team suspected that stem cells and progenitor cells, which have the capacity to differentiate into mature cell types, might be responsible for stimulating liver regeneration by generating hepatocyte growth factor. Using a rat model system, they first identified the presence of stem and progenitor cells that give rise to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in both the liver and the bone marrow. They next sought to determine which population of stem and progenitor cells are required for regeneration. DeLeve and colleagues found that the bone marrow-derived cells were not required for liver cell proliferation in the absence of damage. In contrast, … Continue reading →