Birmingham, AL, USA – Bone marrow contains biological factories, which pump out billions of new blood cells daily. The non-blood cells that maintain this production also have the potential to produce bone, fat and cartilage. This output all starts from stem cells that have the ability to differentiate into various types of cells.
Copenhagen, Denmark — For the first time, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have studied and outlined the development of sebaceous glands in the skin. The study provides greater insight into the development and maintenance of the skin and how cancer mutations affect the behaviour of stem cells and was published in Nature Cell Biology.
Yokohama, Japan – Japanese scientists have developed an efficient method of successfully generating hair growth in nude mice. The new method can be scaled up and therefore shows great potential for clinical applications in human hair regenerative therapy. Their findings were published on May 9, 2019 in Biomaterials.
In a paper published today in Nature Communications, the scientists have identified a new type of cell called a hepatobiliary hybrid progenitor (HHyP), that forms during our early development in the womb. Surprisingly, HHyP also persists in small quantities in adults and these cells can grow into the two main cell types of the adult liver (Hepatocytes and Cholangiocytes) giving HHyPs stem cell-like properties.
Barcelona, Spain — A new study coordinated by the Research Group in Developmental Biology at UPF shows that during the embryonic development of the brain, the cells that are between adjacent segments detect the mechanical forces generated during morphogenesis to regulate the balance between progenitor stem cells and differentiated neurons. The study has been published in the journal Development.
Cologne, Germany – Molecular mechanics in the skin of mice are driven by polarity genes as discovered by a team led at the Cluster of Excellence CECAD . The polarity protein Par3 has functions that are conserved from worms and flies to mammals. It also plays an important role in skin homeostasis and regulates barrier, adhesion and cell division orientation. The new study by a team around Sandra Iden about how polarity regulators control cellular mechanics in the skin was now published in Nature Communications.
Rochester, MN, USA — A phase I clinical trial is the first research monitored by the Food and Drug Administration that demonstrates the potential of regenerative therapy for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) through collecting, processing and injecting an infant's own stem cells directly into the heart at the time of surgery. A paper detailing the clinical trial was published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Minneapolis, MN, USA – New University of Minnesota Medical School research is the first to show that estrogen is essential to maintaining muscle stem cell health. In an article recently published in Cell Reports, lead authors Dawn Lowe and Carrie Ramey/CCRF are the first to establish that estrogen is essential in females for muscle stem cell maintenance and function.
![[STEMBOOK]: Making cancer stem cells visible to the immune system - New results may enable innovative treatment concept against leukemia](https://www.stembook.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/scf_news_files/2019.07.1%20Making%20cancer%20stem%20cells%20visible%20to%20the%20immune%20system%20-%20New%20results%20may%20enable%20innovative%20treatment%20concept%20against%20leukemia.jpg?itok=MY0GIh5M "NK cells (red) attack normal leukemia cells (green). Leukemia stem cells (blue), on the other hand, suppress NKG2DL expression at their surface and thus escape destruction by the immune system. © Schürch/Lengerke, University and University Hospital of Basel")
Heidelberg, Germany – Leukemia stem cells protect themselves against the immune defense by suppressing a target molecule for killer cells. This protective mechanism can be tricked with drugs. In the journal Nature, scientists from Basel, Tübingen and Heidelberg describe the new therapeutic approaches that can possibly be derived from these results. A joint press release of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), and the University Hospital Tübingen.
![[STEMBOOK] Repair of aged tissue can be enhanced by inhibiting signals from neighbouring cells](https://www.stembook.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/scf_news_files/Re%C2%ADpair%20of%20aged%20tis%C2%ADsue%20can%20be%20en%C2%ADhanced%20by%20in%C2%ADhib%C2%ADit%C2%ADing%20sig%C2%ADnals%20from%20neigh%C2%ADbour%C2%ADing%20cells.jpg?itok=U7NjRZLi "Intestinal organoid captures interactions between stem cells and neighbouring Paneth cells (red), (Credit: Nelle Pentinmikko)"){kind=small}
Helsinki, Finland – Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered how regenerative capacity of intestinal epithelium declines when we age. Targeting of an enzyme that inhibits stem cell maintaining signaling rejuvenates the regenerative potential of an aged intestine. This finding may open ways to alleviate age-related gastrointestinal problems, reduce side-effects of cancer treatments, and reduce healthcare costs in the ageing society by promoting recovery. The article was published in Nature.
