TOP STORIES

Umbilical Cord Blood as a Readily Available Source for Off-the-shelf, Patient-specific Stem Cells
Umbilical cord blood cells can successfully be reprogrammed to function like embryonic stem cells, setting the basis for the creation of a comprehensive bank of tissue-matched, cord blood-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for off-the-shelf applications. [Salk Institute, La Jolla]

SCIENCE NEWS

Webinar: Feeder-independent growth of hESCs & hiPSCs using TeSR(TM)2

Cells Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reverse Retinal Degeneration
A new study reports that transplanted pigment-containing visual cells derived from human embryonic stem cells successfully preserved structure and function of the specialized light-sensitive lining of the eye (known as the retina) in an animal model of retinal degeneration. [Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem]

Scientists Discover Clues to What Makes Human Muscle Age
By manipulating a recently identified critical biochemical pathway, the researchers were able to turn back the clock on old human muscle, restoring its ability to repair and rebuild itself. [University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley]

Cells in Developing Tissue Consider Their Signaling Exposure History to Determine Location
Researchers have found that cells cannot adopt multiple patterns of gene expression solely by measuring the local concentration of a morphogen. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena]

What Makes the Same Type of Cells Different?
A research team has managed to decipher a well-known phenomenon of why cells of the same type can react differently and what the reason for this is. [ETH Zurich, Zurich]

Enhanced Stem Cells Promote Tissue Regeneration
Engineers have boosted stem cells' ability to regenerate vascular tissue by equipping them with genes that produce extra growth factors (naturally occurring compounds that stimulate tissue growth). [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge]

Research Reveals Unique Properties of Vitro's Fluorescent Stem Cells
Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. announced completion of a research report concerning its fluorescent stem cells involving transfer of fluorescent to differentiated cells. [Vitro Diagnostics, Inc., Golden]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Functional Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells
The researchers here demonstrate that nicotinamide promotes the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to neural and subsequently to retinal pigment epithelium fate. [Cell Stem Cell]

Genetic Engineering of Human Stem Cells for Enhanced Angiogenesis Using Biodegradable Polymeric Nanoparticles
Here, the researchers have developed vascular endothelial growth factor high-expressing, transiently modified stem cells for the purposes of promoting angiogenesis. [PNAS]

Sox7-sustained Expression Alters the Balance Between Proliferation and Differentiation of Hematopoietic Progenitors at the Onset of Blood Specification
Using a global gene expression profiling approach during the course of embryonic stem cell differentiation, this paper identified Sox7 as a potential candidate gene involved in the regulation of blood lineage formation from the mesoderm germ layer. [Blood]

Static Electromagnetic Fields Induce Vasculogenesis and Chondro-osteogenesis of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Reactive Oxygen Species-mediated Up-regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
Herein, the effects of static EMFs on chondro-osteogenesis and vasculogenesis of embryonic stem cells and bone mineralization of mouse fetuses were investigated. [Stem Cells Dev]

Derive iPSCs feeder-free* with mTeSR®1 by STEMCELL Technologies     *Sun et al., PNAS, 2009

INDUSTRY NEWS

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Introduces MethoCult(R) Express for Cord Blood Banks and Transplant Centers
STEMCELL Technologies Inc., announces the launch of MethoCult(R) Express, an innovative methylcellulose-based medium specifically formulated to allow enumeration of total colony-forming cells after only 7 days of culture. With this new medium, reliable information on hematopoietic progenitor cell numbers in cord blood can be obtained much earlier than with standard 14-day assays.

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Announces Direct Distribution to Spain
STEMCELL Technologies Inc., a leader in specialty cell culture media, cell separation products and ancillary reagents for life science research, is pleased to announce that they are now selling directly to customers in Spain.

Cryo-Cell Expands Strategic Partnership With S-Evans Biosciences, Inc.
Company signs exclusive agreement for distribution of C'elleSM menstrual stem cell technology in Thailand and announces strategic SEB research collaboration initiatives.

Scientists Abandon Plan to Develop Hybrid Stem Cells After Funding Dries Up
Every one of the three projects to develop embryonic stem cells from cloned embryos created by fusing human cells with animal eggs has now been abandoned, after publicly-funded research councils refused to back the studies.

Endogenous Stem Cells Activators Inc. Provides Grant to LA BioMed to Investigate Long-term Correction of Erectile Dysfunction
Endogenous Stem Cells Activators Inc. announced recently that it will award a $1.3 million grant to Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for pre-clinical studies aimed at activating penile endogenous stem cells with the company's drug, KRONOS IV.

Stem Cell Pioneers Among Nobel Prize Candidates
Two Canadian scientists whose discovery of stem cells has paved the way for controversial research could be candidates for the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine.

Stem Cell Expert Accepts Lasker Award
Researcher Shinya Yamanaka formally received the 2009 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for discoveries concerning nuclear reprogramming and stem cells at a ceremony Friday in New York.

NIH Grantees Win 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Telomere Research
The three researchers were honored for discovering how telomeres, through the enzyme telomerase, protect chromosomes against degradation.

POLICY NEWS

Maryland Stem Cell Commission Issues Requests for Applications
The grants to be awarded under these two RFAs will fund basic and translational research with human stem cells of all types, as defined in the Stem Cell Act.

Obama Announces $5 Billion for New Medical Research
President Barack Obama announced a plan on Wednesday to spend $5 billion on medical and scientific research, medical supplies and upgrading laboratory capacity, which he said would create tens of thousands of new jobs.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

FDA Issues Strategic Plan for Risk Communication
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued its Strategic Plan for Risk Communication, which outlines the agency's efforts to disseminate more meaningful public health information.

Food and Drug Administration Transparency Task Force Meeting, 51161-51163 [E9-23916]

EVENTS

49th American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting
December 5-9, 2009
San Diego, United States

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine World Congress
January 20-21, 2010
San Francisco, United States

Phacilitate Cell and Gene Therapy
January 25-27, 2010
Washington DC, United States

Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference 2010
February 3-5, 2010
San Francisco, United States

SMi's 2nd Annual Stem Cells
February 15-16, 2010
London, United Kingdom

Stem Cell Summit
February 16, 2010
New York, United States

ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

Have we missed an important article or publication in Embryonic Cell News? Click here to submit!