http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/StemCells-Fundamentals-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Sun, 19 May 2013 07:32:52 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/embryonic-stem-cells-from-skin-created-118963-1.htm For the first time US researchers have turned human skin cells into embryonic stem cells. The method described Wednesday by Oregon State University scientists in the journal Cell, would not likely be able to create human clones, said Shoukhrat Mitalipov, senior scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. But it is an important step in research because it does not require the use of embryos in creating the type of stem cell capable of transforming into any other type of cell in the body....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/embryonic-stem-cells-from-skin-created-118963-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/treatment-for-rare-genetic-nerve-disease-advanced-by-ucla-stem-cell-researchers-118798-1.htm Researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have used induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to advance disease-in-a-dish modeling of a rare genetic disorder, ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). The researchers were led by Dr. Peiyee Lee and Dr. Richard Gatti. Their discovery shows the positive effects of drugs that may lead to effective new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease. iPS cells are made from patients' skin cells, rather than ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/treatment-for-rare-genetic-nerve-disease-advanced-by-ucla-stem-cell-researchers-118798-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/naturally-occurring-fibers-effective-in-developing-stem-cell-cartilage-therapy-118773-1.htm A team of British researchers has found that a combination of naturally occurring fibers, such as cellulose and silk, can provide an affordable and effective cell-based therapy for cartilage repair. The EPSRC-funded study, published in iBiomacromolecules/i and undertaken by University of Bristol researchers, explored the feasibility of using natural fibres such as silk and cellulose as stem cell scaffolds - the matrix to which stem cells can cling to as they grow. Both cellulose and ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/naturally-occurring-fibers-effective-in-developing-stem-cell-cartilage-therapy-118773-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/how-stem-cells-produce-different-kinds-of-cells-118536-1.htm The human body contains trillions of cells made by the fusion of an egg and a sperm, all derived from a single cell, or zygote. That single cell contains all the genetic information needed to develop into a human, and passes identical copies of that information to each new cell as it divides into the many diverse types of cells that make up a complex organism like a human being. If each cell is genetically identical, however, how does it grow to be a skin, blood, nerve, bone or other type ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/how-stem-cells-produce-different-kinds-of-cells-118536-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/identification-of-stem-cells-raises-possibility-of-new-therapies-scientists-118386-1.htm Fat accumulation in the muscle is the cause of many diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, muscular dystrophy. In essence, fat replacement causes the muscles to weaken and degenerate. Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have discovered the biological mechanism involved in this process, which could point the way to potential therapies. The findings are published in the April 27 online edition of iStem Cells and Development/i. The Wake Forest Baptist researchers proved ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/identification-of-stem-cells-raises-possibility-of-new-therapies-scientists-118386-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-cannot-be-used-for-making-new-eggs-118358-1.htm A new study conducted by Carnegie researchers, Lei Lei and Allan Spradling, and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that adult mice were unable to use stem cells to produce new eggs. Before birth, mouse and human ovaries contain an abundant supply of germ cells, some of which will develop into the eggs that will ultimately be released from follicles during ovulation. Around the time of birth these germ cells have formed a large reserve of primordial follicles-each containing a single immature egg....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-cannot-be-used-for-making-new-eggs-118358-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-discovery-may-pave-the-way-for-novel-treatments-118328-1.htm Scientists have made a fundamental discovery about how the properties of embryonic stem cells are controlled. The study, which focuses on the process by which these cells renew and increase in number, could help research to find new treatments. Researchers have found that a protein, which switches on genes to allow embryonic stem cells to self-renew, works better when the natural occurring level of the protein is reduced. It was previously thought that once levels of this protein - ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-discovery-may-pave-the-way-for-novel-treatments-118328-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tumor-growth-in-mice-slowed-down-through-injection-of-human-stem-cells-118190-1.htm A new study published in the journal Stem Cell Research (and) Therapy found that tumor growth in mice could be slowed down by injecting human stem cells into the mice. The use of stem cells in treating cancer has been controversial, with some studies finding that stem cells force tumors to enter programmed cell death. However other studies find that stem cells actually promote tumor growth by inducing infiltration of new blood vessels. In attempting to sort out this puzzle researchers from INSERM ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tumor-growth-in-mice-slowed-down-through-injection-of-human-stem-cells-118190-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/public-cord-blood-banking-recognized-by-tamil-nadu-government-118177-1.htm The Government of Tamil Nadu became the first in India to recognize the importance of Public Cord Blood Banking by announcing a grant of Rs. 9 Crores ( (Dollor) 1,671,300 USD) to the Public Cord Blood Bank established in 2008 by Jeevan Blood Bank and Research Centre, a not-for-profit organization. This grant, to be disbursed over three years, will help Jeevan collect, process, test and store a minimum of 3000 cord blood donations from Tamil Nadu. "This is a long awaited major boost to Public Cord Blood Banking in India....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/public-cord-blood-banking-recognized-by-tamil-nadu-government-118177-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/antibody-that-transforms-bone-marrow-stem-cells-directly-into-brain-cells-discovered-by-scientists-118152-1.htm Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells in a serendipitous discovery. Current techniques for turning patients' marrow cells into cells of some other desired type are relatively cumbersome, risky and effectively confined to the lab dish. The new finding points to the possibility of simpler and safer techniques. Cell therapies derived from patients' own cells are widely expected to be useful in treating spinal ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/antibody-that-transforms-bone-marrow-stem-cells-directly-into-brain-cells-discovered-by-scientists-118152-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientist-identify-protein-molecule-used-to-maintain-adult-stem-cells-118048-1.htm The holy grail of regenerative medicine is understanding exactly how stem cells form into specific organs and tissues. Now a UC Santa Barbara researcher has added to that body of knowledge by determining how stem cells produce different types of "daughter" cells in iDrosophila/i (fruit flies). The findings appear today in the iProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences/i. Denise Montell, Duggan Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at UCSB, and colleagues ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientist-identify-protein-molecule-used-to-maintain-adult-stem-cells-118048-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-identify-stem-cell-for-spread-of-cancer-in-the-blood-of-breast-cancer-patients-118013-1.htm The spread of cancer or metastasis is thought to be caused by individual cancer cells that break away from the original tumor and circulate through the blood stream. These dreaded secondary tumors are the main cause of cancer-related deaths. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detectable in a patient's blood are associated with a poorer prognosis. However, up until now, experimental evidence was lacking as to whether the "stem cell" of metastasis is found among CTCs. "We were convinced that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-identify-stem-cell-for-spread-of-cancer-in-the-blood-of-breast-cancer-patients-118013-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-senescence-drives-aging-mayo-clinic-researchers-117981-1.htm Declining levels of the protein BubR1 occur when both people and animals age. This contributes to cell senescence or deterioration, weight loss, muscle wasting and cataracts. Mayo Clinic researchers have shown that adult progenitor or stem cells -- important for repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle and maintenance of healthy fat tissue -- are subject to cellular senescence, and that clearance of these cells limits age-related deterioration of these tissues. The findings appear today online in the journal iCell Reports/i....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-senescence-drives-aging-mayo-clinic-researchers-117981-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-therapy-used-in-us-for-treating-neuroblastoma-in-children-more-toxic-than-european-or-egyptian-regimens-117970-1.htm A new study to be presented at the 26th annual meeting of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology in Miami suggests that the current stem cell transplant regimens to treat advanced neuroblastoma in children in the United States is more toxic compared to the regimens used in Europe and Egypt. This and other research informed the recent decision of the Children's Oncology Group (COG) to switch to the busulfan-based regimen used for years in Europe and Egypt, said senior author Leslie E....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-therapy-used-in-us-for-treating-neuroblastoma-in-children-more-toxic-than-european-or-egyptian-regimens-117970-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/two-thirds-of-children-readmitted-to-hospital-following-stem-cell-transplants-117962-1.htm A study performed at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center in Boston has found that nearly two-thirds of children receiving stem cell transplants returned to the hospital within six months for treatment due to unexplained fevers, infections or other problems. Children who received donor cells were twice as likely to be readmitted as children who received their own stem cells. "No one had ever looked at these data in children," said Leslie E. Lehmann, MD, clinical director of pediatric ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/two-thirds-of-children-readmitted-to-hospital-following-stem-cell-transplants-117962-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/useful-stem-cells-separated-from-problem-ones-by-using-new-method-117920-1.htm It is well-known that pluripotent stem cells can turn, or differentiate, into any cell type in the body, such as nerve, muscle or bone. Because these remaining pluripotent stem cells can subsequently develop into unintended cell types - bone cells among blood, for instance - or form tumors known as teratomas, identifying and separating them from their differentiated progeny is of utmost importance in keeping stem cell-based therapeutics safe. Now, UCLA scientists have discovered a new ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/useful-stem-cells-separated-from-problem-ones-by-using-new-method-117920-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-transplant-restores-memory-117747-1.htm Human embryonic stem cell transplantation helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember, say researchers. A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the first to show that human stem cells can successfully implant themselves in the brain and then heal neurological deficits, says senior author Su-Chun Zhang, a professor of neuroscience and neurology. Once inside the mouse brain, the implanted stem cells formed two common, vital types of neurons, which communicate with the chemicals GABA or acetylcholine....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-transplant-restores-memory-117747-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/novel-stem-cell-approach-holds-promise-in-developing-treatments-for-lou-gehrigs-disease-117724-1.htm A novel stem cell based approach could be effective in developing treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease, a new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals. Applying this method to motor neurons derived from stem cells taken from an ALS mouse model and human patients, the researchers discovered a promising compound that promotes the survival of motor neurons, paving the way for better treatments for the devastating disease. "We carried out a small molecule screen using stem-cell-derived ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/novel-stem-cell-approach-holds-promise-in-developing-treatments-for-lou-gehrigs-disease-117724-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-stem-cell-jab-could-help-cure-heart-disease-117517-1.htm A revolutionary new treatment that could pave way in creating a stem cell injection to cure heart disease was tested for the first time by scientists. The heart failure breakthrough involves injecting patients with their own stem cells. The quick and easy procedure saw doctors take bone marrow from the patients' hips before injecting them directly into the heart to strengthen the muscle, the Daily Express reported. Heart pumping function improved within six months for every patient given the ground-breaking treatment....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-stem-cell-jab-could-help-cure-heart-disease-117517-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-stem-cell-research-shows-how-important-it-is-to-spring-clean-your-brain-117274-1.htm A legion of stem cells lies deep inside your brains, ready to turn into new brain and nerve cells whenever and wherever you need them most. While they wait, they keep themselves in a state of perpetual readiness - poised to become any type of nerve cell you might need as your cells age or get damaged. Now, new research from scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School reveals a key way they do this: through a type of internal "spring cleaning" that both clears out garbage within ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-stem-cell-research-shows-how-important-it-is-to-spring-clean-your-brain-117274-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/mammary-gland-stem-cells-fished-out-using-a-novel-surface-marker-117265-1.htm Stem cells retain the genetic plasticity to self-renew indefinitely as well as develop into cell types with more specialized functions, which makes them a unique entity. However, this remarkable self-renewal capacity comes with a price, as stem cells can become seeds of cancer. Identifying genetic programs that maintain self-renewing capabilities therefore is a vital step in understanding the errors that derail a normal stem cell, sending it on a path to become a cancer stem cell. Isolating ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/mammary-gland-stem-cells-fished-out-using-a-novel-surface-marker-117265-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/ability-of-blood-stem-cells-to-respond-to-emergencies-is-surprising-117221-1.htm Even stem cells have specific roles to play during emergencies, researchers are reporting. A research team of Inserm, CNRS and MDC lead by Michael Sieweke of the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy (CNRS, INSERM, Aix Marseille Universite) and Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, today revealed an unexpected role for hematopoietic stem cells: they do not merely ensure the continuous renewal of our blood cells; in emergencies they are capable of producing white blood cells ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/ability-of-blood-stem-cells-to-respond-to-emergencies-is-surprising-117221-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smart-stem-cells-show-promise-in-heart-failure-117189-1.htm For people suffering from heart failure cardiopoietic (cardiogenically-instructed) or "smart" stem cells was found to improve heart health. This is the first application in patients of lineage-guided stem cells for targeted regeneration of a failing organ, paving the way to development of next generation regenerative medicine solutions. The multi-center, randomized Cardiopoietic stem cell therapy in heart failure (C-CURE) trial involved heart failure patients from Belgium, Switzerland and Serbia....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smart-stem-cells-show-promise-in-heart-failure-117189-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vatican-to-organize-adult-stem-cell-conference-117150-1.htm On Thursday the Vatican will organize a conference to promote adult stem cell research as an alternative to research using destroyed human embryos, which is considered by the Roman Catholic Church as deeply unethical and less effective. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Culture, at a briefing on Tuesday said several leading world scientists would attend including Britain's John Gurdon, winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine last year. Ravasi said the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vatican-to-organize-adult-stem-cell-conference-117150-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-collect-embryonic-like-stem-cells-from-adults-to-grow-bone-117106-1.htm Researchers are all set for the first known human trial to use embryonic-like stem cells collected from adult cells to grow bone. The research took place at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and New York-based NeoStem Inc. The cells technology, called VSEL stem cells, or very small embryonic-like stem cells, are derived from adults-not fetuses. This eliminates ethical arguments and potential side effects associated with using actual embryonic stem cells derived from a fetus, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-collect-embryonic-like-stem-cells-from-adults-to-grow-bone-117106-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/separation-of-stem-cells-enabled-by-adhesive-force-differences-117091-1.htm Research indicates that a new separation process could help expand production of stem cells generated through cell reprogramming. The process depends on an easily-distinguished physical difference in adhesive forces among cells. By facilitating new research, the separation process could also lead to improvements in the reprogramming technique itself and help scientists model certain disease processes. The reprogramming technique allows a small percentage of cells - often taken from the skin ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/separation-of-stem-cells-enabled-by-adhesive-force-differences-117091-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-find-new-separation-process-that-advances-stem-cell-therapies-117061-1.htm The production of stem cells generated through cell reprogramming could be expanded with the help of a new separation process that depends on an easily-distinguished physical difference in adhesive forces among cells. By facilitating new research, the separation process could also lead to improvements in the reprogramming technique itself and help scientists model certain disease processes. The reprogramming technique allows a small percentage of cells - often taken from the skin or blood - ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-find-new-separation-process-that-advances-stem-cell-therapies-117061-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-to-curb-appetite-116915-1.htm A recent discovery made by researchers in stem cell manipulation could offer solution to obesity. It was previously thought that the nerve cells in the brain associated with appetite regulation were generated entirely during an embryo's development in the womb and therefore their numbers were fixed for life. But a new study has identified a population of stem cells capable of generating new appetite-regulating neurons in the brains of young and adult rodents. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-to-curb-appetite-116915-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/adult-stem-cells-from-human-intestinal-tissue-isolated-116880-1.htm For the first time, scientists have isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue. The accomplishment provides a much-needed resource for scientists eager to uncover the true mechanisms of human stem cell biology. It also enables them to explore new tactics to treat inflammatory bowel disease or to ameliorate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, which often damage the gut. "Not having these cells to study has been a significant roadblock to research," said senior study author Scott T....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/adult-stem-cells-from-human-intestinal-tissue-isolated-116880-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-from-amniotic-fluid-may-be-used-to-treat-intestinal-disease-among-newborns-116350-1.htm The results of a recent stem cell research indicate that stem cells from amniotic fluid could be used to treat a fatal intestinal disease, necrotising enterocolitis, among premature newborns. Dr Paolo De Coppi, from University College London's Institute of Child Health, and team, conducted animal trials. Rats with the intestinal disease were injected with amniotic stem cells. A week later, it was found that rats injected with the stems cells showed increased survival rate with reduced inflammation of the intestine....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-from-amniotic-fluid-may-be-used-to-treat-intestinal-disease-among-newborns-116350-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-method-developed-to-expand-blood-stem-cells-116261-1.htm Every year, more than 50,000 stem cell transplants are being performed worldwide. A research team led by Weill Cornell Medical College investigators may have solved a major issue of expanding adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) outside the human body for clinical use in bone marrow transplantation -- a critical step towards producing a large supply of blood stem cells needed to restore a healthy blood system. In the journal iBlood/i, Weill Cornell researchers and collaborators from Memorial-Sloan ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-method-developed-to-expand-blood-stem-cells-116261-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-injected-within-the-heart-monitored-using-nanotrackers-116134-1.htm Researchers have found a way to monitor stem cells after they are placed inside the heart to treat damaged heart tissue. Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment option to treat damaged heart tissue. However, till date clinical trials experimenting with the procedure have failed to produce any significant results. One major reason is that doctors aren't really sure of the status of the stem cells once inside the heart as stem cells have no significant markers to track them. They aren't ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-injected-within-the-heart-monitored-using-nanotrackers-116134-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-identified-in-deer-antler-116065-1.htm Reports find evidence that deer antlers contain multipotent stem cells that could be useful for tissue regeneration in veterinary medicine. "We successfully isolated and characterized antler tissue-derived multipotent stem cells and confirmed that the isolated cells are self-renewing and can differentiate into multiple lineages," said study co-author Dr. Kyung-Sun Kang of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Seoul National University. "Using optimized culture conditions, deer antler displayed vigorous cell proliferation....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-identified-in-deer-antler-116065-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/research-elaborates-on-stem-cell-transplantation-as-a-factor-to-impact-on-poor-graft-function-116006-1.htm Previous research has shown that stem cells have a variety of uses. When a research team in China evaluated the efficacy and safety of using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) expanded from the bone marrow of non-self-donors to treat patients experiencing poor graft function (PGF) after receiving transplants of non-self-donated blood stem cells (allo-HSCT), they found that the mesenchymal stem cells were both safe and effective for treating primary and secondary PGF. The study appears as an early ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/research-elaborates-on-stem-cell-transplantation-as-a-factor-to-impact-on-poor-graft-function-116006-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/umbilical-stem-cells-more-effective-in-treating-children-with-hurlers-syndrome-115903-1.htm Children suffering from a rare Hurler's syndrome can now be treated more effectively using stem cells from the umbilical cord as opposed to the previous transplant of matched donor bone marrow stem cells. HS is an inherited metabolic disease characterized by the lack of a critical metabolic enzyme (lysosomal (and) #945;-L-iduronidase) that breaks down long chains of sugar molecules in the body. In the absence of the enzyme, the sugar chains build up in the body and damage vital organs. Children with ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/umbilical-stem-cells-more-effective-in-treating-children-with-hurlers-syndrome-115903-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/transplantation-of-stem-cells-could-help-repair-erectile-dysfunction-115893-1.htm Stem cell transplantation cultivated on the surface of nanofibrous meshes could be a novel technique against erectile dysfunction (ED), say researchers. The study was conducted by a group of Korean scientists and will be awarded 3rd prize for best abstract in non-oncology research on the opening day of the congress. During their investigation, the group aimed to examine the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells cultivated on the surface of nanofibrous meshes (nano-hMSCs) ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/transplantation-of-stem-cells-could-help-repair-erectile-dysfunction-115893-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-from-a-patients-own-fat-may-fight-brain-cancer-115693-1.htm Based on laboratory studies, Johns Hopkins researchers claim to have found that stem cells from a patient's own fat may have the potential to deliver new treatments directly into the brain after the surgical removal of a glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain tumor. The investigators say so-called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have an unexplained ability to seek out damaged cells, such as those involved in cancer, and may provide clinicians a new tool for accessing difficult-to-reach ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-from-a-patients-own-fat-may-fight-brain-cancer-115693-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/signaling-molecule-may-help-stem-cells-focus-on-making-bone-despite-age-disease-115613-1.htm New research indicates that a signaling molecule that helps stem cells survive in the low-oxygen environment inside the bone marrow may hold clues to helping the cells survive aging processes. They hope the findings, reported in iPLOS ONE/i, will result in better therapies to prevent bone loss in aging and enhance success of stem cell transplants for a wide variety of conditions from heart disease to cerebral palsy and cancer. They've found that inside the usual, oxygen-poor niche of ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/signaling-molecule-may-help-stem-cells-focus-on-making-bone-despite-age-disease-115613-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-therapy-for-bowel-disease-115003-1.htm Adult stem cells in bone marrow was shown to have the potential to restore healthy tissue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), say researchers. Up to 1 million Americans have IBD, which is characterized by frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain. IBD actually refers to two conditions - ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease - in which the intestines become red and swollen and develop ulcers, probably as the result of the body having an immune response to its own tissue. While ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-therapy-for-bowel-disease-115003-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/liver-stem-cells-grown-in-dish-115000-1.htm For the first time, Oregon Health and Science University scientists have grown liver stem cells in culture. For decades scientists around the world have attempted to regenerate primary liver cells known as hepatocytes because of their numerous biomedical applications, including hepatitis research, drug metabolism and toxicity studies, as well as transplantation for cirrhosis and other chronic liver conditions. But no lab in the world has been successful in identifying and growing liver ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/liver-stem-cells-grown-in-dish-115000-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-holy-grail-of-stem-cell-research-114969-1.htm A super-coated scaffolding developed by scientists was found to improve stem cell technology to cure some of the world's incurable diseases and conditions. Stem cells have the unique ability to turn into any type of human cell, opening up all sorts of therapeutic possibilities for diseases from Alzheimer's to diabetes. But how to encourage stem cells to turn into the particular type of cell required to treat a specific disease is the problem that scientists are facing now. Now researchers ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-holy-grail-of-stem-cell-research-114969-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-stem-cells-nurtured-by-distinct-niches-in-bone-marrow-114895-1.htm Scientists have found that distinct niches exist in bone marrow to nurture different types of blood stem cells. This research could one day improve the success of stem cell transplants and chemotherapy. Stem cells in the blood are the precursors to infection-fighting white blood cells and oxygen-carrying red blood cells. The research, by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is reported Feb. 24 in the advance online edition of iNature/i. The new findings, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-stem-cells-nurtured-by-distinct-niches-in-bone-marrow-114895-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-signal-may-help-treat-heart-failure-patients-114880-1.htm Researchers activated heart failure patients' stem cells with gene therapy to improve their symptoms, heart function and quality of life, in the first human study of its kind. This is according to a study in the American Heart Association journal iCirculation Research/i. Researchers delivered a gene that encodes a factor called SDF-1 to activate stem cells like a "homing" signal. The study is unique because researchers introduced the "homing" factor to draw stem cells to the site of injury ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-signal-may-help-treat-heart-failure-patients-114880-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/impact-of-stem-cell-transplantation-location-in-brain-a-crucial-factor-for-cell-survival-researchers-114573-1.htm Nonself-donated cells (allografts) better survive implantation into the brains of immunocompetent research mice when the grafts are injected into the striatum (STR) of the brain rather than injected into the forceps minor (FM) region finds researchers at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and the Mossakowski Medical Research Centre in Warsaw, Poland. In their study, all FM grafts were rejected while STR grafts accumulated and survived along the border between the striatum and the corpus callosum....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/impact-of-stem-cell-transplantation-location-in-brain-a-crucial-factor-for-cell-survival-researchers-114573-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/russian-army-plans-to-recreate-human-liver-using-human-stem-cells-114507-1.htm With a tender for creation of an artificial human liver from human stem cells and animal tissue, the Russian military plans to enter the rapidly developing field of bioengineering. The tender for development of the artificial liver, dubbed "Code Prometheus", was published on state tender website Zakupki.gov.ru by the Federal Agency for the Procurement of Military and Special Equipment. The winner of the 518 million rubles ( (Dollor) 17 million) tender must produce a bioengineered human liver with ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/russian-army-plans-to-recreate-human-liver-using-human-stem-cells-114507-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-source-may-influence-ability-to-treat-myocardial-infarction-114394-1.htm Stem cells have become an exciting avenue for researchers exploring the potential of regenerative medicine. When a research team from Denmark and Sweden compared the therapeutic capabilities of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) versus bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) obtained from a single 84 year-old male donor with ischemic coronary disease to regeneratively treat myocardial infarction in a rat model, they found that the ASCs preserved more cardiac function in the test rats while neither ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-source-may-influence-ability-to-treat-myocardial-infarction-114394-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-trial-for-common-sight-problems-moves-a-step-closer-to-reality-114349-1.htm A cure for common eyesight problems could be on the way after Japanese researchers revealed that they are closer to conducting clinical trials in which they will be using adult stem cells to find a treatment. The ethics committee at the Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation in Kobe, west Japan, on Wednesday approved a trial treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells. The trial is aimed at creating retinal cells that can be transplanted ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cell-trial-for-common-sight-problems-moves-a-step-closer-to-reality-114349-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/insight-into-motor-neurone-disease-via-stem-cell-discovery-114215-1.htm New research indicates that a discovery using stem cells from a patient with motor neurone disease could help research into treatments for the condition. The study used a patient's skin cells to create motor neurons - nerve cells that control muscle activity - and the cells that support them called astrocytes. Researchers studied these two types of cells in the laboratory. They found that a protein expressed by abnormalities in a gene linked to motor neurone disease, which is called TDP-43, caused the astrocytes to die....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/insight-into-motor-neurone-disease-via-stem-cell-discovery-114215-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-key-protein-which-acts-as-a-trigger-for-stem-cell-development-114104-1.htm Scientists discover a natural trigger that enables stem cells to become any cell-type in the body. Researchers have identified a protein that kick-starts the process by which stem cells can develop to into different cells in the body, for instance liver or brain cells. Their discovery could help scientists improve techniques enabling them to turn stem cells into other cell types in the laboratory. These could then be used to test drugs or help create therapies for degenerative conditions ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-key-protein-which-acts-as-a-trigger-for-stem-cell-development-114104-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-and-lightweight-plastic-used-to-create-artificial-bone-114091-1.htm Researchers at Universities of Edinburgh and Southampton have managed to create artificial bone with the help of stem cells and new lightweight plastic, leading to the possibility that people can heal their own broken limbs. The researchers revealed that inserting a degradable and rigid plastic material into the shattered bones can encourage the real bone to grow with the help of stem cells. The plastic material allows the blood to flow through it and thus allowing stem cells from a patient's bone marrow to attach to it and grow a new bone....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-and-lightweight-plastic-used-to-create-artificial-bone-114091-1.htm