Category Health/Medical

OSKM-Induced XEN Cells Arise during Reprogramming

The stem cell discovery could also offer new ways to study birth defects and other reproductive problems. Tony Parenti, MSU cell and molecular biology graduate student, unearthed the new cells – induced XEN cells, or iXEN – in a cellular trash pile, of sorts. “Other scientists may have seen these cells before, but they were considered to be defective, or cancer-like,” said Parenti. “Rather than ignore these cells that have been mislabeled as waste byproducts, we found gold in the garbage.”

A great deal of stem cell research focuses on new ways to make and use pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells can be created by reactivating embryonic genes to “reprogram” mature adult cells...

A computer in the lab of Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., Ph.D., monitors brain signals from a rhesus macaque. Nicolelis and Duke researchers record signals from hundreds of neurons in two regions of the monkeys’ brains that are involved in movement and sensation. As the animals think about moving toward their goal — in this case, a bowl containing fresh grapes — computers translate their brain activity into real-time operation of a wheelchair. Credit: Shawn Rocco/ Duke Health

Neuroscientists have developed a brain-machine interface (BMI) that allows primates to use only their thoughts to navigate a robotic wheelchair. The BMI uses signals from hundreds of neurons recorded simultaneously in 2 regions of the monkeys’ brains that are involved in movement and sensation...

Their study focuses on a type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that involves a gene called TAL-1. Dr. Marjorie Brand and her team discovered that GSK-J4 can kill this form of cancer. By transplanting cancer cells from human patients into normal mice, the authors showed that the compound can kill the leukemia quickly, efficiently, and with no short-term side effects. GSK-J4 was created by the pharmaceutical industry for research purposes, and has never been used as a cancer therapy.

“It’s very exciting because this is the first time anyone has found a potential personalized treatment for this aggressive disease,” said Dr. Brand, a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa...

This image shows modulation of wound healing and scar formation by MG53-mediated cell membrane repair and TGF-? signaling regulation. Credit: Li.et.al., 2015

The protein, MG53, travels throughout the bloodstream and helps the body fix injuries to the skin, heart, and other organs without causing scars. It’s a discovery that could help heal open wounds, decrease recovery time after surgery and reduce the spread of infections. “A massive scar on your skin may look bad, but imagine you have a heart attack and get a scar on your heart – that could be lethal,” says Jianjie Ma.

All animals carry this gene, he said, and it’s almost identical no matter which species. MG53 fixes the cell and tissue damage that occurs during everyday living...