stem cells tagged posts

Advances in production of Retinal Cells for treating Blindness

Retinal cells stained for the identified surface marker CD140b in green (image from Fredrik Lanner’s research group)

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and St Erik Eye Hospital in Sweden have discovered a way to refine the production of retinal cells from embryonic stem cells for treating blindness in the elderly. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, they have also managed to modify the cells so that they can hide from the immune system to prevent rejection. The studies are published in the scientific journals Nature Communications and Stem Cell Reports.

Age-related macular degeneration of the eye is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly...

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‘Primitive’ Stem Cells shown to Regenerate Blood Vessels in the Eye

Human vascular progenitor cells (green), made from Zambidis’ lab-grown naive stem cells, engraft into blood vessels (red) in a mouse retina. Credit: Elias Zambidis, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have successfully turned back the biological hands of time, coaxing adult human cells in the laboratory to revert to a primitive state, and unlocking their potential to replace and repair damage to blood vessels in the retina caused by diabetes. The findings from this experimental study, they say, advance regenerative medicine techniques aimed at reversing the course of diabetic retinopathy and other blinding eye diseases.

“Our study results bring us a step closer to using stem cells more widely in regenerative medicine, without the historical problems...

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Tissue-Engineered Human Pancreatic Cells successfully Treat Diabetic mice

This image shows vascularized pancreatic islets (areas in green) bioengineered by researchers and transplanted into a mouse. The bioengineered islets -- which have a network of blood vessels (shown in red) and secrete hormones like insulin -- are shown seven days after transplant. Scientists reporting research data in Cell Reports say their goal is to one day translate the bioengineering process used to generate and transplant mouse pancreatic islets to human patients with diabetes. Credit: Cincinnati Children's

This image shows vascularized pancreatic islets (areas in green) bioengineered by researchers and transplanted into a mouse. The bioengineered islets — which have a network of blood vessels (shown in red) and secrete hormones like insulin — are shown seven days after transplant. Scientists reporting research data in Cell Reports say their goal is to one day translate the bioengineering process used to generate and transplant mouse pancreatic islets to human patients with diabetes. Credit: Cincinnati Children’s

Self-condensation process for cells generates vascularized organ tissues for transplant...

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Spare parts from small parts: Novel Scaffolds to grow Muscle

Spare parts from small parts: Novel Scaffolds to grow Muscle

Spare parts from small parts: Novel Scaffolds to grow Muscle

Australian biomedical engineers have successfully produced a 3D material that mimics nature to transform cells into muscle. The researchers have for the first time incorporated the natural processes of embryonic development to build a material that can more naturally communicate with stem cells for effective tissue repair. The breakthrough offers hope to people suffering from injuries where their muscles cannot repair themselves due to trauma or disease, and our rapidly aging population.

Led by Dr Richard Williams from RMIT University, in Melbourne Australia, the researchers have combined lab-made peptides with natural proteins and polymers to create a 3D “hydrogel scaffold...

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