Gut busting discovery Intestinal stem cells: Photo courtesy Klaus Kaestner, Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine It’s not often you read the word “sensational” in a news release about stem cells. But this week researchers at the University of Copenhagen released findings that are overturning long-held ideas about the development of cells in our stomachs. So … Continue reading Stories that caught our eye: FDA grants orphan drug status to CIRM-funded therapy; stunning discovery upends ideas of cell formation; and how tadpoles grow new tails
Nature
3D brain model shows potential for treatment of hypoxic brain injuries in infants
Image of 3D brain cultures in the Sergiu Pasca lab. Photo courtesy of Timothy Archibald. A baby's time in the womb is one of the most crucial periods in terms of its development. The average length of gestation, which is defined as the amount of time in the womb from conception to birth, is approximately … Continue reading 3D brain model shows potential for treatment of hypoxic brain injuries in infants
Stories that Caught Our Eye: New ways to heal old bones; and keeping track of cells once they are inside you
How Youth Factor Can Help Repair Old Bones As we get older things that used to heal quickly tend to take a little longer to get better. In some cases, a lot longer. Take bones for example. A fracture in someone who is in their 70’s often doesn’t heal as quickly, or completely, as in … Continue reading Stories that Caught Our Eye: New ways to heal old bones; and keeping track of cells once they are inside you
CIRM Supported Scientist Makes Surprising Discovery with Parasitic Gut Worms
It’s no secret that researchers have long believed adult stem cells could contribute to wound healing in the gut and skin, but in a new paper in Nature — a group of scientists at UC San Francisco made a surprising discovery. Through several experiments using parasitic worms in the mouse gut, they found that as … Continue reading CIRM Supported Scientist Makes Surprising Discovery with Parasitic Gut Worms
Fish umbrellas and human bone: protecting blood stem cells from the sun’s UV rays
Most people probably do not question the fact that human blood stem cells – those that give rise to all the cells in our blood – live inside the marrow of our bones, called a stem cell “niche”. But it is pretty odd when you stop to think about it. I mean, it makes sense … Continue reading Fish umbrellas and human bone: protecting blood stem cells from the sun’s UV rays
Using biological “codes” to generate neurons in a dish
Investigators at the Scripps Research Institute are making brain waves in the field of neuroscience. Until now, neuroscience research has largely relied on a variety of animal models to understand the complexities of various brain or neuronal diseases. While beneficial for many reasons, animal models do not always allow scientists to understand the precise mechanism … Continue reading Using biological “codes” to generate neurons in a dish
Stem Cell Roundup: Backup cells to repair damaged lungs; your unique bowels; and California Cures, 71 ways CIRM is changing the face of medicine
It’s good to have a backup plan Our lungs are amazing things. They take in the air we breathe and move it into our blood so that oxygen can be carried to every part of our body. They’re also surprisingly large. If you were to spread out a lung – and I have no idea … Continue reading Stem Cell Roundup: Backup cells to repair damaged lungs; your unique bowels; and California Cures, 71 ways CIRM is changing the face of medicine
Using the courts to protect patients from unapproved stem cell therapies
A recent article in Nature looked at using lawsuits to help rein in the activities of clinics offering "unapproved" therapies. CIRM's Geoff Lomax explains. When public health officials wanted to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking they filed lawsuits against the tobacco companies. They accused Big Tobacco of deceptive marketing and hiding the negative … Continue reading Using the courts to protect patients from unapproved stem cell therapies
How a tiny patch of skin helped researchers save the life of a young boy battling a deadly disease
By any standards epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a nasty disease. It’s a genetic condition that causes the skin to blister, break and tear off. At best, it’s painful and disfiguring. At worst, it can be fatal. Now researchers in Italy have come up with an approach that could offer hope for people battling the … Continue reading How a tiny patch of skin helped researchers save the life of a young boy battling a deadly disease
CIRM weekly stem cell roundup: stomach bacteria & cancer; vitamin C may block leukemia; stem cells bring down a 6’2″ 246lb football player
Stomach bacteria crank up stem cell renewal, may be link to gastric cancer (Todd Dubnicoff) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that two-thirds of the world’s population is infected with H. pylori, a type of bacteria that thrives in the harsh acidic conditions of the stomach. Data accumulated over the past few decades … Continue reading CIRM weekly stem cell roundup: stomach bacteria & cancer; vitamin C may block leukemia; stem cells bring down a 6’2″ 246lb football player
The Stem Cellar 