TOP STORY

Cellular Dynamics Announces Commercial Launch of iCell™ Cardiomyocytes for Drug Candidate Toxicity Screening
Cellular Dynamics International recently announced the commercial launch of iCell™ Cardiomyocytes for use in testing of new drug candidates by the pharmaceutical industry.

SCIENCE NEWS

Skin-Derived Precursors Derive from Hair Follicle Precursors and Exhibit Properties of Adult Dermal Stem Cells
Despite the remarkable regenerative capacity of mammalian skin, an adult dermal stem cell has not yet been identified. Here, researchers investigated whether skin-derived precursors (SKPs) might fulfill such a role. SKPs were derived from Sox2⁺ hair follicle dermal cells and the two cell populations were shown to be similar with regard to their transcriptome and functional properties. [Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Distinct Roles for Cell-Autonomous Notch Signaling in Cardiomyocytes of the Embryonic and Adult Heart
Researchers investigated the functional role of Notch signaling in the cardiomyocyte compartment of the embryonic and adult heart. [Circ Res]

Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived L1 Overexpressing Neural Aggregates Enhance Recovery in Parkinsonian Mice
Researchers generated substrate-adherent embryonic stem cell-derived neural aggregates overexpressing the neural cell adhesion molecule L1, because it has shown beneficial functions after central nervous system injury. [Brain]

Highly Efficient Generation of Human Hepatocyte-Like Cells from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
As an alternative to using donor livers as a source of primary hepatocytes, researchers explored the possibility of generating patient-specific human hepatocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells. [Hepatology]

Characterizing the Clinical Relevance of an Embryonic Stem Cell Phenotype in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Lung cancer cell lines with corresponding gene expression data and genes associated with an embryonic stem cell identity were used to develop a signature of embryonic stemness activity specific to lung adenocarcinoma. [Clin Cancer Res]

Cell-Specific Interaction of Retinoic Acid Receptors with Target Genes in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts and Embryonic Stem Cells
Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to map 354 retinoic acid receptor binding loci in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, most of which were similarly occupied by the RAR(alpha) and RAR(gamma) receptors. Only a subset of the genes associated with these loci are regulated by retinoic acid, among which are several critical components of the TGF-(beta) pathway. [Mol Cell Biol]

Wwp2 Mediates Oct4 Ubiquitination and Its Own Auto-Ubiquitination in a Dosage-Dependent Manner
Wwp2 plays an important role in Oct4 ubiquitination and degradation during differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells (ECCs), although it does not appear to affect Oct4 protein levels in the undifferentiated ECCs and embryonic stem cells. [Cell Res]

Absence of Transverse Tubules Contributes to Non-Uniform Ca²⁺ Wavefronts in Mouse and Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
In this study, researchers examined the maturity and efficiency of Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺ release in mouse and human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, the presence of transverse tubules and its effects on the regional Ca²⁺ dynamics. [Stem Cells Dev]

Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Derivation, Propagation, and Freezing in Serum- and Feeder Layer-Free Culture Conditions
A detailed method for the generation of undifferentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells in feeder layer- and serum-free conditions was described. [Methods Mol Biol]

Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Epidermal Progenitors
Scientists describe a robust strategy for generating cytokeratin 14+ (K14+)/p63+ keratinocyte progenitors from human embryonic stem cells through stage-specific application of retinoic acid and bone morphogenetic protein-4. [Methods Mol Biol]

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Advanced Cell Technology Betting Future on Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy for Eye Disease
Advanced Cell Technology is banking on an experimental cellular therapy for a rare eye disease to show the world that controversial embryonic stem cells have a place in treating diseases.

U.S. Patent Office Grants Geron's Request for an Interference with U.S. Patent No. 7,510,876 to Novocell
Geron Corporation recently announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, has granted Geron's request to declare an interference between a patent application owned by Geron and U.S. Patent No. 7,510,876 owned by Novocell, Inc. The patent filings cover technology for the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into the precursors of numerous endoderm cell types, including pancreatic islet cells.

Australian Stem Cell Centre Publishes Patient Handbook
In response to increasing concerns surrounding unregulated and unproven stem cell therapies offered to patients overseas, the Australian Stem Cell Centre has recently published its Patient Handbook.

POLICY NEWS

National Institutes of Health Approves 27 More Stem Cell Lines
National Institutes of Health chief Francis Collins approved another 27 human embryonic stem cell lines for federal research funding, but limited support to diabetes-related pancreatic cell experiments. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Clinical Trials Involving Animal to Human Transplantation
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council recently announced that clinical trials involving animal to human transplantation (xenotransplantation) would be allowed to proceed, when stringent regulatory and surveillance frameworks have been put in place. [National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia]

CIRM Provides $11 Million Boost in Funding to Train Stem Cell Scientists
Two critical programs funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell agency, got an $11 million increase recently when the agency's 29-member Governing Board voted to approve funding for two additional grants in the Training II program and five additional grants in the Bridges program. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, United States]

StemCells, Inc. Strengthens Patent Position in Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology Platforms
StemCells, Inc. announced recently that it has received a Notice of Allowance and a Notice of Issuance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for two patents claiming technologies for the establishment and maintenance of cell pluripotency, including the reprogramming of cells to create pluripotent stem cells. [StemCells, Inc., Palo Alto, United States]

State Stem Cell Funding Possibly In Jeopardy
State money has helped Connecticut carve a niche in stem cell research, luring top scientists to the state and funding more than 200 researchers; however, with a looming budget deficit, state stem cell funding could be in jeopardy, at least temporarily. [University of Connecticut, Yale and Wesleyan, United States]

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

Clarification of Terms and Conditions of Awards using Human Embryonic Stem Cells (NOT-OD-10-029)

Delays in Grant Application Submission due to Winter Storm December 2009 (NOT-OD-10-028)

User Fee Billable Biologic Products and Potencies Approved Under Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act

EVENTS

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

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

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

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

Keystone Symposia: Stem Cell Differentiation and Dedifferentiation (B4)
February 15-20, 2010
Keystone, United States

5th Annual Stem Cell Summit
February 16, 2010
New York, United States

16th Annual ISCT meeting
May 23-26, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

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

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