WASHINGTON Scientists have come up with a bright idea to repair teeth And they say their concept using laser light to entice the bodys own stem cells into action may offer enormous promise beyond just dentistry in the field of regenerative medicine.

The researchers used a low-power laser to coax dental stem cells to form dentin, the hard tissue that makes up most of a tooth, in studies involving rats and mice and using human cells in a laboratory. The study appeared in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

They did not regenerate an entire tooth in part because the enamel part was too tricky. But merely getting dentin to grow could help alleviate the need for root canal treatment, the painful procedure to remove dead or dying nerve tissue and bacteria from inside a tooth, they said.

Im a dentist by training. So I think it has potential for great impact in clinical dentistry, researcher Praveen Arany of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said Friday. Arany expressed hope that human clinical trials could get approval in the near future.

Our treatment modality does not introduce anything new to the body, and lasers are routinely used in medicine and dentistry, so the barriers to clinical translation are low, added Harvard University bioengineering professor David Mooney. It would be a substantial advance in the field if we can regenerate teeth rather than replace them.

Using existing regeneration methods, scientists must take stem cells from the body, manipulate them in a lab and put them back into the body. This new technique stimulates action in stem cells that are already in place.

Scientists had long noticed that low-level laser therapy can stimulate biological processes like rejuvenating skin and stimulating hair growth but were not sure of the mechanisms. Arany noted the importance of finding the right laser dose, saying: Too low doesnt work and too high causes damage.

The researchers found that laser exposure of the tooth at the right intensity prompted certain oxygen-containing molecules to activate a cell protein that is known to be involved in development, healing and immune functions.

This protein in turn directed stem cells present in tooth pulp to turn into dentin. Stem cells are master cells that are capable of transforming into various types of tissues in the body.

The question is whether using this method could get other stem cells to become useful in laser-induced regenerative medicine. Arany said he is hopeful it can be used in healing wounds, regenerating cardiac tissue, dealing with inflammation issues and fixing bone damage, among other applications.

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As a new therapeutic approach, Janus kinases are currently in the limelight of cancer research. The focus of interest is the protein JAK2. By inhibiting this protein one tries to cure chronic bone marrow diseases, such as myelofibrosis and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Loss of JAK2 is advantageous for leukemia cells

Scientists working with Veronika Sexl at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology may initiate a transformation of thought in regard of JAK2 inhibition. To simulate the human disease as accurately as possible, the scientists used a mouse leukemia model. In an experiment, mice received blood cancer cells as well as healthy hematopoietic stem cells in which JAK2 had been removed. "In mice, the absence of JAK2 accelerated the course of leukemia drastically," the scientists concluded.

The loss of JAK2 caused healthy hematopoietic stem cells to disappear in mice. "Leukemic cells, on the other hand, remained entirely unaffected; they do not need JAK2. This led to an imbalance in which the number of leukemia cells was very predominant, and eventually caused the acceleration of leukemia," says Eva Grundschober, one of the lead authors.

"The oncogene BCR-ABL, which was present in mice with leukemia, does not appear to require JAK2 for its activity. However, JAK2 is essential for healthy cells," explains Andrea Hlbl-Kovacic, the other lead author.

JAK2 is important for survival of hematopoietic stem cells

A closer investigation of healthy stem cells supports this hypothesis. In the absence of JAK2, healthy stem cells cannot survive and reproduce blood cells. As the next step, the following question will be raised in Sexl's laboratory: how does JAK2 mediate its life-sustaining effect on healthy stem cells? What portions of the JAK2 protein are required for this purpose and are these affected by current therapies?

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Veterinrmedizinische Universitt Wien. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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One cell's meat is another cell's poison: How the loss of a cell protein favors cancer cells while harming healthy cells

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Miami, FL (PRWEB) May 31, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group, its subsidiary Stem Cell Training, Inc. and Bioheart, Inc. have announced plans to conduct a two-day, hands-on intensive stem cell training course at the Servet CordnVida Clinic Sept. 27 and 28 in Santiago, Chile. The Adipose Derived Harvesting, Isolation and Re-integration Training Course, will follow the Global Stem Cells Group First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the Santiago InterContinental Hotel Sept. 26, 2014.

Global Stem Cells Group and the Servet CordnVida Stem Cell Bank Clinic of Chile are co-organizing the symposium, designed to initiate a dialogue between researchers and practitioners and share the expertise of some of the worlds leading experts on stem cell research and therapies.

Servet CordnVida is a private umbilical cord blood bank that harvests and stores the hematopoietic-rich blood stem cells found in all newborns umbilical cords after birth. The hematopoietic tissue is responsible for the renewal of all components of the blood (hematopoiesis) and has the ability to regenerate bone marrow and restore depressed immune systems.

Umbilical (UCB) stem cells offer a wealth of therapeutic potential because they are up to 10 times more concentrated than bone marrow stem cells. In addition, UCB cells have a generous proliferative capacity with therapeutic potential that is very similar to embryonic stem cells, without the ethical debate associated with embryonic stem cell research and use.

UCB cells are the purest adult stem cells available, coming from newborns who have not been exposed to disease or external damage. Many parents today are utilizing cord banks like Servet CordnVida to store their newborns UCB cells safely for future medicinal use if the need arises.

Global Stem Cells Group and Servet CordnVida represent a growing global community of committed stem cell researchers, practitioners and investors whose enthusiasm is a direct result of the hundreds of diseases and injuries that stem cell therapies are curing every day. Global Stem Cell Groups First International Symposium on Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine will host experts from the U.S., Mexico, Greece, Hong Kong and other regions around the globe who will speak on the future of regenerative medicine and share experiences in their field of specialty. The Global Stem Cells Group is hoping the symposium will open lines of communication and cooperation, explore new and exciting techniques in stem cell therapies, and create an environment of education and learning.

For more information on the symposium and the lineup of guests and speakers already confirmed, visit the First International Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

To learn more Global Stem Cells Group, visit http://www.stemcellsgroup.com, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About Global Stem Cells Group:

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Miami (PRWEB) May 31, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group and the Servet CordnVida Stem Cell Bank Clinic of Chile will be teaming up to organize the First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in Santiago, Chile Sept. 26, 27 and 28. The three-day symposium will be followed by an intensive hands-on training course at the Servet Clinic for medical practitioners interested in learning techniques for harvesting stem cells for in-office medical therapies.

Symposium organizers plan to initiate a dialogue between researchers and practitioners to bridge the gap between bench scienceresearch science that is exclusively conducted in a lab settingand stem cell therapies delivered in the physicians office.

The first-of-its-kind conference will host some of the worlds leading experts on stem cell research and therapies. Servet CordnVida General Manager Mauricio Cortes, Ph.D. says that Santiago is the perfect launching pad for the event, as awareness and increasing demand for stem cell services has swept the South American countrys healthcare market over the past decade.

The use of human stem cells in medical therapies has attracted major scientific and public attention because stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they have the ability to differentiate into all body tissues, Cortes says. Knowing this, the possibilities for regenerating damaged or diseased tissue where no effective treatments existed before opens a new world of possibilities to patients and healthcare providers.

Were very excited to participate in this important conference.

Servet CordnVida is a private umbilical cord blood bank that harvests and stores the hematopoietic-rich blood stem cells found in all newborns umbilical cords after birth. The hematopoietic tissue is responsible for the renewal of all components of the blood (hematopoiesis) and has the ability to regenerate bone marrow and restore depressed immune systems.

Umbilical (UCB) stem cells offer a wealth of therapeutic potential because they are up to 10 times more concentrated than bone marrow stem cells. In addition, UCB cells have a generous proliferative capacity with therapeutic potential that is very similar to embryonic stem cells, without the ethical debate associated with embryonic stem cell research and use.

Perhaps most significant is the fact that UCB cells are the purest adult stem cells available, coming from newborns who have not been exposed to disease or external damage. Many parents today are utilizing cord banks like Servet CordnVida to store their newborns UCB cells safely for future medicinal use if the need arises.

Thanks to advances in stem cell science, we can preserve an infants stem cells at birth and store them safely for his or her future, says CordnVida Director Javier Sez. Hopefully, this symposium will be the first of many like it in the future of regenerative medicine, because the more we discuss what we know about the power of stem cells to heal, the closer we get to sparing our patients from needless suffering when the cure is right before us.

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Scientists have a new way to repair teeth, and they say their concept - using laser light to entice the body's own stem cells into action - may offer enormous promise beyond just dentistry in the field of regenerative medicine.

The researchers used a low-power laser to coax dental stem cells to form dentin, the hard tissue similar to bone that makes up most of a tooth, demonstrating the process in studies involving rats and mice and using human cells in a laboratory.

They did not regenerate an entire tooth in part because the enamel part was too tricky. But merely getting dentin to grow could help alleviate the need for root canal treatment, the painful procedure to remove dead or dying nerve tissue and bacteria from inside a tooth, they said.

"I'm a dentist by training. So I think it has potential for great impact in clinical dentistry," researcher Praveen Arany of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said on Friday.

Arany expressed hope that human clinical trials could get approval in the near future.

"Our treatment modality does not introduce anything new to the body, and lasers are routinely used in medicine and dentistry, so the barriers to clinical translation are low," added Harvard University bioengineering professor David Mooney.

"It would be a substantial advance in the field if we can regenerate teeth rather than replace them." Using existing regeneration methods, scientists must take stem cells from the body, manipulate them in a lab and put them back into the body.

This new technique more simply stimulates action in stem cells that are already in place. Scientists had long noticed that low-level laser therapy can stimulate biological processes like rejuvenating skin and stimulating hair growth but were not sure of the mechanisms.

Arany noted the importance of finding the right laser dose, saying: "Too low doesn't work and too high causes damage."

First published May 30 2014, 2:24 PM

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Bright Idea: Scientists Use Laser Lights to Regrow Teeth

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Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 30, 2014

MetroMD Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a clinic that specializes in HGH and stem cell therapy, introduces an advanced cosmetic regeneration therapy that makes use of CO2 Fractional Laser System and highly efficient DOT to cure age-related skin problems, sun tanning, improve texture and laxity.

All within minimum discomfort, the Co2 Fractional Laser treatment helps in: 1.Reversing the appearance of aged and sun-damaged skin 2.Improving texture and elasticity of the skin 3.Smoothing Wrinkles 4.Reducing the acne and other scar marks

What does DOT Therapy Do?

Sun can wreak havoc to sensitive skin. Now, for ones who need to spend hours under the sun and suffer from wrinkles, discoloration, sun-spots, or lack of skin elasticity, or all of the above, the MetroMD DOT Therapy brings in a chance to alleviate individuals from all these problems. Persons with scars resulting from acne or other skin conditions and injuries can also benefit from this procedure.

One can restore skins youthful appearance with the DOT Therapy even within a one-hour sitting at the doctors office, says Dr Alex Martin, MD and the cosmetic regeneration specialist at MetroMD. While the aging process cannot be stopped, with proper care you can maintain your rejuvenated skins appearance for many years!

MetroMDs therapy is FDA approved and helps people feel younger and revitalized again. Patients seeking a cosmetic treatment in MetroMD, however, will have to go through a complete medical examination to ascertain if their body is suitable for the treatment.

Dr. Martin also said that to make the treatment accessible to more men and women, MetroMD have decided to offer the advanced cosmetic skin regeneration therapy at an exciting price. In addition, there are several charitable trusts that MetroMD has collaborated with in making their advanced therapies available to all at incredibly reduced prices!

About MetroMD

MetroMD is a prominent research institute of regenerative medicine based out of Los Angeles. The institute uses the latest medical technologies and has a highly qualified team to treat hundreds of patients who approach them for non-invasive and painless treatment. Involved in the field of cellular therapy for many years, Dr. Martins cosmetic akin and cellular regeneration therapy team renders complete pre and post treatment help.

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NEW YORK, NY, and MADISON, NJ, June 1, 2014 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the worlds oldest and largest private cancer center, and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced a joint collaboration that will utilize MSKs clinical and research insights into gene mutations associated with solid tumors. The goal is to use molecular laboratory testing to improve physicians ability to treat patients with breast, prostate, colon, lung, and a variety of other solid tumor cancers by giving them a better understanding of the genomic underpinnings of their patients illnesses.

In recent years, research has demonstrated that certain gene mutations influence the efficacy of cancer drug therapies, and that a therapy that is effective for one type of cancer may be effective for other types that share the same gene mutations. MSK has amassed extensive databases of gene mutations linked to various types of cancer and developed pharmaceutical treatments based on scientific literature, treatment of patients by the institutions multidisciplinary teams, and clinical trials conducted by MSK researchers and scientists.

In the first phase of the collaboration, MSK will provide contextual information about individual mutations identified as part of Quests OncoVantage, an independently validated, lab-developed test that launches today to enable molecular characterization of solid tumors. Beginning this summer, physicians who order OncoVantage will benefit from the MSK data through a co-branded clinical annotation report designed to aid the assessment of a patients prognosis, as well as to guide treatment selection and to monitor disease progression.

Over time, the two organizations intend to further study and extend the mutation data sets to potentially generate improved diagnostics, in addition to research and clinical trials.

This relationship will empower clinicians to improve their patients health by identifying the best therapies for patients today and by identifying specific patients who may benefit from participation in clinical trials. The needs of tomorrows patients will be addressed by the deeper knowledge base we are building and its potential to drive the basic science needed to discover new therapies, said Craig B. Thompson, MD, MSKs President and CEO. This collaboration with Quest speaks to our mission and extends our ability to improve the quality of care for patients everywhere.

We are excited to offer oncologists and patients everywhere unprecedented access to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers exceptional knowledge of the role of gene mutations in solid tumors and the therapies most effective in treating them, said Steve H. Rusckowski, President and CEO of Quest Diagnostics. By combining our broad market reach, which covers half the practicing physicians and hospitals in the United States, with MSKs deep experience in cancer care and molecular science, we hope to illuminate the best possible cancer treatment options for patients across the country.

Extending Molecular Laboratory Testing of Solid Tumors across the United States

Quests OncoVantage test is performed on tumor biopsies and uses next-generation sequencing technology to assess the most commonly mutated exons in 34 genes. The sequencing data, in de-identified form, will be shared with MSK, which will leverage its databases to correlate specific gene mutations to potential therapies and disease progression applicable to that cancer type.

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For thousands of years, people have both prized and mocked blond hair. Now, a new study shows that many can thank a tiny genetic mutationa single letter change from an A to a G among the 3 billion letters in the book of human DNAfor their golden locks.

The mutation "is the biological mechanism that helps create that [blond] color naturally," said David Kingsley, a professor of developmental biology at Stanford University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, who led the research. "This is a great biological example of how traits can be controlled, and what a superficial difference blond hair color really is."

Kingsley, a brunet, said the study, published today in Nature Genetics, also offers a powerful insight into the workings of the human genome. The mutation doesn't alter the protein production of any of the 20,000 genes in the human genome, he said. Instead, in people of European ancestry, it causes blond hair through a 20 percent "turn of the thermostat dial" that regulates a signaling gene in the hair follicles of the skin.

Elsewhere in the body, that signaling gene is involved in the formation of blood, egg, sperm, and stem cells. Turning such a gene entirely on or off could be devastating. But a tiny mutation that tweaks the gene's activity in only one areain this case the skinallows for harmless changes, he said.

Pardis Sabeti, a computational biologist at Harvard University and Broad Institute who was not involved in the research, said the study is a "beautiful demonstration" of this kind of tweaking, which has previously been poorly understood. To find a single letter change and prove that it is a big driver of blond hair is a major scientific accomplishment, she said.

Blond hair, like this young girl's, is caused by a single DNA base pair change.

Photograph by Martin Schoeller, National Geographic Creative

A Subtle Change With Big Results

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1-Jun-2014

Contact: Henry French henry.french@icr.ac.uk 020-715-35582 Institute of Cancer Research

Around a quarter of smokers who carry a defect in the BRCA2 gene will develop lung cancer at some point in their lifetime, a large-scale, international study reveals.

Scientists announce a previously unknown link between lung cancer and a particular BRCA2 defect, occurring in around 2 per cent of the population, in research published in Nature Genetics today (Sunday).

The defect in BRCA2 - best known for its role in breast cancer - increases the risk of developing lung cancer by about 1.8 times.

Smokers as a group have a high lifetime risk of around 13 per cent (16 per cent in men and 9.5 per cent in women). The new study therefore suggests around one in four smokers with the BRCA2 defect will develop lung cancer. Around 10 million adults in Great Britain smoke, which means that up to around 200,000 adult smokers could have the specific BRCA2 defect, known as BRCA2 c.9976T.

The researchers, led by a team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, compared the DNA of 11,348 Europeans with lung cancer and 15,861 without the disease, looking for differences at specific points in their DNA. The team was mainly funded by the US National Institute of Health, with additional support from Cancer Research UK.

The link between lung cancer and defective BRCA2 known to increase the risk of breast, ovarian and other cancers was particularly strong in patients with the most common lung cancer sub-type, called squamous cell lung cancer. The researchers also found an association between squamous cell lung cancer and a defect in a second gene, CHEK2, which normally prevents cells from dividing when they have suffered damage to their DNA.

The results suggest that in the future, patients with squamous cell lung cancer could benefit from drugs specifically designed to be effective in cancers with BRCA mutations. A family of drugs called PARP inhibitors have shown success in clinical trials in breast and ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutations, although it is not known whether they could be effective in lung cancer.

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Smokers with gene defect have 1 in 4 chance of developing lung cancer

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By Janice Wood Associate News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on May 31, 2014

New research has found that some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may result from environmental influences rather than gene mutations.

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University say their research may help explain why older mothers are at an increased risk for having children with autism.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 68 U.S. children has an ASD a 30 percent rise from one in 88 two years ago.

A significant number of people with an ASD have gene mutations, but a number of studies including those involving identical twins, in which one twin has ASD and the other does not have shown that not all ASD cases arise from mutations, according to the researchers.

A study of more than 14,000 autistic children published earlier this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that gene abnormalities could account for only half the risk for developing ASD.

The other half was attributable to nongenetic influences, meaning environmental factors, such as conditions in the womb or a pregnant womans stress level or diet, researchers explain.

Previous studies have also found that fathers over the age of 40 are more likely to have children with an ASD, probably because of gene mutations that accumulate over the years in sperm-making cells. Yet little is known about older mothers and the connection to ASD, according to the Einstein researchers.

That is why they set out to look for genetic as well as environmental influences that might account for older mothers increased risk for having children with ASD.

Their study, led by Esther Berko, an M.D./Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. John Greally involved 47 children with ASD and 48 typically developing (TD) children of women aged 35 and over.

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New Research Shows Environment May Factor Into Autism

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Children with asthma may be using medicines that do not work and in some cases this could increase their suffering, according to a study.

The inhaler, which is often the first line of treatment in asthma, could be less effective or may even make the condition worse for some children carrying a particular gene change, research at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) has shown.

The researchers' concerns follow the publication of the first national study of asthma deaths in the UK, which claimed some asthma patients are dying because of complacency among both medical staff and patients.

BSMS experts are planning new trials this autumn which they believe will provide further evidence to support the idea of providing personalised medicine to improve treatment.

Professor Somnath Mukhopadhyay, chairman of Paediatrics at BSMS who is heading the research, said: "Both asthma 'reliever' and 'controller' medicines may not work well in a proportion of children because the child's genetic make-up makes the medicine less effective.

"A simple test can determine whether a child carries the gene change and identify those who might benefit from a switch to an alternative, more effective medicine."

Prof Mukhopadhyay said parents and health professionals should be made more aware of the possible risks to children who carry the gene change.

The research has been funded by the charity Haydn's Wish, named after nine-year-old asthma sufferer Haydn Wileman, from Newhaven, East Sussex, who died in 2011 after an allergic reaction.

The charity, which supports the BSMS research, said the audit showed many parents of children with asthma felt the blue inhaler did not work well.

Haydn's mother Emma Wileman, who leads the charity, said: "Some children with asthma appear to be suffering more because they are not responding to 'reliever' medicine.

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Children's asthma medicine warning

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The gap between stem cell research and regenerative medicine just became a lot narrower, thanks to a new technique that coaxes stem cells, with potential to become any tissue type, to take the first step to specialization. It is the first time this critical step has been demonstrated in a laboratory.

University of Illinois researchers, in collaboration with scientists at Notre Dame University and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, published their results in the journal Nature Communications.

"Everybody knows that for an embryo to form, somehow a single cell has a way to self-organize into multiple cells, but the in vivo microenvironment is not well understood," said study leader Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. "We want to know how they develop into organized structures and organs. It doesn't happen by random chance. There are biological rules that we don't yet understand."

During fetal development, all the specialized tissues and organs of the body form out of a small ball of stem cells. First, the ball of generalized cells separates into three different cell lines, called germ layers, which will become different systems of the body. This crucial first step has eluded researchers in the lab. No one has yet been able to induce the cells to form the three distinct germ layers, in the correct order -- endoderm on the inside, mesoderm in the middle and ectoderm on the outside. This represents a major hurdle in the application of stem cells to regenerative medicine, since researchers need to understand how tissues develop before they can reliably recreate the process.

"It's very hard to generate tissues or organs, and the reason is that we don't know how they form in vivo," Wang said. "The problem, fundamentally, is that the biological process is not clear. What is the biological environment that controls this, so they can become more organized and specialized?"

Wang's team demonstrated that not only is it possible for mouse embryonic stem cells to form three distinct germ layers in the lab, but also that achieving the separation requires a careful combination of correct timing, chemical factors and mechanical environment. The team uses cell lines that fluoresce in different colors when they become part of a germ layer, which allows the researchers to monitor the process dynamically.

The researchers deposited the stem cells in a very soft gel matrix, attempting to recreate the properties of the womb. They found that several mechanical forces played a role in how the cells organized and differentiated -- the stiffness of the gel, the forces each cell exerts on its neighbors, and the matrix of proteins that the cells themselves deposit as a scaffolding to give the developing embryo structure.

By adjusting the mechanical environment, the researchers were able to observe how the forces affected the developing cells, and found the particular combination that yielded the three germ layers. They also found that they could direct layer development by changing the mechanics, even creating an environment that caused the layers to form in reverse order.

Now, Wang's group is working to improve their technique for greater efficiency. He hopes that other researchers will be able to use the technique to bridge the gap between stem cells and tissue engineering.

"It's the first time we've had the correct three-germ-layer organization in mammalian cells," Wang said. "The potential is huge. Now we can push it even further and generate specific organs and tissues. It opens the door for regenerative medicine."

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Researchers see stem cells take key step toward development: A first

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Growing The Good Seed
This film documents the genetic engineering of corn that took place at DeKalb Agricultural Association in 1972. This film also documents how DeKalb Ag. proce...

By: DeKalb Area Agricultural Heritage Association (DAAHA)

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Growing The Good Seed - Video

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Updates on Stem Cell Research and MS
Dr. Kantor speaks with Dr. Mark Freedman, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit at the Ottawa Hospital, about what we have learned from Stem Cell ...

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1-Jun-2014

Contact: Glenna Picton picton@bcm.edu 713-798-4710 Baylor College of Medicine

HOUSTON (June 1, 2014) Baylor College of Medicine scientists defined a previously unrecognized genetic cause for two types of birth defects found in newborn boys, described in a report published today in the journal Nature Medicine.

"Cryptorchidism and hypospadias are among the most common birth defects but the causes are usually unknown," said Dr. Dolores Lamb, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Baylor, professor and vice chair for research of urology and molecular and cellular biology at Baylor and lead author of the report.

Cryptorchidism is characterized by the failure of descent of one or both testes into the scrotum during fetal development. In the adult man, the testes produce sperm and the male hormone, testosterone. Hypospadias is the abnormal placement of the opening of the urethra on the penis. Both birth defects are usually surgically repaired during infancy.

Cryptorchidism occurs in about 3 percent of full term male births. Similarly, the incidence of hypospadias is about 1 in 125 births.

Lamb and colleagues used a method of genome wide screening (essentially a molecular karyotype) called array comparative genomic hybridization to study children with these defects. The method looks specifically at changes in chromosomal regions that have undergone duplication or deletions too small to see under a microscope, termed copy number variations. These genomic changes can alter gene dosage (gene gains or losses) resulting in a change in cell function.

In its analysis, the team showed that the cause of these birth defects in a subset of children with these defects of testis and penile development resulted from a change in the number of copies of a gene, VAMP7.

"The birth defects were a result of microduplication on the X chromosome that altered estrogen receptor and androgen receptor action in ways not previously recognized," said Lamb.

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Study identifies new genetic cause of male reproductive birth defects

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

1-Jun-2014

Contact: Sarah Avery sarah.avery@duke.edu 919-660-1306 Duke University Medical Center

DURHAM, N.C. A collaborative effort between Duke Medicine researchers and neurosurgeons and scientists in China has produced new genetic insights into a rare and deadly form of childhood and young adult brain cancer called brainstem glioma.

The researchers identified a genetic mutation in the tumor cells that plays a role in both the growth and the death of a cell. Additionally, the mutation to the newly identified gene may also contribute to the tumor's resistance to radiation.

The findings, published online in the journal Nature Genetics on June 1, 2014, provide both immediate and long-term benefits. Knowing that this mutation may render radiation ineffective, patients could be spared that therapy. The mutation would also serve as a strong candidate for drug development.

The researchers conducted genetic tests and found that many of the tumor cells had a mutation in a gene called PPM1D, which causes cells to proliferate and avoid natural death. It is the first time this mutation has been found to be a major driving force in the development of brainstem gliomas; it is not evident in other brain tumors.

If tumors have this PPM1D mutation, they do not have another more common genetic mutation to the TP53 gene, a tumor suppressor that, when defective, is linked to half of all cancers.

"This finding has immediate clinical applications, because either mutation - PPM1D or TP53 cause the tumor cells to be resistant to radiation," said senior author Hai Yan, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of pathology at Duke University School of Medicine. "Knowing that could spare patients from an ineffective treatment approach."

Additionally, the PPM1D genetic mutation is a strong candidate for new drug development.

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Newly identified brain cancer mutation will aid drug development

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[TUTORIAL] Attack Of The B-Team - Advanced Genetics - German/Deutsch
BITTE LESEN Kauf dir MINECRAFT und untersttze die Entwickler! Link zur Offiziellen Website : http://minecraft.net/store Attack of the B-Team Playlist -...

By: JadderCrafter | Minecraft

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Minecraft: New Fully Automatic Advanced Genetics Lab - Attack of Mojo Jojo Episode 10!
Hello everybody! You know what? Let #39;s start a modpack series... wait what? Attack of the B-Team you say? Sure! Hold on let me grab Soolol with me so that we ...

By: MiningMuch

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Minecraft: New Fully Automatic Advanced Genetics Lab - Attack of Mojo Jojo Episode 10! - Video

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Genetics and multiple sclerosis - A/Prof Helmut Butzkueven
In this video, A/Prof Helmut Butzkueven (neurologist and MS researcher) discusses the importance of understanding genetic markers of multiple sclerosis and t...

By: MStranslate

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Genetics and multiple sclerosis - A/Prof Helmut Butzkueven - Video

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A Shot in the Arm for Evolutionary Genetics Research
2012 Pew biomedical scholar Nels Elde studies the evolution of conflict -- how the process of infection can drive some of the most dramatic adaptations seen in nature. As an assistant professor...

By: University of Utah

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 6: Happy Birthday!
In this part, Ashley ages up and spends quality time with her father naw 🙂 Backstory: "Once upon a time, the Mighty Player sent a Sim to live in the world where all its creations were living...

By: simplyapril

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 6: Happy Birthday! - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Mass Effect 2: Miranda #39;s Genetics other Conversations - Paragon Story Walkthrough #15
Mass Effect 2: Conversations on the Normandy after the missions on Omega. Learning more about Miranda and the others. Next Episode: http://youtu.be/8jwjXqJb9-k Support the Channel:...

By: xLetalis

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Mass Effect 2: Miranda's Genetics & other Conversations - Paragon Story Walkthrough #15 - Video

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Termis Chapter Meeting 2014 - Regenerative Medicine Engineering
Comecer will be exhibiting a new solution for regenerative medicine. 10 -- 13 June, Genova -- Italy, Booth no. 3 More information: http://www.comecer.com/events/termis-2014/

By: Comecer Group

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Termis Chapter Meeting 2014 - Regenerative Medicine Engineering - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Miami (PRWEB) May 30, 2014

GlobalStemCellsGroup.com will host the First International Symposium on Stem Cell Research in Buenos Aires, Argentina Oct. 2, 3 and 4. The symposium will provide an opportunity to showcase advancements in stem cell research and therapies on a global level and establish a dialogue among the worlds leading stem cell experts. Pioneers and luminaries in stem cell medicine will be featured speakers as well as accomplished guests prepared to share their knowledge and experience in their individual medical specialties.

Regenerative medicine as a field is still in its infancy, and Global Stem Cells Group President and CEO Benito Novas believes it is time to clear up old misconceptions and change outdated attitudes by educating people on the wide range of illnesses and injuries stem cell therapies are already treating and curing. The first step, Novas says, is establishing a dialogue between researchers and practitioners in order to move stem cell therapies from the lab to the physicians office.

Our objective is to open a dialogue among the worlds medical and scientific communities in order to advance stem cell technologies and translate them into point-of-care medical practices, Novas says. Our mission is to bring the benefits of stem cell therapies to the physicians office for the benefit and convenience of the patient, safely and in full compliance with the highest standard of care the world has to offer.

An interdisciplinary team of leading international stem cell experts will provide a full day of high-level scientific lectures aimed at medical professionals.

Among the growing list of speakers are some of the worlds most prominent authorities on stem cell medicine including:

The objective of Global Stem Cell Groups international symposium is to educate the public and the medical community, and at the same time establish a dialog between physicians, scientists, biotech companies and regulatory agencies in order to advance stem cell technologies so they can be used to benefit people who need them.

Global Stem Cells Group is also joining forces with some of the most prestigious regenerative medicine conferences in South America including:

Stem cell therapies are revolutionizing the anti-aging aesthetics industry while offering new hope for sufferers of serious chronic debilitating diseases

For more information on the Global Stem Cell Group First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and the events lineup of speakers, visit the Global Stem Cells Symposium website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

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Global Stem Cells Group to Host the First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in Buenos ...

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-May-2014

Contact: Liz Ahlberg eahlberg@illinois.edu 217-244-1073 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The gap between stem cell research and regenerative medicine just became a lot narrower, thanks to a new technique that coaxes stem cells, with potential to become any tissue type, to take the first step to specialization. It is the first time this critical step has been demonstrated in a laboratory.

University of Illinois researchers, in collaboration with scientists at Notre Dame University and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, published their results in the journal Nature Communications.

"Everybody knows that for an embryo to form, somehow a single cell has a way to self-organize into multiple cells, but the in vivo microenvironment is not well understood," said study leader Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. "We want to know how they develop into organized structures and organs. It doesn't happen by random chance. There are biological rules that we don't yet understand."

During fetal development, all the specialized tissues and organs of the body form out of a small ball of stem cells. First, the ball of generalized cells separates into three different cell lines, called germ layers, which will become different systems of the body. This crucial first step has eluded researchers in the lab. No one has yet been able to induce the cells to form the three distinct germ layers, in the correct order endoderm on the inside, mesoderm in the middle and ectoderm on the outside. This represents a major hurdle in the application of stem cells to regenerative medicine, since researchers need to understand how tissues develop before they can reliably recreate the process.

"It's very hard to generate tissues or organs, and the reason is that we don't know how they form in vivo," Wang said. "The problem, fundamentally, is that the biological process is not clear. What is the biological environment that controls this, so they can become more organized and specialized?"

Wang's team demonstrated that not only is it possible for mouse embryonic stem cells to form three distinct germ layers in the lab, but also that achieving the separation requires a careful combination of correct timing, chemical factors and mechanical environment. The team uses cell lines that fluoresce in different colors when they become part of a germ layer, which allows the researchers to monitor the process dynamically.

The researchers deposited the stem cells in a very soft gel matrix, attempting to recreate the properties of the womb. They found that several mechanical forces played a role in how the cells organized and differentiated the stiffness of the gel, the forces each cell exerts on its neighbors, and the matrix of proteins that the cells themselves deposit as a scaffolding to give the developing embryo structure.

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For the first time in the lab, researchers see stem cells take key step toward development

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