Archive for the ‘Skin Stem Cells’ Category

Dec. 18, 2013 Regenerative medicine may offer ways to banish baldness that don't involve toupees. The lab of USC scientist Krzysztof Kobielak, MD, PhD has published a trio of papers in the journals Stem Cells and The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that describe some of the factors that determine when hair grows, when it stops growing and when it falls out.

Authored by Kobielak, postdoctoral fellow Eve Kandyba, PhD, and their colleagues, the three publications focus on stem cells located in hair follicles (hfSCs), which can regenerate hair follicles as well as skin. These hfSCs are governed by the signaling pathways BMP and Wnt -- which are groups of molecules that work together to control cell functions, including the cycles of hair growth.

The most recent paper, published in the journal Stem Cells in November 2013, focuses on how the gene Wnt7b activates hair growth. Without Wnt7b, hair is much shorter.

The Kobielak lab first proposed Wnt7b's role in a January 2013 PNAS publication. The paper identified a complex network of genes -- including the Wnt and BMP signaling pathways -- controlling the cycles of hair growth. Reduced BMP signaling and increased Wnt signaling activate hair growth. The inverse -- increased BMP signaling and decreased Wnt signaling -- keeps the hfSCs in a resting state.

Both papers earned the recommendation of the Faculty of 1000, which rates top articles by leading experts in biology and medicine.

A third paper published in Stem Cells in September 2013 further clarified the workings of the BMP signaling pathway by examining the function of two key proteins, called Smad1 and Smad5. These proteins transmit the signals necessary for regulating hair stem cells during new growth.

"Collectively, these new discoveries advance basic science and, more importantly, might translate into novel therapeutics for various human diseases," said Kobielak. "Since BMP signaling has a key regulatory role in maintaining the stability of different types of adult stem cell populations, the implication for future therapies might be potentially much broader than baldness -- and could include skin regeneration for burn patients and skin cancer."

Read this article:
Stem cells offer clues to reversing receding hairlines

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Highlights Investigators have discovered a cocktail of chemicals which, when added to stem cells in a precise order, turns on genes found in kidney cells in the same order that they turn on during embryonic kidney development. The kidney cells continued to behave like kidney cells when transplanted into adult or embryonic mouse kidneys.

Newswise Washington, DC (December 19, 2013) Researchers have successfully coaxed stem cells to become kidney tubular cells, a significant advance toward one day using regenerative medicine, rather than dialysis and transplantation, to treat kidney failure. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

Chronic kidney disease is a major global public health problem, and when patients progress to kidney failure, their treatment options are limited to dialysis and kidney transplantation. Regenerative medicinewhich involves rebuilding or repairing tissues and organsmay offer a promising alternative.

Albert Lam, MD, Benjamin Freedman, PhD, Ryuji Morizane, MD, PhD (Brigham and Womens Hospital), and their colleagues have been working for the past five years to develop strategies to coax human pluripotent stem cellsparticularly human embryonic stem (ES) cells and human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cellinto kidney cells for the purposes of kidney regeneration.

Our goal was to develop a simple, efficient, and reproducible method of differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into cells of the intermediate mesoderm, the earliest tissue in the developing embryo that is fated to give rise to the kidneys, said Dr. Lam. He noted that these cells would be the starting blocks for deriving more specific kidney cells.

The researchers discovered a cocktail of chemicals which, when added to stem cells in a precise order, causes them to turn off genes found in ES cells and turn on genes found in kidney cells, in the same order that they turn on during embryonic kidney development. The investigators were able to differentiate both human ES cells and human iPS cells into cells expressing PAX2 and LHX1, two key markers of the intermediate mesoderm. The iPS cells were derived by transforming fibroblasts obtained from adult skin biopsies to pluripotent cells, making the techniques applicable to personalized approaches where the starting cells can be derived from skin cells of a patient. The differentiated cells expressed multiple genes expressed in intermediate mesoderm and could spontaneously give rise to tubular structures that expressed markers of mature kidney tubules. The researchers could then differentiate them further into cells expressing SIX2, SALL1, and WT1, important markers of the metanephric cap mesenchyme, a critical stage of kidney differentiation. In kidney development, the metanephric cap mesenchyme contains a population of progenitor cells that give rise to nearly all of the epithelial cells of the kidney.

The cells also continued to behave like kidney cells when transplanted into adult or embryonic mouse kidneys, giving hope that investigators might one day be able to create kidney tissues that could function in a patient and would be 100% immunocompatible.

We believe that the successful derivation of kidney progenitor cells or functional kidney cells from human pluripotent stem cells will have an enormous impact on a variety of clinical and translational applications, including kidney tissue bioengineering, renal assist devices to treat acute and chronic kidney injury, drug toxicity screening, screening for novel therapeutics, and human kidney disease modeling, said Dr. Lam.

Continued here:
Researchers Generate Kidney Tubular Cells From Stem Cells

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise Researchers at UCLAs Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have discovered a mechanism in adult stem cells by which the cells suppress their ability to initiate cancer during their dormant phase, an understanding that could be exploited for better cancer prevention strategies. The study was led by Andrew White, post-doctoral fellow, and William Lowry, associate professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology in the life sciences and the Maria Rowena Ross Term Chair in Cell Biology.

The study was published online ahead of print in Nature Cell Biology on December 15, 2013.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSC), the tissue-specific adult stem cells that generate the hair follicles, are also the cells of origin for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a common skin cancer. These HFSCs cycle between periods of activation, during which they can grow, and quiescence, when they remain dormant.

Using mouse models, White and Lowry applied known cancer-causing genes (oncogenes) to HFSCs and found that during cell quiescence, the cells could not be made to initiate SCC. Once the HFSC were in their active period, they began growing cancer.

We found that this tumor suppression via adult stem cell quiescence was mediated by Pten, a gene important in regulating the cells response to signaling pathways, White said, therefore, stem cell quiescence is a novel form of tumor suppression in hair follicle stem cells, and Pten must be present for the suppression to work.

Understanding cancer suppression through quiescence could better inform preventative strategies in patients susceptible to SCC, such as organ transplant patients, or those taking the drug vemurafenib for melanoma, another type of skin cancer. This study also may reveal parallels between SCC and other cancers in which stem cells have a quiescent phase. This research was supported by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), University of California Cancer Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) and National institutes of Health (NIH).

The stem cell center was launched in 2005 with a UCLA commitment of $20 million over five years. A $20 million gift from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in 2007 resulted in the renaming of the center. With more than 200 members, the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research is committed to a multi-disciplinary, integrated collaboration of scientific, academic and medical disciplines for the purpose of understanding adult and human embryonic stem cells. The center supports innovation, excellence and the highest ethical standards focused on stem cell research with the intent of facilitating basic scientific inquiry directed towards future clinical applications to treat disease. The center is a collaboration of the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLAs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and the UCLA College of Letters and Science. To learn more about the center, visit our web site at http://www.stemcell.ucla.edu.

View post:
Adult Stem Cells Found to Suppress Cancer While Dormant

The breakthrough marks a major advance in treating kidney disease and more avenues in bioengineering human organs. Researchers published their findings in the journal Nature Cell Biology, following their success in making human skin cells form a functioning "mini-kidney" with a width of only a few millimeters.

During self-organization, different types of cells arrange themselves with respect to each other to create the complex structures that exist within an organ, in this case, the kidney, Professor Melissa Little of University of Queenslands Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), who led the study, said in a statement. The fact that such stem cell populations can undergo self-organization in the laboratory bodes well for the future of tissue bioengineering to replace damaged and diseased organs and tissues.

While it may be a while until the process can be used in human trials, Little says it could be a major development in treating chronic kidney disease.

One in three Australians is at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, and the only therapies currently available are kidney transplant and dialysis, Little said. Only one in four patients will receive a donated organ, and dialysis is an ongoing and restrictive treatment regime.

The engineered kidney is a first for science.

"This is the first time anybody has managed to direct stem cells into the functional units of a kidney," Professor Brandon Wainwright, from the University of Queensland, told The Telegraph. "It is an amazing process it is like a Lego building that puts itself together."

Scientists were able to make the kidney by identifying genes that remained active and inactive during kidney development. They were then able to alter the genes into embryonic cells that allowed them to self-organize into the human organ.

"The [researchers] spent years looking at what happens if you turn this gene off and this one on," Wainwright said. "You can eventually coax these stem cells through a journey they [the cells] go through various stages and then think about being a kidney cell and eventually pop together to form a little piece of kidney."

Little predicts the stem cell kidneys could one day be used to make human kidney transplants, or a cluster of mini kidneys used to boost renal function in patients.

Visit link:
Kidney Grown From Stem Cells For The First Time, Australian Scientists Call Breakthrough ‘An Amazing Process’

Scientists are hoping to increase the size of future kidneys and believe the resulting organs will boost research and allow cheaper, faster testing of drugs. Within the next three to five years, the artificial organs could be used to allow doctors to repair damaged kidneys within the body, rather than letting diseases develop before proceeding with a transplant.

The engineered kidney was developed by a team of Australian scientists led by the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

Professor Wainwright said the process for developing the kidney was "like a scientific approach to cooking". The scientists methodically examined which genes were switched on and off during kidney development and then manipulated the skin cells into embryonic stem cells which could "self-organise" and form complex human structures.

"The [researchers] spent years looking at what happens if you turn this gene off and this one on," he said. "You can eventually coax these stem cells through a journey they [the cells] go through various stages and then think about being a kidney cell and eventually pop together to form a little piece of kidney."

The research could eventually help address the demand for transplant organs and improve medical testing of new drugs for patients with kidney disease.

Human kidneys are particularly susceptible to damage during trials, which makes finding effective medicines costly and time-consuming.

Professor Melissa Little, from the University of Queensland, said scientists could try to grow full-grown kidneys for transplants or even "clusters of mini kidneys" that could be transplanted to boost patients' renal functions. But she told The Australian she believed such developments were still more than a decade away.

More here:
Kidney grown from stem cells by Australian scientists

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Dec-2013

Contact: Katya Nasim katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk 44-207-848-3840 King's College London

Scientists at King's College London have, for the first time, identified the unique properties of two different types of cells, known as fibroblasts, in the skin one required for hair growth and the other responsible for repairing skin wounds. The research could pave the way for treatments aimed at repairing injured skin and reducing the impact of ageing on skin function.

Fibroblasts are a type of cell found in the connective tissue of the body's organs, where they produce proteins such as collagen. It is widely believed that all fibroblasts are the same cell type. However, a study on mice by researchers at King's, published today in Nature, indicates that there are at least two distinct types of fibroblasts in the skin: those in the upper layer of connective tissue, which are required for the formation of hair follicles and those in the lower layer, which are responsible for making most of the skin's collagen fibres and for the initial wave of repair of damaged skin.

The study found that the quantity of these fibroblasts can be increased by signals from the overlying epidermis and that an increase in fibroblasts in the upper layer of the skin results in hair follicles forming during wound healing. This could potentially lead to treatments aimed at reducing scarring.

Professor Fiona Watt, lead author and Director of the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at King's College London, said: 'Changes to the thickness and compostion of the skin as we age mean that older skin is more prone to injury and takes longer to heal. It is possible that this reflects a loss of upper dermal fibroblasts and therefore it may be possible to restore the skin's elasticity by finding ways to stimulate those cells to grow. Such an approach might also stimulate hair growth and reduce scarring.

'Although an early study, our research sheds further light on the complex architecture of the skin and the mechanisms triggered in response to skin wounds. The potential to enhance the skin's response to injury and ageing is hugely exciting. However, clinical trials are required to examine the effectiveness of injecting different types of fibroblasts into the skin of humans.'

Dr Paul Colville-Nash, Programme Manager for Regenerative Medicine at the MRC, said: 'These findings are an important step in our understanding of how the skin repairs itself following injury and how that process becomes less efficient as we age. The insights gleaned from this work will have wide-reaching implications in the area of tissue regeneration and have the potential to transform the lives patients who have suffered major burns and trauma.'

###

Read the original here:
Skin's own cells offer hope for new ways to repair wounds and reduce impact of aging on the skin

November 22, 2013

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Scientists from the University of Granada in Spain have announced the development of artificial skin, grown from umbilical cord stem cells. The development could be a massive step forward for the treatment of burn victims or other patients who have suffered severe skin damage.

According to a report, published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, the research team wrote that they were able to use stem cells derived from the umbilical cord, also known as Wharton stem cells, to generate oral-mucosa or epithelia, two types of tissues needed to treat skin injuries.

The researchers said their novel technique is an improvement on conventional methods that can take weeks to generate artificial skin. To grow the artificial tissue, the study team used a biomaterial made of fibrin and agarose that they had previously designed and developed.

Creating this new type of skin using stem cells, which can be stored in tissue banks, means that it can be used instantly when injuries are caused, and which would bring the application of artificial skin forward many weeks, said study author Antonio Campos, professor of Histology at the University of Granada.

The development builds on previous work by the same team, which was heralded at the World Congress on Tissue Engineering held a few months ago in Seoul, South Korea. The celebrated work pointed to the potential for Wharton stem cells to be turned into epithelia cells.

Last month, a team of Italian scientists announced they had developed a similar method but in reverse. According to their paper in the journal Nature Communications, the team took skin cells from a mouse and reverse programmed them back into stem cells. These stem cells were then used to reduce damages to the nervous system of lab mice.

Our discovery opens new therapeutic possibilities for multiple sclerosis patients because it might target the damage to myelin and nerves itself, said study author Gianvito Martino, from the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy.

This is an important step for stem cell therapeutics, said Dr. Timothy Coetzee, a lead researcher at the National MS Society who was not directly involved in the research. The hope is that skin or other cells from individuals with MS could one day be used as a source for reparative stem cells, which could then be transplanted back into the patient without the complications of graft rejection.

See the original post:
Artificial Skin Grown In Lab Using Stem Cells - Science News ...

Stemology Skincare, the world's first and only skincare line to use plant and human adult stem cell technology, launches. http://www.stemologyskincare.com. (PRNewsFoto/DermaTech Research Laboratories)

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --DermaTech Research Laboratories announced the launch of Stemology, the world's first and only skincare line to incorporate the superior features of both humanadultstem cellsand plant stem cells, along with a stem cell communicator that greatly enhances the benefit of stem cell "signaling" growth factors. This "best of" approach maximizes Stemology's ability to help prevent and improve the number one cause of skin aging - the declining production of epidermal collagen and elastin cells, resulting in dull, thin and wrinkled skin.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131211/LA31290)

Featuring the proprietary formulation complex StemCore-3, Stemology promises superior anti-aging efficacy and has been clinically proven to significantly improve all 12 signs of facial aging including fine lines and wrinkles, skin elasticity, firmness, brightness, skin tone, pore refinement, skin thickness, collagen and free radical damage.

"With over 10 years in the biotechnology field, the creation of StemCore-3 and the Stemology brand is my greatest achievement," says Hal Simeroth, Ph.D., Co-Founder of DermaTech, and lead formulator for Stemology. "There is no other anti-aging adult stem cell product on the market with these strict ethical standards that is clinically proven with statistical significance to rejuvenate and restore skin like Stemology."

Stemology is committed to the ethical collection and use of stem cells, and only uses adult human stem cell technology gathered from certified, volunteer human bone marrow donors. Stemology never uses human or animal embryonic stem cells, and no human or animal is harmed during stem cell harvesting. Stemology products are all natural, and intelligently organic wherever possible and free of phthalates, parabens, GMO's and petrochemicals.

The Stemology line contains:

Stemology is available at salon and spa locations, medical offices and online at stemologyskincare.com.

Contact: Jessica Wohlwend 310.383.8364

SOURCE DermaTech Research Laboratories

See the article here:
First And Only Skincare To Use Plant And Human Adult Stem Cell ...

Maintaining more luminous skin is dependent upon your bodys unique ability to replace dead skin cells. This vital process of continuous self-renewal depends on the activity of epidermal stem cells.

The epidermis (upper skin layer) has been shown to replace itself in just 20 days in young adults, compared to 30 days in middle-aged adults.1 Unfortunately, this rate of renewal dramatically declines after age 50.

The exciting news is that the decline in the skins capacity to renew itself may be safely slowed or even reversed.

Researchers have found that when applied to the skin, a novel, patent-pending preparation of cultured stem cells derived from the Alpine rose may stimulate epidermal stem cell activity.2

In this article, epidermal stem cells role in skin beauty is detailed, along with supportive data on Alpine rose stem cells ability to activate the skins innate power of self-renewal.

The Alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum) thrives in the Swiss Alps and the Pyrenees where it endures high altitudes, extreme cold, dry air, and high levels of ultra violet radiation.

This plants ability to withstand harsh environmental stress factors such as freezing temperatures, drought, and scorching UV rays prompted researchers to investigate the Alpine rose as a source of protection for human skin cells. Like the Alpine rose, human skin cells must resist a host of environmental stressors and lock in essential fluids. Skin that performs this barrier function well is more resilient and less likely to develop fine lines and wrinkles or show other signs of aging.

The skin functions as an essential barrier to protect the body from microbial invaders, toxins, the ravages of weather, dehydration, and mechanical trauma. This protective function is governed by stem cells. There are two broad classes of stem cells: pluripotent embryonic stem cells, which have the capacity to develop into any cell type, and adult stem cells, which can differentiate to become some or all of the specialized cell types present in a specific tissue or organ. The adult stem cells in the skin reside in the deepest layer of the epidermis, close to hair follicles.

Epidermal stem cells help to facilitate the turnover of all skin cells, replenishing their supply and maintaining a continuous equilibrium of skin cells in all stages of their life cycles. Epidermal stem cells have relatively slow turnover compared to other skin cell types, but it is their tremendous reproducing potential that gives the skin the remarkable capacity to renew itself completely.3 These types of stem cells also are vitally important for repairing the skin after injury and enabling wound healing.4

The researchers found that applying selected plant stem cell extracts to the skin, specifically those cultured from the Alpine rose, offers protection to the epidermal stem cells, prolonging their lives, increasing their colony-forming efficiency and enhancing their function. These potent plant stem cells from the Alpine rose appear to stimulate the skins own epidermal stem cell activity, revitalizing it and boosting its capacity for repair and self-renewal.

Follow this link:
Activate Self-Renewing Skin Stem Cells - Life Extension

Skin Doctors YouthCell Range TVC
YouthCell contains the latest plant stem cell technology (PhytoCellTec) to help delay the appearance of chronological ageing of the skin. These plant stem ...

By: Skin Doctors UK

Visit link:
Skin Doctors YouthCell Range TVC - Video

Human stem cells have been converted into functioning lung cells for the first time, paving the way for better models of lung diseases, ways to test potential drugs and, ultimately, creation of tissue for lung transplants.

Scientists had previously converted stem cells into cells of the heart, intestine, liver, nerves and pancreas.

"Now, we are finally able to make lung and airway cells," study leader Dr. Hans-Willem Snoeck, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University in New York, said in a statement.

Patients who receive lung transplants today have a poor prognosis. But future approaches involving transplants that use the patient's own stem cells to generate lung tissue could reduce the chances that a patient's immune system would reject the transplant, the researchers said. [Inside Life Science: Once Upon a Stem Cell]

In 2011, Snoeck and his colleagues found a set of chemical signals capable of transforming two types of stem cells human embryonic stem cells, which are taken from human embryos, and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which are adult skin cells that have been reprogrammed into stem cells into precursors of lung and airway cells.

In the new study, Snoeck's team discovered new chemicals that complete the conversion of stem cells into the epithelial cells that coat the surface of the lungs.

In fact, the researchers found evidence suggesting the cells could develop into six types of lung and airway epithelial cells, according to the study published Dec. 1 in the journal Nature Biotechnology. These included the cells that produce surfactant, a liquid that covers the alveoli, the structures where gas exchange occurs, and also repairs the lung after injury or damage.

The technology could enable researchers to model certain lung diseases. For example, the cause of a condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis remains a mystery, but cells called type 2 alveolar epithelial cells are thought to play a role. Using the new method of converting stem cells into lung cells, scientists could study the disease, and screen drugs that could possibly treat it, the researchers said.

Ultimately, the technique could be used to produce tissue for an autologous lung graft. The lung cells would be removed from an organ donor's lung, leaving only a scaffold behind, which could be seeded with freshly made lung cells from the patient, the researchers said

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Go here to see the original:
Human stem cells used to create lung tissue | Fox News

Dr. Hans-Willem Snoeck and colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center reported the first successful development of functional human lung tissue from stem cells in the Dec. 1, 2013, edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

The development is an extension of Snoecks previous work in producing human induced pluripotent stem cells from skin cells. Human induced pluripotent stem cells perform exactly like human embryonic stem cells. The benefits of human induced pluripotent stem cells from include the avoidance of potential rejection and legal complications.

The researchers were able to create the six most necessary lung tissues from induced pluripotent stem cells. The work included the development of type 2 alveolar epithelial cells that are necessary to produce surfactants that facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs.

The development indicates that lung transplants from donors will eventually become a thing of the past as skin cells from a person with a lung disease can be turned into stem cells that can develop an entire new lung. This method avoids any chance of rejection because the lungs developed from the skin cells are the same as lung cells that a person was born with.

The development also will enable selected cell regeneration of lung cells to treat specific diseases that only involve certain parts of the lung.

Visit link:
First human lung cells developed from stem cells - Birmingham ...

Skin Doctors YouthCell Range Sophie Falkiner TVC
YouthCell contains the latest plant stem cell technology (PhytoCellTec) to help delay the appearance of chronological ageing of the skin. These plant stem ...

By: Skin Doctors UK

Continue reading here:
Skin Doctors YouthCell Range Sophie Falkiner TVC - Video

In computer-based text processing and digital typesetting, a non-breaking space, no-break space or non-breakable space (NBSP) is a variant of the space character that prevents an automatic line break (line wrap) at its position. In certain formats (such as HTML), it also prevents the collapsing of multiple consecutive whitespace characters into a single space. The non-breaking space is also known as a hard space or fixed space. In Unicode, it is encoded at U+00A0 no-break space (HTML:    ).

Text-processing software typically assumes that an automatic line break may be inserted anywhere a space character occurs; a non-breaking space prevents this from happening (provided the software recognizes the character). For example, if the text 100 km will not quite fit at the end of a line, the software may insert a line break between 100 and km. To avoid this undesirable behaviour, the editor may choose to use a non-breaking space between 100 and km. This guarantees that the text 100km will not be broken: if it does not fit at the end of a line it is moved in its entirety to the next line.

A second common application of non-breaking spaces is in plain text file formats such as SGML, HTML, TeX, and LaTeX, which sometimes treat sequences of whitespace characters (space, newline, tab, form feed, etc.) as if they were a single white-space character. Such collapsing of white-space allows the author to neatly arrange the source text using line breaks, indentation and other forms of spacing without affecting the final typeset result.[1][2]

In contrast, non-breaking spaces are not merged with neighboring whitespace characters, and can therefore be used by an author to insert additional visible space in the formatted text. For example, in HTML, non-breaking spaces may be used in conjunction with a fixed-width font to create tabular alignment (courier new font family used):

Column 1Column 2 ---------------- 1.22.3

(note that the use of the pre tag, the whitespace:pre CSS rule, or a table are alternative, if not necessarily better, ways to achieve the same result in HTML)

If ordinary spaces are used instead then the spaces are collapsed when the HTML is rendered and the layout is broken:

Column 1 Column 2 -------- -------- 1.2 2.3

Non-breaking space can also be used to automatically change formatting in a document. This is useful for things like class plans and recipe files where the description of a cell or line may be different from the actual text or title.

Unicode defines several other non-break space characters[3] that differ from the regular space in width:

Here is the original post:
Artificial skin created using stem cells from umbilical cord ...

Current ratings for: Scientists grow artificial skin from stem cells of umbilical cord

Ratings require JavaScript to be enabled.

Scientists have developed a breakthrough technique to grow artificial skin - using stem cells taken from the umbilical cord. The new method means major burn patients could benefit from faster skin grafting, the researchers say, as the artificial skin can be stored and used when needed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 410,000 burn injuries in the US in 2008, of which around 40,000 required hospitalization.

Patients who have suffered severe burns may require skin grafts. At present, this involves the growth of artificial skin using healthy skin from the patients' own bodies. But the researchers note this process can take weeks.

"Creating this new type of skin using stem cells, which can be stored in tissue banks, means that it can be used instantly when injuries are caused, and which would bring the application of artificial skin forward many weeks," says study author Antonio Campos, professor of histology at the University of Granada in Spain.

To create the new technique, details of which are published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, the scientists used Wharton jelly mesenschymal stem cells from the human umbilical cord.

Previous research from the team had already led them to believe that stem cells from the umbilical cord could be turned into epithelia cells (tissue cells).

The investigators note that the stem cells are "excellent candidates" for tissue engineering due to their "proliferation and differentiation capabilities," but that their potential to turn into epithelial cells had not been explored, until now.

The scientists combined the umbilical cord stem cells with a biomaterial made of fibrin - a protein found in the clotting of blood - and agarose - a polymer usually extracted from seaweed.

Originally posted here:
Scientists grow artificial skin from stem cells of umbilical ...

As we age, the reduced turnover of our cells means we can lose control over how our skin ages. Epidermal stem cells needed to create healthy new skin are significantly reduced and function less efficiently. A discovery based on promising plant stem cell research may allow you to regain control.

Scientists have found that a novel extract derived from the stem cells of a rare apple tree cultivated for its extraordinary longevity shows tremendous ability to rejuvenate aging skin. By stimulating aging skin stem cells, this plant extract has been shown to lessen the appearance of unsightly wrinkles. Clinical trials show that this unique formulation increases the longevity of skin cells, resulting in skin that has a more youthful and radiant appearance.

Cells in our bodies are programmed for specific functions. A skin cell, a brain cell, and a liver cell all contain the same DNA, or set of genes. However, each cells fate is determined by a set of epigenetic (able to change gene expression patterns) signals that come from inside it and from the surrounding cells as well. These signals are like command tags attached to the DNA that switch certain genes on or off.

This selective coding creates all of the different kinds of cells in our bodies, which are collectively known as differentiated (specialized) cells.

Although differentiated cells vary widely in purpose and appearance, they all have one thing in common: they all come with a built-in operational limit. After so many divisions, they lose their ability to divide and must be replaced. This is where stem cells come in.

Your body also produces other cells that contain no specific programming. These stem cells are blank, so your body can essentially format them any way it pleases. Two universal aspects shared by this type of cell are: (1) the ability to replenish itself through a process of self-renewal and (2) the capacity to produce a differentiated cell.

In animals and humans, two basic kinds of stem cells exist: embryonic and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the power to change into any differentiated cell type found anywhere in your body. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, are generally more limited. They can only evolve into the specific type of cell found in the tissue where they are located. The primary function of these adult stem cells is maintenance and repair.

But certain adult stem cells found in nature retain the unlimited developmental potential that embryonic stem cells possess. These cells have become the main focus for an exciting new wave of regenerative medicine (repairing damaged or diseased tissues and organs using advanced techniques like stem cell therapy and tissue engineering).

The basal (innermost) layer of the skins epidermis comprises two basic types of cells: (1) the slowly dividing epidermal stem cells (that represent about 2-7% of the basal cell population) and (2) their rapidly dividing offspring that supply new cells to replace those that are lost or dying.1-3

The slow self-renewal process of epidermal stem cells, however, creates a problem. Because each epidermal stem cell only lasts for a certain number of divisions, and because each division runs the risk of lethal DNA mutation, the epidermal stem cell population can become depleted. When this happens, lost or dying skin cells begin to outnumber their replacements and the skins health and appearance start to decline.

Originally posted here:
Apple Stem Cells Offer Hope for Aging and Damaged Skin - Life ...

We are going to continue to discuss here the issue of science-based selection of active ingredients for skin care products, both from a safety and efficacy point of view. This []

As iron oxidizes, the result is rust. As faces oxidize, the result is chronic inflammation leading to the appearance of aging. But rather than getting soft and crumbly like rusty []

The author of this post, Lina Jacobson, is a licensed esthetician from Boise, Idaho who has operated her own salon for more than 18 years. Because she is a kindred []

The word inflammation comes from the Latin inflammo, meaning I set alight, I ignite.Inflammation is part of the bodys immune response. Initially, it is beneficial when, for example, your skin []

While our facial skins cells all start out with the exact same DNA, they dont all look alike. Skin, more than any other organ, reflects a genetic mosaicism, which []

Truth matters, but pigment smatters Some species communicate their moods by changing the hue, tone and intensity of their facial coloration. Humans do so to a limited extent (e.g. we []

Injectable dermal fillers aka facelift in a bottle The liquid face lift has been popular for years and for understandable reasons a more youthful appearance with no downtime, no []

We had a eureka moment in our research labs when we stumbled upon what Nerium oleander could do for skin.Dennis Knocke,Chairman & Chief Executive Officer,Nerium Biotechnology, Inc. Wesuspect the real []

Does this man look 70 years old to you? He is. He published an article in 2006 about a procedure he has used fifty times. Dr. Desmond Fernandes is a []

This follows on our previous post, where we take this beauty industry stalwart to task for promoting a product (Avon Anew Wrinkle Eraser Pro)that they claim increases activity of []

Read the rest here:
BareFacedTruth.com | Physician-scientists examine the ...

If youve been following skin care innovations for the last year or so, chances are youve heard about stem cells or have seen the ingredient pop up in various skin creams and serums. Stem cells are said to be able to make skin look refreshed and young, but many of us still have questions. What are they, exactly? Where do they come from? How do they work? Why should we try them? We took a closer look at the products and ingredients behind them to give you the scoop.

Stem cells, which occur in living organisms (including the human body), are different from other cells for two reasons. One, they are capable of renewing themselves, and two, under certain conditions, they can be induced to become cells that serve specific functions for the organism. Theyre important because of their regenerative propertiesstem cells offer a new way to treat certain diseases, and are often used in labs for screening new drugs and other biological research.

The idea behind stem cells in skin care is that by applying them topically, we might stimulate the growth of more stem cells. And because they can regenerate, theyll keep our skin looking youthful and healthy. Most stem cells used in beauty products are derived from plants. And while embryonic stem cells, taken from human embryos, are illegal, one brand we tried actually uses non-embryonic human cells that were extracted from consenting egg donors (yes, really. Read more below; for more general info on stem cells, read this guide from theNational Institutes of Health).

Short answer: we dont entirely know yet. Some research suggests that skin products containing stem cells can stimulate cell turnover and boost collagen, but there isnt a lot of conclusive evidence on the subject. Of course, that doesnt stop skin care companies from capitalizing on the buzzword. And we gotta say, the stem cell treatments we have tried certainly seem to be more effective and fast-acting than your average anti-agers.

Plant-derived stem cells typically are obtained from plants and fruits that can stay fresh for a long time or regenerate on their own, like Swiss apples, gotu kola, and grapes. Extracts of these stem cells are added to products to help neutralize free radicals and fight signs of aging and sun.

Apple: Indie Lee Swiss Apple Facial Serum

After scraping away bark from a particular tree species in Switzerland, scientists found that the tree was capable of regenerating itself. So to continue their research, they isolated the stem cells and tried them as a preservative on top of a tray full of apples and bananas. The team discovered that the stem cells actually prolonged the life of the fruits. Indie Lees Swiss Apple Facial Serum was created around the resilient power of these natural botanical-based stem cells. In addition to the extract from the rare Swiss apple stem cell, the serum contains hyaluronic acid and is highly concentratedyou need one drop for your entire face! Antioxidants and cell production-boosting benefits make this the perfect anti-aging product to add to your regimen.

Faspberry: Erno Laszlo Phormula 3-9 Repair Cream

Read the original post:
What Can Stem Cells Really Do For Your Skin? | Beautylish

Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells? What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized? Where can I get more information?

An adult stem cell is thought to be an undifferentiated cell, found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ that can renew itself and can differentiate to yield some or all of the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary roles of adult stem cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Scientists also use the term somatic stem cell instead of adult stem cell, where somatic refers to cells of the body (not the germ cells, sperm or eggs). Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are defined by their origin (cells from the preimplantation-stage embryo), the origin of adult stem cells in some mature tissues is still under investigation.

Research on adult stem cells has generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding has led researchers and clinicians to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for transplants. In fact, adult hematopoietic, or blood-forming, stem cells from bone marrow have been used in transplants for 40 years. Scientists now have evidence that stem cells exist in the brain and the heart. If the differentiation of adult stem cells can be controlled in the laboratory, these cells may become the basis of transplantation-based therapies.

The history of research on adult stem cells began about 50 years ago. In the 1950s, researchers discovered that the bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells. One population, called hematopoietic stem cells, forms all the types of blood cells in the body. A second population, called bone marrow stromal stem cells (also called mesenchymal stem cells, or skeletal stem cells by some), were discovered a few years later. These non-hematopoietic stem cells make up a small proportion of the stromal cell population in the bone marrow, and can generate bone, cartilage, fat, cells that support the formation of blood, and fibrous connective tissue.

In the 1960s, scientists who were studying rats discovered two regions of the brain that contained dividing cells that ultimately become nerve cells. Despite these reports, most scientists believed that the adult brain could not generate new nerve cells. It was not until the 1990s that scientists agreed that the adult brain does contain stem cells that are able to generate the brain's three major cell typesastrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which are non-neuronal cells, and neurons, or nerve cells.

Adult stem cells have been identified in many organs and tissues, including brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver, ovarian epithelium, and testis. They are thought to reside in a specific area of each tissue (called a "stem cell niche"). In many tissues, current evidence suggests that some types of stem cells are pericytes, cells that compose the outermost layer of small blood vessels. Stem cells may remain quiescent (non-dividing) for long periods of time until they are activated by a normal need for more cells to maintain tissues, or by disease or tissue injury.

Typically, there is a very small number of stem cells in each tissue, and once removed from the body, their capacity to divide is limited, making generation of large quantities of stem cells difficult. Scientists in many laboratories are trying to find better ways to grow large quantities of adult stem cells in cell culture and to manipulate them to generate specific cell types so they can be used to treat injury or disease. Some examples of potential treatments include regenerating bone using cells derived from bone marrow stroma, developing insulin-producing cells for type1 diabetes, and repairing damaged heart muscle following a heart attack with cardiac muscle cells.

Scientists often use one or more of the following methods to identify adult stem cells: (1) label the cells in a living tissue with molecular markers and then determine the specialized cell types they generate; (2) remove the cells from a living animal, label them in cell culture, and transplant them back into another animal to determine whether the cells replace (or "repopulate") their tissue of origin.

Importantly, it must be demonstrated that a single adult stem cell can generate a line of genetically identical cells that then gives rise to all the appropriate differentiated cell types of the tissue. To confirm experimentally that a putative adult stem cell is indeed a stem cell, scientists tend to show either that the cell can give rise to these genetically identical cells in culture, and/or that a purified population of these candidate stem cells can repopulate or reform the tissue after transplant into an animal.

Read more from the original source:
What are adult stem cells? [Stem Cell Information]

The skin

In humans and other mammals, the skin has three parts - the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutis (or hypodermis). The epidermis forms the surface of the skin. It is made up of several layers of cells called keratinocytes. The dermis lies underneath the epidermis and contains skin appendages: hair follicles, sebaceous (oil) glands and sweat glands. The subcutis contains fat cells and some sweat glands.

The skin and its structure: The skin has three main layers - the epidermis, dermis and subcutis. The epidermis contains layers of cells called keratinocytes. BL = basal layer; SL = spinous layer; GL = granular layer; SC= stratum corneum. Image adapted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: Nature Reviews Genetics 3, 199-209 (March 2002), Getting under the skin of epidermal morphogenesis, Elaine Fuchs & Srikala Raghavan; doi:10.1038/nrg758; Copyright 2002.

In everyday life your skin has to cope with a lot of wear and tear. For example, it is exposed to chemicals like soap and to physical stresses such as friction with your clothes or exposure to sunlight. The epidermis and skin appendages need to be renewed constantly to keep your skin in good condition. Whats more, if you cut or damage your skin, it has to be able to repair itself efficiently to keep doing its job protecting your body from the outside world.

Skin stem cells make all this possible. They are responsible for constant renewal (regeneration) of your skin, and for healing wounds. So far, scientists have identified several different types of skin stem cell:

Some studies have also suggested that another type of stem cell, known as mesenchymal stem cells, can be found in the dermis and hypodermis. This remains controversial amongst scientists and further studies are needed to determine whether these cells are truly mesenchymal stem cells and what their role is in the skin.

Epidermal stem cells are one of the few types of stem cell already used to treat patients. Thanks to a discovery made in 1970 by Professor Howard Green in the USA, epidermal stem cells can be taken from a patient, multiplied and used to grow sheets of epidermis in the lab. The new epidermis can then be transplanted back onto the patient as a skin graft. This technique is mainly used to save the lives of patients who have third degree burns over very large areas of their bodies. Only a few clinical centres are able to carry out the treatment successfully, and it is an expensive process. It is also not a perfect solution. Only the epidermis can be replaced with this method; the new skin has no hair follicles, sweat glands or sebaceous glands.

One of the current challenges for stem cell researchers is to understand how all the skin appendages are regenerated. This could lead to improved treatments for burn patients, or others with severe skin damage.

Researchers are also working to identify new ways to grow skin cells in the lab. Epidermal stem cells are currently cultivated on a layer of cells from rodents, called murine cells. These cell culture conditions have been proved safe, but it would be preferable to avoid using animal products when cultivating cells that will be transplanted into patients. So, researchers are searching for effective cell culture conditions that will not require the use of murine cells.

Scientists are also working to treat genetic diseases affecting the skin. Since skin stem cells can be cultivated in laboratories, researchers can genetically modify the cells, for example by inserting a missing gene. The correctly modified cells can be selected, grown and multiplied in the lab, then transplanted back onto the patient. Epidermolysis Bullosa is one example of a genetic skin disease that might benefit from this approach. Work is underway to test the technique.

Originally posted here:
Skin stem cells: where do they live and what can they do ...

Adult Stem Cells - Elaine Fuchs (Rockefeller/HHMI)
Adult stem cells regenerate a specific set of cells such as skin or blood. Fuchs focuses on skin stem cells and the success of using epidermal cells grown in...

By: iBioEducation

Continued here:
Adult Stem Cells - Elaine Fuchs (Rockefeller/HHMI) - Video

Stem cells are the building blocks of your skin. They have a unique ability to replace damaged and diseased cells. As they divide, they can proliferate for long periods into millions of new skin cells.

As we age, our stem cells lose their potency. Your skins ability to repair itself just isnt what it used to be. The result can be fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin. But non-embryonic stem cells the same stem cells active early in life are highly potent.

Emerge Skin Cares Anti-Aging Stem Cell Skin Care Serum tap into the potency of these stem cells to renew skin.

Scientists at Emerge Labs Stem Cell Skin Care discovered that human non-embryonic stem cell extracts can renew skin by replacing old cells with healthy new ones. These stem cell extracts stimulate your own skins abilities to repair itself. And Emerge anti-aging stem cell serums were born. Where Stem Cells in Anti Aging Products Come From The first types of human stem cells to be studied by researchers were embryonic stem cells, donated from in vitro fertilization labs. But because creating embryonic stem cells involves the destruction of a fertilized human embryo, many people have ethical concerns about the use of such cells.

The non-embryonic stem cells in Lifeline stem cell serums are derived from unfertilized human oocytes (eggs) which are donated to ISCO from in vitro fertilization labs and clinics. Emerge Anti Aging Stem Cell Skin Care is Based On Proven Scientific Research Emerge Skin Cares exclusive anti-aging products are a combination of several discoveries and unique high-technology, patent-pending formulations.

PhytoCellTecMalus Domestica the first plant stem cell activefor skin stem cell protection with proven efficacy PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica is a liposomal preparation of apple stem cells developed by a novel, patent pending plant cell culture technology.

PhytoCellTec a novel plant cell culture technology has been invented to cultivate dedifferentiated callus cells from a rare Swiss apple. These apple stem cells are rich in epigenetic factors and metabolites, assuring the longevity of skin cells. PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica has been shown to protect skin stem cells and delay the senescence of hair follicles.

PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica provides a revolutionary anti-aging performance for real rejuvenation.

Claims with PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica Protects longevity of skin stem cells Delays senescence of essential cells Combats chronological aging

Go here to see the original:
Stem Cell Skin Care - Science Meets Beauty

Do Years Of Experience Show On Your Face?

Get FACELIFT results with an anti-aging cream!

You want to look your best, and looking your best means doing what you can do to reduce the signs of aging. Many of the women I know would have a face lift in a second if they didn't have to have surgery to get it. When you consider the drawbacks to face lift surgery the expense, recovery time, threat of infection or scarring, and stories of botched operations just to name a few, it is hard for many people to justify the procedure for themselves.

Up until now your options were limited. You could have botox, but botox actually paralyzes the muscles, and comes with its own set of risk factors. Then you have to have it done over and over again, exposing yourself to more expense and risk each time. The only other viable option was to try one of the many many skin creams on the market that often promise fantastic results but fail to deliver.

Stem cells are cells that have the ability to grow into any kind of cell in the body, and they rely on special signals to tell them what cells they will ultimately become. If you know the stem cell language, then you could communicate to the cells.

In this way, you could have stem cells that become new young skin cells, rebuild collagen, and deliver a new younger looking skin.

Excerpt from:
LUMINESCE Stem Cell Skin Care

Stem cells - Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde: Hans Clevers at TEDxAmsterdam
Produced by: http://www.fellermedia.com Camera Crew: http://www.hoens.tv Stem cells are the foundation of all mammalian life, including that of man. Every ...

By: TEDxTalks

Read more:
Stem cells - Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde: Hans Clevers at TEDxAmsterdam - Video

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into many different or specialized cell types. Stem cells can be thought of as primitive, "unspecialized" cells that are able to divide and become specialized cells of the body such as liver cells, muscle cells, blood cells, and other cells with specific functions. Stem cells are referred to as "undifferentiated" cells because they have not yet committed to a developmental path that will form a specific tissue or organ. The process of changing into a specific cell type is known as differentiation. In some areas of the body, stem cells divide regularly to renew and repair the existing tissue. The bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract are examples areas in which stem cells function to renew and repair tissue.

The best and most readily understood example of a stem cell in humans is that of the fertilized egg, or zygote. A zygote is a single cell that is formed by the union of a sperm and ovum. The sperm and the ovum each carry half of the genetic material required to form a new individual. Once that single cell or zygote starts dividing, it is known as an embryo. One cell becomes two, two become four, four become eight, eight to sixteen, and so on; doubling rapidly until it ultimately creates the entire sophisticated organism. That organism, a person, is an immensely complicated structure consisting of many, many, billions of cells with functions as diverse as those of your eyes, your heart, your immune system, the color of your skin, your brain, etc. All of the specialized cells that make up these body systems are descendants of the original zygote, a stem cell with the potential to ultimately develop into all kinds of body cells. The cells of a zygote are totipotent, meaning that they have the capacity to develop into any type of cell in the body.

The process by which stem cells commit to become differentiated, or specialized, cells is complex and involves the regulation of gene expression. Research is ongoing to further understand the molecular events and controls necessary for stem cells to become specialized cell types.

Stem Cells - Experience Question: Please describe your experience with stem cells.

Stem Cells - Umbilical Cord Question: Have you had your child's umbilical cord blood banked? Please share your experience.

Stem Cells - Available Therapies Question: Did you or someone you know have stem cell therapy? Please discuss your experience.

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

Medical Editor:

Read the original:
Stem Cells - Types, Uses, and Therapies - MedicineNet