Stage of Program: Basic Research and Discovery Stage Programs
Programs of alternative splicing regulation by polypyrimidine tract binding protein
The therapeutic promise of stem cell biology lies in its potential for cell replacement therapies in diseases where an essential cell type of the patient malfunctions or degenerates. This is particularly evident in diseases of the nervous system where cells largely lose their ability to proliferate and thus regenerate after embryonic differentiation. Devastating neurodegenerative disorders, […]
RUNX1 in maintenance, expansion, and differentiation of therapeutic pluripotent stem cells
Recent technical advancements in human embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) production have revolutionized their potential applications in regenerative medicine. However, a remaining big hurdle in this process is the need for efficient, effective, and stable generation of specific cell types from such stem cells for therapeutic usage. The ultimate goal […]
TCF-3: A Wnt Pathway Effector and Nanog Regulator in Pluripotent Stem Cell Self-Renewal
Despite the enormous potential for human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) for development of new treatments for human disease, there still remain important gaps in our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms regulating establishment and maintenance of the pluripotent state. Improved understanding of fundamental mechanisms regulating pluripotency could improve the […]
Cellular Reprogramming: Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism and Enhancing Efficiency
Pluripotent stem cells have a remarkable potential to develop into virtually any cell type of the body, making them a powerful tool for the study or direct treatment of human disease. Recent demonstration that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells may be derived from differentiated adult cells offers unprecedented opportunities for basic biology research, regenerative medicine, […]
Systemic Protein Factors as Modulators of the Aging Neurogenic Niche
Approaches to repair the injured brain or even prevent age-related neurodegeneration are in their infancy but there is growing interest in the role of neural stem cells in these conditions. Indeed, there is hope that some day stem cells can be used for the treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease and stem […]
Kinase signaling analysis of iPS cell reprogramming and differentiation
Like embryonic stem (ES) cells, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can differentiate into every cell type in the body, providing enormous potential for regenerative medicine. Unlike ES cells, the derivation of iPS cells is more straightforward technically, and can be performed on human adult cells. This potentially obviates the need for donated eggs or embryos, […]
The EphrinB2/EphB4 axis in regulating hESC pluripotency and differentiation
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have an inexhaustible ability to divide and renew, and under the appropriate conditions, differentiate and change into any cell type in the body. This balance between pluripotency and self-renewal is a complex and carefully choreographed response of the hESC to local microenvironmental cues. Understanding the molecular regulators of this balance, […]
Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Urothelium
Augmentation or replacement of the bladder is often necessary for the treatment of adults with bladder cancer and children with spinal cord injury or spina bifida. Current surgical techniques utilize segments of intestine or stomach as a substitute for bladder wall. Use of intestinal segments is associated with many complications including infection, stones, salt imbalance, […]
Novel Mechanism in Self-Renewal/Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
The most prominent feature of the stem cell is its pluripotent capacity to differentiate into various types of cells. The importance of the orchestrated interplay between molecular regulators has been demonstrated in the maintenance of self-renewing pluripotent property or the initiation of differentiation. Advance in the generation of the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have […]
The function of YAP in human embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem cells have the potential to generate all tissue types that could be used for regenerative medicine, such as replacement of damaged neurons, replenish of insulin secreting beta cells, or generation of blood cells. The discovery of in vitro reprogramming of somatic cells (normal cells in our body) into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS, […]