Eye-opening study differentiates iPS cells into various ocular lineages

The discovery of pluripotent stem cells, which have the ability to differentiate into the huge range of different cell lineages that make up the human body, signaled the start of a new era in biological science and medicine. Although we are also now able to reprogram regular cells to exhibit this pluripotency, we still have much to learn about the different cues that lead such cells towards a particular cell fate, including the cells that make up the eye.

A new study reported in the journal Cell Reports has shed light on this by showing that, by growing human pluripotent stem cells on different forms of a protein called laminin, they can be induced to become corneal cells, retinal cells, and others. The cells could then be collected and used for a range of therapeutic purposes.

This study builds on earlier work by this Osaka University-centered group, which showed that exposing these stem cells to an isoform of laminin, a structural component of the matrix that fills the space outside of cells, led to the creation of cell colonies arranged as four concentric zones. Each of these zones exhibited characteristics specific to a particular anatomical component of the eye.

Here, the team grew these stem cells under conditions exclusively containing other laminin isoforms that are present in the eye, finding that this led to the creation of cells with different mobilities, densities, and tendencies to interact. They then showed that, for each particular laminin isoform, the different cells produced in the cultures matched those in different parts of the eyes of embryonic mice where the same laminin isoform predominated.

"We found that the different laminin isoforms affected whether and how fast the cells migrated outwards from the point at which the colony was originally seeded and the density at which the cells in the colony were packed," Ryuhei Hayashi. "These different behaviors were related to the kinds of cells that the stem cells turned into, showing that we could specifically produce an ocular cell type just by choosing the appropriate type of laminin for the targeted cells."

The researchers then investigated the molecular mechanisms behind these different behaviors. They found that the form of laminin that gave rise to colonies with four concentric rings caused the contraction of extracellular structural scaffolds that tether cells together, producing higher-density colony centers. This in turn led to the inactivation of a protein called YAP, which promoted the differentiation into retinal-like cells in the colony centers.

"Now that we can use different laminins to program stem cells to become particular cells found in different parts of the eye, we can harvest and apply them in treatments for a range of ocular diseases," Kohji Nishida says. "This could be an extremely useful tool in the field of ophthalmology."

We welcome researchers from different part of the to submit abstract on their latest research at our upcoming conference Cell Tissue Science 2019 which is mainly focuses on the complications the consequences of Stem Cell, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Therapy, Cancer Cell Biology,Technical Advancements in cancer treatment and many more.We welcome you to the our upcoming conference “ 12th World Congress on Cell & Tissue Science” . 

You can submit your abstract on Session or Track : 09. Stem Cells and its Applications

Platelets grown from stem cells may be alternative to donated platelets

Researchers have developed a way to grow human platelets in the laboratory from stem cells derived from fat tissue. The achievement, reported today in the Journal Blood, suggests manufactured platelets could eventually reduce the reliance on donated platelets to help patients with cancer and other disorders.

Platelets are a component of blood that helps with clotting. Platelet transfusions can be life-saving for patients dealing with cancer or the effects of chemotherapy, infections, immune disorders, or platelet disorders.

Over 4.5 million platelet units of plasma are transfused every year worldwide, a need that currently must be met by human donors. Because donated platelets have a shelf life of less than a week, supplies often fall short of patient needs. In addition, donated platelets are subject to inherent safety risks due to infection from the donor and immune response in the recipient.

"By removing the donor from the equation, adipose-derived stem cells could be used to provide a ready supply of safe, tolerable platelets to meet an ever-changing demand," said Dr. Mastubara.

Researchers initially sought to derive platelets from two other types of stem cells including one known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). They noticed adipose-derived cells, which were being used as a negative control in the experiments, had produced megakaryocyte- and platelet-sized cells that naturally expressed several genes important to producing platelets.

After refining methods for coaxing adipose-derived stem cells to produce platelets, the researchers conducted a series of tests to determine whether the manufactured platelets would function similarly to natural human platelets. They verified that the lab-grown platelets contained hallmark proteins found on the surface of natural platelets, as well as granules that are key to the clotting process. Blood clotting simulations and experiments using mice confirmed that the platelets behave like donated platelets, gathering together into clumps to form clots.

"Though more expensive to harvest compared to donor-derived platelets, this research demonstrates that platelets can be produced from adipose-derived cells by a rather simple method," said Matsubara. "Now that we have established an efficient manufacturing process to yield a large number of adipose-derived platelets, we next plan to perform preclinical studies using animal models to demonstrate efficacy and safety, followed by clinical trials in human patients."

We welcome researchers from different part of the to submit abstract on their latest research at our upcoming conference Cell Tissue Science 2019 which is mainly focuses on the complications the consequences of Stem Cell, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Therapy, Cancer Cell Biology , Technical Advancements in cancer treatmentand many more.We welcome you to the our upcoming conference “ 12th World Congress on Cell & Tissue Science” .  You can submit your abstract on Session or Track : 09. Stem Cells and its Applications