February 14 2008
Visit Nature Reports Stem Cells online.
Now available at: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BU280EB
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THIS MONTH IN NATURE REPORTS STEM CELLS
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Many options for studying stem cells are expanding. Leaders of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine describe the institute's path going forward now that adult cells have been reprogrammed to an embryonic-like state. Advances in cloning human embryonic stem cells continue; backers in Saudi Arabia bet that stem cells might help when oil revenues run out; and a stem cell registry opens in Europe. However, voters in New Jersey reject spending for stem cell research, and some researchers worry that studied cells may not be what they appear.
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OUR TOP STORIES
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CIRM's stance after pluripotency
In a commentary, leaders of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine say reports of CIRM's death have been greatly exaggerated
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPq0E2
Related story: Japan rushes to capitalize on 'reprogrammed' adult cells
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPr0E3
Magic marker myths
Some markers that scientists rely on to identify stem cells are proving to be flawed
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPs0E4
Gulf states embrace stem cell technologies at home and abroad
Middle East oil wealth fuels investments in stem cells
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPt0E5
Stem cells get stuck in New Jersey
Why didn't scientists and politicians win stem cell funding?
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPu0E6
Registries and banks
How a European registry of embryonic stem cell lines can help researchers
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPv0E7
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Research highlights and news stories keying off recent publications
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Cell regeneration brings hope for diabetics
Mice can regenerate insulin-producing cells
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPw0E8
Xu, X. et al. Cell 132, 197–207 (2008).
Embryonic stem cells for the eye
Diligent culture makes putative photoreceptors from mouse, monkey and human cells
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPx0EA
Osakada, F. Nat. Biotechnol. advance online publication, doi:10.1038/nbt1384 (3 February 2008).
Nanog's new trick
Nanog inhibits NFkB signaling and cooperates with Stat3 to maintain pluripotency
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPy0EB
Torres, J. & Watt, F. Nat. Cell Biol. 10, 194–201 (2008).
Reprogramming kinetics
Virally introduced genes must be active for at least two weeks to induce pluripotency
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnPz0EC
Brambrink, T. et al. Cell Stem Cell 2,151–159 (2008).
Sickly embryos yield healthy embryonic stem cells
Embryo quality affects ability to generate stem cell lines
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP10Ex
Lerou, P. H. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 26, 212 - 214 (2008)
Proliferation without differentiation
A novel pathway controls stem cell proliferation independently from differentiation
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP20Ey
Andäng, M. et al. Nature 451, 460–464 (2008).
The space race
Defective stem cells physically compete for space in the niche of the Drosophila ovary
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP30Ez
Jin, Z. et al. Cell Stem Cell 2, 37–47 (2008).
Signaling to muscle satellite cells
Studies reveal new mechanisms essential to muscle growth and repair
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP40E1
Darabi, R. et al. Nat. Med. advance online publication, doi:10.1038/nm1705 (20 January 2008).
Brack, S. J., Conboy, I. M., Conboy, M. J., Shen, J. & Rando, T. A. Cell Stem Cell 2, 48–57 (2008).
Serrano, A., Baeza-Raja, B., Perdiguero, E., Jardí, M. & Muñoz-Cánoves., P. Cell Metab. 7, 33–44 (2008).
Hair coordination
Signals operate across niches
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP50E2
Pilkus, M. V. et al. Nature 451, 340–344 (2008).
Twins yield leukaemia stem cells
Pre-cancerous cells could be used to track the success of chemotherapy
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP60E3
Hong, D. et al. Science 319, 336–339 (2008).
Human embryos cloned from adult cells
Researchers are eager to see whether patient-matched stem-cell lines can be produced
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP70E4
French, A. et al. Stem Cells; published online 17 January 2008; doi:10.1634/stemcells.2007-0252
Organ transplants without rejection
Immune system trained to tolerate transplanted organs
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnP80E5
Alexander, S. I. et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 358, 369–374 (2008).
Scandling, J. D. et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 358, 362–368 (2008).
Kawai, T. et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 358, 353–361 (2008).
Histones preserve cell memories
How nuclei reprogrammed by eggs recall previous lives for dozens of divisions
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnQA0EG
Ng, R. K. & Gurdon, J. B. Nat. Cell Biol. 10, 102–109 (2008).
Stuck on youth
Some cancer stem cells retain an embryonic pathway
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/ei6Q0Xztnp0JEp0BnQB0EH
Lee, J. et al. Cancer Cell 13, 69–80 (2008).
