Stem cells and real estate have this in common: the most important thing is location, location, and location.

Stem cells are extensively studied because of their ability to generate a wide variety of tissue types from new heart, liver and even brain cells. A new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers published online Oct. 6 in the journal Nature shows that the fate of stem cells depends upon their immediate surroundings.

The emphasis in regeneration has been on studying the intrinsic properties of stem cells, but we have found that where those cells are placed play a much bigger role than the cells themselves, said Valentina Greco, assistant professor of genetics and of dermatology and senior author of the paper. In a way, it is analogous to human children what they are exposed to in their environment determines what they become as adults.

Grecos lab developed a novel form of microscopy that allowed them to track over time individual stem cells in the hair follicles of mice. They found that the fate of those stem cells was determined by where along the follicle niche they were located. Those at the top showed little activity and only divided periodically to replenish their pool. However, cells in the middle portion of the follicle niche proliferated more and produced cells that could create a wide variety of tissue types while those at the base tended to differentiate into specialized cells that build the actual hair shaft.

To their surprise, when they eradicated stem cells in one location, surrounding cells rushed into the niche and began regenerating the tissue.

These data tell us that some adult stem cells may not be as essential as previously thought, since other neighboring cells can change their identity to act as stem cells when the circumstances require it. said Pantelis Rompolas, postdoctoral fellow in Grecos lab and first author of the paper.

This suggests that if you can duplicate the environment within the niche, then any cells that enter the niche can do the job, Greco said.

The lab is investigating how changes in the tissue environment can regenerate specific cell types.

Kalin R. Mesa is a co-author of the paper.

The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health and American Cancer Society.

Originally posted here:
In stem cells, like real estate, location is most important factor

Oct. 4, 2013 A group of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers, and collaborators at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital have found a way to use stem cells as drug delivery vehicles.

The researchers inserted modified strands of messenger RNA into connective tissue stem cells -- called mesenchymal stem cells -- which stimulated the cells to produce adhesive surface proteins and secrete interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory molecule. When injected into the bloodstream of a mouse, these modified human stem cells were able to target and stick to sites of inflammation and release biological agents that successfully reduced the swelling.

"If you think of a cell as a drug factory, what we're doing is targeting cell-based, drug factories to damaged or diseased tissues, where the cells can produce drugs at high enough levels to have a therapeutic effect," said research leader Jeffrey Karp, PhD, a Harvard Stem Cell Institute principal faculty member and Associate Professor at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Affiliate faculty at MIT.

Karp's proof of concept study, published in the journal Blood, is drawing early interest from biopharmaceutical companies for its potential to target biological drugs to disease sites. While ranked as the top sellers in the drug industry, biological drugs are still challenging to use, and Karp's approach may improve their clinical application as well as improve the historically mixed, clinical trial results of mesenchymal stem cell-based treatments.

Mesenchymal stem cells have become cell therapy researchers' tool of choice because they can evade the immune system, and thus are safe to use even if they are derived from another person. To modify the cells with messenger RNA, the researchers used the RNA delivery and cell programming technique that was previously developed in the MIT laboratory of Mehmet Fatih Yanik, PhD. This RNA technique to program cells is harmless, as it does not modify the cells' genome, which can be a problem when DNA is used (via viruses) to manipulate gene expression.

"This opens the door to thinking of messenger RNA transfection of cell populations as next generation therapeutics in the clinic, as they get around some of the delivery challenges that have been encountered with biological agents," said Oren Levy, PhD, co-lead author of the study and Instructor of Medicine in Karp's lab. The study was also co-led by Weian Zhao, PhD, at University of California, Irvine who was previously a postdoctoral fellow in Karp's lab.

One such challenge with using mesenchymal stem cells is they have a "hit-and-run" effect, since they are rapidly cleared after entering the bloodstream, typically within a few hours or days. The Harvard/MIT team demonstrated that rapid targeting of the cells to the inflamed tissue produced a therapeutic effect despite the cells being rapidly cleared. The scientists want to extend cell lifespan even further and are experimenting with how to use messenger RNA to make the stem cells produce pro-survival factors.

"We're interested to explore the platform nature of this approach and see what potential limitations it may have or how far we can actually push it," Zhao said. "Potentially, we can simultaneously deliver proteins that have synergistic therapeutic impacts."

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Stem cells engineered to become targeted drug factories

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) October 04, 2013

Dr. Ernesto Gutierrez explains that the Age Management/Anti-Aging department came about in response to a demand from patients with typical age-related problems, including age spots; degenerative diseases; general aches, pains and fatigue; insomnia; loss of energy, hair, memory and skin texture; mood swings; poor concentration; reduced sex drive, and, of course, wrinkles. With this demand and the fact that he has major education and experience in Age Management/Anti-Aging, it was a natural extension of World Stem Cells Clinic's medical menu.

Dr. Gutierrez says he prefers to call it "Age Management" over Anti-Aging. An Age Management program is created by the medical staff (clinical physicians, dermatologists, and anti-aging specialists) at World Stem Cells Clinic by examining the patient and reviewing all available medical records and other diagnostic information to assess the best Age Management stem cell treatment to maximize the patients results. Then, the medical staff meets and confers with the research scientists for a pre-treatment planning meeting. The Age Management stem cell treatment planning conference takes advantage of decades of the staffs clinical experience, analyzes the patients current condition and available social support system, and performs a full review of the medical history of the patient, as well as an inclusion and consideration of any recently published research literature on Age Management/Anti-Aging stem cell treatments. In other words, it's all about the patient through providing a detailed, systematic and entirely unique long-term stem cell treatment Age Management program.

Gutierrez says the Age Management/Anti-Aging Stem Cell Treatment at The World Stem Cells Clinic takes five days to complete as it is comprehensive and designed to maximize the patients safety. The patients treatment is based on the protocol designed for that individual using a combination of or all of the following: bone marrow or adipose extraction; cell stimulation; cell culturing; peripheral blood cells extraction; cell implants by IV; growth factor injections or by special equipment designed to allow cell surface introduction; lasers; vibration; wrinkle line filling; adjunctive service such as vitamins, minerals, physical therapy and other rejuvenation processes. The treatment is designed to and for the patient.

World Stem Cells, LLC provides all United States patient management services.

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New "Age Management/Anti-Aging” Department at World Stem Cells Clinic Opened in September for Patients Needing Stem ...