Stem cells: sources, properties, and cell types

Renal failure is a major health problem. The mortality rate remain high despite of several therapies. The most complex of the renal issues are solved through stem cells. In this review, different mechanism for cure of chronic kidney injury along with cell engraftment incorporated into renal structures will be analysed. Paracrine activities of embryonic or induced Pluripotent stem cells are explored on the basis of stem cell-induced kidney regeneration. Several experiments have been conducted to advance stem cells to ensure the restoration of renal functions. More vigour and organised protocols for delivering stem cells is a possibility for advancement in treatment of renal disease. Also there is a need for pressing therapies to replicate the tissue remodelling and cellular repair processes suitable for renal organs. Stem cells are the undifferentiated cells that have the ability to multiply into several cell types. In vivo experiments on animal’s stem cells have shown significant improvements in the renal regeneration and functions of organs. Nevertheless more studies show several improvements in the kidney repair due to stem cell regeneration.

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Therapeutic Potential of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells for Liver Regeneration

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.2174/1568026620666200220122536 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 219-232

Author(s):

Ifrah Anwar ◽

Usman A. Ashfaq ◽

Zeeshan Shokat

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Umbilical Cord ◽

Fas Ligand ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Cell Types ◽

Low Risk ◽

Blood Stem Cells ◽

Umbilical Cord Stem Cells ◽

High Regeneration

The liver is a vital organ for life and the only internal organ that is capable of natural regeneration. Although the liver has high regeneration capacity, excessive hepatocyte death can lead to liver failure. Various factors can lead to liver damage including drug abuse, some natural products, alcohol, hepatitis, and autoimmunity. Some models for studying liver injury are APAP-based model, Fas ligand (FasL), D-galactosamine/endotoxin (Gal/ET), Concanavalin A, and carbon tetrachloride-based models. The regeneration of the liver can be carried out using umbilical cord blood stem cells which have various advantages over other stem cell types used in liver transplantation. UCB-derived stem cells lack tumorigenicity, have karyotype stability and high immunomodulatory, low risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD), low risk of transmitting somatic mutations or viral infections, and low immunogenicity. They are readily available and their collection is safe and painless. This review focuses on recent development and modern trends in the use of umbilical cord stem cells for the regeneration of liver fibrosis.

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Uncovering the Diversification of Tissue Engineering on the Emergent Areas of Stem Cells, Nanotechnology and Biomaterials

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.2174/1574888x15666200103124821 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 187-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sunil K. Dubey ◽

Amit Alexander ◽

Munnangi Sivaram ◽

Mukta Agrawal ◽

Gautam Singhvi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tissue Engineering ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Immune System ◽

Clinical Application ◽

Cell Types ◽

Patient Specific ◽

Potential Strategy ◽

Induced Pluripotent ◽

Treat All ◽

The Impact

Damaged or disabled tissue is life-threatening due to the lack of proper treatment. Many conventional transplantation methods like autograft, iso-graft and allograft are in existence for ages, but they are not sufficient to treat all types of tissue or organ damages. Stem cells, with their unique capabilities like self-renewal and differentiate into various cell types, can be a potential strategy for tissue regeneration. However, the challenges like reproducibility, uncontrolled propagation and differentiation, isolation of specific kinds of cell and tumorigenic nature made these stem cells away from clinical application. Today, various types of stem cells like embryonic, fetal or gestational tissue, mesenchymal and induced-pluripotent stem cells are under investigation for their clinical application. Tissue engineering helps in configuring the stem cells to develop into a desired viable tissue, to use them clinically as a substitute for the conventional method. The use of stem cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) is being studied to replace the stem cells, which decreases the immunological complications associated with the direct administration of stem cells. Tissue engineering also investigates various biomaterials to use clinically, either to replace the bones or as a scaffold to support the growth of stemcells/ tissue. Depending upon the need, there are various biomaterials like bio-ceramics, natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers to support replacement or regeneration of tissue. Like the other fields of science, tissue engineering is also incorporating the nanotechnology to develop nano-scaffolds to provide and support the growth of stem cells with an environment mimicking the Extracellular matrix (ECM) of the desired tissue. Tissue engineering is also used in the modulation of the immune system by using patient-specific Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and by modifying the physical features of scaffolds that may provoke the immune system. This review describes the use of various stem cells, biomaterials and the impact of nanotechnology in regenerative medicine.

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Neural Stem Cells: What Happens When They Go Viral?

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13081468 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1468

Author(s):

Yashika S. Kamte ◽

Manisha N. Chandwani ◽

Alexa C. Michaels ◽

Lauren A. O’Donnell

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Neural Stem Cells ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Cell Types ◽

Developmental Abnormalities ◽

Multipotent Progenitor Cells ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

Simplex Virus ◽

The Brain

Viruses that infect the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with developmental abnormalities as well as neuropsychiatric and degenerative conditions. Many of these viruses such as Zika virus (ZIKV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) demonstrate tropism for neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are the multipotent progenitor cells of the brain that have the ability to form neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Viral infections often alter the function of NSCs, with profound impacts on the growth and repair of the brain. There are a wide spectrum of effects on NSCs, which differ by the type of virus, the model system, the cell types studied, and the age of the host. Thus, it is a challenge to predict and define the consequences of interactions between viruses and NSCs. The purpose of this review is to dissect the mechanisms by which viruses can affect survival, proliferation, and differentiation of NSCs. This review also sheds light on the contribution of key antiviral cytokines in the impairment of NSC activity during a viral infection, revealing a complex interplay between NSCs, viruses, and the immune system.

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Multiple Roles for Cholinergic Signaling from the Perspective of Stem Cell Function

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22020666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 666

Author(s):

Toshio Takahashi

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cell Function ◽

Cell Activity ◽

Embryonic Stem ◽

Cholinergic Neurons ◽

Cell Types ◽

Proliferative Potential ◽

True Nature ◽

Cholinergic Signaling

Stem cells have extensive proliferative potential and the ability to differentiate into one or more mature cell types. The mechanisms by which stem cells accomplish self-renewal provide fundamental insight into the origin and design of multicellular organisms. These pathways allow the repair of damage and extend organismal life beyond that of component cells, and they probably preceded the evolution of complex metazoans. Understanding the true nature of stem cells can only come from discovering how they are regulated. The concept that stem cells are controlled by particular microenvironments, also known as niches, has been widely accepted. Technical advances now allow characterization of the zones that maintain and control stem cell activity in several organs, including the brain, skin, and gut. Cholinergic neurons release acetylcholine (ACh) that mediates chemical transmission via ACh receptors such as nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. Although the cholinergic system is composed of organized nerve cells, the system is also involved in mammalian non-neuronal cells, including stem cells, embryonic stem cells, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells. Thus, cholinergic signaling plays a pivotal role in controlling their behaviors. Studies regarding this signal are beginning to unify our understanding of stem cell regulation at the cellular and molecular levels, and they are expected to advance efforts to control stem cells therapeutically. The present article reviews recent findings about cholinergic signaling that is essential to control stem cell function in a cholinergic niche.

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MicroRNAs and Stem-like Properties: The Complex Regulation Underlying Stemness Maintenance and Cancer Development

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11081074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1074

Author(s):

Giuseppina Divisato ◽

Silvia Piscitelli ◽

Mariantonietta Elia ◽

Emanuela Cascone ◽

Silvia Parisi

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Embryonic Stem ◽

Cell Types ◽

Cancer Development ◽

Special Focus ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Different Cell Types

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the extraordinary properties to indefinitely proliferate and self-renew in culture to produce different cell progeny through differentiation. This latter process recapitulates embryonic development and requires rounds of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is characterized by the loss of the epithelial features and the acquisition of the typical phenotype of the mesenchymal cells. In pathological conditions, EMT can confer stemness or stem-like phenotypes, playing a role in the tumorigenic process. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subpopulation, found in the tumor tissues, with stem-like properties such as uncontrolled proliferation, self-renewal, and ability to differentiate into different cell types. ESCs and CSCs share numerous features (pluripotency, self-renewal, expression of stemness genes, and acquisition of epithelial–mesenchymal features), and most of them are under the control of microRNAs (miRNAs). These small molecules have relevant roles during both embryogenesis and cancer development. The aim of this review was to recapitulate molecular mechanisms shared by ESCs and CSCs, with a special focus on the recently identified classes of microRNAs (noncanonical miRNAs, mirtrons, isomiRs, and competitive endogenous miRNAs) and their complex functions during embryogenesis and cancer development.

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Signaling Control of Mucociliary Epithelia: Stem Cells, Cell Fates, and the Plasticity of Cell Identity in Development and Disease

Cells Tissues Organs ◽

10.1159/000514579 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Peter Walentek

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Mucociliary Clearance ◽

Cell Types ◽

Secretory Cells ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Cell Identity ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Congenital Diseases ◽

Inhaled Particles ◽

Mucociliary Epithelia

Mucociliary epithelia are composed of multiciliated, secretory, and stem cells and line various organs in vertebrates such as the respiratory tract. By means of mucociliary clearance, those epithelia provide a first line of defense against inhaled particles and pathogens. Mucociliary clearance relies on the correct composition of cell types, that is, the proper balance of ciliated and secretory cells. A failure to generate and to maintain correct cell type composition and function results in impaired clearance and high risk to infections, such as in congenital diseases (e.g., ciliopathies) as well as in acquired diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). While it remains incompletely resolved how precisely cell types are specified and maintained in development and disease, many studies have revealed important mechanisms regarding the signaling control in mucociliary cell types in various species. Those studies not only provided insights into the signaling contribution to organ development and regeneration but also highlighted the remarkable plasticity of cell identity encountered in mucociliary maintenance, including frequent trans-differentiation events during homeostasis and specifically in disease. This review will summarize major findings and provide perspectives regarding the future of mucociliary research and the treatment of chronic airway diseases associated with tissue remodeling.

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Stability of Imprinting and Differentiation Capacity in Naïve Human Cells Induced by Chemical Inhibition of CDK8 and CDK19

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10040876 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 876

Author(s):

Raquel Bernad ◽

Cian J. Lynch ◽

Rocio G. Urdinguio ◽

Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini ◽

Mario F. Fraga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽

Primordial Germ Cell ◽

Normal Karyotype ◽

Cell Types ◽

Dna Demethylation ◽

Starting State ◽

Teratoma Formation

Pluripotent stem cells can be stabilized in vitro at different developmental states by the use of specific chemicals and soluble factors. The naïve and primed states are the best characterized pluripotency states. Naïve pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) correspond to the early pre-implantation blastocyst and, in mice, constitute the optimal starting state for subsequent developmental applications. However, the stabilization of human naïve PSCs remains challenging because, after short-term culture, most current methods result in karyotypic abnormalities, aberrant DNA methylation patterns, loss of imprinting and severely compromised developmental potency. We have recently developed a novel method to induce and stabilize naïve human PSCs that consists in the simple addition of a chemical inhibitor for the closely related CDK8 and CDK19 kinases (CDK8/19i). Long-term cultured CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs preserve their normal karyotype and do not show widespread DNA demethylation. Here, we investigate the long-term stability of allele-specific methylation at imprinted loci and the differentiation potency of CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs. We report that long-term cultured CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs retain the imprinting profile of their parental primed cells, and imprints are further retained upon differentiation in the context of teratoma formation. We have also tested the capacity of long-term cultured CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs to differentiate into primordial germ cell (PGC)-like cells (PGCLCs) and trophoblast stem cells (TSCs), two cell types that are accessible from the naïve state. Interestingly, long-term cultured CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs differentiated into PGCLCs with a similar efficiency to their primed counterparts. Also, long-term cultured CDK8/19i-naïve human PSCs were able to differentiate into TSCs, a transition that was not possible for primed PSCs. We conclude that inhibition of CDK8/19 stabilizes human PSCs in a functional naïve state that preserves imprinting and potency over long-term culture.

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Identification of Novel FNIN2 and FNIN3 Fibronectin-Derived Peptides That Promote Cell Adhesion, Proliferation and Differentiation in Primary Cells and Stem Cells

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22063042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 3042

Author(s):

Eun Ju Lee ◽

Khurshid Ahmad ◽

Shiva Pathak ◽

SunJu Lee ◽

Mohammad Hassan Baig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Cell Culture ◽

Cell Adhesion ◽

3D Culture ◽

Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Cell Types ◽

Primary Cells ◽

Cell Culture Techniques ◽

Culture Techniques ◽

Promote Cell Adhesion

In recent years, a major rise in the demand for biotherapeutic drugs has centered on enhancing the quality and efficacy of cell culture and developing new cell culture techniques. Here, we report fibronectin (FN) derived, novel peptides fibronectin-based intergrin binding peptide (FNIN)2 (18-mer) and FNIN3 (20-mer) which promote cell adhesion proliferation, and the differentiation of primary cells and stem cells. FNIN2 and 3 were designed based on the in silico interaction studies between FN and its receptors (integrin α5β1, αvβ3, and αIIbβ3). Analysis of the proliferation of seventeen-cell types showed that the effects of FNINs depend on their concentration and the existence of expressed integrins. Significant rhodamine-labeled FNIN2 fluorescence on the membranes of HeLa, HepG2, A498, and Du145 cells confirmed physical binding. Double coating with FNIN2 or 3 after polymerized dopamine (pDa) or polymerized tannic acid (pTA) precoating increased HBEpIC cell proliferation by 30–40 percent, suggesting FNINs potently affect primary cells. Furthermore, the proliferation of C2C12 myoblasts and human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) treated with FNINs was significantly increased in 2D/3D culture. FNINs also promoted MSC differentiation into osteoblasts. The results of this study offer a new approach to the production of core materials (e.g., cell culture medium components, scaffolds) for cell culture.

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Adult tissue-resident stem cells—fact or fiction?

Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13287-021-02142-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Deepa Bhartiya

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Single Cell ◽

Adult Stem Cells ◽

Cell Types ◽

Specific Cell ◽

Tissue Specific ◽

Cardiac Tissues ◽

Adult Tissues ◽

Resident Stem Cells ◽

Abundant Cytoplasm

AbstractLife-long tissue homeostasis of adult tissues is supposedly maintained by the resident stem cells. These stem cells are quiescent in nature and rarely divide to self-renew and give rise to tissue-specific “progenitors” (lineage-restricted and tissue-committed) which divide rapidly and differentiate into tissue-specific cell types. However, it has proved difficult to isolate these quiescent stem cells as a physical entity. Recent single-cell RNAseq studies on several adult tissues including ovary, prostate, and cardiac tissues have not been able to detect stem cells. Thus, it has been postulated that adult cells dedifferentiate to stem-like state to ensure regeneration and can be defined as cells capable to replace lost cells through mitosis. This idea challenges basic paradigm of development biology regarding plasticity that a cell enters point of no return once it initiates differentiation. The underlying reason for this dilemma is that we are putting stem cells and somatic cells together while processing for various studies. Stem cells and adult mature cell types are distinct entities; stem cells are quiescent, small in size, and with minimal organelles whereas the mature cells are metabolically active and have multiple organelles lying in abundant cytoplasm. As a result, they do not pellet down together when centrifuged at 100–350g. At this speed, mature cells get collected but stem cells remain buoyant and can be pelleted by centrifuging at 1000g. Thus, inability to detect stem cells in recently published single-cell RNAseq studies is because the stem cells were unknowingly discarded while processing and were never subjected to RNAseq. This needs to be kept in mind before proposing to redefine adult stem cells.

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