scholarly journals The Stem Cell Revolution Revealing Protozoan Parasites’ Secrets and Paving the Way towards Vaccine Development

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Alena Pance
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Neglected Diseases ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Protozoan Parasites

Protozoan infections are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in humans and some of the most important neglected diseases in the world. Despite relentless efforts devoted to vaccine and drug development, adequate tools to treat and prevent most of these diseases are still lacking. One of the greatest hurdles is the lack of understanding of host–parasite interactions. This gap in our knowledge comes from the fact that these parasites have complex life cycles, during which they infect a variety of specific cell types that are difficult to access or model in vitro. Even in those cases when host cells are readily available, these are generally terminally differentiated and difficult or impossible to manipulate genetically, which prevents assessing the role of human factors in these diseases. The advent of stem cell technology has opened exciting new possibilities to advance our knowledge in this field. The capacity to culture Embryonic Stem Cells, derive Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from people and the development of protocols for differentiation into an ever-increasing variety of cell types and organoids, together with advances in genome editing, represent a huge resource to finally crack the mysteries protozoan parasites hold and unveil novel targets for prevention and treatment.

scholarly journals The E3 Ligase Axotrophin/MARCH-7: Protein Expression Profiling of Human Tissues Reveals Links to Adult Stem Cells

2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina A. Szigyarto ◽  
Paul Sibbons ◽  
Gill Williams ◽  
Mathias Uhlen ◽  
Su M. Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Protein Expression ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Null Mouse ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Direct Role ◽  
Neuronal Progenitor

Axotrophin/MARCH-7 was first identified in mouse embryonic stem cells as a neural stem cell gene. Using the axotrophin/MARCH-7 null mouse, we discovered profound effects on T lymphocyte responses, including 8-fold hyperproliferation and 5-fold excess release of the stem cell cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Our further discovery that axotrophin/MARCH-7 is required for targeted degradation of the LIF receptor subunit gp190 implies a direct role in the regulation of LIF signaling. Bioinformatics studies revealed a highly conserved RING-CH domain in common with the MARCH family of E3-ubiquitin ligases, and accordingly, axotrophin was renamed “MARCH-7.” To probe protein expression of human axotrophin/MARCH-7, we prepared antibodies against different domains of the protein. Each antibody bound its specific target epitope with high affinity, and immunohistochemistry cross-validated target specificity. Forty-eight human tissue types were screened. Epithelial cells stained strongly, with trophoblasts having the greatest staining. In certain tissues, specific cell types were selectively positive, including neurons and neuronal progenitor cells in the hippocampus and cerebellum, endothelial sinusoids of the spleen, megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, crypt stem cells of the small intestine, and alveolar macrophages in the lung. Approximately 20% of central nervous system neuropils were positive. Notably, axotrophin/MARCH-7 has an expression profile that is distinct from that of other MARCH family members. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc.org . Please visit this article online to view these materials.

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

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.

scholarly journals Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) in Vascular Research: from Two- to Three-Dimensional Organoids

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Trillhaase ◽  
Marlon Maertens ◽  
Zouhair Aherrahrou ◽  
Jeanette Erdmann
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell Research ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Induced Pluripotent

AbstractStem cell technology has been around for almost 30 years and in that time has grown into an enormous field. The stem cell technique progressed from the first successful isolation of mammalian embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in the 1990s, to the production of human induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in the early 2000s, to finally culminate in the differentiation of pluripotent cells into highly specialized cell types, such as neurons, endothelial cells (ECs), cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and lung and intestinal cells, in the last decades. In recent times, we have attained a new height in stem cell research whereby we can produce 3D organoids derived from stem cells that more accurately mimic the in vivo environment. This review summarizes the development of stem cell research in the context of vascular research ranging from differentiation techniques of ECs and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to the generation of vascularized 3D organoids. Furthermore, the different techniques are critically reviewed, and future applications of current 3D models are reported. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals Histone Acetyltransferases and Stem Cell Identity

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2407
Author(s):  
Ruicen He ◽  
Arthur Dantas ◽  
Karl Riabowol
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Epigenetic Modification ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Histone Acetyltransferases ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cell Fates ◽  
Cell Identity ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

Acetylation of histones is a key epigenetic modification involved in transcriptional regulation. The addition of acetyl groups to histone tails generally reduces histone-DNA interactions in the nucleosome leading to increased accessibility for transcription factors and core transcriptional machinery to bind their target sequences. There are approximately 30 histone acetyltransferases and their corresponding complexes, each of which affect the expression of a subset of genes. Because cell identity is determined by gene expression profile, it is unsurprising that the HATs responsible for inducing expression of these genes play a crucial role in determining cell fate. Here, we explore the role of HATs in the maintenance and differentiation of various stem cell types. Several HAT complexes have been characterized to play an important role in activating genes that allow stem cells to self-renew. Knockdown or loss of their activity leads to reduced expression and or differentiation while particular HATs drive differentiation towards specific cell fates. In this study we review functions of the HAT complexes active in pluripotent stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, muscle satellite cells, mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, and cancer stem cells.

scholarly journals Cellular Functions of OCT-3/4 Regulated by Ubiquitination in Proliferating Cells

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 663
Author(s):  
Kwang-Hyun Baek ◽  
Jihye Choi ◽  
Chang-Zhu Pei
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Ubiquitin Proteasome System ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Proliferating Cells ◽  
Proliferation And Differentiation

Octamer-binding transcription factor 3/4 (OCT-3/4), which is involved in the tumorigenesis of somatic cancers, has diverse functions during cancer development. Overexpression of OCT-3/4 has been detected in various human somatic tumors, indicating that OCT-3/4 activation may contribute to the development and progression of cancers. Stem cells can undergo self-renewal, pluripotency, and reprogramming with the help of at least four transcription factors, OCT-3/4, SRY box-containing gene 2 (SOX2), Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), and c-MYC. Of these, OCT-3/4 plays a critical role in maintenance of undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and in production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Stem cells can undergo partitioning through mitosis and separate into specific cell types, three embryonic germ layers: the endoderm, the mesoderm, and the trophectoderm. It has been demonstrated that the stability of OCT-3/4 is mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), which is one of the key cellular mechanisms for cellular homeostasis. The framework of the mechanism is simple, but the proteolytic machinery is complicated. Ubiquitination promotes protein degradation, and ubiquitination of OCT-3/4 leads to regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, it is expected that OCT-3/4 may play a key role in proliferation and differentiation of proliferating cells.

Types of Stem Cells Used in US-Based Clinical Trials between 1999 and 2014

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 169-191
Author(s):  
Emma E. Redfield ◽  
Erin K. Luciano ◽  
Monica J. Sewell ◽  
Lucas A. Mitzel ◽  
Isaac J. Sanford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
The Us ◽  
Health Database ◽  
Induced Pluripotent

This study looks at the number of clinical trials involving specific stem cell types. To our knowledge, this has never been done before. Stem cell clinical trials that were conducted at locations in the US and registered on the National Institutes of Health database at ‘clinicaltrials.gov’ were categorized according to the type of stem cell used (adult, cancer, embryonic, perinatal, or induced pluripotent) and the year that the trial was registered. From 1999 to 2014, there were 2,357 US stem cell clinical trials registered on ‘clinicaltrials.gov,’ and 89 percent were from adult stem cells and only 0.12 percent were from embryonic stem cells. This study concludes that embryonic stem cells should no longer be used for clinical study because of their irrelevance, moral questions, and induced pluripotent stem cells.

Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Techniques

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19
Author(s):  
Gigliola Sica
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Neoplastic Lesions

The therapeutic use of stem cells and tissue engineering techniques are emerging in urology. Here, stem cell types, their differentiating potential and fundamental characteristics are illustrated. The cancer stem cell hypothesis is reported with reference to the role played by stem cells in the origin, development and progression of neoplastic lesions. In addition, recent reports of results obtained with stem cells alone or seeded in scaffolds to overcome problems of damaged urinary tract tissue are summarized. Among others, the application of these biotechnologies in urinary bladder, and urethra are delineated. Nevertheless, apart from the ethical concerns raised from the use of embryonic stem cells, a lot of questions need to be solved concerning the biology of stem cells before their widespread use in clinical trials. Further investigation is also required in tissue engineering utilizing animal models.

Exploring the role of stem cell therapy in treating neurodegenerative diseases: Challenges and current perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidhi Puranik ◽  
Ananta Prasad Arukha ◽  
Shiv Kumar Yadav ◽  
Dhananjay Yadav ◽  
Jun O Jin
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Glial Cells ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Based Therapy ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽  
Cord Injury

: Several human neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Huntington’s disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and brain stroke, are caused by the injury to neurons or glial cells. The recent years have witnessed the successful generation of neurons and glia cells driving efforts to develop stem-cell-based therapies for patients to combat a broad spectrum of human neurological diseases. The inadequacy of suitable cell types for cell replacement therapy in patients suffering from neurological disorders have hampered the development of this promising therapeutic approach. Attempts are thus being made to reconstruct viable neurons and glial cells from different stem cells such as the embryonic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and neural stem cells. Dedicated research to cultivate stem cell-based brain transplantation therapies have been carried out. We aim at compiling the breakthroughs in the field of stem cell-based therapy for the treatment of neurodegenerative maladies, emphasizing on the shortcomings faced, victories achieved, and the future prospects of the therapy in clinical settings.

Embryonic stem cells in companion animals (horses, dogs and cats): present status and future prospects

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 740 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Tayfur Tecirlioglu ◽  
Alan O. Trounson
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cell ◽  
Nuclear Transfer ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Cell Therapies

Reproductive technologies have made impressive advances since the 1950s owing to the development of new and innovative technologies. Most of these advances were driven largely by commercial opportunities and the potential improvement of farm livestock production and human health. Companion animals live long and healthy lives and the greatest expense for pet owners are services related to veterinary care and healthcare products. The recent development of embryonic stem cell and nuclear transfer technology in primates and mice has enabled the production of individual specific embryonic stem cell lines in a number of species for potential cell-replacement therapy. Stem cell technology is a fast-developing area in companion animals because many of the diseases and musculoskeletal injuries of cats, dogs and horses are similar to those in humans. Nuclear transfer-derived stem cells may also be selected and directed into differentiation pathways leading to the production of specific cell types, tissues and, eventually, even organs for research and transplantaton. Furthermore, investigations into the treatment of inherited or acquired pathologies have been performed mainly in mice. However, mouse models do not always faithfully represent the human disease. Naturally occurring diseases in companion animals can be more ideal as disease models of human genetic and acquired diseases and could help to define the potential therapeutic efficiency and safety of stem cell therapies. In the present review, we focus on the economic implications of companion animals in society, as well as recent biotechnological progress that has been made in horse, dog and cat embryonic stem cell derivation.

Stem Cells: The Future of Personalised Medicine?

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. MEI.S13177
Author(s):  
Ahmer Irfan ◽  
Irfan Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Personalised Medicine ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Pilot Trials ◽  
The Future ◽  
Induced Pluripotent ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Therapeutic Alternatives

After hitting the headlines in the 1960s, stem cell therapy has been the subject of great optimism in the treatment of many conditions. Discoveries of new procurement methods for various stem cells has allowed the technology and research to progress to a stage where real therapeutic alternatives are potentially viable. In order to determine the direction to move forward, it is first important to analyse the data that has been collected across well researched stem cell types (Embryonic Stem cells, Induced pluripotent stem cells, Haematopoetic stem cells and Mesenchymal stem cells) as well as emerging stem cell types (Very-small-embryonic-like stem cells, Spermatogonial stem cells and Parthenogenetic stem cells). Whilst by no means conclusive, the data does support the optimism surrounding these cells. Whilst stem cells may be embraced as the future of personalised medicine, following these pilot trials, research needs to become more focussed to allow advancement.

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