Progress In Stem Cell Research Research Articles

Exploring the application of stem cell technology in treating sensorineural hearing loss.

Sensorineural deafness mainly occurs due to damage to hair cells, and advances in stem cell technology, especially the application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and adult stem cells, provides new possibilities for hair cell regeneration. This review describes the basic knowledge of stem cells and their important applications in regenerative medicine, as well as recent progress in stem cell research in the field of hair cell regeneration, especially the induced differentiation of hair-like cells. At the same time, we also point out the challenges facing current research, including differentiation efficiency, cell stability issues, and treatment safety and long-term efficacy considerations. Finally, we look forward to the direction of future research, and emphasize the importance of the cell differentiation mechanism, simulation of the inner ear microenvironment, safety assessment, and personalized treatment strategies. In conclusion, despite many challenges, stem cell technology has shown great potential in the field of hearing research and is expected to bring revolutionary treatment options for patients with sensorineural hearing loss in the future.

Regenerative therapies as a potential treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual dysfunction disease in adult males. ED can be caused by many factors, such as vascular disease, neuropathy, metabolic disturbances, psychosocial causes, and side effects of medications. Although current oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors can achieve a certain effect, they cause temporary dilatation of blood vessels with no curative treatment effects. Emerging targeted technologies, such as stem cell therapy, protein therapy, and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT), are being used to achieve more natural and long-lasting effects in treating ED. However, the development and application of these therapeutic methods are still in their infancy, and their pharmacological pathways and specific mechanisms have not been fully discovered. This article reviews the preclinical basic research progress of stem cells, proteins, and Li-ESWT therapy, as well as the current status of clinical application of Li-ESWT therapy.

Stem cell differentiation with consistent lineage commitment induced by a flash of ultrafast-laser activationin vitroand in vivo.

Recent technological advancements on stem cell differentiation induction have been making great progress in stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and therapeutic applications. However, the risk of off-target differentiation limits the wide application of stem cell therapy strategies. Here, we report a non-invasive all-optical strategy to induce stem cell differentiation invitro and invivo that activates individual target stem cells in situ by delivering a transient 100-ms irradiation of a tightly focused femtosecond laser to a submicron cytoplasmic region of primary adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). The ADSCs differentiate to osteoblasts with stable lineage commitment that cannot further transdifferentiate because of simultaneous initiation of multiple signaling pathways through specific Ca2+ kinetic patterns. This method can work invivo to direct mouse cerebellar granule neuron progenitors to granule neurons in intact mouse cerebellums through the skull. Hence, this optical method without any genetic manipulations or exogenous biomaterials holds promising potential in biomedical research and cell-based therapies.

Fe3O4@Polydopamine-Labeled MSCs Targeting the Spinal Cord to Treat Neuropathic Pain Under the Guidance of a Magnetic Field.

PurposeNeuropathic pain causes great distress among patients; however, its response to traditional analgesia techniques remains sub-optimal. There has been progress in stem cell research for neuropathic pain treatment; however, effective homing remains problematic. This study aimed to establish Fe3O4@polydopamine(PDA)-labeled mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); moreover, we aimed to guide MSCs using a magnetic field to the spinal cord segments showing pain-related responses to allow MSC homing and gathering, in advance, in order to fully employ their repair function.Materials and MethodsFe3O4@PDA-labeled MSCs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy. We analyzed the characteristics of MSCs, as well as the nanoparticle effects on MSC activity, differentiation, and proliferation, using the CCK-8 method, flow cytometry, and staining. Using rats, we performed behavioral tests of mechanical and thermal pain hypersensitivity. Serum inflammatory markers were detected using ELISA. Finally, changes in proteins associated with spinal cord pain were detected through quantitative reverse transcription PCR, histology, and immunohistochemistry.ResultsFe3O4@PDA did not affect the characteristics and viability of MSCs. The magnetic field guidance improved the therapeutic effect of Fe3O4@PDA-labeled MSCs as indicated by the paw withdrawal threshold. Fe3O4@PDA-labeled MSCs decreased spinal nerve demyelination and c-Fos expression (a pain molecule); moreover, they inhibited microglia and astrocyte activation.ConclusionFe3O4@PDA-labeled MSCs showed better homing to the spinal cord under magnetic field guidance. Moreover, they inhibited microglial and astrocyte activation, as well as played an early and continuous role in neuropathic pain treatment.

Stem Cell Therapies in Alzheimer's Disease: Applications for Disease Modeling.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with complex pathologic and biologic characteristics. Extracellular β-amyloid deposits, such as senile plaques, and intracellular aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau, such as neurofibrillary tangles, remain the main neuropathological criteria for the diagnosis of AD. There is currently no effective treatment of the disease, and many clinical trials have failed to prove any benefits of new therapeutics. More recently, there has been increasing interest in harnessing the potential of stem cell technologies for drug discovery, disease modeling, and cell therapies, which have been used to study an array of human conditions, including AD. The recently developed and optimized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology is a critical platform for screening anti-AD drugs and understanding mutations that modify AD. Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has been investigated as a new therapeutic approach to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) also exhibit considerable potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases by secreting growth factors and exosomes, attenuating neuroinflammation. This review highlights recent progress in stem cell research and the translational applications and challenges of iPSCs, NSCs, and MSCs as treatment strategies for AD. Even though these treatments are still in relative infancy, these developing stem cell technologies hold considerable promise to combat AD and other neurodegenerative disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in learning and memory defects. Although some drugs have been approved for AD treatment, fewer than 20% of patients with AD benefit from these drugs. Therapies based on stem cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells, neural stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells, provide promising therapeutic strategies for AD.

Research progress of stem cells in agricultural animals

As an important biological technology, stem cell technology has been being widely used in the life sciences for a long time. There are three major ways to obtain stem cells with unlimited proliferation and differentiation capabilities, including 1) isolating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from embryos, 2) isolating adult stem cells from adult tissues, and 3) in vitro reprogramming of differentiated somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In the field of agriculture, the efficient purification, culture and establishment of livestock and poultry stem cell lines are expected to significantly improve the efficiency of somatic cell cloning and genetic modification of cells. The technology of stem cell induced-gamete production will greatly simplify the generation process, and consequently improve the generation efficiency of genetically modified animals. In addition, by combining with gene editing, microinjection, stem cell transplantation, and embryo transfer, stem cell technology has great potential in the production of genetically modified animals, tissue and organ donors, in vitro induced gametes and genetically reconstructed embryos, in the screening of disease treatment targets, and in the research of new drug pharmacology, which is of great significance to the genetic improvement, disease prevention and treatment for agricultural animals. In this review, we summarize the current research progress of stem cells in agricultural animals, including pig (Sus scrofa), cattle (Bos taurus), chicken (Gallus gallus), goat (Capra hircus) and sheep (Ovis aries), to provide information for the studies in the field of stem cells in agricultural animals.

Molecular regulation of plant stem cell function

Plant stem cells are mainly located in the shoot apical meristem, root apical meristem and vascular cambium, which possess self-renewal and diverse differentiational potential in plants. Stem cells can maintain the size of their own cell population through cell division, or differentiate into various tissues and organs in plants. Maintaining the balance between the division and differentiation of stem cells is the basis for plants to accumulate biomass through longitudinal elongation and radial thickening growth. This process can be regulated by some factors such as genes, microRNAs (miRNAs), and plant hormones. This paper summarizes the research progress of stem cells regulating plant growth and development in recent years, and prospects for future research.

Stem Cell Therapies for Blindness due to Corneal, Lens, and Retinal Diseases: A Review

Stem cell therapies are continuing to be researched and implemented to treat a wide range of disorders that result in blindness. Major structures of the eye most prevalently tied to blindness are the cornea, lens, and retina, and specific conditions resulting in blindness includes corneal disease, stromal scarring, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. This review covers a detailed description of the structures of the eye, the causes and corresponding disease pathways of each form of corneal, lens, and retinal dysfunction that results in blindness, and the current stem cell sources being researched and implemented, through animal models and clinical trials, to treat blindness. The review evaluates the progress of stem cell research and trials and presents the obstacles that remain to be overcome before stem cell sources to treat blindness can become standard clinical practice.

An Overview on Stem Cells in Tissue Regeneration

Deteriorations in tissues and decline in organ functions, due to chronic diseases or with advancing age or sometimes due to infections or injuries, can severely compromise the quality of life of an individual. Regenerative medicine, a field of medical research focuses on replacing non-functional or dead cells or repairing or regenerating tissues and organs to restore normal functions of an impaired organ. Approaches used in regenerative therapy for achieving the objective employ a number of means which include soluble biomolecules, stem cell transplants, tissue engineering, gene therapy and reprogramming of cells according to target tissue types. Stem cells transplant and tissue regeneration methods for treating various diseases have rapidly grown in usage over the past decades or so. There are different types of stem cells such as mesenchymal, hematopoietic, embryonic, mammary, intestinal, endothelial, neural, olfactory, neural crest, testicular and induced pluripotent stem cells. This review covers the recent advances in tissue regeneration and highlights the application of stem cell transplants in treating many life-threatening diseases or in improving quality of life. Remarkable progress in stem cell research has established that the cell-based therapy could be an option for treating diseases which could not be cured by conventional medical means till recent. Stem cells play major roles in regenerative medicine with its exceptional characteristics of self-renewal capacity and potential to differentiate into almost all types of cells of a body. Vast number of reports on preclinical and clinical application of stem cells revealed its vital role in disease management and many pharmacological industries around the globe working to achieve effective stem cell based products.

Retinal stem cell transplantation: Balancing safety and potential.

Stem cell transplantation holds great promise as a potential treatment for currently incurable retinal degenerative diseases that cause poor vision and blindness. Recently, safety data have emerged from several Phase I/II clinical trials of retinal stem cell transplantation. These clinical trials, usually run in partnership with academic institutions, are based on sound preclinical studies and are focused on patient safety. However, reports of serious adverse events arising from cell therapy in other poorly regulated centers have now emerged in the lay and scientific press. While progress in stem cell research for blindness has been greeted with great enthusiasm by patients, scientists, doctors and industry alike, these adverse events have raised concerns about the safety of retinal stem cell transplantation and whether patients are truly protected from undue harm. The aim of this review is to summarize and appraise the safety of human retinal stem cell transplantation in the context of its potential to be developed into an effective treatment for retinal degenerative diseases.

Stem Cell Research in Bangladesh: Neurosurgical Perspective

Purpose: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological disease which causes sensory loss, motor paralysis and autonomic difficulties which is usually treated with physiotherapy. Complete spinal cord injury with ASIA Grade A patients remains untreated and neglected in our country since long back. Here we describe an effective strategy for the treatment of complete spinal cord injury by autologous bone marrow derived stem cell.
 Material and Method: The study was conducted in the Neurosurgery department, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January, 2016 to January 2019. Total 22 Patients with spinal cord injury (ASIA Grade-A) were included in this study. Total 60 ml of autologous bone marrow was aspirated and processed to prepare 6-7 ml of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) which was transplanted at the site of cord injury. Bony alignment was done by decompression and stabilization. Post-surgical physiotherapy and regular follow up was given.
 Result: Surgical outcome was assessed by ASIA Grading. Among 22 patients, 10 patients (45.45%) improved by one grade, 7 patients (31.82%) improved by two grade, 2 patients (9.09%) improved by three grade, 3 patients (13.64%) did not show any improvement of any grade as because their follow-up period was less than 6 months. 19 patients (86.36%) noticed sensory, 16 patients (72.72%) noticed bladder improvement and 19 patients (86.36%) noticed bowel improvement to some extent.
 Conclusion: Stem cell therapy is safe and effective. Steady and focused progress in stem cell research will open the door for many disable patients in the country like Bangladesh.
 Bang. J Neurosurgery 2019; 9(1): 3-10

The stem cell market and policy options: a call for clarity

The stem cell market and policy options: a call for clarity

Stem Cells Research: Therapeutic Potentials and Ethical Issues from Islamic Perspective

The advancement in human stem cell research has promised a viable alternative treatment for a range of ‘incurable diseases’ such as neurological diseases. To date, several studies have documented substantial evidences on the therapeutic properties of stem cells in promoting repair in different diseases including common neurological disorders i.e. ischaemic stroke and spinal cord injury. However, the progress of stem cell research has been surrounded by ethical issues which largely due to the usage of human embryos as one of the sources. These embryonic stem cells which originally derived from human embryo of aborted foetus or already existing human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) lines, has sparked an intense moral and religious argument among people of various faith, including Muslim community. From the therapeutic point of view, amongst the currently available stem cells, hESCs show the greatest potential for the broadest range of cell replacement therapies and are regarded as the most commercially viable. This review focuses on the major ethical issues, particularly to Muslim community, related to human embryonic stem cells research with special emphasis on the moral status of the embryo and the beginning of life according to the Islamic ethics and rulings. In this paper, we also discuss some ethical positions towards embryonic stem cell research in the Islamic world, including official regulations existing in some Muslim countries. We examine the justification and the necessity on the usage of hESCs following the newly discovered Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs) in the laboratory. In addition, we supplement the discussions with the general views and positions from the other two Abrahamic religions i.e. Christianity and Judaism.

Stem Cell Research in Africa: Legislation and Challenges

The emergence of stem cell research has undoubtedly brought a lot of hope to the medical field with the opportunities that regenerative medicine offers. Human embryonic stem cells can be manipulated to cure some of the most debilitating diseases of our times. The ability to transform somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells will ease the objections by some people towards the use of embryo derived stem cells. However, due to global differences of opinion on stem cell research, it is almost impossible to come up with standardised rules that will govern the research around the world. While there is rapid and continues progress in the field of stem cell research, Africa is lagging behind with respect to actively being involved in stem cell research, despite the fact that it stands to benefit greatly from the research. There are very few African countries that are actively involved in stem cell research. This review article examines the involvement of African countries in stem cell research. Some of the challenges that are affecting the progress of stem cell research in Africa are discussed. Because human embryonic stem cells are derived from human embryos, there are legislative frameworks that concern the rights of unborn embryos to life which have to be considered before undertaking research involving human derived embryos. This review discusses recommendations that can vigorously promote and expand stem cell research in Africa, especially in smaller and less scientifically active countries of the continent. In order to succeed in promoting stem cell research in Africa, there is a need to understand the ethical and moral issues that hinders the research. There is further need to enforce basic understanding of what stem cells are and how they function. Therefore, the general consensus is that to succeed in growing stem cell research in Africa, there is a need to first enhance education about stem cells among the ordinary people of the continent

Cultivating a Robust Stem Cell Field

In so many ways the field is stronger than ever, with terrific progress in stem cell research and discovery that has led to advances in regenerative medicine. We see research moving toward the clinic at a greater rate, with new treatment approaches showing real promise. The last 15 years since the ISSCR’s founding have laid a strong foundation for future years of exploration, discovery, and advances in medicine.

Assessment of Safety and Functional Efficacy of Stem Cell-Based Therapeutic Approaches Using Retinal Degenerative Animal Models.

Dysfunction and death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and or photoreceptors can lead to irreversible vision loss. The eye represents an ideal microenvironment for stem cell-based therapy. It is considered an “immune privileged” site, and the number of cells needed for therapy is relatively low for the area of focused vision (macula). Further, surgical placement of stem cell-derived grafts (RPE, retinal progenitors, and photoreceptor precursors) into the vitreous cavity or subretinal space has been well established. For preclinical tests, assessments of stem cell-derived graft survival and functionality are conducted in animal models by various noninvasive approaches and imaging modalities. In vivo experiments conducted in animal models based on replacing photoreceptors and/or RPE cells have shown survival and functionality of the transplanted cells, rescue of the host retina, and improvement of visual function. Based on the positive results obtained from these animal experiments, human clinical trials are being initiated. Despite such progress in stem cell research, ethical, regulatory, safety, and technical difficulties still remain a challenge for the transformation of this technique into a standard clinical approach. In this review, the current status of preclinical safety and efficacy studies for retinal cell replacement therapies conducted in animal models will be discussed.

Research progress of stem cells on glaucomatous optic nerve injury.

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, is an irreversible optic neuropathy. The mechanism of optic nerve injury caused by glaucoma is undefined at present. There is no effective treatment method for the injury. Stem cells have the capacity of self-renewal and differentiation. These two features have made them become the research focus on improving the injury at present. This paper reviews the application progress on different types of stem cells therapy for optic nerve injury caused by glaucoma.

Recent Advances in Cell surface Engineering Focused on Cell Therapy

Revolutionary progress in stem cell research and the potential of stem cell‐based therapeutics promote the translation of cell therapy. However, the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy is still very low, mainly because of the insufficient homing and survival of the injected cells at the target site. Cell surface engineering is one of the solutions to increase the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy. Cell surface engineering can modulate the cellular behavior for enhancing targeted delivery, cellular functions, organized structure, and immune evasion by chemical or physical modification of the cell surface. This review summarizes the recent studies in cell surface engineering focused on cell therapy.

Directional differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into cardiomyocytes by direct adherent culture

Myocardial infarction is a serious and common disease in clinics, with a poor prognosis and a high mortality in the long term. The latest research progress in stem cell research, which has been at the frontier of medical research in recent years, gives hope to the patients with heart disease. Researchers have been trying to find an efficient and practical differentiation procedure to induce embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. This study used a direct adherent-culture method to induce the differentiation of human ESCs (hESCs) into cardiomyocytes in vitro and its differentiation efficiency was detected. The hESCs were induced into cardiomyocytes by adherence culture using the inducers activin A and BMP4. The time of appearance of beating cardiomyocytes, the percentage of beating colonies, and the beating frequency of cardiomyocytes under the microscope were observed and counted; the specific cardiomyocyte marker cTnT was started by immunofluorescence, and the electrophysiological function of cardiomyocytes was detected by patch clamp experiment. An apoptosis-Hoechst staining kit was used to detect the apoptosis ratio of beating of cardiomyocytes which had been treated by hypoxia for 24 hours. Widespread spontaneous beating cardiomyocytes was typically observed by day 13 after differentiation. The statistical result was that the average time of appearance of beating cardiomyocytes was 13·0±1·1 days, the percentage of beating colonies was 66·7%, and the beating frequency of cardiomyocytes 63·0±7·0 times/min; beating cardiomyocytes were positive to cTnT staining. Spontaneous action potentials of beating cardiomyocytes were detected, and the apoptosis ratio of beating cardiomyocytes which had been treated by hypoxia for 24 hours was 8·0±0·5%. The direct adherent-culture method was successfully used to induce the differentiation of hESCs into cardiomyocytes. The adherent method of hESC induced with activin A+BMP4 was determined to be more simple and effective than other methods. The differentiation efficiency reached 66·7%, and the differentiation time was about 13 days.

Review-Stem Cells in Neurological Diseases:Indian Perspective

Stem cell therapy is under investigation in neurological diseases with currently sub optimal or no treatment available. They are hypothesized to produce new cells, or act as “chaperones or scaffolds” to repair and reconstruct neuronal circuitry and release the relevant neurotransmitters for ultimate functional improvement in the individual. They have the potential either to divide or multiply or differentiate into one or more cell type, usually in response to some kind of signal. In recent years, bone marrow derived stem cells have been successfully exploited as neurorestorative tool to augment brain recovery. In this review we have discussed the types and sources of stem cells, notable clinical studies published and ongoing trials in India involving Stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Spinal cord injury, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis etc and discuss the future prospects for more trials. All these studies proved the safety and feasibility of cell transplantation. Steady and focused progress in stem cell research in both preclinical and clinical settings in Indian subcontinent should support the hope for development of cell-based therapies as treatment in near future.