Neural Reprogramming

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Publisher : Humana
ISBN 13 : 9781071616000
Total Pages : 263 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Reprogramming by : Henrik Ahlenius

Download or read book Neural Reprogramming written by Henrik Ahlenius and published by Humana. This book was released on 2021-07-30 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed book brings together a number of state-of-the-art protocols to generate different types of neural cells through the use of reprogramming technologies. Additionally, the volume explores different aspects of functional evaluation and applications of reprogrammed neural cells as well as in silico methods to aid reprogramming efforts. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Neural Reprogramming: Methods and Protocols provides ample experimental experience and guidance for anyone, be it experienced researcher or beginner, to generate, validate, and apply reprogrammed neural cells in their research.

Neural Cell Reprogramming

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Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
ISBN 13 : 9781118750803
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (58 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Cell Reprogramming by : Benedikt Berninger

Download or read book Neural Cell Reprogramming written by Benedikt Berninger and published by Wiley-Blackwell. This book was released on 2017-01-30 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent advances in cell biology have allowed researchers to breakdown the barrier between cell types. This has unlocked the potential of converting somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells, introducing a valuable new tool to basic science and biomedical researchers. Neuroscientists are now rapidly adopting these technologies to better understand neurophysiology and the development of disease. Neural Cell Reprogramming provides a timely overview and synthesis of this work. Neural Cell Reprogramming opens with chapters that introduce the basic concepts of cellular reprogramming and the application of these technologies to neuronal cells. Coverage then explores advances in the field and the potential application of reprogramming technologies in fields ranging from basic neuroscience research into drug discovery and the development of novel therapeutics. The book closes with a valuable chapter exploring the ethical questions and issues surrounding the use of reprogrammed cells in research. A timely and valuable volume, Neural Cell Reprogramming is an essential book for anyone working in the fields of neuroscience, stem cell biology, and neurotherapuetics.

Human Neural Stem Cells

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319934856
Total Pages : 329 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

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Book Synopsis Human Neural Stem Cells by : Leonora Buzanska

Download or read book Human Neural Stem Cells written by Leonora Buzanska and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-12 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes early pioneering achievements in the field of human neural stem cell (hNSC) research and combines them with the latest advances in stem cell technology, including reprogramming and gene editing. The powerful potential of hNSC to generate and repair the developing and adult CNS has been confirmed by numerous experimental in vitro and in vivo studies. The book presents methods for hNSC derivation and discusses the mechanisms underlying NSC in vitro fate decisions and their in vivo therapeutic mode of action. The long-standing dogma that the human central nervous system (CNS) lacks the ability to regenerate was refuted at the end of the 20th century, when evidence of the presence of neurogenic zones in the adult human brain was found. These neurogenic zones are home to human neural stem cells (hNSCs), which are capable of self-renewing and differentiating into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. NSCs isolated from human CNS have a number of clinical advantages, especially the innate potential to differentiate into functional neural cells. Nevertheless, their full clinical exploitation has been hindered by limited access to the tissue and low expansion potential. The search for an alternative to CNS sources of autologous, therapeutically competent hNSCs was the driving force for the many studies proving the in vitro plasticity of different somatic stem cells to generate NSCs and their functional progeny. Now the era of induced pluripotent stem cells has opened entirely new opportunities to achieve research and therapeutic goals with the aid of hNSCs.

Neural Development and Stem Cells

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461438012
Total Pages : 370 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (614 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Development and Stem Cells by : Mahendra S. Rao

Download or read book Neural Development and Stem Cells written by Mahendra S. Rao and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-06-05 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This expanded and updated edition reflects the enormous increase in our knowledge of the development of the nervous system and the use of neural stem cells in clinical applications. Integrating new information about the use of development of neural stem cells for clinical applications, Drs. Rao, Carpenter and Vemuri have added additional chapters on neural transplantation and development of neural stem cells using reprogramming technologies. A new chapter on cancer in nervous system delineates how the fundamental biology of neural stem cells informs our understanding of cancer and tumor formation in the nervous system. Special attention is paid to the derivation of neural cells from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Authoritative and up-to-date, Neural Development and Stem Cells, 3rd Edition provides neuroscientists with a handy guide to stem cells in the nervous system, tracing with great clarity the development of stem cells from differentiation to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.

Neural Development and Stem Cells

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9781461438021
Total Pages : 380 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (38 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Development and Stem Cells by :

Download or read book Neural Development and Stem Cells written by and published by Springer. This book was released on 2012-08-31 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Engineering Neural Tissue from Stem Cells

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Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128113863
Total Pages : 226 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

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Book Synopsis Engineering Neural Tissue from Stem Cells by : Stephanie Willerth

Download or read book Engineering Neural Tissue from Stem Cells written by Stephanie Willerth and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Engineering Neural Tissue from Stem Cells covers the basic knowledge needed to understand the nervous system and how existing cells can be used to create neural tissue. This book presents a broad range of topics related to the design requirements for engineering neural tissue from stem cells. It begins with the anatomy and function of the central and peripheral nervous system, also covering stem cells, their relation to the nervous system and their function in recovery after injury or disease. In addition, the book explores the role of the extracellular matrix and vasculature/immune system and biomaterials, including their suitability for neural tissue engineering applications. Provides readers entering the field with a strong basis of neural tissue engineering processes and real-world applications Discusses the most current clinical trials and their importance of treating nervous system disorders Reviews the structure and immune response of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and their present cells Offers a necessary overview of the natural and synthetic biomaterials used to engineer neural tissue

The Neural Crest

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521620109
Total Pages : 494 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (21 download)

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Book Synopsis The Neural Crest by : Nicole Le Douarin

Download or read book The Neural Crest written by Nicole Le Douarin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1999-11-28 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1999 edition of The Neural Crest contains comprehensive information about the neural crest, a structure unique to the vertebrate embryo, which has only a transient existence in early embryonic life. The ontogeny of the neural crest embodies the most important issues in developmental biology, as the neural crest is considered to have played a crucial role in evolution of the vertebrate phylum. Data that analyse neural crest ontogeny in murine and zebrafish embryos have been included in this revision. This revised edition also takes advantage of recent advances in our understanding of markers of neural crest cell subpopulations, and a full chapter is now devoted to cell lineage analysis. The major research breakthrough since the first edition has been the introduction of molecular biology to neural crest research, enabling an elucidation of many molecular mechanisms of neural crest development. This book is essential reading for students and researchers in developmental biology, cell biology, and neuroscience.

Stem Cells in Reproductive Medicine

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107034477
Total Pages : 199 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis Stem Cells in Reproductive Medicine by : Carlos Simón

Download or read book Stem Cells in Reproductive Medicine written by Carlos Simón and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-07-04 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stem cell science has the potential to impact human reproductive medicine significantly - cutting edge technologies allow the production and regeneration of viable gametes from human stem cells offering potential to preciously infertile patients. Written by leading experts in the field Stem Cells in Reproductive Medicine brings together chapters on the genetics and epigenetics of both the male and female gametes as well as advice on the production and regeneration of gene cells in men and women, trophoblasts and endometrium from human embryonic and adult stem cells. Although focussing mainly on the practical elements of the use of stem cells in reproductive medicine, the book also contains a section on new developments in stem cell research. The book is essential reading for reproductive medicine clinicians, gynecologists and embryologists who want to keep abreast of practical developments in this rapidly developing field.

Transcriptional Control of Neural Crest Development

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Publisher : Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN 13 : 161504048X
Total Pages : 227 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (15 download)

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Book Synopsis Transcriptional Control of Neural Crest Development by : Brian L. Nelms

Download or read book Transcriptional Control of Neural Crest Development written by Brian L. Nelms and published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. This book was released on 2010 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The neural crest is a remarkable embryonic population of cells found only in vertebrates and has the potential to give rise to many different cell types contributing throughout the body. These derivatives range from the mesenchymal bone and cartilage comprising the facial skeleton, to neuronal derivatives of the peripheral sensory and autonomic nervous systems, to melanocytes throughout the body, and to smooth muscle of the great arteries of the heart. For these cells to correctly progress from an unspecifi ed, nonmigratory population to a wide array of dynamic, differentiated cell types-some of which retain stem cell characteristics presumably to replenish these derivatives-requires a complex network of molecular switches to control the gene programs giving these cells their defi ning structural, enzymatic, migratory, and signaling capacities. This review will bring together current knowledge of neural crest-specifi c transcription factors governing these progressions throughout the course of development. A more thorough understanding of the mechanisms of transcriptional control in differentiation will aid in strategies designed to push undifferentiated cells toward a particular lineage, and unraveling these processes will help toward reprogramming cells from a differentiated to a more naive state. Table of Contents: Introduction / AP Genes / bHLH Genes / ETS Genes / Fox Genes / Homeobox Genes / Hox Genes / Lim Genes / Pax Genes / POU Domain Genes / RAR/RXR Genes / Smad Genes / Sox Genes / Zinc Finger Genes / Other Miscellaneous Genes / References / Author Biographies

Programmed Cells from Basic Neuroscience to Therapy

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642366481
Total Pages : 137 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (423 download)

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Book Synopsis Programmed Cells from Basic Neuroscience to Therapy by : Fred H. Gage

Download or read book Programmed Cells from Basic Neuroscience to Therapy written by Fred H. Gage and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-05-13 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The recent advances in Programming Somatic Cell (PSC) including induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS) and Induced Neuronal phenotypes (iN), has changed our experimental landscape and opened new possibilities. The advances in PSC have provided an important tool for the study of human neuronal function as well as neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases in live human neurons in a controlled environment. For example, reprogramming cells from patients with neurological diseases allows the study of molecular pathways particular to specific subtypes of neurons such as dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s Disease, Motor neurons for Amyolateral Sclerosis or myelin for Multiple Sclerosis. Detecting disease-specific molecular signatures in live human brain cells, opens possibilities for early intervention therapies and new diagnostic tools. Importantly, once the neurological neural phenotype is detected in vitro, the so-called “disease-in-a-dish” approach allows for the screening of drugs that can ameliorate the disease-specific phenotype. New therapeutic drugs could either act on generalized pathways in all patients or be patient-specific and used in a personalized medicine approach. However, there are a number of pressing issues that need to be addressed and resolved before PSC technology can be extensively used for clinically relevant modeling of neurological diseases. Among these issues are the variability in PSC generation methods, variability between individuals, epigenetic/genetic instability and the ability to obtain disease-relevant subtypes of neurons . Current protocols for differentiating PSC into specific subtypes of neurons are under development, but more and better protocols are needed. Understanding the molecular pathways involved in human neural differentiation will facilitate the development of methods and tools to enrich and monitor the generation of specific subtypes of neurons that would be more relevant in modeling different neurological diseases.

Neural Crest Stem Cells Are the Elite Cell Type in Cellular Reprogramming

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (133 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Crest Stem Cells Are the Elite Cell Type in Cellular Reprogramming by : Ahmed Medhat Mostafa Fahmy

Download or read book Neural Crest Stem Cells Are the Elite Cell Type in Cellular Reprogramming written by Ahmed Medhat Mostafa Fahmy and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Nobel winning discovery by Yamanaka et al in reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) was instrumental in the emergence of the new field of Regenerative Medicine. However, the techniques to accomplish this reprogramming have plagued by problems relating to the efficiency of the process and the poor understanding of their cellular mechanisms. Several studies were able to improve the efficiency of reprogramming by manipulating chromatin remodeling factors. Despite this there is still no clear and non-ambiguous study which shows if all differentiated cells have the potential of being reprogrammed or whether there exists an elite subpopulation of cells that are selectively being reprogrammed. We hypothesize that a primary source of iPSCs and directly reprogrammed cells are neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) found in the heterogenous cell cultures of the starting populations. It is well established that multipotent NCSCs migrate to many parts of the developing embryo where they can produce a vast array of cell types, some of these NCSCs remain as undifferentiated stem cells throughout adulthood. We traced the lineage of neural crest cells in mice embryos using a Cre based lineage tracing system. We found that Neural Crest (NC) derived cells were present in the primary cell culture and they increased in proportion with passage number. This showed that there exists neural crest derived cells in cultures identical to those used in reprogramming studies. We reprogrammed skin samples of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and found that the iPSCs produced were almost exclusively from a NC origin. Following these findings, we sought to test whether the same is true for direct reprogramming experiments that attempt to convert skin fibroblasts to neurons directly. We hypothesized that these "induced" neurons (iN) are descendants of NC progenitors and stem cells that already have the potential to differentiate into them, and indeed, all of the iNs were derived from our NC marked cells. These studies can help better understand the cellular mechanism of reprogramming and will help devise more efficient techniques of reprogramming that could contribute to new therapies for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Neural Stem Cells In Health And Disease

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Publisher : World Scientific Publishing Company
ISBN 13 : 9814623199
Total Pages : 573 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (146 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Stem Cells In Health And Disease by : Ashok K Shetty

Download or read book Neural Stem Cells In Health And Disease written by Ashok K Shetty and published by World Scientific Publishing Company. This book was released on 2015-08-28 with total page 573 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a comprehensive guide on neural stem cell behavior in health and disease. The book confers the altered behavior of endogenous neural stem cells in neurodegenerative disease conditions and the prospects of neural stem cell therapy for alleviating brain dysfunction in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.Neural stem cell activity and neurogenesis in the adult brain is now confirmed in virtually all mammalian species including humans. Hence, a series of chapters in the first half of the book discusses the current knowledge on mechanisms of neural stem cell activity, the extent and functional significance of neurogenesis in the adult brain under normal, aged and disease environments, the susceptibility of neural stem cells and the plasticity of neurogenesis to alcohol, drugs of abuse and anesthetic agents, and advanced techniques that trigger neurogenesis in non-neurogenic regions.A second series of chapters in this book are focused on discussing the promise and efficacy of grafting of neural stem cells and/or other stem cells for treating neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, temporal lobe epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injury. The final chapter confers on advances that are made in manufacturing a variety of neural cell types from human pluripotent stem cells that can be used as donor cells for cell transplantation.

Neural Crest Stem Cells

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814343803
Total Pages : 169 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (143 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Crest Stem Cells by : Maya Sieber-Blum

Download or read book Neural Crest Stem Cells written by Maya Sieber-Blum and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2012 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers readers an understanding of the development of neural crest cells, which is crucial as many birth defects and tumours are of neural crest origin. Delving into stem cells from different locations of the body, this book explores the best possible source of such cells for the use in medical applications.

Neural Stem Cells and Adult Neurogenesis

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Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128110147
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

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Book Synopsis Neural Stem Cells and Adult Neurogenesis by : Arie S. Mobley

Download or read book Neural Stem Cells and Adult Neurogenesis written by Arie S. Mobley and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-03-15 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Neural Stem Cells and Adult Neurogenesis provides graduate students and neuroscientists with a basic understanding of what neural stem cells are and the cell types they produce. This early graduate level reference describes their physiology and potential for medicine and provides students with fundamental stem cell information. An overview of stem cell sources in the human body and a brief mention of relevant diseases provide context for the value of this knowledge. The book also includes chapters on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), the methods used to obtain them, and a review of the ethical challenges associated with stem cell research. For each region, the book provides a description of its neurogenic niche, cellular and molecular biology, and information on the neurons' contribution to normal and diseased brain function. The level of information is appropriate for early graduate students, introducing technology and molecular biology in an accessible format. Provides a basic understanding of what a stem cell is, the different types, and their potential in health and research Details adult neurogenesis and its role in behavior, stroke and disease Includes walkthrough and technology boxes that illustrate experimental concepts, new approaches and techniques

Functional Neural Transplantation IV

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Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 012811813X
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

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Book Synopsis Functional Neural Transplantation IV by :

Download or read book Functional Neural Transplantation IV written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-05-25 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Functional Neural Transplantation IV: Translation to Clinical Application, Volume 230 provides the current status of cell transplantation in the nervous system, with a focus on the conditions for achieving structural repair and functional recovery after brain damage or in neurodegenerative disease. New to this release are chapters that delve into the Mechanisms and Use of Neural Transplants for Brain Repair, Reprogramming of Somatic Cells: iPS and iN Cells, Brain Repair from Intrinsic Cell Sources: Turning Reactive Glia into Neurons, and Ex Vivo Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Neurological Disorders, Preparation, Characterization and Banking of Clinical-grade Cells for Neural Transplantation. As the fourth in a periodic series of updates at 5-7 year intervals, this volume highlights recent developments related to the application of advances in cellular and molecular science, providing an understanding of the fundamental principles of neuroplasticity and regeneration in the brain and spinal cord, and also addressing the topic of the power of pluripotent stem cells to generate new sources of precisely specified neurons for utilization in brain repair. Comprehensive set of critical reviews covering the field Presents state-of-the-art topics in science and translational medicine Written by international leaders in the field of neural transplantation

Nuclear Reprogramming and Stem Cells

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 161779225X
Total Pages : 340 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (177 download)

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Book Synopsis Nuclear Reprogramming and Stem Cells by : Justin Ainscough

Download or read book Nuclear Reprogramming and Stem Cells written by Justin Ainscough and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-09-02 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research into the field of stem cell biology has developed exponentially over recent years, and is beginning to offer significant promise for unravelling the molecular basis of a multitude of disease states. Importantly, in addition to offering the opportunity to delve deeply into the mechanisms that drive disease aetiology the research is realistically opening the doors for development of targeted and personalized therapeutic applications that many considered, until recently, to be nothing more that a far fetched dream. This volume provides a timely glimpse into the methods that have been developed to instigate, and the mechanisms that have been identified to drive, the process of nuclear reprogramming, chronicling how the field has developed over the last 50-60 years. Since the early 1950s a small number of notable experiments have provided significant impetus to the field, primarily the demonstration of reprogramming ability, first by the complex cytoplasmic milieu that constitutes the amphibian egg, then that of the mammalian egg, and finally that of the mammalian embryonic stem cell. Most recently, the demonstration that a limited pool of defined molecules is capable of reprogramming a multitude of cell types has provided massive impetus and facilitated transition towards realistic therapeutic application. We have therefore reproduced some of the key articles that elegantly document these dramatic stages of development of the field in an inclusive appendix to the book, for the benefit of readers keen to investigate the history of how the field of stem cell biology has evolved. Owing to the ever broadening nature of this field, and the incredible rate at which it is evolving, the main content of this volume focuses on areas that have shown significant movement in recent years, are most likely to translate into personalized therapeutic application, and thus provide greatest potential for significant impact on human health in the not too distant future. We recognize that research into many other disease states and cell types are all equally worthy of discussion. We would therefore like to acknowledge those researchers involved whose work we have not been able to include in this volume. Nuclear Reprogramming and Stem Cells will serve as a valuable resource for all researchers in the field of stem cell biology, including those just setting out on their career path as well as those already established in the field.

The Mechanobiology of Stem Cells and Neurogenesis

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 190 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (81 download)

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Book Synopsis The Mechanobiology of Stem Cells and Neurogenesis by : Albert J. Keung

Download or read book The Mechanobiology of Stem Cells and Neurogenesis written by Albert J. Keung and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The central nervous system (CNS) controls crucial functions in mammals ranging from sensory processing and memory to hormonal regulation and motor function. Thus many diseases and injuries afflicting CNS cells, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases or stroke and traumatic injuries, result in devastating consequences. Stem cells serve as potential cell sources for cell transplantation therapies, but also model systems to study neural development. In both cases, it is crucial to understand how the hallmark properties of stem cells, self-renewal and potency, are regulated by their microenvironment. An important body of work has identified many biochemical factors, such as small molecules, growth factors, morphogens, and adhesive ligands that regulate stem cell behavior. However, more recently biophysical effects, such as microenvironmental stiffness, cell and tissue shape, and dynamic shear flow or cyclic strain, have been shown to affect diverse cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. These dissertation studies aim to elucidate microenvironmental stiffness effects on stem cell systems, and how they can be harnessed to improve derivation of neural cell types. A wide temporal range of development was studied using model systems with adult and embryonic origins. First, adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) from the rat hippocampus, in soluble conditions permissive of differentiation into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, were found to differentiate preferentially into neurons on soft substrates with stiffness similar to brain tissue (100-1000 Pa), while stiffer substrates promoted increased astrocytic differentiation. This bias in lineage commitment due to microenvironmental stiffness cues was transduced by a cellular mechanoadaptation mechanism in which aNSCs stiffened and increased cellular contractility in response to increasing substrate stiffness. This mechanotransduction was dependent on RhoA and Cdc42 activity and occurred within only 2 days after induction of differentiation. Downstream neuronal maturation and subtype specification was also investigated. In soluble conditions inducing primarily neuronal differentiation, intermediate microenvironmental stiffnesses around 700 Pa promoted neuronal maturation and subtype specification of GABA and glutamatergic neurons. RhoA and Cdc42 activity increased neuronal maturation on softer substrates while inhibiting RhoA and Cdc42 activity abolished the stiffnessdependent differences in neuronal maturation. Earlier periods of stem cell development were studied with human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs and hiPSCs). While pluripotency marker expression and self-renewal were not affected by microenvironmental stiffness, neuronal differentiation was enhanced on softer substrates. Furthermore, softer substrates increased the percentage of dopaminergic neurons, the cell type lost in Parkinson's Disease. Interestingly, this increase in neuronal differentiation was due to the early increase in PAX6 and SOX1 positive neural ectoderm prior to neural patterning, demonstrating that microenvironmental stiffness may also be important at early periods of development and impact downstream lineage compositions. Finally, with the discovery of cellular reprogramming, not only can the developmental timeline can be reversed but trans-cell type reprogramming can be studied as well. Preliminary studies showed that microenvironmental stiffness has potentially interesting effects on both reprogramming somatic cells to hiPSCs, but also translineage reprogramming of somatic cells to neurons. Intermediate substrate stiffnesses around 700 Pa promoted hiPSC reprogramming. Interestingly, cell migration was greater on softer substrates but persistence or directionality was greater on stiffer substrates, suggesting that substrate stiffness effects on hiPSC colony formation is not likely due to significant differences in cell migration and collision events. Substrate stiffness also biased reprogramming of somatic cells directly into neurons with stiffer substrates promoting neuronal reprogramming. The studies comprising this dissertation demonstrate that microenvironmental stiffness is important throughout a wide temporal range of neural development modeled by adult and embryonic/pluripotent stem cells, as well in neuronal reprogramming processes. They motivate the consideration of microenvironmental stiffness in fundamental biological studies but also as a design parameter for stem cell cultures and bioreactor systems. These studies motivate the future study of additional biophysical factors as potential regulatory cues for stem cells, especially neural stem cells.