#stemcell

#stemcell

Reversing Spina Bifida with Prenatal Stem Cell SurgeryUC Davis has been pioneering research in using stem cells to halt spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal tube doesn't properly close. Human clinical trials are now going on. The study recruited pregnant women carrying children identified early in pregnancy as having spina bifida. The procedure is to do surgery halfway through the pregnancy and apply stem cells to the fetus' spine, then let nature do its work as the fetus grows.You can see part two and part three of the video series at YouTube, concerning recruiting patients for the trial and the first prenatal surgery of the trial. The best one is part four.

3D Kidney Tissue Created in the Lab from Embryonic Stem CellsDr. Ryuichi Nishinakamura and his team at Kumamoto University, Japan have successfully developed a method to create the third and final component of their lab-generated kidney tissue made of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells.Prior to this finding, various research teams have successfully induced the first two puzzle pieces—the nephron progenitor and the ureteric bud. Using the final component, the kidney-specific stromal progenitor, Dr. Nishinakamura and his team were able to complete the puzzle and generate a 3D tissue that mirrors the structure of a kidney, complete with extensively branched tubules.

Disease-in-a-Dish: Scientists Developed an In Vitro Model for AlbinismResearchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed the first stem cell model of albinism that can help us better understand related eye conditions.Albinism in humans is characterized by the absence of pigment that leads to abnormal development of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve fibers. Studies on albinism used to be conducted using animal cells. However, animal cells lack fovea, a small depression in the retina where visual acuity is highest. People with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) have an underdeveloped fovea. Scientists hope that this "disease-in-a-dish" stem cell model of albinism will improve their understanding of albinism and enable better testing of potential therapies.NIH National Eye Institute (NEI) staff scientist Aman George and team reported their findings in Stem Cell Reports.#Albinism #StemCell #NationalInstitutesofHealth #NIHImage source: National Eye Institute (NEI)