A simple drug cocktail that converts cells neighboring damaged neurons into functional new neurons could potentially be used to treat stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and brain injuries. A team of researchers at Penn State identified a set of four, or even three, molecules that could convert glial cells—which normally provide support and insulation for neurons—into new […]
Functional insulin-producing cells grown in lab
UC San Francisco researchers have for the first time transformed human stem cells into mature insulin-producing cells, a major breakthrough in the effort to develop a cure for type 1 (T1) diabetes. Replacing these cells, which are lost in patients with T1 diabetes, has long been a dream of regenerative medicine, but until now scientists […]
A new approach to peripheral nerve injury? Natural killer cells in the immune system could present a target
In animal models of a totally crushed peripheral nerve, the damaged axons are broken down, allowing healthy ones to regrow. But humans rarely suffer complete axonal damage. Instead, axons tend to be partially damaged, causing neuropathic pain—a difficult-to-treat, chronic pain associated with nerve trauma, chemotherapy and diabetes. A new study in Cell, led by Michael […]
Breast cancer: Changing tumor cells into fat cells stops spread
Metastasis is the process through which cancer cells escape from primary tumors and grow new tumors, or metastases, in other parts of the body. It is the leading cause of death from cancer. An enabler of metastasis is the innate ability of cancer cells to take on the properties of other cell types. This “plasticity” […]
Drug that clears out dead cells left mice more active
Could this be the fountain of youth? Drug that clears out dead cells left mice more active with lower levels of inflammation Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel investigated how the immune system clears away ageing cells These cells are not completely dead but are irreparably damaged They administered a drug that […]
Can stem cells help a diseased heart heal itself? Researchers achieve important milestone
A team of Rutgers scientists, including Leonard Lee and Shaohua Li, have taken an important step toward the goal of making diseased hearts heal themselves—a new model that would reduce the need for bypass surgery, heart transplants or artificial pumping devices. The study, recently published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, involved removing connective […]
Subtype of immune B cells can delay type 1 diabetes onset in mice
A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Michigan Medical School reports today in the JCI Insight that a subset of immune B cells, known as CD19+IgM+ B cells, can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in a mouse model of the condition. These findings open an opportunity to […]
Researchers hope to be able to replace dysfunctional brain cells
A new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet supports the theory that replacement of dysfunctional immune cells in the brain has therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer’s disease. The study, which involved repopulating the brain with new immune cells in an experimental disease model, is published in Nature Communications. Macrophages are immune […]
Study reveals that cells involved in allergies also play a key role in survival
In a University of California, Irvine-led study, researchers found evidence that mast cells, an important group of immune cells typically associated with allergies, actually enable the body to survive fasting or intense exercise. The study was published today in Cell Metabolism. Typically found in the lungs and nose, mast cells are best known for their […]
Engineers develop process to 3-D print cells to produce human tissue such as ligaments and tendons
With today’s technology, we can 3-D-print sculptures, mechanical parts, prosthetics, even guns and food. But a team of University of Utah biomedical engineers have developed a method to 3-D-print cells to produce human tissue such as ligaments and tendons, a process that will greatly improve a patient’s recovery.A person with a badly damaged ligament, tendon, […]