Biology Of Stem Cells And The Molecular Basis Of The Stem State

Biology of Stem Cells and the Molecular Basis of the Stem State concentrates upon adult stem cells, particularly on mesenchymal cell populations, which is the author’s area of expertise. The text offers the reader a detailed description of the emergence of stem cell research and the dogmas that were created during the first decades of analysis of stem cell properties, particularly those of hemopoietic stem cells. Biology of Stem Cells and the Molecular Basis of the Stem State also introduces the reader to the commonly accepted notions regarding stem cell biology, with an emphasis on an alternative view of stemness, i.e. the stem state. In keeping with the popularity of this topic, Biology of Stem Cells and the Molecular Basis of the Stem State addresses the major controversies and points of dispute, among researchers in the stem cell field. Overall, Biology of Stem Cells and the Molecular Basis of the Stem State presents a well-rounded dialogue about stem cells as it not only concentrates upon the biological elements of stem cell, but also addresses the controversy and hype currently enveloping this popular subject.

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.

Recent scientific breakthroughs, celebrity patient advocates, and conflicting religious beliefs have come together to bring the state of stem cell researchâ€"specifically embryonic stem cell researchâ€"into the political crosshairs. President Bush's watershed policy statement allows federal funding for embryonic stem cell research but only on a limited number of stem cell lines. Millions of Americans could be affected by the continuing political debate among policymakers and the public. Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine provides a deeper exploration of the biological, ethical, and funding questions prompted by the therapeutic potential of undifferentiated human cells. In terms accessible to lay readers, the book summarizes what we know about adult and embryonic stem cells and discusses how to go about the transition from mouse studies to research that has therapeutic implications for people. Perhaps most important, Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine also provides an overview of the moral and ethical problems that arise from the use of embryonic stem cells. This timely book compares the impact of public and private research funding and discusses approaches to appropriate research oversight. Based on the insights of leading scientists, ethicists, and other authorities, the book offers authoritative recommendations regarding the use of existing stem cell lines versus new lines in research, the important role of the federal government in this field of research, and other fundamental issues.

iPSCs - State of the Science, Volume Sixteen, the latest release in the Advances in Stem Cell Biology series, is an expansive collection of information and new discoveries in the field. This volume addresses the importance of induced pluripotent stems cells and how can they be derived from different sources. It addresses advances in research in induced pluripotent stem cells from alternate sources, such as spermatogonial stem cells, ovarian tissue, cancer cells, and many other sources. It is written for researchers and scientists in stem cell therapy, cell biology, regenerative medicine and organ transplantation, and is contributed by world-renowned authors. Provides an overview of the fast-moving field of stem cell biology and function, regenerative medicine and therapeutics Covers iPSCs derived from amniotic fluid, oral tissue derived iPSCs, muse cells, postmortem tissue, and much more Contributed by world-renowned experts in the field

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular basis of developmental and stem cell regulation. It revisits some of the classical models of developmental biology and puts them in context with the findings of modern stem cell research and developmental biology. Biomedical research is embarking on a new era due to new tools, which are exemplified by stem cell technologies, single-cell transcriptome analysis, and live imaging at a single-cell resolution. Publications based on cutting-edge technologies do often not provide the readers with deep biological backgrounds. This causes the risk that precious data are reduced to highly specific descriptions without sufficient biological contexts. Contemporary developmental biology on the other hand as written in many textbooks, is to a significant extent based on conceptions backdated many decades ago, and is not necessarily supported by recent findings. Yet, the prevailing classical notions tend to mislead modern biomedical researches. This book not only presents current models for developmental processes but also reinterprets and re-evaluates classic observations, thus linking classical and modern worlds of developmental biology. Spanning from molecular mechanisms to highly embryological matters it provides a bridge between these different disciplines. Written for advanced students of developmental and stem cell biology, researchers and teaching scholars, this book provides a new road map to modern developmental biology and stem cell biology.

Pericytes were originally discovered and named more than hundred years ago as contractile cells around the blood vessel endothelial cells. Due to the lack of exclusive markers, pericytes are now defined by a combination of location, morphology and gene expression. Pericytes are attracting increasing attention as important regulators during development and during normal and disturbed organ function. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the identification and characterization of pericytes subpopulations and their amazing functions using state-of-art techniques. These advantages facilitated identification of molecular basis of interaction between these cells with several other more well studied cell types, and revealed key signals derived from pericytes involved in homeostasis, regeneration, and disease regulation. In the last ten years, several unexpected roles of pericytes have been discovered. It has been demonstrated that pericytes from different tissues differ in their properties as well as functions. Even more, pericytes are heterogeneous also within the same organ. This book is will describe the major contributions of pericytes to different organs biology in physiological and pathological conditions. The book will teach the readers about this so special cell type that 10 years ago was almost completely forgotten, and it was associated basically only with vascular stability. Recently, it become a very hot topic to work in. Several articles in Nature, Science and Cell have been and are being currently published about this cell type. These recent works are revealing how important those cells are for before unimaginable biological processes. Thus, this book will update us on what are the most novel functions attributed to these cells. Also, will introduce to the young generation all the history about these cells from when they were discovered in different organs till where we are now in this field. So it will be a great book for both cell biology students as well as researchers that will have an update on these cells biology in different organs.

STEM CELL BIOLOGY AND GENE THERAPY Edited by Peter J. Quesenberry, Gary S. Stein, Bernard Forget, and Sherman Weissman Advances in molecular genetics and recombinant DNA technology have ushered in a new era in medical therapeutic research. New insights into the molecular basis of human disease and the role played by biological regulatory mechanisms have precipitated tremendous drug development efforts backed by intensive research into human gene therapy worldwide. Stem Cell Biology and Gene Therapy is the first book to thoroughly cover major advances in the field and their applications to novel molecular therapies. This self-contained volume integrates biological and clinical components of stem cell biology, examines some of the most difficult aspects of gene therapy, and provides a systematic review of advanced gene modification techniques. Twenty essays by leading researchers address some of the most compelling topics in contemporary medical research, including: * Fundamental regulatory mechanisms that operate in stem cells * Stem cells from a therapeutic perspective, including preparations of stem cells and their therapeutic potential as vehicles for gene therapy * Delivery systems for therapeutic genes, including an overview of the most promising vectors * Clinical applications for gene therapy, covering a broad range of diseases such as hemophilia, cancers, neurological disease, and more Complete with illustrations and real-world examples of a variety of disorders, Stem Cell Biology and Gene Therapy is essential for researchers in gene therapy and members of the biotechnology industry who are developing human molecular therapies for commercial use. It is also an important reference for molecular biologists, cell biologists, immunologists, molecular geneticists, hematologists, cancer researchers, biochemists, and anyone working in internal medicine.

This volume of Current Topics in Developmental Biology showcases the research and therapeutic value of stem cells, and is proof of the increasing maturation of the fields of regenerative and molecular medicine. Reviews include: * Therapeutic cloning and tissue engineering to produce functional replacement tissues. * The role of the protein a-synuclein in a host of neurodegenerative diseases, which may be the first to benefit from stem cell therapy. * The curious array of functions in eukaryotic DNA methyltransferase, crucial for normal development and at the core of epigenetics regulation. * Influencing stem cell differentiation with mechanical stress, another example of genes versus the environment. * The process of mammalian hematopoeisis, and inducing it in model organisms with embryonic stem cells. * The regulation of differential parental germline genetic imprinting, central for epigenetics. * The molecular function and regulation of the cystic fibrosis gene, critical for understanding the complete molecular mechanism of this devastating disorder, which might soon be treatable with stem cells. This volume comprehensively describes some of the most current issues in stem cell biology, and is an exciting preview of therapies that may soon be applied in the clinic. It is essential reading for researchers, clinicians, and trainees alike. * Therapeutic Cloning and Tissue Engineering * Structure and function of eukaryotic DNA methyltransferases * Mechanical Signals as Regulators of Stem Cell Fate * Molecular basis for the Chloride Channel Activity of CFTR and the Consequences of Disease Causing Mutations