Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jiaxi Liu, Jinfang Gao, Zixie Liang, Chong Gao, Qing Niu, Fengping Wu, Liyun Zhang
Summary: This review discusses the characteristics of MSCs, their interaction with the microenvironment, and the importance of the microenvironment in maintaining cell function and disease progression.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jingsheng Li, Chunhong Dai, Wenyan Xie, Heyao Zhang, Xin Huang, Constantinos Chronis, Ying Ye, Wensheng Zhang
Summary: This study developed a one-step strategy to efficiently target and suppress endogenous pluripotent genes in mouse ESCs and replace their expression with AID-fused transgenes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Masaki Kinoshita, Meng Amy Li, Michael Barber, William Mansfield, Sabine Dietmann, Austin Smith
Summary: Genome remethylation is crucial for mammalian development, with a study showing that deficiencies in Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b lead to ES cells developing into trophoblast cells due to failed suppression of Ascl2. Regulating the expression of Ascl2 can impact the transdifferentiation and contribution of ES cells.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephanie Chrysanthou, Qin Tang, Joun Lee, Samuel J. Taylor, Yilin Zhao, Ulrich Steidl, Deyou Zheng, Meelad M. Dawlaty
Summary: Research has found that the critical functions of Tet1 in embryonic stem cells and early development are mediated through its non-catalytic roles in regulating H3K27 modifications, which are more important than its catalytic functions in DNA demethylation.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Veronika V. Ermakova, Nikita P. Fokin, Nikolay D. Aksenov, Evgeny I. Bakhmet, Ekaterina V. Aleksandrova, Andrey A. Kuzmin, Alexey N. Tomilin
Summary: The transcription factor Oct4 plays a critical role in maintaining pluripotency and can reprogram somatic cells into a pluripotent state. Identifying the genetic elements that regulate the Oct4-encoding gene, Pou5f1, is important for understanding pluripotency regulation. This study shows that translocating a fragment of the Pou5f1 gene impairs the self-renewal and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells, indicating the presence of critical regulatory elements outside the previously determined boundaries of Pou5f1.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xiayi Xu, Qian Feng, Xun Ma, Yingrui Deng, Kunyu Zhang, Hon Son Ooi, Boguang Yang, Zhi-Yong Zhang, Bo Feng, Liming Bian
Summary: In this study, a gelatin-based structurally dynamic hydrogel was developed to emulate the intrinsic properties of the extracellular matrix. The dynamic hydrogel significantly promoted the growth and pluripotency maintenance of embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yingjie Hang, Xiaoliang Ma, Chunxiao Liu, Siyuan Li, Sixuan Zhang, Ruyan Feng, Qianwen Shang, Qi Liu, Zhaozhao Ding, Xiaoyi Zhang, Liyin Yu, Qiang Lu, Changshun Shao, Hong Chen, Yufang Shi, Jiuyang He, David L. Kaplan
Summary: The development of anisotropic silk protein nanofiber-based hydrogels enables mouse embryonic stem cells to maintain stemness in vitro without the need for leukemia inhibitory factor and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, resulting in superior pluripotency and genetic stability. The hydrogels establish an improved dynamic niche that stimulates autocrine factor secretion and maintains pluripotency and propagation of ESCs, offering a simple and cost-effective option for expansion and utility of ESCs in research and therapy, while providing insights into early mammalian embryogenesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yoko Suzuki-Horiuchi, Henning Schmitz, Carlotta Barlassina, David Eccles, Martina Sinn, Claudia Ortmeier, Soren Moritz, Luca Gentile
Summary: Regeneration is common in the animal kingdom, but humans have limited regenerative abilities. Advances in bioengineering, stem cells, and regenerative biology have led to the development of regenerative medical treatments. Planarians, with their unique regenerative capabilities, serve as an ideal model for studying transcriptional networks involved in regeneration.
Review
Cell Biology
Ying Ye, Xi Chen, Wensheng Zhang
Summary: Embryonic stem cells have a unique ability to maintain and regulate the balance between self-renewal and multi-lineage cellular differentiation, largely dependent on gene expression regulations. Chromatin remodeling complexes play a crucial role in promoting chromatin structural changes that ultimately affect ESC fate choices.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Genglei Chu, Weidong Zhang, Feng Han, Kexin Li, Chengyuan Liu, Qiang Wei, Huan Wang, Yijie Liu, Fengxuan Han, Bin Li
Summary: Regenerative medicine for intervertebral disc (IVD) disease, using chondrocytes, IVD cells, and stem cells, has reached clinical trials for back pain treatment. The survival and function of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) depend on the microenvironment in which they are transplanted, which is influenced by the complex microenvironment in the degenerative disc. Understanding how MSCs and endogenous disc cells survive and thrive in the harsh microenvironment is important. The use of materials containing stem cells and their natural microenvironment has shown good clinical effects.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Na Yan, Bin Hu, Junchao Xu, Rong Cai, Zhenhai Liu, Dapeng Fu, Beibei Huo, Zhenhua Liu, Yuliang Zhao, Chunying Chen, Weihua Xu
Summary: Periodontitis poses a significant challenge in healthcare worldwide. Current treatment methods have limitations, but a novel stem cell-containing patch shows great potential in promoting periodontal regeneration and preventing epithelial invasion, offering a safe and effective strategy for repairing and protecting periodontal tissues.
Review
Cell Biology
Puja Agrawal, Sridhar Rao
Summary: Cell fate decisions rely on gene expression changes mediated by regulatory elements like enhancers and CTCF binding sites. These elements play crucial roles in early mammalian development and impact cell-type specific gene expression.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Letter
Cell Biology
Jakob V. Kanne, Masaki Ishikawa, Simon Bressendorff, Jeppe Ansbol, Mitsuyasu Hasebe, Eleazar Rodriguez, Morten Petersen
Summary: Animal and plant somatic cells have the ability to switch states or reprogram into stem cells to adapt to stress and injury, a process that requires macroautophagy/autophagy. Overexpression of ATG8/LC3 in the moss Physcomitrium patens enhances the ability of somatic cells to reprogram into stem cells when subjected to severe wounding, indicating that autophagy not only facilitates cell dedifferentiation but also increases their competence to do so.
Review
Cell Biology
Ahmed Nugud, Latifa Alghfeli, Moustafa Elmasry, Ibrahim El-Serafi, Ahmed T. El-Serafi
Summary: Biomaterials and tissue regeneration are two active fields of research that can be effectively combined to enhance stem cell expansion and differentiation for tissue regeneration. However, further analysis and investigation are needed to achieve significant advancements in this field.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mikhail L. Vorobev, Bashar A. Alhasan, Irina I. Suvorova
Summary: Autophagy plays a critical role in early embryonic development, particularly in blastocyst formation. The absence of p53 does not affect autophagy activation in pluripotent cells but hinders differentiation induced by retinoic acid. Despite p53 deletion, Ulk1-dependent autophagy is still activated in response to serum deprivation in mESCs, but impaired during differentiation induced by retinoic acid.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Idan Redenski, Shaowei Guo, Majd Machour, Ariel Szklanny, Shira Landau, Ben Kaplan, Roberta Lock, Yankel Gabet, Dana Egozi, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Shulamit Levenberg
Summary: Functional regeneration of complex large-scaled defects requires both soft- and hard-tissue grafts. Soft-tissue pedicles are often used to vascularize bony constructs. Pre-vascularization of the soft-tissue matrix using dental pulp stem cells and human adipose microvascular endothelial cells enhances vascular development within decellularized bones.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Seyed Mohammad Mir, Jiawen Chen, Meghan R. Pinezich, John D. O'Neill, Sarah X. L. Huang, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Jinho Kim
Summary: Recent advances in organ-on-chip and tissue engineering technologies have allowed for the development of in vitro tissue or organ constructs that mimic their in vivo counterparts. This study presents an imaging-guided bioreactor that enables monitoring of ex vivo airway tissues during in vitro manipulation and cultivation. By utilizing this platform, the researchers were able to partially remove the rat tracheal epithelium without disrupting the underlying tissue layers. The results demonstrate the potential of creating bioengineered in vitro airway tissue for biomedical applications.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Bryan Z. Wang, Lori J. Luo, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
Summary: EVs act as carriers of biological signals through RNA and protein export and delivery; they have been effectively used in preclinical studies to treat various diseases and their cargo sorting within EVs requires an understanding of cellular mechanisms; standardized bioengineering methods for therapeutic EV preparation will be needed for a well-defined clinical product.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jiawen Chen, Seyed Mohammad Mir, Meghan R. Pinezich, John D. O'Neill, Brandon A. Guenthart, Matthew Bacchetta, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Sarah X. L. Huang, Jinho Kim
Summary: Injured or diseased airway epithelium can lead to lung function decline and incurable lung diseases. Bioengineered airway tissue constructs facilitate in vitro investigation of human lung diseases and accelerate the development of effective therapeutics.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Roberta Lock, Hadel Al Asafen, Sharon Fleischer, Manuel Tamargo, Yimu Zhao, Milica Radisic, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
Summary: Sex-related differences in health and disease are often overlooked in tissue engineering, particularly in cardiovascular research. These differences involve the nature of the heart muscle and cardiovascular disease research, which can be advanced by implementing sex-specific features at the cellular and tissue levels for disease treatment.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Richard Z. Zhuang, Roberta Lock, Bohao Liu, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
Summary: This perspective paper summarizes the important milestones in cardiac tissue engineering over the past two decades, pointing out opportunities and challenges for further advancement.
NATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Amin R. Mazloom, Huilei Xu, Jaume Reig-Palou, Ana Vasileva, Angel-Carlos Roman, Sonia Mulero-Navarro, Ihor R. Lemischka, Ana Sevilla
Summary: This study describes the transcriptional regulatory circuitry of embryonic stem cells based on miRNA array expression and short transcript sequencing, revealing the regulatory role of Estrogen Related Receptor Beta and its dynamic changes during cell differentiation.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Sangkyun Cho, Dennis E. Discher, Kam W. Leong, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Joseph C. Wu
Summary: This Perspective discusses the technologies and challenges in cardiac tissue engineering, and proposes strategies to overcome these challenges. Engineered cardiac tissues derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells offer unique opportunities for personalized disease modeling, drug discovery, and cardiac repair. However, there are still major obstacles to be addressed before the field can move towards commercial and clinical translation.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Veronica Gonzalez-Fernandez, Ana Sevilla
Article
Oncology
Paolo Petazzi, Laia Miquel-Serra, Sergio Huertas, Cecilia Gonzalez, Neus Boto, Eduardo Muniz-Diaz, Pablo Menendez, Ana Sevilla, Nuria Nogues
Summary: The limited availability of red cells with extremely rare blood group phenotypes has led to the search for alternative sources of pluripotent cells for the generation of these rare blood types. This study presents a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing strategy to convert blood type A to universal type O, and successfully applies it to an Rh-null donor-derived hiPSC line. This research provides an example for potential application to other hiPSC lines derived from rare blood donors.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Tasnif Rahman, Frank Peters, Leo Q. Wan
Summary: A cell vertex model is used to study the role of tissue rigidity or jamming state on chiral morphogenesis. It is found that solid-like tissues exhibit stronger chiral cell alignment and elongation compared to fluid-like tissues. The study reveals the role of chiral torque in biased cellular alignment and the importance of cell density-independent tissue rigidity in this process.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Benson Hang, Eman Jassem, Hanan Mohammed, Leo Q. Wan, Jason Herschkowitz, Jie Fan
Summary: Physical interaction between tumor cells and endothelial cells weakens the rotational characteristics of endothelial cells, while paracrine signaling has minimal impact. Disruption of EC chirality may increase the risk of metastatic cancer spread.
APL BIOENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Haokang Zhang, Jie Fan, Joshua M. A. Maclin, Leo Q. Wan
Summary: The left-right asymmetry of cells is an intrinsic property derived from the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Actin-binding proteins and signaling pathways, such as PKC, can regulate cell chirality. Additionally, fascin, an actin crosslinker, plays a critical role in cell chirality regulation by facilitating cell migration.
Article
Cell Biology
Leire Pedrosa, Carmen Bedia, Dioulde Diao, Alejandra Mosteiro, Abel Ferres, Elisabetta Stanzani, Fina Martinez-Soler, Avelina Tortosa, Estela Pineda, Iban Aldecoa, Marc Centellas, Marta Munoz-Tuduri, Ana Sevilla, Angels Sierra, Jose Juan Gonzalez Sanchez
Summary: This study investigated the effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on glioblastoma (GB) treatment and determined the optimal conditions for PDT efficacy without causing phototoxic injury to normal brain tissue. The results showed that 5-ALA/PDT effectively inhibited cancer cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis without significant effects on normal cells.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jiawen Chen, Seyed Mohammad Mir, Maria R. Hudock, Meghan R. Pinezich, Panpan Chen, Matthew Bacchetta, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Jinho Kim
Summary: The airway epithelium acts as a protective barrier for the respiratory tract, but is often damaged by toxic materials or procedures. This study quantified the impact of acute airway epithelium injury on barrier functions, such as mucociliary clearance and junction formation.
APL BIOENGINEERING
(2023)