http://www.hindawi.com The latest articles from Hindawi Publishing Corporation © 2013 , Hindawi Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:53:31 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/784541/ Most therapeutics are based on the traditional method of reductionism where a clinically defined condition is broken down into a defined biochemical pathway underlying the condition, then a target in the pathway is identified, followed by developing a drug to interact with the target, modifying the target such that the disease is ameliorated. Biology acts as a system, therefore reductionist approaches to developing therapeutics are limited in therapeutic value because disease or traumatized tissue involves multiple underlying pathways, only a part of the pathways underlying the disease is manipulated by the traditional therapeutic. Much data regarding stem cells shows that their beneficial effects are not restricted to their ability to differentiate, but is more likely due in large part to their ability to release a multitude of molecules. Stem cells release potent combinations of factors that modulate the composition of the cellular milieu to evoke a multitude of responses from neighboring cells. Therefore, stem cells represent a natural systems-based biological factory for the production and release of a multitude of molecules that interact with the system of biomolecular circuits underlying an indication. Current research includes efforts to define, stimulate, enhance, and harness stem cell released molecules (SRM) to develop systems-therapeutics. Greg Maguire and Peter Friedman Copyright © 2013 Greg Maguire and Peter Friedman. All rights reserved. Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:11:35 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/687282/ Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Stem cells regenerative medicine offers a promising approach to cure such degenerative disorders. Mesenchymal stem cells are thought to be one of the important types of stem cells which can differentiate into various lineages such as neuron, hepatocytes, and cardiomyocytes. In the present study, human dermal mesenchymal stem cells (hDMSCs) have been developed from human scalp punch biopsy and characterized for their mesenchymal phenotype so that these cells can be useful for differentiating into cardiomyocytes. 5-Azacytidine induces cardiomyocyte differentiation in vitro and therefore it has been used to differentiate hDMSCs cells into cardiomyocytes. It was observed that hDMSCs differentiated into cardiomyocyte within a period of 4 days to 15 days after treatment with 10 μM and 20 μM of 5-azacytidine. The cardiomyocyte phenotype was confirmed by studying expression of α-cardiac actin, β-myosin heavy chain, and cardiac troponin T. Thus, this paper describes the differentiation of hDMSCs into cardiomyocytes which can be further be used for treatment of MI. This type of cell-based cardiac therapy will offer a new hope for millions of patients worldwide who are suffering from heart disease. Pravin D. Potdar and Preeti Prasannan Copyright © 2013 Pravin D. Potdar and Preeti Prasannan. All rights reserved. Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:31:28 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/674671/ The stromal progenitors of mesodermal cells, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), are a heterogeneous population of plastic adherent fibroblast-like cells with extensive proliferative capacity and differentiation potential. Human MSCs have now been isolated from various tissues including bone marrow, muscle, skin, and adipose tissue, the latter being one of the most suitable cell sources for cell therapy, because of its easy accessibility, minimal morbidity, and abundance of cells. Bone marrow and subcutaneous or visceral adipose tissue samples were collected, digested with collagenase if needed, and seeded in Iscove's medium containing 5% human platelet lysate. Nonadherent cells were removed after 2-3 days and the medium was replaced twice a week. Confluent adherent cells were detached, expanded, and analyzed for several biological properties such as morphology, immunophenotype, growth rate, senescence, clonogenicity, differentiation capacity, immunosuppression, and secretion of angiogenic factors. The results show significant differences between lines derived from subcutaneous fat compared to those derived from visceral fat, such as the higher proliferation rate of the first and the strong induction of angiogenesis of the latter. We are convinced that the identification of the peculiarities of MSCs isolated from different tissues will lead to their more accurate use in cell therapy. Angela De Luca, Rosanna Verardi, Arabella Neva, Patrizia Benzoni, Elisabetta Crescini, Er Xia, Camillo Almici, Stefano Calza, and Patrizia Dell'Era Copyright © 2013 Angela De Luca et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:32:04 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/138704/ Mechanical stimulation influences stem cell differentiation and may therefore provide improved lineage specification control for clinical applications. Low-frequency oscillatory mechanical stimulation (0.01 Hz) has recently been shown to suppress adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, indicating that the range of effective stimulation frequencies is not limited to those associated with locomotion, circulation, and respiration. We hypothesized that low-frequency mechanical stimulation (0.01 Hz) can also promote osteogenic cell differentiation of myoblastic C2C12 cells in combination with BMP-2. Results indicate that low-frequency mechanical stimulation can significantly enhance osteogenic gene expression, provided that differentiation is initiated by a priming period involving BMP-2 alone. Subsequent application of low-frequency mechanical stimulation appears to act synergistically with continued BMP-2 exposure to promote osteogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells and can even partially compensate for the removal of BMP-2. These effects may be mediated by the ERK and Wnt signalling pathways. Osteogenic induction of C2C12 cells by low-frequency mechanical stimulation is therefore critically dependent upon previous exposure to growth factors, and the timing of superimposed BMP-2 and mechanical stimuli can sensitively influence osteogenesis. These insights may provide a technically simple means for control of stem cell differentiation in cell-based therapies, particularly for the enhancement of differentiation toward desired lineages. Ghazaleh Khayat, Derek H. Rosenzweig, Zohreh Khavandgar, Jingjing Li, Monzur Murshed, and Thomas M. Quinn Copyright © 2013 Ghazaleh Khayat et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:37:31 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/713959/ In 2001, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, described the isolation of a new population of adult stem cells from liposuctioned adipose tissue. These stem cells, now known as adipose-derived stem cells or ADSCs, have gone on to become one of the most popular adult stem cells populations in the fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. As of today, thousands of research and clinical articles have been published using ASCs, describing their possible pluripotency in vitro, their uses in regenerative animal models, and their application to the clinic. This paper outlines the progress made in the ASC field since their initial description in 2001, describing their mesodermal, ectodermal, and endodermal potentials both in vitro and in vivo, their use in mediating inflammation and vascularization during tissue regeneration, and their potential for reprogramming into induced pluripotent cells. Patricia Zuk Copyright © 2013 Patricia Zuk. All rights reserved. Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:49:52 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/372068/ Enterocytes originating from gastrointestinal stem cells are basic building blocks of villi and crypts in human intestine. Little is known about intestinal stem cells (ISCs), their interaction with niche, and key pathways in their regulation. In this paper, we have reviewed the characteristics of ISC, its interaction with niche, and the understanding of key signaling pathways like Wnt. A better understanding of all of this will help to better utilize novel therapies like mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), R-spondin1, and sulindac in various disorders like colon cancer, graft-versus-host disease, intestinal polyposis, and radiation-related bowel injuries. Jignesh Dalal and Mohamed Radhi Copyright © 2013 Jignesh Dalal and Mohamed Radhi. All rights reserved. Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:16:55 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/sc/2013/947329/ Neuromuscular diseases are a heterogeneous group of diseases that lead to significant disability in effected individuals. Pharmacological treatments failed to provide any significant improvement to date. Recently, the introduction of stem cells into the field of health sciences raised the hopes for a new treatment for neuromuscular diseases. In theory, stem cells, owing to their multilineage differentiation capacity, could differentiate into myofibers and neurons and replace the degenerated cells leading to recovery of the patients. Results obtained from the preclinical studies supported this theory. However, clinical trials with stem cells could not meet the expectations mainly because of early mortality, limited migration, and differentiation of the implanted cells. Modification of the stem cells before implantation, such as introduction of deficient genes or commitment to a precursor cell line provided little improvement. The biggest barrier to overcome for a successful of stem cell treatment, which also should be the focus of the future studies, is to increase the functional integration of the donor cells with the recipient tissues. Understanding the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the neuromuscular diseases is essential to achieve this goal. Hakan Orbay and Hiroshi Mizuno Copyright © 2013 Hakan Orbay and Hiroshi Mizuno. All rights reserved.