All articles tagged with #stem cells
Researchers have developed a human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) spheroid model that accurately simulates myelin damage and repair in the central nervous system. This system allows for the study of remyelination processes, including microglial response and oligodendrocyte regeneration, offering a new platform for drug screening in multiple sclerosis.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have identified a specific stem cell population responsible for generating tendons and ligaments, finding that these cells become overactive in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. By targeting calcium signaling pathways in these cells, scientists successfully blocked tissue overgrowth in mouse models, suggesting that existing blood pressure medications could potentially be repurposed to treat this widespread condition without surgery.
University of Georgia researchers identified a genetic blueprint in planarian flatworms that allows them to regenerate dopamine-producing neurons after injury. This discovery suggests that human brain repair limitations are not inherent to neural tissue but may be due to specific regulatory switches, offering a potential roadmap for future therapies for Parkinson's disease and traumatic brain injuries.
A new study led by Stanford Medicine reveals that the human brain develops from two separate progenitor cell lines rather than one. This dual-origin model explains why hindbrain neurons are difficult to grow in labs and offers new avenues for treating diseases like ALS and SMA.
A study published in Nature Neuroscience on September 18, 2026, challenges the traditional view that the human brain develops from a single progenitor cell. Researchers from Stanford Medicine found that the forebrain/midbrain and hindbrain arise from two separate, parallel neural ectoderm populations during embryonic gastrulation. This finding explains why hindbrain neurons have been difficult to cultivate in labs and enables the first successful derivation of hindbrain motor neurons from human pluripotent stem cells, offering new avenues for studying diseases like ALS and SMA.
A Stanford-led study published in Nature Neuroscience on September 18, 2026, argues that the human brain is not a single unified organ but a composite of two distinct systems. Researchers found that the forebrain/midbrain and hindbrain arise from separate progenitor cells during embryonic gastrulation, marked by different genes (Otx2 and Gbx2) and chromatin structures. This discovery explains why hindbrain neurons were previously impossible to grow in labs and enables new research into diseases like ALS and spinal muscular atrophy.
A wave of regenerative treatments—PP405 from Pelage/UCLA, ET-02, VDPHL01, and MuseCells—claims to reactivate dormant follicles, regrow hair, and even address graying, signaling a potential shift in how baldness is treated. However, none are FDA-approved yet and years of testing remain before they reach clinics; meanwhile, demand for traditional hair transplants remains high and doctors view these therapies as likely supplements rather than replacements. The field is early-stage, with ongoing trials and significant funding, so patients should consult physicians and approach claims with caution.
Stanford researchers found the front and hindbrain arise from distinct cell groups with different genetic instructions during gastrulation, suggesting the brain is two separate organs that later fuse. The team also generated hindbrain motor neurons from stem cells, a breakthrough that could accelerate research and potential therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and SMA.
A Nature Neuroscience study shows brain development relies on two distinct progenitor cell populations: one forms the hindbrain and the other forms the forebrain and midbrain, challenging the long-held view of a single founder lineage. The researchers traced cell lineages in mouse embryos and guided human pluripotent stem cells to form the two early brain cell types, revealing conserved dual-progenitor patterns across species and offering a more efficient route to generate hindbrain neurons for disease research such as ALS. The findings spark debate about brain origins and highlight an ancient split in brain development with implications for understanding neurodevelopment.
Stanford scientists replaced much of a mouse cortex with human brain organoid cells; grafts integrated in most animals and produced human cortical neurons with long-range connections, but lacked proper layering, yielding only intermediate behavioral and memory improvements—not yet a reliable human brain model; more work is needed to understand the cells’ roles.
Researchers transplanted human brain tissue into newborn mice engineered to lack a cortical region. Within 2–3 months the graft expanded to fill more than 90% of the empty brain space and formed extensive neural connections, including von Economo-like neurons, wiring into the animals’ nervous systems. Described as the most extensive human-brain-cell integration in an animal to date, the work provides a powerful platform to study human neurodevelopment and test therapies for developmental brain disorders, while undergoing ethical oversight and without increasing the rodents’ intelligence.
Ten women with advanced osteoporosis received autologous bone-marrow–derived mesenchymal cells engineered to improve bone-homing; after a single infusion, fracture rates dropped dramatically and stayed low for years, suggesting a potential one-time regenerative therapy, though the study was small, lacked a control group, and participants were on standard osteoporosis drugs, requiring larger randomized trials.
A JAMA Ophthalmology study reports RAFT-OS, a collagen scaffold graft that combines surface stem cells with healthy stromal keratocytes to treat aniridia-related keratopathy. Transplanted to one eye, this approach addresses the damaged environment needed for stem cells to survive. By 3 months, five of nine treated eyes had fully normalized corneal surfaces; by 12 months, treated eyes showed dramatic surface improvement while untreated eyes did not. Participants gained nearly five lines on the ETDRS chart. The technique could enable further treatments and be applied to other severe corneal surface diseases, but larger, longer-term trials and cost/regulatory hurdles remain.
Kyoto University’s CiRA defends Nobel Prize winner Shinya Yamanaka amid Gotham City Research’s allegations of image duplication across about 10 papers. Some cases had prior investigations with corrections or no evidence of duplication, and CiRA says there are no known ongoing institutional probes, while several items involve coauthors or materials sharing rather than misconduct.
New mouse studies show aging blood stem cells can drive inflammation in distant tissues by producing inflammatory immune cells. Boosting SIRT3 in these cells reduced inflammatory outputs and improved mobility, metabolic control, and lung health; transferring these immune cells to other mice conveyed similar benefits. Findings are preliminary and in animals, so it’s not yet clear if humans share the mechanism or if SIRT3 could be a therapeutic target for aging.