Directed differentiation of stem cells

Chai C, Leong KW (2007) Biomaterials approach to expand and direct differentiation of stem cells. Mol Ther 15 467 180. 

Warren L et al (2010) Highly efficient reprogramming to pluripotency and directed differentiation of human cells with synthetic modified mRNA. Cell Stem Cell 7(5) 618-630... 

Mechanical stretching of ceU membranes can be achieved by nanotechnological approaches and it can direct and control the intracellular signaling and differentiation of stem cells 136]. Modifications made to the spatial distribution or cytoskeletal re-organization provide physical impetus, whereby the mechanical deformation becomes translated into biochemical responses [37]. When the cells encounter... 

L. Warren, P. D. Manos, T. Ahfeldt, Y.-H. Loh, H. Li, F. Lau, W. Ebina, P. K. Mandal, Z. D. Smith, A. Meissner, Highly efficient reprogramming to pluripotency and directed differentiation of human cells with synthetic modified mRNA. Cell Stem Cell 7,... 

Cell cycle and cell differentiation is another area of in vitro studies. A combination of CARS and TPF microscopies with Raman microspectroscopy was used to study macromolecular organization of the nucleus throughout the cell cycle [33]. For instance, CARS was used to locaUze the proteins during mitosis by imaging of the Raman band at 2930 cm . A few studies also addressed stem cell differentiation by CARS microscopy of Raman bands in the fingerprint region. Identification of differentiated versus undifferentiated states of mouse embryonic stem cells was demonstrated by CARS microscopy with selective observation of DNA-and RNA-specific backbone molecular vibrations [34]. Moreover, differentiation of stem cells in osteoblasts was directly monitored by CARS microscopy using the hydroxyapatite band at 960 cm [35]. 

Biomaterial-Directed Chondrogenic Differentiation of Stem Cells... 

Support cells play important roles in regulating the self-renewal, mobilization and differentiation of stem cells. Support cells can interact with stan cells by direct contact through receptors and gap junctions, and by paracrine secretion of growth factors to influence cell fate and functions. In adult tissues, such as the adult brain, it has been shown that the adult hippocampal NSC proliferation occurs in a vascular niche where there is endothelial component of the vasculature, while NSC differentiation is promoted by contact with astrocytes [139]. The concept of support cells is perhaps best represented in vitro by the use of feeder cells [140] and feeder cell-derived matrices [141, 142] to support the self-renewal and pluripotency of hESCs. 

Heng, B.C., Cao, X, Stanton, L.W., Robson, R, Olsen, B. Strategies for directing the differentiation of stem cells into the osteogenic lineage in vitro. J. Bone Miner. Res. 19, 1379-1394(2004)... 

The main focus of stem cell research over the last few decades has been directed to embryonic stem cells. However, more recently, research upon and an understanding of various populations of adult stem cells has gathered pace. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found amongst differentiated cells in a tissue or organ. These cells can renew themselves and can differentiate to yield the major cell types characteristic of the tissue in which they reside. The main physiological role of adult stem cells, therefore, appears to be to maintain and to repair (to a certain extent at least) the tissue in which they reside. 

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