HHMI News: Defining a Niche that Regulates Stem Cells

HHMI News: Defining a Niche that Regulates Stem Cells: "Researchers have discovered a set of regulatory cells that governs the behavior of stem cells in the fruit fly Drosophila.Researchers have discovered a set of regulatory cells that governs the behavior of stem cells in the fruit fly Drosophila."

Stem cell niches are the surrounding cells that enable the proper functionning of the stem cell itself. The concept has been around since at least 2000 but I hadn't heard of it so I present it here.

Mechanisms of action of mesenchymal stem cells in cardiac repair: potential influences on the cardiac stem cell niche.

Mechanisms of action of mesenchymal stem cells in cardiac repair: potential influences on the cardiac stem cell niche.: "a fourth general mechanism could be operative: stimulation of endogenous repair by injected cells, which and might cause the regeneration of stem cell niches."

Methods of Heart Repair

The Heartzine article proposes methods for stem cell heart repair. It has numerous links and presents the concept of stem cell niches.

Right Web | Profile | Ethics and Public Policy Center

Right Web | Profile | Ethics and Public Policy Center: "The Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) is one of several policy institutes established by neoconservatives to promote the increased role of religion in public policy. Other closely interlinked institutes include the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), Empower America, and Institute on Religion and Public Life. Also closely connected to these institutes are the religious programs at Freedom House and the American Enterprise Institute, whose program officers sit on the boards of these neoconservative institutes and whose programs often coincide."

This link is for background work on neoconservative views

A Middle Ground for Stem Cells - New York Times

A Middle Ground for Stem Cells - New York Times: "But that does not mean the stem cell debate is about when human life begins. It is a simple and uncontroversial biological fact that a human life begins when an embryo is created. That embryo is human, and it is alive; its human life will last until its death, whether that comes days after conception or many decades later surrounded by children and grandchildren. "
Human Life Begins at Conception-Not

Yuval Levin, a former member of the President's Bio Council, does a great job of jumping to a conclusion. No, I don't believe human life begins at conception. I had to change my mind after Ian Wilmut did such a good job in his book Dolly in explaining how gradual that process of fertilization is. When the sperm enters the egg, there is a fifteen minute period of repacking that changes the sperms DNA to enter the next stage. Eight hours after penetration, the two strands of DNA that will become the next step of the fertilized egg still haven't joined. I've got a lot more to learn about this gradual process. DNA from the fluid in the egg can become involved in the new DNA strands in the Nucleus. Those genes are not in postion at the moment of fertilization.

There is a new science of genomics that deals with the effects of substances in the area surrounding the DNA. These substances change the fundamental nature of what the cell will become. A fertilized egg can become one, two or even more identical siblings. That doesn't happen until several days after fertilization.

Yuval Levin, you need to do a deep study of modern biology. Then come back to us again.

MercuryNews.com | 01/18/2007 | Genes linked to aggressive cancer cells

MercuryNews.com | 01/18/2007 | Genes linked to aggressive cancer cells: "The fact that the same set of genes -- a unique genetic signature -- arises in cells that create several different cancers also suggests there are some fundamental properties of cancer that are shared by various types of tumors. Dr. Michael Clarke and his team at the Stanford University School of Medicine also learned how these troublemaking stem cells interact with adjacent cells, causing tumors to grow faster."

Finding a common link between different cancer types is very exciting

This is the beginning of another promising line of research. It is also another path to follow and story to tell. Thats why reading about stem cell research is so interesting.

Healthbolt » Israel’s Baby Factory, They Just Don’t Make Them Like They Used To

Healthbolt » Israel’s Baby Factory, They Just Don’t Make Them Like They Used To: "Israel’s Baby Factory, They Just Don’t Make Them Like They Used To"

This is amazing. Israel produces five percent of its babies by IVF.

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Start of life' gene discovered

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Start of life' gene discovered: "'Start of life' gene discovered

The gene helps sperm combine DNA with the egg's DNA
Scientists have found the gene responsible for controlling a first key step in the creation of new life. "

This gene helps explain fertilization. It is relevent to the beginning of human life.

Comment in the Tennessean

I'm continuing to take my fight to the opposition. I have been making my case in the Tennessean for the last several days. Good opposition causes good thinking. You can find the link at

Ms Koren Lea: Stem Cell Research

Ms Koren Lea: Stem Cell Research


Once in a while, an exceptional article comes along that explains stem cell research in clear and simple terms. The linked article is one of them. Clear metaphors are used to show how stem cells work. Explainations are giving for likely benefits, and both sides of the issue of stem cell research briefly explained. If you read this article, you will enjoy it.

Scientists use amniotic fluid as a source of stem cells

Scientists use amniotic fluid as a source of stem cells: "In addition to being easily obtained, amniotic stem cells can be grown in large quantities, because they typically double every 36 hours. They do not require guidance from other cells for their development, and they do not produce tumors, which have proven to be a problem with some other types of stem cells. "

Since these cells can reproduce in large quantities, they would be very useful as a replacement for adult stem cells in some situations. Adult stem cells are not easy to obtain in quantitiy.

I wonder what function these stem cells are filling in the amniotic fluid. No one has mentionned that.

Dr. Atala says these cells produce Many cell types. Many is not all. They do not appear to be embryonic stem cells or to have equal functions.

Wisconsin Advanced Technology Advocates, Inc.: U of MN adult stem cell research shows promise for transplant therapies

Wisconsin Advanced Technology Advocates, Inc.: U of MN adult stem cell research shows promise for transplant therapies: "University of Minnesota stem cell researchers, together with collaborators at Stanford University, have successfully used adult stem cells to replace the immune system and bone marrow of mice, offering the promise of new therapies for people in the future. With this advance and other recent discoveries, the researchers are winning over previous skeptics."

This advance provides an avenue for immune system replacement

The world of blogging is constantly changing and, of course, my knowledge of what to do and how to do it is getting better too. Google docs and spreadsheets are able to be used to generate blog content. That interests me. This is my first try at that.

9. Can Stem Cells Repair a Damaged Heart? [Stem Cell Information]

9. Can Stem Cells Repair a Damaged Heart? [Stem Cell Information]

This article from the NIH explains where stem cell research is making progress in CHD. It summarizes many of the research reports seen on the net. ESC repair of heart damage would make it possible to generate enough cells to be useful in a clinical situation. Adult stem cells can repair hearts too but obtaining enough of them for practical use isn't possible now.