Adult and embryonic stem cells share two important and scientifically intriguing properties: they can renew themselves almost indefinitely, and they can form multiple cell types.
Decades of research on adult stem cells have brought advanced bone marrow transplants that save thousands of lives. Recent studies of human embryonic stem cells have produced extraordinary scientific advances—most recently, the ability to create embryonic-stem-cell-like cells without using an embryo or egg. And investigations into other animals with astonishing abilities of self-renewal, such as planarian flatworms, provide an important additional perspective on mechanisms of regeneration. Whitehead scientists work at the cutting edge in all of these fields.
Novel surface triples stem-cell growth in culture (11/7/11)
By irradiating typical polystyrene lab plates with ultraviolet (UV) waves, Whitehead Institute and MIT scientists have created a surface capable of tripling the number of human embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that can be grown in culture by current methods.
Cancer stem cells made, not born (8/18/11)
Using two distinct methods, Whitehead Institute researchers have successfully and consistently manipulated targeted genes in both human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (adult cells that have been reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state).
Precision gene targeting in stem cells corrects disease-causing mutations (6/14/11)
Using two distinct methods, Whitehead Institute researchers have successfully and consistently manipulated targeted genes in both human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (adult cells that have been reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state).
Pluripotent adult stem cells power planarian regeneration (5/12/11)
Whitehead Institute researchers have determined that the planarian flatworm regenerates missing tissues by using pluripotent adult stem cells. Until now, scientists could not determine whether the dividing cells in planarians, called neoblasts, are a mixture of specialized stem cells that each regenerates specific tissues, or if individual neoblasts are pluripotent and able to regenerate all tissues.
Ancient gene gives planarians a heads-up in regeneration (5/12/11)
A little-studied gene known as notum plays a key role in the planarian’s regeneration decision-making process, according to Whitehead Institute scientists. At head-facing (anterior) wounds, the gene notum acts as a dimmer switch to dampen the Wnt pathway—an ancient signaling circuit that operates in all animals—and promote head regeneration.
Scientists identify a surprising new source of cancer stem cells (4/11/11)
Certain differentiated cells in breast tissue can spontaneously convert to a stem-cell-like state, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. Until now, scientific dogma has stated that differentiation is a one-way path; once cells specialize, they cannot return to the flexible stem-cell state on their own.
Human embryonic stem cells and reprogrammed cells virtually identical (8/5/10)
Human embryonic stem (ES) cells and adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state—so-called induced pluripotent stem or iPS cells—exhibit very few differences in their gene expression signatures and are nearly indistinguishable in their chromatin state, according to Whitehead Institute researchers.
(ScienceNews article)
(RedOrbit article)
