Posts Tagged ‘Embryonic Stem Cells’
Immunology of Stem Cells
Posted by admin in stem cells on June 23rd, 2009
In previous posts,we described general approaches to tackle allo- and autorejection. However, we cannot assume that all stem cell-based therapies will have the same requirements in terms of making them accepted by the recipient, inasmuch as different stem cell types may have different immunological properties. Embryonic stem cells, for instance, have been recently claimed to be “immunoprivileged,” following a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments where both human embryonic stem (huES) cells and their differentiated progeny failed to elicit substantive immune responses. Read the rest of this entry »
Embryonic Stem Cells and Pancreatic Differentiation
Posted by admin in stem cells on June 21st, 2009
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the early preimplantation blastocyst. These cells are immortal under defined conditions in vitro, and can be indefinitely expanded without loss of pluripotency. Proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate that they have the ability to spontaneously differentiate into insulin-producing cells, even if at a very low frequency. Here we review the most recent progress at defining conditions (chemical, genetic, or otherwise) for the directed differentiation of both mouse and human ES cells into insulinproducing beta cells. Read the rest of this entry »