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Science News Pioneering Induction Of Bone Formation Using Embryonic Stem Cells ScienceDaily (May 17, 2008) - Researchers at the University of Twente break new ground by successfully creating bone tissue "in vivo", using embryonic stem cells. They imitated bone formation in embryos and children, which uses cartilage as a template. This new approach appears to be a promising way of repairing bone defects. Previous attempts to create bone using embryonic stem cells were unsuccessful. In the lab, there was clear evidence that these stem cells were differentiating into the bone lineage "in vitro", however this process stalled after implantation and no bone tissue was formed. Yet, this approach did lead to bone formation when cultured adult stem cells from bone marrow were used. This direct approach is, amongst others, involved in the formation of the bone found in the skull. The researchers at Twente have now adopted a different approach. Unexpected While searching for a suitable scaffold to use for cartilage tissue engineering with mouse embryonic stem cells, the researchers selected a ceramic material that is often used as bone void filler. Other materials appeared to be unsuitable or they made it difficult to locate the implanted cells. In the lab, mouse embryonic stem cells were seeded onto this ceramic material and induced into the developmental pathway leading to cartilage formation. Following implantation under the skin of a mouse, however, the cartilage tissue developed further, and was replaced by bone. Bone formation via cartilage as a template proved to be an efficient, if unexpected, approach. Furthermore, this is the way in which most of the bones in the embryo are formed. Bone growth in children also occurs via this process, known as endochondral ossification. Repair In their article, the researchers show that bone tissue is also formed in a bone defect. To demonstrate this, a scaffold with cells that had already formed cartilage, was implanted into a rat with a defect in its skull. Besides under the skin, bone was also formed in this bone defect. Therefore, this approach seems to be a promising new technique for repairing damaged bone. Journal reference: Endochondral bone tissue engineering using embryonic stem cells. Jojanneke Jukes, Sanne Both, Anouk Leusink, Lotus Sterk, Clemens van Blitterswijk and Jan de Boer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). May 13, 2008. [link] Repair Using Patient's Stem Cells Comes Closer (May 28, 2008) - Enzyme induces adult stem cells to grow bone. Until now it has been difficult to induce adult human stem cells to produce bone, e.g. in order to repair bone tissue. Researchers have just shown that ... > read more Adult Mouse Bone Marrow Stem Cells Can Become Cells Of The Nervous System (Aug. 19, 2003) - University of Minnesota researchers show that adult bone marrow stem cells can be induced to differentiate into cells of the midbrain. The findings, published in the online early edition of the ... > read more Tissue-specific Blood Stem Cell Line Established From Embryonic Stem Cells (Apr. 29, 2008) - Researchers in Sweden have established and isolated the tissue-specific stem cell that produces blood cells (blood stem cell) by using genetically modified embryonic stem ... > read more Elasticity Of Tissue Environment Plays Role In Determining Stem Cell Growth (Sep. 20, 2006) - Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that the elasticity of a stem cell's environment is a major determinant of what type of tissue the stem cell ... > read more Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn