Stem Cells

Pluripotent Stem Cells and iPSC Research: Quality and Innovative Products

21/04/2017 By Isabelle Nobiron Leave a Comment

Since the discovery of reprogramming factors in 2006 and the boom of CRISPR gene editing strategies, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) have emerged as new cellular models. The development of 3D cell culture technologies has also contributed to the generation of induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) derived cells, with unique applications from patient-specific drug responses testing, to regenerative medicine. I would like to introduce in this post a selection of reagents in this domain, a combination of both routine and innovative quality reagents, that I consider as bringing something extra to your stem cell research projects.

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All-in-one system for iPS and hES gene editing

10/08/2016 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

Today, I’d like to invite you to take a look at a highly efficient and useful kit, which brings together all the required components you need in a complete system for culturing and transfecting human pluripotent stem cells for gene editing.

The PluriQ™ G9™ Gene Editing System includes the G9™ Maintenance Medium and G9™ VTN Recombinant (vitronectin) plate coating for culturing human induced pluripotent (iPS) or embryonic stem (hES) cells in a manner that maximizes transfection by the included EditPro™ Stem Transfection Reagent to transfect genome editing constructs. [Read more…]

Proof that 2 = 5 ! Yes it does, in cell culture…

04/08/2016 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

I have to admit that I never received the Fields Medal in Mathematics. Therefore, I won’t be able to develop this equation and prove that I’m right. However, what I can prove, is that in cell culture, 2 = 5. How is this possible?

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From RNA-derived iPS Cells to Retinal Cells

09/05/2016 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and cells differentiated from iPS cells have widely been used for in vivo models human disease progression. Jason Meyer, of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, uses iPS cell-derived models to study retinogenesis and retinal disease. Two recent papers from his lab highlight the benefits of using Stemgent’s RNA reprogramming technology to enable robust differentiation of iPS cells to the retinal lineage (1, 2). RNA reprogramming technology was chosen in order for these studies to ensure that no vestiges of the reprogramming vectors were retained by the cells or integrated into the genome.

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Optimized DNA delivery in Stem Cells

04/05/2016 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

The introduction of transgenes into stem cells has shown to be a valuable experimental technique for studying stem cell biology. Transfecting stem cells without inhibiting cell viability and cell growth has shown to be difficult. DNA-In® Stem Transfection Reagent offers a simple, robust and reproducible method for delivering DNA into a wide range of stem cells, including neural stem cells. Formulated and optimized specifically for embryonic and adult stem cells, DNA-In® Stem is a new-generation transfection reagent that enables high efficiency transfection while maintaining maximum cell viability and cell growth.

In this post, I invite you to discover the benefits of using DNA-In® Stem Transfection Reagent vs. other reagents. A lot of pictures and graphs rather than long descriptions! Last but not least, DNA-In® Stem Transfection Reagent is less expensive compared to Lipofectamine reagents… [Read more…]

Improving restorative surgery — with Platelets

24/03/2016 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

Lipotransfers are ideal for restorative surgery, but retention is a problem. In a recent study, PRP grade concentrated platelets were used for a study examining how platelet-rich plasma helps to enhance fat graft survival.

Platelets - Improving restorative surgery - tebu-bio and HemaCare

Not just for clotting blood: Platelets play a powerful role in augmenting fat grafts after transplantation. Image credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org.

In this age of crash diets and liposuction, it might sound surprising that some people receive fat transplants. But seriously, fat grafting is widely used and valued as a feasible method for addressing moderate defects caused by injuries, surgical removal of tumours, and congenital deficiencies. Fat grafting is safe and has the look and feel of normal soft tissue. However, long-term volume retention is suboptimal (30-70%), often requiring multiple surgeries. [Read more…]

Biomarkers of stemness

22/03/2016 By Elodie Monin Leave a Comment

Stem Cells: a great tool for biomedical research! From the embryo at a very early stage of development, stem cells have two important capabilities: to multiply to infinity by simple division and to give rise to all kind of cells of the organism. These properties offer many opportunities, not only for the regenerative medicine but also for the study of genetic diseases and development of new treatments.

One of the first thing to do when you’re working on this kind of cells is to check if they are really stem cells, i.e their stemness. It can be highlighted by different markers by IF, WB, etc…

Today, I invite you to look at a popular antibody allowing you to monitor the level of differentiation of your cellular model as well as an innovation related to antibody array and stem cell research.

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CRISPR/Cas9 vector delivery maximized with DNA-In CRISPR

05/11/2015 By Philippe Fixe, PhD Leave a Comment

CRISPR-Cas9 is a popular method that brings researchers endless experimental strategies to create their own research-based cellular models. In this post we’ll review a new transfection reagent especially engineered to maximize Cas9 vectors deliveries inside cells with low cellular toxicity.

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New way for derivation / maintenance of naïve human PSCs

10/07/2015 By Jean-François Têtu, PhD Leave a Comment

Newly added to the Stemolecule portfolio are three small molecules which support a new approach for the derivation and maintenance of naïve human pluripotent stem cells. These three newly identified small molecules, WH-4-023, SB590885 and IM-12, are all kinase inhibitors.

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Cancer stem cells – friend or foe in the fight against cancer?

25/06/2015 By Ana Arraztio Leave a Comment

Today, following our series on Tumour Microenvironment (TME), and leading on from three recent publications, let’s discuss Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs).

CSCs are part of the TME, as they reside in niches where they can survive from immune surveillance, maintain plasticity and facilitate cancer metastasis (1). They can also circulate around the body. Which makes them so interesting. Their worse effect is that they can expand cancer to other organs in the body, thus helping metastasic. The good thing is that their early detection is a very powerful biomarker for cancer, allowing an early treatment. [Read more…]