Stem cells: a new lease on life

Article Abstract:

Stem cells, both embryonic and adult, and the enormous potential for clinical application are discussed in this review article. It had been thought until recently that stem cells within an adult organ or tissue have options that are more restricted, but these stem cells are not as supposed. Embryonic stem (ES) cells are almost totipotent, being able to choose among most, maybe all, of the differentiation pathways in an animal. It will be very important to go through the vast number of environmental signals to find out which groups of cues can selectively draw ES cells into taking a given cell lineage pathway. Multipotent neural stem cells in the brain, intestinal stem cells, epithelial cells and Tcf family members are discussed.

Care and treatment, Usage, Nervous system, Growth factors, Nerve regeneration, Neural crest, Embryology, Keratinocytes, Neuroglia, Hematopoietic stem cells, Bone marrow cells, Genetic disorders, Stem cell transplantation, Animal embryology, Glia

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Directed actin polymerization is the driving force for epithelial cell-cell adhesion

Article Abstract:

Directed actin polymerization, the underlying force for epithelial cell-cell adhesion, is discussed relative to an investigation of adherens junctions (AJ) formation in primary mouse keratinocytes, leading to novel insights. Ephithelial cells have been found to engage in a process of cadherin-mediated intercellular adhesion that uses calcium and actin polymerization in unanticipated ways. AJs are intercellular structures prominent in epithelia and neurons. Present understanding of AJ formation lacks satisfactory mechanisms to explain formation of puncta and actin dynamics.

Epithelial cells, Molecular biology, Cell interaction, Cell interactions, Actin, Biopolymers, Calcium in the body, Cell adhesion, Calcium (Nutrient)

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Tcf3 and Lef1 regulate lineage differentiation of multipotent stem cells in skin

Article Abstract:

Tcf3 and Lef1 have been found to regulate multipotent stem cells lineage differentiation in skin. Tcf3 can independently of its beta-catenin interacting domain suppress features of epidermal terminal differentiation and promote features of the follicle outer root sheath and multipotent stem cells, compartments which naturally express Tcf3. Tcf3 normally is nonoperational in epidermal terminal differentiation.

Statistical Data Included, Skin, Hair follicles

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