Stem Cells in the Hypothalamus Can Control Aging

In a recent study, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, found that as soon as the mice reached 10 month, there was a decline of stem cells in the hypothalamus. The scientists noticed that when they disrupted the stem cells, they had also accelerated the aging of mice because of their premature death as opposed to the mice that aged naturally. Scientists wanted to find out if by increasing the number of stem cells, whether it would reverse the effects of aging in mice. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules that are release by the stem cells when they begin to act on slowing the aging process. Dongsheng Cai, M.D., PhD.,  a professor of molecular pharmacology at Einstein College of Medicine, withdrew exosomes that contain miRNA from the hypothalamus and injected them into two groups of middle-aged mice. One group had their stem cells plummet and the other were considered "normal." The aging process for both sets of groups had decelerated was noticed through behavioral testing. This study could be an advancement in treating diseases that are age- associated (i.e. Alzheimer's Disease). 

Turmeric Compound Helps Regenerate Brain Stem Cells

Researchers in Germany recently discovered a bioactive compound in turmeric that promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The study was conducted at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in Julich. Researchers looked at the effects of aromatic aromatic-turmerone on endogenous neutral stem cells known as NSC. These stem cells are found in the adult brain. NSC plays an important role in self-repair and recovery of brain function in neurodegenerative diseases. 

Tumeric Powder, a commonly used spice, encompasses the compound Turmerone,
which holds regenerative neurological abilities.  

The researchers looked at the effect ar-turmerone had on NSC both in-vitro and vivo. NSC from Rat fetal was cultured over a seventy-two hour period in the presence of ar-turmerone. At certain concentrations of ar-turmerone, NSC proliferated 80% more than NSC cultured without the presence of ar-turmerone. The result also accelerated cell differentiation and did not yield any effect on cell death. To test in vivo, researchers injected adult rats with ar-turmerone. The study found that the subventricular zone and the hippocampus expanded. Both areas in mammalian brains are known for neurogenesis, the area where neurons grow. According to lead author, Adele Rueger, this is a major goal for regenerative medicine.
My culture commonly uses turmeric powder in many of our dishes. It's interesting to find out something I eat regularly has such amazing natural medicine indications. This is very promising news for the field of medicine. Considering the effects of ar-turmerone on NSC, the possibility of using ar-turmerone as a possible treatment for neurological disorders has suddenly increased through this study. Hopefully, the new findings are incorporated into future projects in regards to such disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, which is becoming more prevalent as the years go one. 

Article: http://blogs.naturalnews.com/new-study-turmeric-compound-activates-regeneration-brain-stem-cells/

Article Related: Hippocampus - http://neuroscience.uth.tmc.edu/s4/chapter05.html

Hair Regeneration from Adult Stem Cells

ScienceDaily announced a research study led by Professor Takashi Tsuji involving the regeneration of adult stem cells for the purpose of recreating hair. This discovery allows significant advances in the development of organ replacement regenerative therapy. The purpose of organ replacement regenerative therapy is to enable the replacement of damaged organs.

The bioengineered hair follicle research study demonstrated impressive reconstructive results. The hair follicles displayed restored hair cycles and developmentally correct structures, which formed proper connections with the epidermis and other surrounding host tissues.

This study is interesting and important because it shows the possibilities of stem cell research. With stem cell research scientists can make the paralyzed walk. Stem cell research can create thousands of possibilities and improve the health of millions, if not billions of people.

Diseases in A Dish

Human diseases are often hard to treat due to the regulations on human testing and the years of clinical research to get FDA approval. How ever there is a new technological breakthrough that is allowing the culturing of human cells in a petri-dish, so they can be experimented on. This is all possible by the newly developed induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells.

These iPs cells were recently developed by Shinya Yamanaka, a Japanese scientist who created them from taking ordinary cells and putting them through a process that allowed them to go back to a stem cell like phase. Stem cells are so important because they are harvested at a stage where they have the capability to grow into any type of cell in the body with the right manipulation. However, due to there source, unborn babies, they have been outlawed to use in several countries. So with this accomplishment, the use of embryonic stem cells has become obsolete. Scientists in Germany have recently used iPs cells to create cardiac tissue that has a pulse and beats on its own, within a petri-dish. Science can now continue on in an extraordinary way.



This break through is one that has immense potential in the scientific field. Shinya Yamanaka recently won the noble prize for his work with iPS cells and I believe it will allow research that will lead to many diseases being cured.  iPs cells will have tremendous value in the years to come, and they will be instrumental in our understanding of biology.

Stem Cells: The Fountain of Youth

Researchers may now be capable of stopping, and furthermore reverse the aging process. A research group of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Georgia Institute of Technology performed a study on stem cell cultures published in the journal Cell Cycle.



They began their research by comparing body cells, in which aging correlates to the shortening of telomeres, with adult stems cells which generally maintain its telomeric region.  Human adult stem cells from young individuals were obtained and subjected to an accelerated aging process and compared with the "fresh" unaltered adult stem cells. It was found that DNA damage and associated chromatin changes are due to genetic elements called retrotransposons which were once thought to be "junk DNA."  Young stem cells are able to cope with and repair the damaging effects of cell damage, however the older stem cells were not.  Older cells trigger a process known as cellular senescence which prevents unlimited cell proliferation.  By suppressing this signal from retrotransposons, scientists were able to correct and reverse the aging adult stem cells.  This discovery may hold the key to treatment of tissue damaging and or age related occurrences such as heart attacks and liver damage.