Stem cells and regenerative medicine is a fast emerging field with rapid strides of progress and focus on human health. Successful utilization of stem cells in regenerative medicine depends on two important features. One, stem cells can grow and divide indefinitely, and two, stem cells can differentiate into specialized cell types that make up tissues such as pancreas, heart, liver, blood, and others. Utilizing the property of differentiation, stem cells can be engineered to produce cell types to replace wornout cells and to regenerate damaged tissue. The scope for improving healthcare using stem cell therapies is thrilling, but considerable technical challenges and methodological constraints need to be addressed. There is a great need for isolation and propagation of transplant-ready or clinical-grade stem cells and screening methods, well before they are used in therapies. Recent scientific advances have contributed enormously to the development of new methods pertaining to both embryonic and adult stem cell isolation, characterization, expansion in undifferentiated state, customized differentiation, efficient stem cell transduction for gene therapy, quick monitoring of rejection, through polymerase chain reaction approaches following transplantation, and more. The scientific progress that makes stem cell biology so exciting also threatens to suffocate researchers with an avalanche of information. Keeping with the tradition of Humana Press to bring these developments to the forefront in a timely manner, the book Stem Cell Assays aims to present scientific advances in stem cell methods for a wider use by novice and expert scientists, through the Methods in Molecular Biology series.

Brings recent developments to the forefront in a timely manner Presents scientific advances in stem cell methods for a wider use by novice and expert scientists

Klappentext

With such benefits as producing cell types to replace worn-out cells and regenerating damaged tissue, stem cells and regenerative medicine is a rapidly emerging field focusing on improving human health. In Stem Cell Assays, an expert team of hands-on researchers contribute step-by-step laboratory protocols aimed at clearly organizing the avalanche of information coming from the stem cell biology field. Following the successful and practical Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, each chapter provides concise methods utilizing the most recent developments in embryonic and adult stem cell isolation, characterization, customized differentiation and many more areas, a complete list of the necessary materials, and the valuable Notes section for tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Cutting-edge and comprehensive, Stem Cell Assays brings the newest developments to the forefront in an invaluable reference volume for both novice and expert scientists alike.

Inhalt
Preface.- Contributors.- Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Xeno-Free ConditionsMohan C. Vemuri, Tim Schimmel, Pere Colls, Santiago Munne, and Jacques Cohen.- Feeder-Layer Free Culture System for Human Embryonic Stem CellsMichal Amit.- Digital Imaging of Stem Cells by Electron MicroscopyA. Henry Sathananthan and Stefania A. Nottola.- A Controlled-Cooling Protocol for Cryopreservation of Human and Non-Human Primate Embryonic Stem CellsCarol B. Ware and Szczepan W. Baran.- Cell Surface Markers in Human Embryonic Stem CellsRaj R. Rao, Alison Venable Johnson, and Steven L. Stice.- Generation of a Monoclonal Antibody Library Against Human Embryonic Stem CellsMicha Drukker, Christina Muscat, and Irving L. Weissman.- Analytical Methods for Cancer Stem CellsVinagolu K. Rajasekhar.- Micro RNA Profiling: An Easy and Rapid Method to Screen and Characterize Stem Cell PopulationsUma Lakshmipathy, Brad Love, Christopher Adams, Bhaskar Thyagarajan, and Jonathan D. Chesnut.- Gene Transfer Via Nucleofection Into Adult and Embryonic Stem CellsUma Lakshmipathy, Shannon Buckley, and Catherine Verfaillie.- RNAi Knockdown of Transcription Factor Pu.1 in the Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem CellsGang-Ming Zou, Meredith A. Thompson, and Mervin C. Yoder.- StemBase: A Resource for the Analysis of Stem Cell Gene Expression DataChristopher J. Porter, Gareth A. Palidwor, Reatha Sandie, Paul M. Krzyzanowski, Enrique M. Muro, Carolina Perez-Iratxeta, and Miguel A. Andrade-Navarro.- Isolation of Stem Cells from Human Umbilical Cord BloodNishanth P. Reddy, Mohan C. Vemuri, and Reddanna Pallu.- Ex Vivo Expansion of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Human Cord Blood in Serum-Free ConditionsChao-Ling Yao and Shiaw-Min Hwang.- Hematopoietic Colony-Forming Cell AssaysCarla Pereira, Emer Clarke,and Jackie Damen.- Assays for Alloreactive Responses by PCRPatrick Stordeur.- Immune Properties of Mesenchymal Stem CellsPanagiota A. Sotiropoulou and Michael Papamichail.- Clinical Grade Expansion of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem CellsPanagiota A. Sotiropoulou, Sonia A. Perez, and Michael Papamichail.- Adenoviral Transduction of Mesenchymal Stem CellsPablo Bosch and Steven L. Stice.- Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Dendritic CellsMaxim A. Vodyanik and Igor I. Slukvin.- Insulin-Producing Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells Experimental ConsiderationsEnrique Roche, Roberto Ensenat-Waser, Nestor Vicente-Salar, Alfredo Santana, Martin Zenke, and Juan Antonio Reig.- Efficient Generation of Dopamine Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem CellsChang-Hwan Park and Sang-Hun Lee.- Isolation of Oligodendroglial Cells from Cultured Neural Stem/ProgenitorsFrank Zeigler and Stephen G. Hall.- Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells Toward the Chondrogenic LineageWei Seong Toh, Zheng Yang, Boon Chin Heng, and Tong Cao.- Cartilage Tissue Engineering: Directed Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells in Three-Dimensional Hydrogel CultureNathaniel S. Hwang, Shyni Varghese, and Jennifer Elisseeff.