Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS)

Through experimentation with a highly promising anti-aging technique, scientists at the UK's Babraham Institute have demonstrated a new way of turning back the clock in human skin cells, so they function like cells 30 years younger.

Researchers have found that the “mother” of stem cells, known as totipotent stem cells, have a much slower rate of DNA replication, which helps improve their differentiation efficiency. This could lead to major breakthrough for regenerative medicine.

In what is being described as a world-first, scientists in Israel have reportedly grown spinal cord implants utilizing tissue extracted from human volunteers. Those implants were then used to restore walking abilities to previously paralyzed mice.

Immunotherapy is a promising new form of cancer treatment, but the supercharged immune cells it employs can become exhausted in the fight. Researchers in Japan have found a way to keep them going for longer, by rejuvenating them with stem cells.

Lab-grown mini-organs are opening up new ways to model biology, diseases and new treatments. Now scientists have created the most advanced stomach organoids so far, composed of three cell types which allows them to contract and produce acid.

Researchers at Washington University have tested an experimental new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in mice. The team implanted stem cells that have been reprogrammed to secrete anti-inflammatory drugs only when they sense inflammation.

Researchers have made a striking breakthrough in lab-grown mini organs. Using induced pluriopotent stem cells, the team induced brain organoids to develop rudimentary eye structures that can sense light and send signals to the rest of the brain.

Researchers have found a way to maintain insulin levels in diabetic mice by growing and implanting new beta cells that produce the hormone. These cells are housed inside a tiny device that protects them from the immune system, like a shark cage.

Researchers at Salk Institute have uncovered a mechanism by which stem cells can help regenerate muscles. The discovery could provide a new drug target for repairing muscles after injury or rebuilding muscle mass lost during the normal aging process.

Scientists have created the first-ever functional miniature human hearts in the lab. Grown from stem cells, these heart “organoids” are made up of all primary heart cell types, and could help build better models for treating disease.

Imagine needing a liver transplant and, instead of waiting for a donor, a new one could just be grown from your own skin cells. In a big step towards this, mini human livers grown from stem cells have been successfully transplanted into rats.

Stanford scientists may have found a way to essentially return older cells to a more youthful state. The adult cells are treated with a mix of proteins from early embryonic development, which removes many of the molecular signs of aging.