Stem Cells

One of the brain’s biggest benefits from exercise – the birth of new neurons – may not even require any movement. Instead, the beneficial “packages” circulating in the blood after working out can be successfully transferred to others.

From silver nanofibers to smart, sensory-packed dressings, the next generation of wound-healing technology is blurring the line between biology and engineering. A new review has looked at what’s better, the old or the new.

A surprising trigger for hair regrowth may lie in the body’s fat cells. Researchers have shown that mild skin irritation can trigger fat cells to go into panic mode, sending signals to dormant follicles that can fuel new hair growth within weeks.

Previous research has shown that microgravity affects the immune system but what about the stem cells that build it? Until recently, no one had tested how spaceflight affects the aging and fitness of these crucial cells, and the news is not so great.

Gut support cells communicate with surprising precision – like brain neurons – to send instructions to the stem cells responsible for maintaining and healing the intestine. The discovery may change our understanding of tissue repair and gut diseases.

Scientists have developed an innovative new stem cell-infused implant that "grows" into the gum and fuses with existing nerves to function much like a real tooth. It's also gentler on the patient, expanding like memory foam to sit securely in place.

A paradigm shift in the way we treat spinal injuries is now in sight, with the world's first regenerative cell therapy approved for a Phase I clinical trial. It's a historical milestone that could reverse what has, until now, been an incurable injury.

Researchers have developed nerve grafts, currently being trialed as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, that are invisible to the body’s immune system. It could mean that giving risky post-transplant anti-rejection drugs is soon a thing of the past.

We're one step closer to that elusive goal preventing hair loss and enabling new growth, as scientists identify the crucial role that one all-important protein has in protecting the hard-working cells on the production line.

In a major breakthrough for regenerative medicine, MIT scientists have developed a way to convert skin cells directly into brain cells extremely efficiently, without needing to go through the intermediate step of converting them to stem cells first.

Eye injuries that damage the cornea are usually irreversible and cause blindness. But a new clinical trial has repaired this damage in patients thanks to a transplant of stem cells from their healthy eyes.

Researchers have created a way to guide and control the development of stem cells into specific tissues and organs, opening the door to developing a means of one day tackling complex diseases like diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.