PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Stem cells are a soft touch for nano-engineered biomaterials

2014-06-09
(Press-News.org) Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have shown that stem cell behaviour can be modified by manipulating the nanoscale properties of the material they are grown on - improving the potential of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering as a result.

Stem cells are special because they are essential to the normal function of our organs and tissues. Previous research shows stem cells grown on hard substrates go on to multiply but do not differentiate: a process by which the cells specialise to perform specific functions in the body. In contrast, stem cells grown on softer surfaces do go on to differentiate.

In this new study, published in the journal Nano Letters, the researchers used tiny material patches known as nanopatches to alter the surface of the substrate and mimic the properties of a softer material.

"By changing the surface properties like the shape of the substrate at the nanoscale level, we tricked the stem cells to behave differently," explains co-author Dr Julien Gautrot, from QMUL's School of Engineering and Materials Science and the Institute of Bioengineering.

The team tested different sizes of nanopatches - from 3 microns to 100 nanometres (about one thousandth of the diameter of a hair). The stem cells behaved as if they were on a soft surface when in contact with the smallest patches because they can't firmly grip them.

Dr Gautrot added: "This development will be useful when there's a need to create a rigid implant to be inserted into the body. Potentially, such nanopatches could provide a soft touch to the surface of the implant so that cells from the neighbouring tissues are not perturbed by such a hard material."

INFORMATION: END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

PET/MR is superior for verifying coronary arterial disease

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Ischemic heart disease, a narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, is a leading cause of death throughout the world. A hybrid molecular imaging technique called positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging, which tells doctors vital information about cardiac and arterial function, has been found to be an effective molecular imaging tool for detecting coronary artery disease (CAD), say researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. Often patients suspected ...

Stem cell-stimulating therapy saves heart attack patients

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting revealed how a protein encourages the production of stem cells that regenerate damaged tissues of the heart following an acute attack (myocardial infarction). They further assert that it has a better chance of working if provided early in treatment. This was confirmed by molecular imaging, which captured patients' improved heart health after therapy. If given after a heart attack, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilizes bone marrow ...

SPECT/CT reveals best treatment for low back pain

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Low back pain is not only excruciating but also debilitating for countless sufferers. Unfortunately, not everyone responds to treatment. A molecular imaging scan in addition to a conventional bone scan can provide the necessary information about the physiological health of the spine to select the most appropriate pain-killing treatment protocol, say researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. Conventional imaging methods including X-ray, computed tomography and even magnetic resonance imaging ...

Chemo-radionuclide therapy halts neuroendocrine cancer

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Advanced cancer of the neuroendocrine system can lead to dismal prognoses, but a novel therapy is packing a punch by uniting powerful radionuclide treatment and chemotherapy drugs, revealed researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. The research findings show that the experimental therapy led to stabilization or regression of patients' cancer in about 70 percent of cases a year after completion of the treatment, now called peptide receptor chemo-radionuclide therapy (PRCRT). The therapy is ...

Opti-SPECT/PET/CT: 5 different imaging systems now combined

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Taking their pick, biomedical researchers can now conduct five different imaging studies in one scan with a state-of-the-art preclinical molecular imaging system that scientists unveiled during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. The imaging device allows single photon emission tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), X-ray computed tomography, fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging—powerful imaging techniques that provide different information about anatomy and physiological processes ...

Radioluminescence tells the story of single cells

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – With a new molecular imaging system powerful enough to peer down to 20-micrometer resolution, researchers can now use radioluminescence to examine the characteristics of single, unconnected cells. The result is a fascinating picture of diversity among cells previously assumed to behave the same, revealed researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. A resolution of 20 micrometers or microns—about a quarter of the diameter of a single human hair—is made possible with an imaging technique that ...

Enzyme-inhibition could revolutionize molecular imaging

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – The prominent role a single enzyme plays in cancer imaging has eluded researchers for years, but not anymore. This discovery could pave new avenues in nuclear medicine. The enzyme, called neutral endopeptidase (NEP), has a way of breaking down most radiopeptide imaging agents in the body. Researchers have developed an elegant new concept that improves molecular imaging, according to study results presented during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. The sneaky enzyme has evaded studies with peptide ...

Molecular imaging gets to the root of rheumatoid arthritis

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic pain for almost half of adults by the time they retire, but a new molecular imaging technique can visualize inflammation in the joints, giving doctors a clear read on chronic pain and possible joint destruction, say researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. In order to image arthritis inside the joints, researchers used multiple molecular imaging systems, positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission tomography (SPECT), both of which image ...

Depression in the elderly linked to Alzheimer's risk

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – Many people develop depression in the latest stages of life, but until now doctors had no idea that it could point to a build up of a naturally occurring protein in the brain called beta-amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, late-life depression could become a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer's faster than others, according to research unveiled at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. Alzheimer's disease is a currently incurable neurodegenerative disease with marked protein ...

REM sleep disturbance signals future neurodegenerative disease

2014-06-09
St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) – How many millions of people suffer from sleep disturbance? One sleep disorder in particular, called REM behavior disorder, could be a sign of impending neurodegenerative disease, including Parkinson's and dementia, say scientists presenting their research at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting. Researchers are not sure why spontaneous and unexplained disturbance in REM sleep should lead to a neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's, but new longitudinal imaging data show a clear correlation between ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists find the first ice core from the European Alps that dates back to the last Ice Age

Yoga, Tai Chi, walking and jogging may be best forms of exercise for insomnia

Medical tourism for bariatric/weight reduction surgery needs urgent regulation

Funding for lifesaving global health programs forecasted to reach 15-year low, threatening to reverse decades of progress

Exercise could ease symptoms for people with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, but support and adequate guidance is lacking

Lost English legend decoded, solving Chaucerian mystery and revealing a medieval preacher’s meme

Stigma driving depression in alopecia patients, rather than illness severity

Eyes on the prize: Decoding eye contact

Technician-led eye clinics could lead to more timely NHS care

University of Birmingham and CBMM partner to drive disruptive innovation in carbon recycling

New study reveals gendered language patterns in children’s television across 60 years

Ancient fault line poses future earthquake hazard in Canada’s North

Scientists uncover DNA secrets to bolster corn crop traits

Hidden bacterial redundancy could be antibiotic game-changer

New study reveals how corals teach their offspring to beat the heat

Understanding relationship development: Towards a more rigorous approach

Surgical stroke initiative targets deadliest brain bleeds

Understanding how the superfungus Candida auris withstands antifungal treatment

Call for papers: CPA special issue on polypharmacology in cancer therapy—overcoming resistance and enhancing efficacy

An alternative adhesive for wearable medical devices

Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to go to their treat. Why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?

Call for Young Editorial Board members at Current Molecular Pharmacology

MSU team develops scalable climate solutions for agricultural carbon markets

Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging

UNM study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and Meteor Crater impact

Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets

You only get one brain! The best helmet material for protecting your noggin

Neurodegeneration and stroke after GLP-1RAs in diabetes and obesity

Pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization trends by race and ethnicity, 2020-2023

Research spotlight: New genetic roadmap offers insights into obesity and diabetes

[Press-News.org] Stem cells are a soft touch for nano-engineered biomaterials