SpringerBriefs in Stem Cells – serie

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells are mature cells that have been genetically reprogrammed so that they return to their embryonic state. It is not yet known if iPS stem cells and embryonic stem cells differ significantly. Today many fundamental belief systems in biology are shifting towards accepting that mature body cells can be reverted to an embryonic state without the help of eggs or embryos. With their changed identities, iPS cells are then ready to serve as new tools for research in the fields of disease pathogenesis, drug discovery, oncology, and cell transplantation. One example of this would be using iPS from a patient’s mature cells to repair damaged tissue; it is thought that there would be very low incidence of rejection of the ‘new’ tissue in these cases. For the last four years, this therapeutic promise has been studied by hundreds of researchers worldwide in an effort to understand the ability of these cells to reverse their biological clocks.

Calcium is crucial in governing contractile activities of myofilaments in cardiomyocytes, any defeats in calcium homeostasis of the cells would adversely affect heart pumping action. The characterization of calcium handling properties in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMCs) is of significant interest and pertinent to the stem cell and cardiac regenerative field because of their potential patient-specific therapeutic use.

This Brief offers a concise, handy overview of the main concepts related to Embryology, revisited through the novel concepts that are applied daily in stem cell research and cell therapy oriented investigations. It is based on three main areas:   -The process involved in female gamete differentiation and maturation. The main aspects related to cell biology will be covered and an overview of the epigenetic regulation of gametogenesis will be presented.   -Early stages of embryo development with a careful analysis of the regulatory mechanisms driving cleavage, polarization and genome activation. -Stem cell and gametogenesis. The use of the oocyte as a possible source for the derivation of stem cell lines is discussed and depicted as a powerful tool to investigate oocyte potency and asymmetric imprinting. The potential biological  implications are evaluated and use of stem cells to derive oocytes is presented.

This addition to the Springer Brief in Stem Cells series focuses on aspects related to the specific mechanisms that ensure and control pluripotency and cell commitment in domestic animal species. This topic is generating rapidly-increasing interest due to the great potential for domestic animal species to be used as intermediate biomedical models, between the mouse and the human. The Brief addresses why we need large animal models for regenerative medicine. It also describes early embryo development with a careful and specific analysis of the regulatory mechanisms driving cleavage, polarization and genome activation in domestic species. How pluripotency is compartmentalized in domestic species as well as the different aspects that make the derivation of stem cells in domestic species very difficult are also addressed.

This volume thoroughly examines breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), from basic definitions to techniques for identifying, isolating, culturing, and targeting BCSCs for therapy; there is additional focus on pre-clinical and clinical results. The text begins with a discussion of breast cancer, focusing especially on the limitations of current therapies in its treatment. The subsequent chapters introduce and compare stem cells and cancer stem cells, describe properties and isolation techniques of BCSCs, and examine BCSC-targeting approaches. The text concludes with a discussion of controversy surrounding the BCSC hypothesis and of future research directions. Breast Cancer Stem Cells & Therapy Resistance, part of the SpringerBriefs in Stem Cells series, provides a succinct yet comprehensive overview of BCSCs for advanced students, graduate students and researchers as well as those working with breast cancer or stem cells in a clinical setting.

Stem cells have ushered in widespread interest and exciting possibilities for cell based therapies. Despite multiple initiatives and meticulous untiring efforts, translating this bench side research into bedside practice and therapies remains a challenge. A better understanding of expanding research in specific areas of stem cells is crucial in developing regenerative medical therapeutics. With their unique attributes, studies on stem cells of endometrium and its therapeutic applications at both in-vitro and at pre-clinical settings in health and disease states are gaining consensus in recent years. This SpringerBrief provides a thorough but succinct presentation of solid information about the significance of stem cells from the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. It presents an understanding of stem cells derived from human endometrium and examine how cells from these sources are being used to research and therapeutics for various clinical problems and diseases. In addition,brief also discusses the threats and challenges facing endometrium. Overall, it illuminates the hope that, the stem cells of endometrium can be an effective source of therapeutics for a multitude of disorders.