August 2015 - This Month in JoVE: Isolating Stem Cells, Bioengineering the Kidney, and Getting Kids to eat Carrots
August 2nd, 2015
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Overview
This preview highlights key protocols and research featured in the August 2015 issue of JoVE: The Journal of Visualized Experiments. The issue covers advances in stem cell culture, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and behavioral interventions, showcasing innovative methods and their potential applications in biomedical research and therapy.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Developmental Biology
- Bioengineering
- Behavioral Science
- Regenerative Medicine
Background
- Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are valuable for regenerative medicine but require humanized culture conditions to avoid animal cell contamination.
- Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from various cell types, but less invasive sources are desirable.
- Bioengineering of organ tissues, such as kidneys, addresses the shortage of donor organs for transplantation.
- Feeding disorders are prevalent in children, particularly those with developmental delays, necessitating effective behavioral interventions.
Purpose of Study
- To develop and demonstrate protocols for culturing hPSCs in fully humanized conditions.
- To establish a minimally invasive method for generating iPSCs from hair follicle keratinocytes.
- To provide a protocol for decellularizing and recellularizing kidney tissues for regenerative applications.
- To present behavioral procedures for treating feeding disorders in children.
Methods Used
- Isolation and culture of placental chorionic cells to produce placenta-conditioned media for hPSC culture.
- Harvesting keratinocytes from plucked hair follicles and reprogramming them into iPSCs using non-viral episomal vectors.
- Perfusion decellularization of kidneys followed by recellularization with human renal cells and perfusion culture.
- Behavioral protocols involving stepwise food presentation and strategic placement of preferred and non-preferred foods.
Main Results
- Development of an almost completely humanized system for hPSC culture, reducing contamination risks.
- Successful generation of iPSCs from hair follicle keratinocytes, enabling less invasive patient-specific stem cell derivation.
- Creation of kidney scaffolds that support human renal cell proliferation and survival in culture.
- Demonstration of practical behavioral interventions for improving feeding compliance in children.
Conclusions
- Humanized stem cell culture systems and minimally invasive iPSC generation advance regenerative medicine research.
- Bioengineered kidney tissues offer promise for addressing organ shortages.
- Simple behavioral protocols can be effective first-line treatments for pediatric feeding disorders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of using humanized conditions for hPSC culture?
Humanized conditions eliminate the risk of animal cell contamination, making stem cell cultures safer and more suitable for therapeutic applications.
How are iPSCs generated from hair follicle keratinocytes?
Keratinocytes are isolated from plucked hair follicles and reprogrammed into iPSCs using non-viral episomal vectors, providing a minimally invasive source.
What is the process for bioengineering kidney tissues described in this issue?
Kidneys are decellularized by perfusion to create scaffolds, which are then recellularized with human renal cells and maintained in perfusion culture.
How do the behavioral protocols address feeding disorders in children?
The protocols use stepwise food presentation and strategic placement of foods to encourage compliance and improve eating behaviors in children.
Why is the development of patient-specific stem cells important?
Patient-specific stem cells can be used for personalized disease modeling and therapies, reducing the risk of immune rejection.
What are the potential clinical applications of these protocols?
Applications include safer stem cell therapies, engineered organ grafts for transplantation, and effective interventions for pediatric feeding disorders.
Where can I find the full protocols and articles featured in this issue?
Full-length articles and protocols are available on the JoVE website in the August 2015 issue.
Executive Industry Relevance
Advances in humanized stem cell culture, minimally invasive iPSC generation, and organ bioengineering are reshaping early-stage regenerative medicine pipelines. These protocols address contamination risks, scalability, and patient-specific modeling, directly impacting target validation and translational continuity. The integration of robust, human-relevant systems supports predictive confidence and risk-adjusted portfolio advancement.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Humanized hPSC culture systems reduce biological ambiguity and support functional target validation.
- Minimally invasive iPSC derivation enables broader patient sampling for disease modeling.
- Bioengineered kidney scaffolds facilitate mechanistic studies in organ-specific contexts.
Screening & Assay Development
- Humanized cell systems provide standardized, reproducible platforms for compound evaluation.
- Placenta-conditioned media supports scalable, feeder-free stem cell expansion for screening readiness.
- Recellularized organ scaffolds enable quantitative assessment of cell integration and function.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Patient-specific iPSCs align with translational biomarker strategies and disease-relevant modeling.
- Bioengineered tissues bridge discovery and preclinical validation for regenerative applications.
- Humanized systems reduce translational risk by mirroring clinical cell sources and environments.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
These protocols position humanized stem cell and organ engineering methods at the interface of early discovery, lead identification, and preclinical research.
- Discovery Biology: Enables hypothesis testing in fully humanized, contamination-free systems.
- Screening: Supports reproducible, scalable expansion of validated cell types for downstream assays.
- Analytics: Provides quantitative outputs on cell proliferation, integration, and survival in engineered tissues.
- Translational Research: Facilitates continuity from patient-derived cells to preclinical tissue models.
- Enterprise Reuse: Establishes reusable, standardized protocols for diverse regenerative medicine pipelines.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence and reduces mechanistic uncertainty in early-stage research.
- Operational Value: Delivers standardized, scalable, and reproducible workflows for stem cell and tissue engineering.
- Strategic Value: Improves go/no-go decision quality and capital efficiency by de-risking biological variables.
- Portfolio Impact: Supports risk-adjusted prioritization and advancement of regenerative medicine assets.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires expertise in stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and quantitative analytics.
- Demands access to specialized culture systems and perfusion bioreactors for organ scaffolds.
- Standardization across teams is essential for reproducibility and data comparability.
- Adaptation may be needed for different cell sources or tissue types.
- Limitations include scalability and the need for rigorous validation in translational contexts.
Biopharma FAQs
Why does null hypothesis testing matter for humanized hPSC culture?
Null hypothesis testing in humanized hPSC culture ensures that observed effects are due to the humanized conditions rather than confounding animal-derived factors, supporting robust target validation and reducing biological risk in early discovery.
How does independent variable isolation apply to kidney scaffold recellularization?
Isolating variables such as cell source and scaffold composition in kidney recellularization protocols enables clear attribution of functional outcomes, facilitating mechanistic de-risking and workflow optimization in tissue engineering pipelines.
What do quantitative dependent variable measurements enable in iPSC generation from hair follicles?
Quantitative measurements of iPSC yield and pluripotency from hair follicle keratinocytes provide objective benchmarks for protocol efficiency, supporting cross-study comparisons and predictive confidence in patient-specific cell modeling.
Why are replication requirements critical for placenta-conditioned media protocols?
Replication ensures that placenta-conditioned media consistently supports hPSC propagation across batches and teams, enabling cross-functional collaboration and reliable integration into standardized workflows.
What statistical analysis capabilities are needed before implementing recellularized kidney assays?
Robust statistical analysis is required to validate cell proliferation, integration, and survival metrics in recellularized kidney assays, ensuring data-driven advancement decisions and portfolio alignment.