More on China:
Stem Cell Forum in China Demonstrate Cutting Edge Research
Focuses on new findings for iPS cells
Friday, 25 July 2008

Over 300 of China's top stem cell biologists and researchers from around the globe shared their latest results and held China's first ever symposium on advanced induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell research during the just concluded first annual 2008 China Stem Cell Technology Forum at the China Medical City complex in Taizhou, China.
Read the full article here.

China Make Broad Progress in Stem Cell Research
Report from the Third International Symposium of Stem Cells in Shenyang, China.
Tuesday, 21 September 2004
(Updated Tuesday, 05 October 2004)

China Medical University in Shenyang. © 2004 by CellNEWS; by the courtesy of Prof. Xinshan Jia.

While the United States discusses the existence of stem cell research, China takes a broad perspective on the issue. Their latest results were presented at a tree-day international stem cell symposium, the Third International Symposium of Stem Cells, held in Shenyang in mid September 2004, in the Northeast Chinese province of Liaoning, and organised by the China Medical University in Shenyang.

Specialists from China, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and United States had been invited to attend the symposium, Prof. Xinshan Jia, chairman of the organising committee and head of the Department of Molecular Pathology at China Medical University in Shenyang, told CellNEWS.

Participants in the 'Third International Symposium of Stem Cells' in Shenyang. © 2004 by CellNEWS; by the courtesy of Prof. Xinshan Jia.

Many of China’s most prominent stem cell groups and researchers were presenting their latest results at the Shenyang meeting. More than 300 Chinese participants, together with 22 international scientists, presented a wide range of work during the three-day symposium. Some 21 different research groups from all over China and 14 from Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and United States were represented at the meeting. The Chinese groups came from as far apart as Hong Kong in the south and Haerbin in the north of the country. Still, there are many more groups known in China concentrating their efforts on stem cell and regenerative medical research.

Professor Xinshan Jia. © 2004 by CellNEWS; by the courtesy of Prof. Xinshan Jia.

According to Prof. Xinshan Jia, the symposium included a broad program presenting basic research with animal and human stem cells of both embryonic and adult origin. More specifically the scientific program included studies of neural, mesenchymal, hematopoietic stem cell biology and transplantation, spermatogonial stem cells as well as stem cells of the heart, blood vessels and as therapy for diabetes patients. The clinical uses of stem cells, and the ethics of stem cell research, were intensely discussed during the meeting.

Chinese scientists have made rapid progress in all areas of stem cell research over the past few years and have mastered the technology for separating, purifying, freezing and rejuvenating stem cells from embryonic, foetal as well as adult sources. For example, foetal stem cell banks can now be found in a number of Chinese regions, including Beijing Municipality and Shandong and Guangdong provinces.

This symposium shows how broad spectrum approach Chinese scientists have taken with basic stem cell biology and research. They are not only doing some spectacular experiments in this area, which sporadically are reported in western press and in the US in particular. The Chinese approach is basic, broad and extensive, utilising all kinds of model systems available to gain more insights to reach the ultimate goal – safe and efficient therapies for a multitude of diseases.


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Highlights from the 'Third International Symposium of Stem Cells'
September 15-17, 2004.
by Xinshan Jia

• Norio Nakatsuji from Kyoto University, Japan, reported that mouse, monkey and human ES cell lines has been established for biomedical research in their institute, which also distribute ES cells to other institutes in Japan. So far they have established and characterised three human ES cell lines: KhES-1, KhES-2 and KhES-3.

• Shoen Kume from Kumamoto University, Japan, reported that the final goal of their project is the understanding of endodermal induction and organogenesis of the pancreas. They specifically aim at studying the developmental biology of the gut endoderm, and particularly focus on the organogenesis of pancreas and the development of functional pancreatic endocrine cells in culture. The achievements will provide a source of insulin producing cells for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

• Zhixu He from Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang, reported on their studies on in vitro generation of hematopoietic (blood) precursor cells from a mouse embryonic stem cell line to reconstruct the hematopoietic system. They found that embryonic stem cells have broad potential for differentiation to variety of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC’s). However, it is very difficult to control the stage of differentiation for ES cells in vitro. They search for a useful method for the generation of HSC’s by induction of ES cells: a three-step differentiation procedure. Mice ESC’s were induced to optimal differentiation into HSC by co-culture with BMSCF (bone marrow stromal cell feeders) plus SSCFL (supernatant of stromal cells from mice foetal liver) and the combination of SCF, VEGF, IL-3, IL-6 and EPO. The results showed that the three-step differentiation and the culture conditions described, gave good support for the differentiation of ESC into HSC’s. The HSC’s from ESC were safe without formation of any teratomas in the body, and it reconstructed the haematopoiesis.

• Shunong Li from Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, reported the effects of stromal cell conditioned medium (SC-cm) from mouse yolk sac, fetal liver and bone marrow on the hematopoietic differentiation of mouse ES cells.

• Hongmei Peng from Peking University Stem Cell Research Center, Beijing, reported the derivation and mass culture of human embryonic stem cells and induction hES cells into o₄⁺ cells (which is a marker for undifferentiated human ES cells). From initially 64 donated mature oocytes and 12 spare 3-day-old embryos, they cultured 50 of them. Thirty of these grew to the blastocyst stage, and from these they could isolate 15 ICM (inner cell mass) to grow ES cells from. Four of these gave vigorously growing cell lines: B4, B7, PKU1 and PKU2. All of these had a variety of characteristics of human ES cells and could be grown for extended times. Two lines have normal 46 XY karyotype, while the other two lines have normal 46 XX karyotype.

• Xining Pang from China Medical University in Shenyang reported that mesenchymal stem cells could be induced to differentiate into neural cells in vitro, by the antioxidant beta-mercaptoethanol. Other antioxidants, like glutathione, ascorbic acid or vitamin E, did not have this effect.

Shenyang, Monday, October 04, 2004.

L.
Ed.
CellNEWS
04-10-05

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