This week's news includes a possible stem cell fix for liver damage, the discovery of lung stem cells, a link between acetaminophen and blood cancer, a survey showing that gay men may be at higher risk of getting cancer, and a new laser that mimics the structure of brightly colored bird feathers.Stem cells may mend liver damageResearchers have found a way to reprogram cells from mouse tails to behave like mature liver cells, which appear to be able to repair damaged livers, according to a linkurl:study published this week in Nature.;http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature10116.html The paper is proof of the concept that reprogrammed cells can skip the pluripotency stage and still hold therapeutic value. Cell biologist Lijian Hui of the Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences in China and his colleagues expressed three proteins, and suppressed one, to reprogram fibroblasts from mouse tails into liver-like cells, which they then transplanted into...
NatureLung stem cells -- for real?
Image: Wikimedia commons, Patrick J. Lynch
New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)The Boston GlobeThe GlobeNEJMTylenol tied to blood cancer
Image: Wikimedia commons, Katy Warner
Journal of Clinical OncologyReutersGays have higher cancer risk? CancerFierceBiotechLasers of a feather light better
Image: Flickr, papegaai
Physical Review LettersWired



Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member?