The stem cell universe is populated by sometimes mysterious acronyms (see an image of a whole alphabet stem cell acronym soup), many of which refer to specific kinds of stem cells including one nebulous type called MUSE cells. I’m not convinced that MUSE cells exist, but oddly there appear to be four clinical trials ongoing in Japan based on MUSE cells. So somebody believes in them. Is the clinical work using MUSE cells in Japan allowed because of the more permissive regenerative medicine regulatory …Read More
MUltilineage-differentiating Stress-Enduring cells
Stem cells come in different types that vary in a key property called “potency”. The more potency, the greater the flexibility of a stem cell to make other cell types. Flexibility in the cellular world is power. The most powerful stem cells generally used are called “pluripotent”, which refers to a special kind of stem cell that can make all 200+ other types of cells in the body through differentiation. Pluripotent stem cells are hard to come by though. One of the more controversial areas …Read More