Stem Cell Awareness Day 2015

A Note From the Editor-in-Chief, Jan A. Nolta:

The manuscripts selected for this special issue represent highly cited, cutting-edge stem cell science and solutions to problems currently faced in the field of translating stem cell therapies into clinical products. Induced pluripotent stem cells have unlimited potential and the nature of induction needs to be better understood to ensure safe and stable products. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown a strong safety profile in numerous clinical trials, and efficacy has been demonstrated in some trials, but not others. It is thus critical to understand the best methods for expanding mesenchymal stem cells in culture, for conditioning them prior to transplantation, and for understanding more about the biology of expanded cells, in order to make the most effective products.

STEM CELLS, brought to you by Alphamed Press and Wiley, is proud to be a leader in advancing the field of stem cell biology through fostering an improved understanding of the mechanisms that drive stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Through a better understanding of Stem Cell Biology, we assist in promoting translation into the clinic.

We hope that you enjoy this very informative virtual issue, and we wish you a Happy Stem Cell Awareness Day 2015!

An Efficient Nonviral Method to Generate Integration-Free Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Cord Blood and Peripheral Blood Cells Okita, Tatsuya Yamakawa, Yasuko Matsumura, Yoshiko Sato, Naoki Amano, Akira Watanabe, Naoki Goshima and Shinya Yamanaka

Concise Review: The Surface Markers and Identity of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Feng-Juan Lv, Rocky S. Tuan, Kenneth M.C. Cheung and Victor Y.L. Leung

Concise Review: Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Change Phenotype Following In Vitro Culture: Implications for Basic Research and the Clinic Jennifer J. Bara, R. Geoff Richards, Mauro Alini and Martin J. Stoddart

Establishing Criteria for Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Potency Rebekah M. Samsonraj, Bina Rai, Padmapriya Sathiyanathan, Kia Joo Puan, Olaf Rötzschke, James H. Hui, Michael Raghunath, Lawrence W. Stanton, Victor Nurcombe and Simon M. Cool

A Regulatory Network Involving β-Catenin, e-Cadherin, PI3k/Akt, and Slug Balances Self-Renewal and Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells In Response to Wnt Signaling Tyng-Shyan Huang, Li Li, Lilian Moalim-Nour, Deyong Jia, Jian Bai, Zemin Yao, Steffany A. L. Bennett, Daniel Figeys and Lisheng Wang

Intra-Articular Injection of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trial Chris Hyunchul Jo, Young Gil Lee, Won Hyoung Shin, Hyang Kim, Jee Won Chai, Eui Cheol Jeong, Ji Eun Kim, Hackjoon Shim, Ji Sun Shin, Il Seob Shin, Jeong Chan Ra, Sohee Oh and Kang Sup Yoon

Concise Review: Stem Cell Therapies for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Recent Advances and Prospects for the Future J. Simon Lunn, Stacey A. Sakowski and Eva L. Feldman

Concise Review: Bridging the Gap: Bone Regeneration Using Skeletal Stem Cell-Based Strategies—Where Are We Now? Jonathan I. Dawson, Janos Kanczler, Rahul Tare, Moustapha Kassem and Richard O.C. Oreffo

Concise Review: Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Acute Liver Failure and Cirrhosis Vladislav Volarevic, Jasmin Nurkovic, Nebojsa Arsenijevic and Miodrag Stojkovic