Module II: The Biological Basis of Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

Upon completion of the module, the participant will:

• Understand the biological basis of stem cells in regenerative medicine
  • Epithelial to Mesenchymal transition (EMT)
  • Cellular mechanisms of the EMT
  • Changes in cell to cell adhesion
  • Cell to extracellular matrix adhesion
  • Stimulation of cell motility
  • Molecular control of the EMT
  • Signaling molecules
    • TGF-β pathway
    • Wnt pathway
    • Signaling by RTK ligands
    • Notch pathway
  • ECM signaling
  • The EMT transcriptional program
  • Cell-ECM interactions during regeneration e.g. wound healing
    • Adhesion and migration
    • Proliferation
    • Differentiation
    • Apoptosis
  • Molecular basis of pluripotency in principles of regenerative medicine
• Understand the mechanisms of tissue regeneration and type of cells involved
  • Compensatory hyperplasia
    • Hepatocytes
    • Beta cells
  • Activation of adult stem cells
    • Epithelial stem cells
    • Digestive tract
    • Respiratory tract
    • Interfollicular epidermis
    • Hair follicle
    • Neural
    • Kidney
  • Endothelial stem cells
    • Bone marrow
    • Capillaries and venules
    • Epicardium
  • Hematopoietic stem cells
    • Bone marrow
  • Mesenchymal stem cells
    • Bone marrow
    • Periosteum
    • Endosteum
    • Dental pulp
    • Adipose tissue
    • Connective tissue
  • Muscle stem cells
    • Skeletal muscle
    • Myocardium
• Understand the chemical/physical induction of repair and regeneration
  • Topical agents for flair repair
  • Regeneration templates
  • Soluble factors
  • Natural regeneration promoting and inhibitory molecules
  • Small molecules
• Understand how cells change their phenotype
  • Stem cells
  • Plasticity- transdifferentiation and transdetermination
  • Cell fusion
  • Cell phenotype
  • Control of gene activity
  • Extrinsic control
• Understand basic principles of somatic cloning and epigenetic reprogramming
  • Short history of cloning
  • Technical aspects of somatic nuclear transfer
  • Success rates of somatic cloning
  • Basic epigenetic mechanisms
  • Application of somatic nuclear transfer