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Cell biology images - a monthly blog by Erin Campbell

Wrap your brain around precursor cells

Fri, 10/02/2012 - 8:16pm — Erin Campbell
Wrap your brain around precursor cells

A fully differentiated cell took a fascinating journey to become its present self.  For every cell, a precursor cell existed that gave rise to it.  And for every precursor cell, a stem cell existed that gave rise to it.  In fact, many have discussed the fuzzy gray area in the distinction between “stem cell” and “precursor,” as they can share many characteristics.  Understanding how precursor cells arise and divide is important in understanding stem cell biology.  Today’s image is from a recent paper in Development that discusses how neuron precurs

Shaggy hairs and stem cells

Tue, 10/01/2012 - 8:34pm — Erin Campbell
Shaggy hairs and stem cells

Stem cells are not just for embryos!  Stem cells are essential in many organs and tissues throughout our adult bodies.  For example, our intestinal tissue constantly replenishes itself in a fascinating assembly line that begins with stem cells.  Today’s image is from a paper that discusses the signaling in an intestinal stem cell. 

Repulsive signals: bad breath, rude manners, and ephrin ligands

Wed, 07/12/2011 - 7:56pm — Erin Campbell
Repulsive signals: bad breath, rude manners, and ephrin ligands

Satellite cells are muscle stem cells that regenerate injured muscle (remember this earlier post?).  It seems difficult enough to repair nearby muscle, but these amazing cells may be able to travel in order to repair injured muscle far away.  This month’s image is from a paper describing signaling that can guide satellite cell migration.

Hair follicle stem cells -- the hairy truth

Thu, 10/11/2011 - 2:42am — Erin Campbell
Hair follicle stem cells -- the hairy truth

Our hair is pretty amazing—it protects and warms us, senses touch, and provides us with countless ways to show our style (or lack of).  Next time you look at your hair in the mirror, consider thanking it for the nifty ability of hair follicle stem cells to help injured skin heal.

Aging stem cells

Wed, 12/10/2011 - 1:05pm — Erin Campbell
Aging stem cells

There are so many factors for a stem cell to consider when deciding to remain a stem cell or develop into a specific cell type.  One factor, age, has not been explored thoroughly—thankfully, a recent paper from the journal Development discusses how the age of a stem cell affects its future.

Satellite cells muscle their way into the stem cell spotlight

Thu, 08/09/2011 - 1:47pm — Erin Campbell
Satellite cells muscle their way into the stem cell spotlight

Researchers have long known about the amazing ability of muscles to repair themselves after injury.  For almost as long, researchers have debated about how this regeneration occurs.  A group of papers in a recent issue of the journal Development shine a spotlight on a small population of cells sandwiched within the muscle, and find that these cells are muscle stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells – keeping a clean slate

Mon, 15/08/2011 - 8:16pm — Erin Campbell
Embryonic stem cells – keeping a clean slate

Do your ears perk up when you hear about embryonic stem cells?  If not, they should!  Although embryonic stem cells are steeped in controversy, their importance and medical potential are indisputable.  A group of biologists recently showed a role for a protein called Banf1 in maintaining embryonic stem cells.

Self-renewal of sperm stem cells

Thu, 14/07/2011 - 11:23am — Erin Campbell
Self-renewal of sperm stem cells

The beauty of stem cells is not only in their ability to become other cell types, but also in their ability for self-renewal.  A recent paper in the Journal of Cell Science describes the role of a major signaling network in sperm stem cell self-renewal.

Visualizing stem cells at home

Mon, 13/06/2011 - 7:34pm — Erin Campbell
Visualizing stem cells at home

Taking single images of cells is always informative to biologists.  Even more revealing, however, are movies of cells in their living context.  A recent paper in Development describes a technique allowing the imaging of a fruit fly ovary, and opens the door for further studies of stem cell biology.

Healing an injured heart

Thu, 05/05/2011 - 6:57pm — Erin Campbell
Healing an injured heart

Regenerative medicine and stem cell research go hand-in-hand when it comes to dreaming up future cures for human diseases.  Stem cells hold the key to allow different types of damaged or diseased tissues to regenerate, and understanding the details of this regeneration process is very important.  Today’s image is from a recent Development paper discussing how damaged heart tissue regenerates in zebrafish, and serves as a great model for devising strategies to help human heart attack patients.

Establishing a niche

Tue, 12/04/2011 - 8:17pm — Erin Campbell
Establishing a niche

The fruit fly Drosophila is a model organism frequently used in cell and developmental biology in order to understand the biology of other organisms, such as humans.  A recent paper describes important findings in fruit fly stem cells that give the stem cell research community a great boost.  

The amazing neural crest

Wed, 09/03/2011 - 8:18pm — Erin Campbell
The amazing neural crest

During development, the brain and spinal cord are formed from a structure called the neural tube.  Neural tube formation is aided by a population of cells called the neural crest.  After neural tube formation, these neural crest cells migrate elsewhere in the embryo and give rise to a wide variety of cell types, including neurons, skin pigment cells, smooth muscle, and facial cartilage.  Within the neural crest are stem cells that are self-renewing and multipotent, meaning that when they divide they remain stem cells and have the potential to give rise to many cell types.