The biology of stem cells and applications in regenerative medicine (BSCRM), 5 ECTS, total teaching hours 32 + 4 for literature theme presentations by MSc students
Aims: Deeper understanding of principles of current biology through the study of stem cells and understanding of one of the most modern therapeutic approaches in the field of health biotechnology.
Sections:
[1] Types and properties of stem cells.
[2] Laboratory use and applications of stem cells. 2Α: Directed stem cell differentiation in vitro 2Β: Applications in regenerative medicine.
Themes taught and (approximate) duration:
a) Types and properties of stem cells
Fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development / totipotency (4h), Post-implantation development-organogenesis (4h), Blastocyst cells/pluripotency (2h), Isolation and culture of embryonic stem cells, Assays for pluripotency (2h), Primordial stem cells, Self-renewal/cell cycle, Methods for maintaining self-renewal/pluripotency in vitro, The gene regulation network, the epigenetic landscape, and the signaling pathways of embryonic stem cells (3h), The shift from pluripotency to multipotency, Somatic cell reprogramming / induced pluripotent stem cells (3h), «Plasticity» / transdifferentiation (2h), Adult stem cells / Niche (2h).
b) Laboratory use and applications of stem cells
Directed stem cell differentiation in vitro: Differentiation of embryonic stem cells to various directions/transient states (2h), Differentiation of adult stem cells / precursors (2h), Signaling pathways and tissue-specific differentiation, In vitro differentiation and malignant transformation (2h).
Applications in regenerative medicine: Inherent self-renewal capacity of tissues, Production of tissues ex vivo, organoids (2h), Scaffolds / tissue mechanics (2h), Autologous transplants, Cell replacement therapy, Cell therapy of malignancies (2h).