Cell and Molecular Biology and Imaging of Stem Cells -- Copyright -- Contents -- Contributors -- Preface -- Chapter 1 Cell and Molecular Biology and Imaging of Stem Cells: Stem Cells from the Amniotic Fluid and Placenta -- Introduction -- Gestational Tissue Development -- Isolation and Characterization of Peri-Natal Stem Cells -- Cell Types Derived from Gestational Tissue -- Hematopoietic Cells -- Osteocytes -- Chondrocytes -- Adipocytes -- Endothelial Cells -- Myocytes -- Neuronal Cells -- Pulmonary Cells -- Immunosuppressive Properties of Peri-Natal Stem Cells -- Cell Therapy Applications of Peri-Natal Stem Cells -- Blood and Immune System Regeneration -- Bone Regeneration -- Myocardial Infarction -- Neural Regeneration -- Lung Regeneration -- Pancreatic Cell Regeneration -- Immunomodulation -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 2 Biomaterials as Artificial Niches for Pluripotent Stem Cell Engineering -- Introduction -- Artificial Stem Cell Niche: Mimicking the Native ECM -- Native ECM as Substrates -- Mimicking the ECMs: Designing Aspects of aECM -- Biomaterials as a Three-Dimensional Microenvironment for PSC Culture -- Natural Polymers for PSC Culture -- Synthetic Polymers for Three-Dimensional PSC Culture -- Recapitulating Physical Cues for Controlling PSC Fate -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 3 Low-Intensity Ultrasound in Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering -- Introduction -- What is Ultrasound? -- Bioeffects of LIUS -- Cell Adhesion -- Cell Proliferation -- Cell Viability -- Cellular Differentiation and Tissue Engineering -- Signaling Pathways -- Therapeutic Application of LIUS -- Osteoarthritis -- Bone Fracture -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4 Mammalian Neo-Oogenesis from Ovarian Stem Cells In Vivo and In Vitro* -- Introduction -- Terminology -- Historical Overview of Oogenesis.

The "Origin of Germ Cells from the Somatic Cells" Theory -- The "Continuity of Germ Plasm" Theory -- Extragonadal Origin of Primordial Germ Cells -- Two Kinds of Germ Cells -- The Germ Cell Route -- The "Continuity of Germ Plasm" Theory Does Not Fit for the Mammals -- Summary on the Origin and Fate of Primordial Germ Cells in Mammalian Females -- Origin of Oocytes in Adult Gonads -- Definitive Oocytes May Emerge Prior To or During Sexual Maturity -- Definitive Oocytes May Originate From Primordial Germ Cells in Developing Gonads -- Meiotic Prophase Arrest -- Follicular Pool -- Clinical Evidence for Follicular Renewal During the Prime Reproductive Period -- Summary on the Origin of Oocytes in Adult Gonads -- The Dogma on the Fixed Pool of Oocytes in Higher Vertebrates -- The Immune System Role in Regulation of Ovarian Function -- The Tissue Control System Theory -- Immune System and In Vivo Regulation of Ovarian Function -- Ovarian Stem Cells Contribute to Follicular Renewal in Adult Human Ovaries -- First Evidence of Follicular Renewal from OSC in Adult Human Ovaries -- Origin of New Granulosa and Germ Cells from Bipotent OSC -- Localization of SCP3 in Adult Human and Monkey Functional Ovaries During the Ovarian Cycle -- Summary on Follicular Renewal in Adult Human Ovaries -- Human Prenatal Oogenesis -- Primordial Germ Cells -- Human Embryonic Ovaries -- Human Fetal Ovaries -- The Working Hypothesis on the Regulation of Oogenesis During Prenatal, Prime Reproductive, and Aging Ovary Periods -- Premature Failure of Ovaries with Primordial Follicles and Animal Models -- The Tissue Control System Theory and a "Stop-effect" of Monocyte-Derived Cells -- The Immune System Memory and Aging of the Body -- Former and Current Views on Ovarian Oogenesis and Follicular Renewal -- Milestones of the Oocyte Storage Theory -- Oogenesis in Adult Prosimians.

Rodent Ovaries -- Oocyte Formation by Mitotically Active Germ Cells Purified from Ovaries of Reproductive-Age Women - Repowering the Ovary -- Offspring from Oocytes Derived from Female Embryonic Stem Cells -- Summary on the Current Views -- Why Does Menopause Occur? -- A Physiological Role of OSC in Normal Ovaries -- Availability of Granulosa Cells -- Why Do OSC Not Prevent Menopause? -- Perimenopausal Disorders -- Clinical Approaches for the Treatment of Ovarian Infertility -- A Lack of Uncommitted Granulosa Cell Nests Causes a Degeneration of the Available Germ Cells -- Restoration of the OSC Niche after Chemotherapy -- Oogenesis In Vitro -- Developmental Potential of OSC In Vitro -- Cell Types Developing from Omnipotent OSC -- Culture Conditions and Techniques -- Estrogens are Essential for the Neo-Oogenesis In Vitro -- Development of Oocytes and Parthenogenetic Embryos In Vitro -- Development of Embryonic Stem Cells from Parthenotes Developed In Vitro -- Development of Oocytes from Postmenopausal and POF Ovaries -- Cultures from Ovaries Lacking OSC Fail to Produce Oocytes -- Neo-Oogenesis In Vitro Versus Conventional IVF -- Clinical Trial -- Differentiation of Oocytes from OSC In Vitro -- Potential Treatment of Ovarian Infertility -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 5 Oct4-EGFP Transgenic Pigs as a New Tool for Visualization of Pluripotent and Reprogrammed Cells -- Introduction -- Pluripotent Cells in Pigs -- Embryonic Stem Cells -- Primordial Germ Cells -- Pluripotent Cells Generated after Reprogramming -- The Oct4-EGFP (OG2) Transgene as a Tool for Monitoring Pluripotency -- Oct4-EGFP (OG2) Transgenic Pigs -- Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 6 Regulation of Adult Intestinal Stem Cells through Thyroid Hormone-Induced Tissue Interactions during Amphibian Metamorphosis -- Introduction.

Thyroid Hormone Induces Intestinal Stem Cells during Xenopus Metamorphosis -- Larval Epithelial Cells Dedifferentiate into Stem Cells under the Control of the Niche -- Thyroid-Hormone-Activated Signaling Pathways Control Stem Cells via Epithelial-Connective Tissue Interactions -- Juxtacrine Signaling -- Shh/BMP-4 Signaling Pathway -- Wnt Signaling Pathways -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgment -- References -- Chapter 7 Stem Cell Therapy for Veterinary Orthopedic Lesions -- Introduction -- A Complex Cascade -- Clinical Applications -- Questions about Sources -- Other Biologic Therapeutic Products -- Extracellular Matrix Influence -- Stem Cell Therapy for Tendinitis and Desmitis -- Stem Cell Therapy for Cartilage Defects -- Stem Cell Therapy for Bone Problems -- Stem Cell Therapy for Muscular Diseases -- Other Applications -- Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 8 Sex Steroid Combinations in Regenerative Medicine for Brain and Heart Diseases: The Vascular Stem Cell Niche and a Clinical Proposal -- Current Possibilities in Regenerative Medicine -- Vascular Pericytes and Morphostasis: Pluripotency of Stem Cells -- The Role of Sex Steroids in the Neural Stem Cell Niche -- Cellular Reprogramming: A Small Molecule Perspective for a Chemical Approach -- Sex Steroid Combinations Cause Nuclear Reprogramming of Ovarian Stem Cells into Neural- and Neuronal-Type Cells In Vitro -- Vascular SMCs Show In Vitro Nuclear Reprogramming into Neural- and Neuronal-Type Cells and Vascular Smooth Muscle Stem Cells -- Estradiol-17β in Vascular SMC Cultures after Testosterone, Progesterone, and Testosterone+Progesterone Treatment -- Combination of Progesterone and Testosterone Might be Sufficient for Brain Regenerative Treatment -- Vascular SMC Cells -- Cellular Therapy Without Cells -- The Potential of Sex Steroid Combinations for Systemic Regenerative Treatment Trials.

The Pros and Cons of Regenerative Medicine -- Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 9 Hair Follicle Stem Cells -- Introduction -- Hair Follicle Development and Structure -- Hair Follicles in Homeostasis: the Hair Cycle -- Heterogeneity Within the HFSC Population -- The Hair Follicle Stem Cell Niche -- Components of the HFSC Niche -- Melanocyte Stem Cells -- K6+ Layer -- Dermal Papilla -- Nerve Terminals -- Adipose Tissue -- Imaging Hair Follicle Stem Cells in their Niche -- The Potential of Skin Stem Cells for Therapeutic Use -- References -- Chapter 10 The Potential of Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Skin Diseases‡ -- Introduction -- A New Era in Regenerative Medicine: iPSC Technology -- A Brief Overview of Stem Cells and Their Function in the Skin -- Generation of Melanocytes and Keratinocytes from iPSCs -- Melanocyte Generation -- Keratinocyte Generation -- Use of iPSCs for the Investigation of Skin Cancers and Melanomas -- The Potential of iPSCs Technologies in Dermatology -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 11 Mitochondrial Differentiation in Early Embryo Cells and Pluripotent Stem Cells -- Introduction -- Changes in Mitochondrial Morphology and Dynamics During Differentiation in Developing Embryos and Stem Cells -- Biochemical and Metabolic Changes During Mitochondrial Differentiation -- Experimental Manipulations and Therapeutic Implications -- Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 12 The Role of Centrosomes in Cancer Stem Cell Functions -- Introduction -- Cancer Stem Cells and their Microenvironments -- Centrosome Regulation, Dynamics, and Amplification in Cancer Cells with Implications for CSCs -- Centrosomes in Multipolarity and Aneuploid Cell Divisions -- The Role of Primary Cilia Signaling in Centrosome Functions and Dysfunctions -- Conclusions -- References -- Index.