Regulating virtually all biological processes, the genome's 2,654 newly discovered variants of mature microRNAs – short ribonucleic acid molecules found in eukaryotic cells – hold a key role in the body's toolkit of regenerative and reparative capacities. Identifying how to activate and deliver these specialist molecules may aid in the repair and regeneration of major tissue and organ damage in future therapies. In MicroRNA and Regenerative Medicine, Second Edition, over 50 leading experts address foundational and emerging topics in the field. Concisely summarizing and evaluating key findings from new research and their translational application, contributors examine current and future significance of clinical research in the miRNA area. Coverage encompasses all major aspects of fundamental stem cell and developmental biology, including the uses of miRNA in cell and tissue plasticity, developmental biology, tissue repair, and regeneration. In particular, contributors provide focused coverage of methodologies for regenerative intervention and tissue engineering. Topics new to this edition include proteomic changes during tissue repair and regeneration, horizontal transfer of miRNAs in tissue regeneration, tissue stemness, peripheral nerve regeneration, miRNA as biomarkers, microRNA in pregnancy and embryo development, exogenous and diet derived microRNA in tissue development, ocular microRNA, mitochondrial microRNA, sensory hair cell death and regeneration, and microRNA in senescence. - Features chapter contributions from international leaders in the field, covering the spectrum from bench to bedside - Includes short, applied chapters offering focused discussion and practical examples - Incorporates multi-color text layout with more than 150 color figures to illustrate important findings

Nearly 97% of the human genome is the non-coding DNA, which varies from one species to another, and changes in these sequences are frequently noticed to manifest clinical and circumstantial malfunction. Numerous non-protein-coding genes are recently found to encode microRNAs, which are responsible for RNA-mediated gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi)-like pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small single-stranded 17–25 nucleotide RNAs capable of interfering with intracellular messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that contain either complete or partial complementarity, are useful for the design of new therapies against cancer polymorphism and viral mutation. Currently over 1000 native miRNA species found in vertebrates and many more new miRNA homologs continue to be identified; however, most of their functions remain to be determined. In this book, many new perspectives of the miRNA research are reviewed and discussed, including their roles in stem cell maintenance, embryonic development, tissue differentiation, adult physiology, disease pathology, cancer research, viral infection, genetic engineering in plants, and utility in cosmetic applications. These new findings may not only provide significant insight into the various mechanisms of miRNAs but also offer a great opportunity in developing new therapeutic interventions.

Defined as, “The science about the development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage,” embryology has been a mainstay at universities throughout the world for many years. Throughout the last century, embryology became overshadowed by experimental-based genetics and cell biology, transforming the field into developmental biology, which replaced embryology in Biology departments in many universities. Major contributions in this young century in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry and genomics were integrated with both embryology and developmental biology to provide an understanding of the molecular portrait of a “development cell.” That new integrated approach is known as stem-cell biology; it is an understanding of the embryology and development together at the molecular level using engineering, imaging and cell culture principles, and it is at the heart of this seminal book. Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine: From Molecular Embryology to Tissue Engineering is completely devoted to the basic developmental, cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells as well as their clinical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It focuses on the basic biology of embryonic and cancer cells plus their key involvement in self-renewal, muscle repair, epigenetic processes, and therapeutic applications. In addition, it covers other key relevant topics such as nuclear reprogramming induced pluripotency and stem cell culture techniques using novel biomaterials. A thorough introduction to stem-cell biology, this reference is aimed at graduate students, post-docs, and professors as well as executives and scientists in biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Stem cell and regenerative medicine research is an important area of clinical research which promises to change the face of medicine as it will be practiced in the years to come. Challenges in the 21st century to combat diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and retinal disorders, among others, may well be addressed employing stem cell therapies and tissue regeneration techniques. Frontiers in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research is essential reading for researchers seeking updates in stem cell therapeutics and regenerative medicine. This volume includes current literature on a variety of topics: -the utility of exogenous and endogenous neural stem cells in spinal cord injury -somatic cells for human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) -reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated cellular signaling for stem cell differentiation -the therapeutic potential of microRNAs in cardiac diseases -stem cell therapy for the treatment of malaria

Tissue Engineering may offer new treatment alternatives for organ replacement or repair deteriorated organs. Among the clinical applications of Tissue Engineering are the production of artificial skin for burn patients, tissue engineered trachea, cartilage for knee-replacement procedures, urinary bladder replacement, urethra substitutes and cellular therapies for the treatment of urinary incontinence. The Tissue Engineering approach has major advantages over traditional organ transplantation and circumvents the problem of organ shortage. Tissues reconstructed from readily available biopsy material induce only minimal or no immunogenicity when reimplanted in the patient. This book is aimed at anyone interested in the application of Tissue Engineering in different organ systems. It offers insights into a wide variety of strategies applying the principles of Tissue Engineering to tissue and organ regeneration.

Stromal cells are connective tissue cells of any organ, and they support the function of the parenchymal cells of that particular organ. Stromal/stromal stem cells are fundamentally a heterogeneous population of cells with contradictory differentiation potential depending upon their environmental niche. Stromal cell biology is not only intriguing, but equally stromal cell ontogeny in vivo remains challenging. In recent years there has been substantial advances in our understanding of stromal cell biology, especially stromal cell isolation, characterization, differentiation, and interactions in physiological (epithelial-stromal interactions) as well as pathophysiological (stromal-cancer interactions) contexts. In addition, stromal cells are also utilized more and more as a therapeutic tool not only in the field of gene therapy but also in the translational field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Therefore, the goal of this book is to consolidate the recent advances in the area of stromal/stromal stem cell biology covering a broad range of interrelated topics in a timely fashion and to disseminate that knowledge in a lucid way to a greater scientific audience. This book will prove highly useful for students, researchers, and clinicians in stem cell biology, developmental biology, cancer biology, pathology, oncology, as well as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This quick reference will benefit anyone desiring a thorough overview of stromal cell structure, function, and its therapeutic implications.

This cutting-edge text will be a valuable resource for scientists and aspiring graduate students interested in the intersection of RNAi, miRNA, and stem cell molecular biology and exciting areas of research such as regenerative medicine and cancer.