Stem-cell biotechnology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Antigen-specific immunosuppression can be enhanced by genetically modifying mesenchymal stromal cells with chimaeric antigen receptors, as shown for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease in mice.

The development of human cellular models of aging that surpass the limitations of animal models of aging is urgent. Here, the authors explore the opportunities and limitations of cellular reprogramming to create reliable aging in vitro models and their potential for the discovery of anti-aging compounds.

Transplantation of glia-enriched organoids into the mouse brain enables the study of astrocyte subtypes.

An article in Nature Communications reports the development of cultured meat with organoleptic properties by regulating the differentiation of stem cells to produce muscle and fat blocks.

A basket-like device records the electrical activity of neural organoids over months of maturation.

A model of the embryonic human trunk attains a more mature developmental stage than previous models.

Genetic engineering to block immune destruction of transplanted cells succeeds in macaques.

Although base and prime editors can be highly efficient in human hematopoietic stem cells, we find they can cause adverse cellular responses, including reduced engraftment and the generation of DNA double-strand breaks and genotoxic byproducts, albeit at a lower frequency than Cas9. We also find that base editors increase the genome-wide mutagenic load.

Stem cell therapies are being explored for the treatment of various diseases, and stem cell-derived exosomes may provide similar clinical benefits without the biosafety concerns. However, large-scale manufacturing and analysis of the complex cargos of exosomes will need to be addressed to enable their clinical translation.