Facilitator development for pre-registration health professions simulation: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: The growing demand for health professional education intensifies the need for learning innovations such as simulation: facilitating predictable, realistic, experiential learning that prepares students for practice. To achieve this, facilitators must provide pedagogically sound, psychologically safe simulation. High-quality simulation enhances students' self-efficacy, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning.

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell lines from two Neuroblastoma patients carrying a germline ALK R1275Q mutation.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonic tumor of the peripheral nervous system and one of the most common solid cancers in infants. Mutations in the Anaplastic lymphoma tyrosine kinase (ALK) gene are common in NB. To study the contribution of ALK mutations in NB initiation and progression, we reprogrammed fibroblasts from two related NB patients carrying germline mutations in ALK (R1275Q) using non-integrating Sendai virus.

Overactive BRCA1 Affects Presenilin 1 in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons in Alzheimer's Disease.

The BRCA1 protein, one of the major players responsible for DNA damage response has recently been linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using primary fibroblasts and neurons reprogrammed from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from familial AD (FAD) patients, we studied the role of the BRCA1 protein underlying molecular neurodegeneration. By whole-transcriptome approach, we have found wide range of disturbances in cell cycle and DNA damage response in FAD fibroblasts.

Integration Free Derivation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Laminin 521 Matrix.

Xeno-free and fully defined conditions are key parameters for robust and reproducible generation of homogenous human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells. Maintenance of hiPS cells on feeder cells or undefined matrices are susceptible to batch variances, pathogenic contamination and risk of immunogenicity. Utilizing the defined recombinant human laminin 521 (LN-521) matrix in combination with xeno-free and defined media formulations reduces variability and allows for the consistent generation of hiPS cells.

Derivation of human iPS cell lines from monozygotic twins in defined and xeno free conditions.

Human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cell lines CTRL-9-II and CTRL-10-I were derived from healthy monozygotic twin donors using non-integrating RNA based Sendai virus reprogramming and cultured in a xeno-free chemically defined condition. The established hiPS cell lines, CTRL-9-II and CTRL-10-I, are karyotypically normal, free from reprogramming vectors, display endogenously expression of pluripotency factors at levels similar to embryonic stem cells. The generated iPS cell lines demonstrate pluripotency by passing bioinformatics assay PluriTest and by embryonic body assay.

Generation of human iPS cell line CTL07-II from human fibroblasts, under defined and xeno-free conditions.

CTL07-II is a healthy feeder-free and characterized human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line. Cultured under xeno-free and defined conditions. The line is generated from healthy human fibroblasts with non-integrating Sendai virus vectors encoding the four Yamanaka factors, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and cMYC.

A Combination of Culture Conditions and Gene Expression Analysis Can Be Used to Investigate and Predict hES Cell Differentiation Potential towards Male Gonadal Cells.

Human embryonic stem cell differentiation towards various cell types belonging to ecto-, endo- and mesodermal cell lineages has been demonstrated, with high efficiency rates using standardized differentiation protocols. However, germ cell differentiation from human embryonic stem cells has been very inefficient so far. Even though the influence of various growth factors has been evaluated, the gene expression of different cell lines in relation to their differentiation potential has not yet been extensively examined.

Biogrid--a microfluidic device for large-scale enzyme-free dissociation of stem cell aggregates.

Culturing stem cells as free-floating aggregates in suspension facilitates large-scale production of cells in closed systems, for clinical use. To comply with GMP standards, the use of substances such as proteolytic enzymes should be avoided. Instead of enzymatic dissociation, the growing cell aggregates may be mechanically cut at passage, but available methods are not compatible with large-scale cell production and hence translation into the clinic becomes a severe bottle-neck.