In this post, we highlight recent advancements in stem cells as treatment and study of autism to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day (2 April 2019).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability that impairs the ability to communicate and relate to others. Affecting 1% of the world population, it is the most commonly diagnosed childhood developmental disorder. In 2018, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that rates of autism had increased to an estimated 1 in 59 children, up from 1 in 88 just six years ago.

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The return on R&D investments in the UK is at its lowest rate in nine years, despite Britain’s global presence in science, technology and health. Pharmaceutical attrition rates continue to rise, and the UK biotech landscape remains fragmented. Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) aims to connect the UK R&D community more effectively by putting the patient at the heart of the drug discovery process. As part of our collaboration with the MDC, REPROCELL have pledged to provide custom drug discovery assays using live human tissues.

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Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) derived  neural models to study brain disease provide an unlimited resource for disease modelling as well as being a tool for drug screening for effective therapies. The limited access to viable patient neurons from brain tissue itself generates the need for functional and reproducible human neuron cell models. Such cells are now increasingly used for drug development studies as well as supporting research into mechanisms and pathways of various neurological diseases.

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Barrier assays are an important tool for in vitro drug development and drug safety testing, e.g. assessing the absorption of a drug candidate through the intestinal wall or the corrosion of chemical compounds on skin.

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In translational medicine, research using primary patient samples is advantageous over cell lines as the expression of the protein under investigation is regulated by native elements in primary samples.

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A new method for distinguishing between IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) could be on the horizon following a publication by researchers from teams in the Netherlands and the US, who profiled the gut microbiome in stool samples from those with IBD, IBS and healthy controls.

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Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-based models are an ideal resource for studying disease mechanisms in vitro at the cellular level^[1], screening potential new therapeutics^[2], and investigating the propensity and mechanism for the development of toxic side effects caused by drug treatment^[3]. Such iPSC-based models enable studies to be performed under defined experimental conditions and in a reproducible manner.

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The REPROCELL group has signed a non-exclusive distributorship agreement with RUITAI Biotechnology (Shanghai) Ltd to distribute REPROCELL’s products in China.

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In this issue, we are casting the REPROCELL Tissue Spotlight on the SKIN.

In humans, the largest organ in the body is the skin layer, accounting for up to 15% of the total body weight and a surface area of up to 2m². It is composed of several layers — the epidermis, dermis and the sub-cutaneous layer, the hypodermis — each crucial to the many functions of the skin ranging from a protective barrier for internal tissues and organs, through regulation of body temperature and nutrient absorption, to the generation of vitamin D.

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In this issue, we are casting the REPROCELL Tissue Spotlight on the INTESTINES.

The intestines (large and small) are vital organs in the gastrointestinal tract of our digestive system. Comprising a winding muscular tube extending from the stomach to the anus the main purpose is to digest food and absorb nutrients. The intestines also have a key role to play in the processes of cellular messaging, fighting infection and in regulating the body’s water balance.

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