Stem Cell Niche, 2013 Methods and Protocols Methods in Molecular Biology Series, Vol. 1035

Interest in a specialized microenvironment or ?niche? regulating hemopoietic stem cell function has been steadily growing since the idea was first proposed by Ray Schofield over three decades ago. This growing interest, as well as more recently the interest in cellular-molecular-biochemical characterization of not only the hemopoietic stem cell niche but the niches for other stem cells, incited the compilation of Stem Cell Niche: Methods and Protocols. In this volume, scientists have provided protocols that will provide both a flavor of the field and hopefully stimulate new approaches and methodologies by those interested in the stem cell niche. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, Stem Cell Niche: Methods and Protocols seeks to serve both experts and novices in the stem cell field with well-established protocols on this exciting subject.  

Immunostaining of Germline Stem Cells and the Niche in Drosophila Ovaries.- Identification of Male and Female Germline Stem Cells in Drosophila.- Visualization of Adult Stem Cells Within their Niches Using the Drosophila Germline as a Model System.- Morphometric Evaluation of the Spermatogonial Stem Cell Distribution and Niche in Vertebrates.- In vitro Construction of 2D and 3D Simulations of the Murine Hematopoietic Niche.- Isolation of Embryonic Hematopoietic Niche Cells by Flow Cytometry and Laser Capture Micro-Dissection.- Isolation and Enrichment of Stro-1 Immunoselected Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Adult Human Bone Marrow.- Primary Marrow Derived Stromal Cells: Isolation and Manipulation.- Detection In vitro and Quantitative Estimation of Artificial Microterritories Which Promote Osteogenic Differentiation and Maturation of Stromal Stem Cell.- The Prospective Isolation of Viable, High Ploidy Megakaryocytes from Adult Murine Bone Marrow by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting.- Looking for the Niche: Substance Delivery into the Lateral Ventricle of the Brain: The Osmotic Minipump System.- Unbiased Stereological Method to Assess Proliferation Throughout the Subependymal Zone.- Cardiac Stem Cell Niche, MMP9, and Culture and Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells.- Human and Murine Skeletal Muscle Reserve Cells.- Modulation of the Host Skeletal Muscle Niche for Donor Satellite Cell Grafting.- Isolation of ckit+ Human Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells from Second Trimester.- Hypoxia and Visualization of the Stem Cell Niche.- Detection and Isolation of Human Disseminated Tumor Cells in the Murine Bone Marrow Stem Cell Niche.- Identification and Separation of Normal Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Leukemia Stem Cells from Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.- Serial Orthotopic Transplantation of Epithelial Tumors in Single-Cell Suspension.- Isolation and Propagation of Colon Cancer Stem Cells.