Multilineage differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells, discovered in the spring of 2010 at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, were quickly recognized by scientists as a possible source of pluripotent cells naturally present within mesenchymal tissues. Muse cells normally exist in a quiescent state, singularly activated by severe cellular stress in vitro and in vivo. Muse cells have the capacity for self-renewal while maintaining pluripotent cell characteristics indicated by the expression of pluripotent stem cell markers. Muse cells differentiate into cells representative of all three germ cell layers both spontaneously and under media-specific induction. In contrast to embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells, Muse cells exhibit low telomerase activity, a normal karyotype, and do not undergo tumorigenesis once implanted in SCID mice. Muse cells efficiently home into damaged tissues and differentiate into specific cells leading to tissue regeneration and functional recovery as described in different animal disease models (i.e., fulminant hepatitis, muscle degeneration, skin ulcers, liver cirrhosis, cerebral stroke, vitiligo, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis). Circulating Muse cells have been detected in peripheral blood, with higher levels present in stroke patients during the acute phase. Furthermore, Muse cells have inherent immunomodulatory properties, which could contribute to tissue generation and functional repair in vivo. Genetic studies in Muse cells indicate a highly conserved cellular mechanism as seen in more primitive organisms (yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans, chlamydomonas, Torpedo californica, drosophila, etc.) in response to cellular stress and acute injury. This review details the molecular and cellular properties of Muse cells as well as their capacity for tissue repair and functional recovery, highlighting their potential for clinical application in regenerative medicine.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13287-017-0674-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective: To examine whether abnormal subcutaneous (SC) abdominal adipose stem cell (ASC) development to adipocytes in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) correlates with hyperandrogenism. Design: Prospective cohort study Setting: Academic medical center Patients: Eight normal-weight PCOS women and eight age-and body mass index-matched normoandrogenic ovulatory (control) women. Intervention(s): All women underwent circulating hormone and metabolic measurements, intravenous glucose tolerance testing, total body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and SC abdominal fat biopsy. Main Outcome Measure(s): In vitro ASC commitment to preadipocytes (ZFP423 protein expression, day 0.5), preadipocyte differentiation to adipocytes (PPARγ gene expression, day 3) and adipocyte lipid content (Oil-Red-O fluorescence, day 12) were compared between PCOS and control women and correlated with clinical outcomes. Results: SC abdominal ASCs from PCOS compared to control women showed exaggerated commitment to preadipocytes and had greater lipid content in newly-formed adipocytes following in vitro maturation. In all women combined, ZFP423 protein expression negatively correlated with fasting plasma glucose levels, while lipid content of newly-formed adipocytes positively correlated with both PPARγ gene expression and serum free testosterone (T) levels. Conclusion: In normal-weight PCOS vs control women, exaggerated SC abdominal ASC commitment to preadipocytes and enhanced adipocyte lipid content during maturation in vitro negatively and positively correlate with circulating fasting glucose and androgen levels, respectively, as a possible mechanism to maintain glucose-insulin homeostasis when fat accretion is accelerated.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes occur frequently in women with sickle cell disease (SCD) across the globe. In the United States, Black women experience disproportionately worse maternal health outcomes than all other racial groups. To better understand how social determinants of health impact SCD maternal morbidity, we used California's Department of Health Care Access and Information data (1991–2019) to estimate the cumulative incidence of pregnancy outcomes in Black women with and without SCD—adjusted for age, insurance status, and Distressed Community Index (DCI) scores. Black pregnant women with SCD were more likely to deliver at a younger age, use government insurance, and live in at‐risk or distressed neighborhoods, compared to those without SCD. They also experienced higher stillbirths (26.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.5–36.1 vs. 12.4 [CI: 12.1–12.7], per 1000 births) and inpatient maternal mortality (344.5 [CI: 337.6–682.2] vs. 6.1 [CI: 2.3–8.4], per 100 000 live births). Multivariate logistic regression models showed Black pregnant women with SCD had significantly higher odds ratios (OR) for sepsis (OR 14.89, CI: 10.81, 20.52), venous thromboembolism (OR 13.60, CI: 9.16, 20.20), and postpartum hemorrhage (OR 2.25, CI 1.79–2.82), with peak onset in the second trimester, third trimester, and six weeks postpartum, respectively. Despite adjusting for sociodemographic factors, Black women with SCD still experienced significantly worse pregnancy outcomes than those without SCD. We need additional studies to determine if early introduction to reproductive health education, continuation of SCD‐modifying therapies during pregnancy, and increasing access to multidisciplinary perinatal care can reduce morbidity in pregnant women with SCD.

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First-in man, phase 1 study of CSL362 (anti-IL3Rα/anti-CD123 monoclonal antibody) in patients with CD123+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in CR at high risk for early relapse.