Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (IRMBi001-A) from an Alzheimer's disease patient carrying a G217D mutation in the PSEN1 gene

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) were generated from skin fibroblasts obtained from a 50 year-old patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease and carrying a G217D causal mutation on presenilin 1 (PSEN1). iPSCs were obtained following reprogramming using the integration-free Sendai Virus system which allows expression of the Yamanaka factors. Verification of their pluripotency was achieved by demonstrating the expression of pluripotency markers and their differentiation potential into the three primary germ layers. iPS cells carry the patient G217D mutation and present a normal karyotype. The reported PS1-G217D iPSC line may be used to model and study human AD pathology in vitro

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) IRMBi002-A from an Alzheimer's disease patient carrying a D694N mutation in the APP gene

International audienceInduced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) were generated from skin fibroblasts obtained from a 58 year-old woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease and carrying a D694N mutation on Amyloid precursor protein (APP). Fibroblasts were reprogrammed into iPSC using the integration-free Sendai Virus which allows the expression of the Yamanaka factors. Verification of their pluripotency was achieved by demonstrating the expression of pluripotency markers and their differentiation potential into the three primary germ layers. The cells have the corresponding mutation and present a normal karyotype. The reported APP-D694N iPSC line may be used to model and study human AD pathology in vitro

Montane grassland resources drive gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) nesting behaviors in the Ebo forest, Littoral Region, Cameroon

peer reviewedGreat apes show strong attachment to their nesting sites, which provide them with substantial survival elements. Their nesting behaviors are influenced by geographical and ecological variables including habitat type, slope, elevation gradients, and sometimes anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed to assess environmental variables that influenced Ebo gorillas’ (Gorilla gorilla) nesting behavior in relation to nesting site selection, nest types, and nesting materials. We collected data from January 2013 to November 2017 along reconnaissance tracks (recce, hereafter) using the marked nest counting method. We recorded an encounter rate of 0.16 nesting sites per km, with an average number of four nests per gorilla group. The mean nest diameter was 90.33 ± 23.92 cm (n = 640, range 25–199 cm). Ebo gorillas preferred nesting sites at high altitude located in grassland areas with open canopy, ligneous undergrowth composition, and very closed visibility. They used more than 281 plant species as materials for nesting, with Marantaceae and Zingiberaceae species being the most common material used. Terrestrial herbaceous nests were the most common nest type (55%). During the dry season, gorillas visited more often the mature forest habitat and mostly constructed arboreal nests. Finally, reuse of nesting sites was minimal (16%), and re-visitation intervals ranged from 3 days to 33 months. Our study is the first systematic investigation of gorilla nesting behavior within the Ebo forest, constituting therefore an important starting point for the long-term conservation planning for this little-known population.Ebo Forest Research Project, Cameroo