ＭＲＳ-J News Vol.16 No.1  Feb. 2004

To the Overseas Members of MRS-J

■New Material Research and Nanotechnology　・・・・・・・・　p. 1
Tokio YAMABE, President, Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science, Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University

   In modern science and technology, the shape of typical materials such as silicone semiconductor has not been noticed until recently, even the size is in the order of micron or submicron. However, the latest developments of nanotechnology are disclosing the characteristic dependences of the size and the shape on various physical and chemical properties of nanosize materials；for instance, the size dependency for the disappearance of the superconducting state of nanosize superconductor, or the quite different electronic properties depending on the parallel or perpendicular to the axis of carbon nanotube. When the size of materials changes from meso to nanometer, one would encounter the unexpected discovery of the novel materials or the extraordinary properties of the materials.

■Human Placenta Feeder Layers Support Undifferentiated Growth of Primate Embryonic Stem Cells　・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・p. 2
Prof. Dr. Kanji MIYAMOTO, Department of Systems Engineering Science, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology

   Undifferentiated various embryonic stem (ES) cells can grow on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeders. However, for clinical utilization of human ES cells, the risk of zoonosis from animal feeders to human ES cells should be excluded. Here, we have found that human placenta is a useful source of feeder cells for the undifferentiated growth of primate ES cells. As on MEF feeders, primate ES cells cultured on human amniotic epithelial (HAE) feeder cells and human chorionic plate cells (HCP) had undifferentiated growth. The cultured primate ES cells expressed Oct-4, alkaline phosphatase and SSEA-4. The primate ES cells on HAE feeder cells produced immature teratomas in vivo after injection into SCID mice. Human placenta is quite novel and important because it would provide a relatively available source of feeders for the growth of human ES cells for therapeutic purposes that are also free of ethical complications.

■Report of the IUMRS 2003 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 　p. 4
Prof. Atsushi SUZUKI (Yokohama National University)

   The Materials Research Society of Japan (MRS-J) organized the 8th IUMRS-ICAM (International Conference on Advanced Materials). The conference was held at Pacifico Yokohama, Conference Center, Yokohama, October 8-13. About 2,100 scientists from 34 countries, including 400 researchers and graduate students from abroad were attended. More than 30 vendors displayed equipment and products at the accompanying exhibition. Night cruising of the conference banquet was held at the Yokohama Bay on Saturday night. The main topics of the conference were "Nanotechnology and Nanoscale Materials Processing", "Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices", "Advanced Materials for Environment and Society" and "Fabrication and Processing of Advanced Materials with Novel Performance". The conference consisted of 2 Forums and 39 symposia on advanced materials perspectives and future research directions. The respective research highlights of the symposia and forums are presented here. The 2003 Somiya Award for International Collaboration in Materials Research was awarded to a Dutch/Chinese research team, Dr. Klaas de Groot of IsoTis NV and Professor FuZhai Cui of Tsinghua University, for their investigation of "Biomimetic Calcium Phosphate Composites".