 

2007 

 

Information for Authors 

 

STEM CELLS®, a peer-reviewed journal published monthly, provides a forum for prompt publication of original 
investigative papers and concise reviews. STEM CELLS is read and written by clinical and basic scientists whose expertise 
encompasses the rapidly expanding fields of stem and progenitor cell biology. 

EDITORIAL POLICY 

 

STEM CELLS welcomes original articles and concise reviews describing basic laboratory investigations of stem cells and 
the translation of their clinical aspects of characterization and manipulation from the bench to patient care. The Journal 
covers all aspects of stem cells: 

.. Embryonic Stem Cells 


.. Tissue-Specific Stem Cells 


.. Cancer Stem Cells 


.. The Stem Cell Niche 


.. Stem Cell Genetics and Genomics 


.. Translational and Clinical Research 


.. Technology Development 




 

 

STEM CELLS abides by a policy of anonymous peer review. Acceptance of manuscripts is based on originality and 
importance to the field as assessed by the Editors. Manuscripts are reviewed anonymously by the Editorial Board with ad 
hoc assistance of external reviewers. Publication decisions are made by the Editorial Board. See the “Uniform 
Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals,” published by the International Committee of Medical 
Journal Editors (ICMJE) and available at http://www.icmje.org/index.html, for further information. 

 

 

Peer-accepted manuscripts will be published ahead of print in STEM CELLS Express™, generally within 2 weeks of 
acceptance. Subsequently, articles are published in a regular print and online edition, generally within 12 weeks of 
acceptance. In most cases, authors will be notified within 3 weeks of revision submission. 

 

Submission of a manuscript to STEM CELLS is predicated on the explicit understanding that it represents original work 
not previously published (with the exception of abstracts) and not being considered elsewhere for publication. Further, it 
is understood that all authors listed on a manuscript have agreed to its submission. Authors submitting a manuscript do so 
with the understanding that if it is accepted for publication, copyright, including the right to reproduce the article in all 
forms and media, shall be assigned exclusively to the publisher, AlphaMed Press. It is the author’s responsibility to 
obtain written permission to reproduce illustrations, tables, etc., from other publications (see Permission, below). 

 

REQUIRED FORMS FOR AUTHORS 

 

Potential Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form 

All authors are required by STEM CELLS to reveal any financial commitment or obligation with a company or its 
competitor who manufactures products that are discussed within the manuscript or with a company making a competing 
product. Additional relationships that might be considered a competing interest, such as holding equity or paid 
consultancy, must be stated in the manuscript cover letter. All information concerning potential conflicts of interest will 


be kept confidential until provisional acceptance (and on file thereafter). The authors are obligated to sign a Potential 
Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form. The Editorial Office will work with the Corresponding Author to formulate a dis-
closure statement for publication, should the manuscript be accepted. Prior to online submission, the signed Potential 
Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (available online at http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/misc/ifora.shtml) must be 
faxed to the Editorial Office at 919-680-4411. 

Copyright Transfer and Agreement 

The Corresponding Author is required to sign and submit a Copyright Transfer and Agreement form on behalf of all 
authors, with the exception of U.S. government employees whose official duties are financed with federal money. If a 
manuscript is accepted, the copyright in the article, including the right to reproduce the article in all forms and media, 
shall be assigned exclusively to AlphaMed Press. 

In signing the Copyright Transfer and Agreement, the Corresponding Author asserts the following, included on the form: 

 

.. I confirm all authors are in complete agreement with the contents of this manuscript. 


.. I confirm all authors are prepared to abide by the policies of this journal. 


.. I confirm this manuscript is currently not being submitted elsewhere. 




 

The Copyright Transfer and Agreement form is available online at http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/misc/ifora.shtml 
and must be faxed to the Editorial Office at 919-680-4411. 

 

 

AUTHOR RIGHTS AND OPEN ACCESS 

 

Author rights 

As an author, you are granted rights for a large number of author uses, including use by your employer (institution or 
company). These rights are granted and permitted without the need to obtain specific permission from the copyright 
holder, AlphaMed Press, provided a full credit line is prominently placed (i.e., author name(s), journal name, copyright 
year, volume number, inclusive pages, and copyright holder). These author rights are granted and apply only to articles 
for which you are named as the author or co-author. The author rights include: 

• the right to make copies of the article for your own personal use, including for your own classroom teaching 
use; 


• the right to make copies and distribute copies (including via email) of the article to research colleagues, for the 
personal use by such colleagues (but not commercially or systematically, e.g., via an email list or listserv); 


• the right to present the article at a meeting or conference and to distribute copies of such paper or article to the 
delegates attending the meeting; 


• for the author’s employer, if the article is a “work for hire,” made within the scope of the author’s employment, 
the right to use all or part of the information in (any version of) the article for other intracompany use (e.g., 
training); 


• patent and trademark rights and rights to any process or procedure described in the article; 


• the right to include the article in full or in part in a thesis or dissertation (provided that this is not to be published 
commercially); 


• the right to use the article or any part thereof in a printed compilation of works of the author, such as collected 
writings or lecture notes (subsequent to publication of the article in the journal); 


• the right to prepare other derivative works, to extend the article into book-length form, or to otherwise reuse 
portions or excerpts in other works, with full acknowledgment of its original publication in the journal; and 


• the right to self-archive the work by posting the work as the final peer-reviewed author’s manuscript (but not 
published layout) on their own website and their institution’s website (website only, NOT repository) no earlier 
than 6 months after print publication in STEM CELLS provided that a link is made to the AlphaMed Press 
version. 




 

 

NIH-funded articles 

Effective May 2, 2005, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiated its ''Public Access Policy'' which requests that 
NIH-funded authors voluntarily submit their peer-reviewed author manuscripts to PubMed Central (PMC) after final 
publication, noting that such submission will qualify as reporting for NIH administrative purposes. NIH has made it clear 
that it will not penalize NIH-funded authors who choose not to meet the NIH’s request. AlphaMed Press has 


implemented a policy that allows STEM CELLS authors to comply with the NIH Public Access Policy. 

 

AlphaMed Press authorizes NIH-funded investigators to submit an electronic version of their final, accepted manuscript 
to the NIH for publication on PMC no earlier than twelve months after the print or online publication in STEM CELLS. 
This embargo is consistent with our existing policy to make all content available at no cost through HighWire Press 12 
months after print publication in STEM CELLS. The authorization is a nonexclusive license only for the purpose stated in 
the NIH Public Access Policy (70 Federal Register 6899-6900, February 9, 2005); AlphaMed Press reserves all rights not 
specifically granted in this nonexclusive license. Further information on the NIH Public Access Policy is available at: 
http://publicaccess.nih.gov/ 

 

 

Wellcome Trust-funded articles 

Since October 1, 2006, Wellcome Trust grantees are required to submit an electronic copy of the final manuscripts of 
their research papers to PMC or UKPubMed Central (UKPMC). The Wellcome Trust requires that the author’s work be 
made available to the public via PMC and PMC mirror sites no later than six months after final publication. AlphaMed 
Press has established a policy that will allow authors who publish in STEM CELLS to comply with these requirements. 

 

AlphaMed Press authorizes Wellcome Trust-funded authors whose papers are accepted and published in STEM CELLS 
permission to deposit the author’s peer-reviewed manuscript (but not published format) in PMC and UKPMC no earlier 
than six months after the print publication in STEM CELLS. Additionally, the author is authorized to replace the 
peer-reviewed author manuscript with the final published version 12 months after print publication in STEM CELLS. 
Further information on the Wellcome Trust policy is available at: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/node3302.html 

 

 

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)-funded articles 

The Institute's policy on public access to publications takes effect for manuscripts submitted for publication on or after 
January 1, 2008 for which an HHMI scientist is a major author. HHMI has designated PubMed Central (PMC) as the 
repository for journals in the biological sciences. Articles are expected to be deposited in PMC and also made publicly 
available online within six months of publication. The HHMI will reimburse authors up to $2,000 per paper for open 
access publisher fees. AlphaMed Press provides an Open Access Option (described below) that complies fully with the 
HHMI requirements. Further information on the HHMI policy is available at: 
http://www.hhmi.org/about/research/papp.html 

 

 

Open access option 

AlphaMed Press offers authors the option of making their article freely available immediately after publication on the 
STEM CELLS website. This option provides support to authors who wish or need to sponsor open access to their 
published research articles. This open access option provides a fee-based mechanism for individual authors or their 
research funding agencies to sponsor the open availability of their articles on the web at the time of initial publication. 
Additionally, under this open access option, AlphaMed Press will allow the deposition of the final paper to PMC and its 
international equivalent UKPMC on publication. The fee per article for this service is $2,000 USD in addition to the 
regular publication fees charged to authors. 

 

The open access option will be made available to authors only after peer-review and editorial acceptance of their articles 
for publication in order to prevent any potential conflicts of interest. 

 

 

ETHICAL GUIDELINES 

 

Internal Review Board guidelines for medical research involving human subjects 

All studies that involve human subjects must abide by the rules of the appropriate Internal Review Board and the tenets of 
the (recently revised) Declaration of Helsinki (http://www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm). 

 

Furthermore, all published studies that involve human subjects should not mention subjects' identifying information (e.g., 
initials) unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written 
informed consent for publication. See Section II (Ethical Considerations in the Conduct and Reporting of Research) of 
the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals" at http://www.icmje.org/index.html for 
further information. 

 


Animal welfare 

Manuscripts reporting on studies that involve experiments with animals must include a statement verifying that care of 
animals was in accordance with institutional guidelines. 

 

 

Guidelines for stem cell research 

Research with embryonic stem cells should adhere to the guidelines established by the National Academy of Sciences, as 
published in the National Academies Press, at http://nap.edu/books/0309096537/html. 

 

Appropriate institutional review committee approval must be stated in the Materials and Methods section for human or 
animal subjects involved in experimental investigations. This statement should also show how informed consent was 
obtained for human subjects. Such manuscripts must include a statement verifying that the human investigations were 
preceded by local institutional review board approval and, if appropriate, in accordance with an assurance filed with and 
approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

 

 

Recombinant DNA research guidelines 

Any recombinant DNA research must follow the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Research Involving 
Recombinant DNA Molecules (available at http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/rac/guidelines/guidelines.html) and should be 
described within the manuscript. 

 

Data sharing 

STEM CELLS supports the efforts of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to encourage the open sharing of 
publication-related data. STEM CELLS adheres to the beliefs that authors should include in their publications the data, 
algorithms, or other information that is central or integral to the publication, or make it freely and readily accessible; use 
public repositories for data whenever possible; and make patented material available under a license for research use. 
For more information, see the NAS website (http://books.nap.edu/books/0309088593/html/1.html). 

 

 

Distribution of reagents 

In January 1998, the Editors of STEM CELLS adopted the policy that any readily renewable resources mentioned in a 
Journal article not already obtainable from commercial sources shall be made available to all qualified investigators in the 
field. The policy stems from the long-standing scientific principle that authenticity requires reproducibility. Publication 
in STEM CELLS constitutes a de facto acceptance of this policy. Included are reagents that can be easily 
provided—specifically, nucleic acid sequences, cDNA and genomic clones, cell lines, and monoclonal antibody clones. 
Small amounts (sufficient for the replication of any in vitro work reported) of novel protein reagents are also considered 
easily transferable. 

 

Although the Editors appreciate that many of the reagents mentioned in STEM CELLS are proprietary or unique, neither 
condition is considered adequate grounds for deviation from this policy. Suitable material transfer agreements can be 
drawn up between the provider and requester, but if a reasonable request is turned down and submitted to the 
Editor-in-Chief, the Corresponding Author will be held accountable. The consequence for noncompliance is simple: the 
Corresponding Author will not publish in STEM CELLS for the following 3 years. 

 

 

DNA SEQUENCES, MICROARRAY DATABASES, CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY 

 

Submission of sequences to GenBank® 

Original DNA sequences reported in STEM CELLS must also be submitted to GenBank. Instructions for submission can 
be found at the following address: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Genbank/. An accession number should be supplied 
parenthetically at a relevant location in text. 

 

 

Microarray databases 

STEM CELLS supports the efforts of the Microarray Gene Expression Data Society to standardize the presentation 
of microarray data, and we recommend that authors follow their guidelines and checklist 
(http://www.mged.org/Workgroups/MIAME/miame_checklist.html). In addition, the Journal strongly recommends the 
supplemental microarray data be deposited in a public database such as Gene Expression Omnibus (or GEO, at 


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/) or Array Express (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/) or submitted for peer review 
with the initial submission of the manuscript. 

 

 

Clinical trials registry 

In accordance with the guidelines published by ICMJE, STEM CELLS will require, as a condition of consideration for 
publication, that all clinical trials be registered in a public trials registry (for example, at www.clinicaltrials.gov). For 
more information, go to www.icmje.org and see Section III.J (Obligation to Register Clinical Trials). 

 

Authors must comply with published CONSORT guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/). The completed 
checklist must be provided to AlphaMed Press along with the manuscript submitted. The recommended trial flow 
diagram should be presented as a figure. 

 

JOURNAL CONTENT 

 

Original Articles (all subject categories) 

Manuscripts that describe new findings of major importance should be succinctly written. Original articles cannot 
exceed 5,000 words (excluding abstract, tables, figures, legends, and references) and are limited to a total of seven 
figures and tables combined. Each manuscript must include key words and an abstract of 250 words or less outlining 
clearly the major findings of the research, and should be accompanied by a cover letter. 

Concise Reviews (all subject categories) 

Concise Reviews on topics of broad interest, written by experts in their respective fields, are generally invited by the 
Editors. Concise Reviews cannot exceed 5,000 words (excluding abstract, tables, figures, legends, and references) 
and are limited to a total of seven figures and tables combined. Concise Review manuscripts must include key words 
and an abstract of 250 words or less outlining clearly the major focus, and should be accompanied by a cover letter. 

 

Correspondence 

Letters to the Editor are welcomed. They may deal with material in published papers, or they may raise new issues. 

Announcements 

Announcements of meetings and conferences that are of interest to the readership of STEM CELLS should be sent to the 
Editorial Office at least 6 months before the date(s) of the meeting. These are posted online only. 

 

 

FORMAT OF MANUSCRIPTS 

 

Papers are published in English (with American spellings), and authors who are not fluent in this language must seek 
editorial help before submitting their papers. Papers that do not meet basic standards for readability may not be 
considered for review. 

 

Submission cover letter 

Submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter briefly describing the work’s significance and identifying the 
Corresponding Author, with: 

.. complete mailing address 


.. telephone and fax numbers 


.. e-mail address 


.. website address (if available) 




 

Title page 

The first page of the manuscript should contain the following information: 

.. a running head of the title that is no more than 50 characters 


.. the title 


.. name(s) of author(s) 


.. name(s) of institution(s) in which the work was done 


.. correspondence information for Corresponding Author [name, address (including postal code), telephone and 
fax numbers, e-mail address, and website (if available)] 


.. disclaimers, if any 





.. a brief acknowledgment of grants, equipment, or drugs for research support 


.. four to six key words or phrases, using terms from the most recent Medical Subject Headings of Index Medicus 
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/serials/lji.html) 




 

Abstract 

An abstract is required for all Original Articles and Concise Reviews. The abstract should: 

.. contain no more than 250 words 


.. clearly state the paper’s primary objective 


.. if appropriate, describe materials and methods and results 


.. discuss the implications of the work 


.. summarize any conclusions 


.. be readable by nonspecialists as well as experts in the field 


.. define abbreviations and acronyms on first usage 




The abstract should not contain: 

.. footnotes 


.. statistical significance values 


.. references 


.. proprietary names 




 

Text 

The text should be divided into the following sections (when appropriate): 

.. Introduction 


.. Materials and Methods 


.. Results 


.. Discussion 


.. Conclusion and/or Summary 


.. Acknowledgments 


.. References 


.. Tables 


.. Figures and figure legends 




 

Within the text: 

.. Acronyms, abbreviations, and symbols must be clearly defined on first usage. 


.. Footnotes are not allowed, except within tables. 


.. References, tables, and figures must be numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text. 




 

All submitted material should be typed double-spaced, leaving left and right margins of at least 2.5 cm. Do not justify the 
right-hand margin. Number each page consecutively. 

 

 

Proprietary names 

Proprietary drug names are typically given once, followed (in parentheses) by the name and location of the manufacturer. 
Proprietary drug names will not be published in article titles; accepted manuscript titles will be modified to contain the 
generic drug name only. The use of proprietary names of devices requires that the name, location, and website of the 
manufacturer also be included. 

 

Units of measurement 

.. Measurements of length, height, weight, and volume should be reported in metric units (meter, kilogram, or 
liter) or their decimal multiples. 


.. Temperatures should be given in degrees Celsius. 


.. Blood pressures should be given in millimeters of mercury. 


.. Abbreviations for units of measurement need not be defined (e.g., 5 cm, 20°C, 120 mmHg). 


.. All hematologic and clinical-chemistry measurements should be reported in metric in terms of the International 
System of Units (SI). Editors may request that alternative or non-SI units be added by the authors before 
publication. 




 

Symbols and abbreviations 

Define abbreviations and acronyms the first time used, both in the abstract and body of the article. Author-created abbre-
viations should be avoided, but if used, they must be clearly defined the first time they are used, both in the abstract and in 
the paper. 

 


Footnotes 

Footnotes should not be used except within tables. 

References 

References must be numbered consecutively, without periods after the reference numbers, and ordered as they appear in 
the text (i.e., citation by number). References must be typed double-spaced in a separate reference section that follows the 
body of the text. Manuscripts “in preparation” or “submitted” are not included in the reference list. 

Reference format: 

.. List all authors when there are three or fewer. 


.. If there are more than three authors, list the first three followed by “et al.” 


.. List authors by last name first, followed by their initials (no periods). 


.. Abbreviations for titles of medical periodicals should conform to those in the latest edition of Index Medicus 
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/serials/lji.html) and on MEDLINE (http://medline.cos.com). 


.. Use full beginning and ending page numbers (e.g., 10270–280 is not acceptable). 




 

 

Examples of references: 

Standard journal article with three or fewer authors 

Hanley MB, Napolitano LA, McCune JM. Growth hormone–induced stimulation of multilineage human 
hematopoiesis. STEM CELLS 2005;23:1170–1179. 

Standard journal article with more than three authors 

Hall PE, Lathia JD, Miller NGA et al. Integrins are markers of human neural stem cells. STEM CELLS 2006;24: 
2078–2084. 

Article in journal supplement 

Mamounas EP. Can we approach zero relapse in breast cancer? The Oncologist 2005;10(suppl 1):9–17.

 

Journal article, in press 

Rao MS, Civin CI. Translational research: Toward better characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines. 
STEM CELLS 2005 (in press). 

 

Authored book 

Metcalf D. Blood Lines: An Introduction to Characterizing Blood Diseases of the Post-Genomic Mouse. Durham, 
NC: AlphaMed Press, 2005:1–251. 

 Book with Editor, Compiler, or Chairman as author 

 Perez CA, Brady LW, Halperin EC et al., eds. Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology, Fourth Edition. 

 Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2003:1–2368. 

 

Chapter in a book 

Shaheen M, Broxmeyer HE. The humoral regulation of hematopoiesis. In: Hoffman R, Benz E, Shattil S et al., eds. 
Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice, 4th ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone, 2005:233–266. 

Abstract 

Noël D, Gazit D, Bouquet C et al. Short-term BMP-2 expression is sufficient for in vivo osteochondral 
differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. STEM CELLS 2004;22:74a. 

Letter to the Editor 

Coiffier B. Response to “Effect of patient exclusion criteria on the efficacy of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in 
patients with cancer-related anemia [letter].” The Oncologist 2005;10:762–763. 

Internet resource 

Community-Integrated Home-Based Depression Treatment in Older Adults. Available at 


http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/291/13/15699. Accessed April 7, 2004. 

Internet resource with digital object identifier (doi) 

Metcalf D, Mifsud S, DiRago L. Murine megakaryocyte progenitor cells and their susceptibility to suppression by 
G-CSF. STEM CELLS 10.1634/stemcells.2004-0164. 

 

Tables 

Tables must be titled and cited in numerical order in the text using Arabic numbers. Each table should be double-spaced 
and typed on a separate page. Use superscript lowercase letters to denote footnotes within a table in the order they appear. 
Each table must include definitions of all abbreviations that have been used. Abbreviations must be used more than once; 
if not, do not abbreviate but write out. Tables should be created in Microsoft® Word using the table feature. Failure to 
comply with these specifications may result in publication delay. 

 

Figures 

Figures must be titled and cited in numerical order in the text using Arabic numbers. We encourage the submission of 
illustrations in color. Submit figures online with your manuscript. Figures should be labeled with the Corresponding 
Author name, the appropriate figure number, and orientation (e.g., “top”). The type font used within the figures should be 
12-point Helvetica. Any .jpg, .gif, .tif, and .eps files will be automatically converted upon uploading to Manuscript 
Central™; other picture types are not recommended. All other file types in general, including Excel® spreadsheets and 
PowerPoint® presentations, are not recommended. 

 

For information and resources to help you with the creation and submission of digital art, go to the Cadmus 
KnowledgeWorks digital art support website (http://cjs.cadmus.com/da/index.asp). 

 

 

Figure legends 

Figure legends should be typed double-spaced on separate pages and should contain a brief title and explanation of the 
figures (maximum of 55 words for title and explanation). In addition, the magnification and stain used for 
photomicrographs should be stated, and any pertinent notes and definitions of all abbreviations used in the figure must be 
included. 

 

Supplemental data 

The submission of supplemental data that enhance the understanding of the science discussed in the manuscript is 
encouraged. Supplemental data should be submitted for peer review when the initial submission of the paper occurs. The 
Editors will review the supplemental data along with the manuscript. Supplemental data are published online only. 

 

Videos 

Videos for use on the Journal’s website must be approved by AlphaMed Press and should be uploaded online with your 
manuscript files. The preferred file format is compressed Windows Media® player–compatible (.wmp or .mpg). Video 
file size should be kept as small as possible while maintaining good resolution and screen size. Video files submitted to 
STEM CELLS are posted online only as Supplemental Data. Within the text of your manuscript, you may cite the videos as, 
for example, "supplemental online video 1."

 

Permission 

Authors must obtain permission if required for reproduction of figures or tables from copyrighted (previously published) 
material. Written permission must be obtained from the publisher of the journal or book concerned. (A form for your use 
is provided online at http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/misc/ifora.shtml under Other documents.) The publication from 
which the figure or table is taken must be listed in the reference section. Within the legend of a reprinted table or figure 
should appear the following: “Reprinted with permission” along with the appropriate reference. All permission listings 
must be shown in the submitted manuscript; they cannot be entered on proofs. 

 

 

 

 

 


GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONLINE MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION 

 

Submission fee 

If manuscript is original and non-invited, a nonrefundable submission fee of $90 must also be submitted upon online 
submission of the manuscript. (Invited manuscripts are exempt from this fee.) The review process will not begin until the 
submission fee has been received. With your payment, include full identifying information: the Corresponding Author’s 
name, address, and telephone number, as well as the title of the submitted manuscript. The Submission Fee form is 
available online at http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/misc/ifora.shtml. It can be completed on your screen and e-mailed 
to the address on the form (or you may print out the completed form and fax it to the STEM CELLS Editorial Office at 
919-680-4411). Please make payment in U.S. funds with credit card (AMEX®, MASTERCARD®, VISA®). 

Formats 

All manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.doc extension). This applies to both Windows® and 
Macintosh® platforms. Manuscripts submitted in any other format may incur errors during the conversion to 
Adobe®Acrobat® PDF format. Any .jpg, .gif, .tif, and .eps files will be automatically converted; other picture types are 
not recommended. All other file types in general, including Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, are not 
recommended. 

 

Fonts 

Preferred fonts are Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Times New Roman, and Times. 

Macintosh 

Macintosh users should substitute equivalent keyboard selections for control keys such as “ctrl-c.” 

 

SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT ON MANUSCRIPT CENTRAL 

 

Prior to online submission, authors must complete and sign the Potential Conflict of Interest Disclosure form, the 
Copyright Transfer and Agreement form, and the submission fee payment form. (STEM CELLS board members are not 
required to pay this fee.) 

 

These forms can be downloaded at http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/misc/ifora.shtml. Fax or e-mail the completed 
forms and payment to 919-680-4411 or submissions@stemcells.com. The review process will not begin until all of these 
forms have been received. 

 

Authors should log in to Manuscript Central, http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/stemcells, and click on the ‘Author 
Center’ button. Click the star button to begin. 

 

Step 1: Type, Title, & Abstract 

Select a manuscript type from the dropdown list. 

Complete the ‘Title’ and ‘Running Head (Short Title)’ fields. 

Type or paste your abstract into the ‘Abstract’ field. 

Click ‘next’. 

 

Step 2: Attributes 

Add at least four keywords to your manuscript submission by filling the fields on the right, or by selecting a keyword 
from the alphabetical list on the left and clicking the ‘Add’ button. (Assigning keywords to a manuscript submission 
can be important for matching editors and reviewers to your manuscript.) 

Click ‘next’. 

 

Step 3: Authors and Institutions 

Enter information for each author on the manuscript. You must fill in the applicable fields and then click ‘Add’ for 
each author, before proceeding to the next. (To adjust the order in which the authors appear, use the ‘Order’ 
dropdown list.) 

Designate one author as ‘Corresponding Author’ by clicking the check box for this designation. 

Click ‘next. 

 

Step 4: Reviewers and Editors 

Add any preferred and/or non-preferred reviewers and editors for your manuscript. This will help initiate a timely 


review process. 

Click the check box for ‘Designate as Preferred Reviewer’ or ‘Designate as Non-preferred Reviewer’ upon adding or 
selecting each reviewer’s information. 

Click ‘next’. 

 

Step 5: Details and Comments 

Type or paste your cover letter in the ‘Cover Letter’ field, or specify a file you wish to attach. A cover letter is required 
with your submission. 

Select your Manuscript Subject category from the drop-down list (required). 

Affirm that you have obtained the written consent of all authors to submit this manuscript on their behalf. 

Supply information for all remaining fields as directed. 

Click ‘next’. 

Step 6: File Upload 

Upload all files associated with your manuscript by using the ‘browse’ button to select them from your system. 

Specify each file’s designation: Cover Letter, Figures, Manuscript, or Supplemental Files. 

Limit your combined total of tables and figures to no more than seven. Other tables and figures can be included for 
review and online publication only, and must be designated ‘Supplemental Files’. 

Click ‘next’. 

 

Step 7: Review and Submit 

Review all information. (Completed steps will have a green check mark, while incomplete steps will have a red X.) 

View the HTML proof of your manuscript. Click the links to view the individual files. 

View the PDF proof of the manuscript. By default, the first page of the proof is the cover and metadata, with the 
concatenated files appearing after. 

Verify that all steps show a green check mark on the left, and that everything appears correctly in the fields. 

Click ‘submit’ to complete your submission. 

 

A printable submission confirmation message will appear, and you will also receive confirmation by e-mail. 

 

Proofs 

Authors are sent page proofs, which are to be carefully proofread for any copyediting or typesetting errors. Authors 
should also make sure that any renumbered tables, figures, or references match text citations and that figure legends 
correspond with text citations and actual figures. Proofs must be returned within 48 hours of receipt by express/overnight 
mail or fax. 

Publication fee 

Proffered manuscripts that are accepted for publication will be assessed a publication fee of $1,500, which includes all 
page charges and any applicable color charges. The author agrees to pay this fee to the Publisher within 30 days of 
receiving the Publisher’s invoice. If an author is unable to support this publication fee, it is his or her responsibility to 
inform the Publisher at the time of manuscript submission. (Letters to the Editor and invited manuscripts are exempt from 
the publication fee.)

Reprints 

Reprints may be ordered on the form accompanying the proofs. Color reprints are available at a higher cost to the 
author(s). Charges are necessarily higher if orders for reprints are received after the issue has gone to press. Please allow 
6 weeks from the date of publication for delivery of reprints. Air or expedited mail may be arranged at an additional 
charge. 

Disclaimer 

While the publisher and Editorial Board make every effort to see that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinions, or state-
ments appear in the journal, they wish to state that the data and opinions in the articles and advertisements in STEM CELLS 
are the responsibility of the contributor or advertiser concerned. Accordingly, the publisher, the Editorial Board, and their 
respective employees, officers, and agents accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any such inaccurate or 
misleading data, opinion, or statement. While every effort is made to ensure that drug doses and other quantities are 
presented accurately, readers are advised that new methods and techniques involving drug usage described within the 
journal should be followed in conjunction with the drug manufacturer’s own published literature. 

 

 


Business matters 

Business correspondence and inquiries relating to advertising, subscriptions, bulk orders, back issues, or reprints should 
be addressed to: STEM CELLS Business Office, AlphaMed Press, 318 Blackwell St., Suite 260, Durham, NC 27701-2884 
USA. 

 

AlphaMed Press • 318 Blackwell Street, Suite 260, Durham, NC 27701-2884 USA 

Telephone: 919-680-0011 • Fax: 919-680-4411 • StemCells@AlphaMedPress.com 

www.StemCells.com 

 


