The interplay between endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation in multiple sclerosis.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to investigate the role of ER stress in interaction with inflammatory markers in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The participants in the current study were recruited in two age and sex-matched groups: 44 recently diagnosed MS patients and 53 control subjects.

Enhanced Vascularity in Gelatin Scaffolds via Copper-Doped Magnesium-Calcium Silicates Incorporation: and Insights.

Addressing a critical challenge in current tissue-engineering practices, this study aims to enhance vascularization in 3D porous scaffolds by incorporating bioceramics laden with pro-angiogenic ions. Specifically, freeze-dried gelatin-based scaffolds were infused with sol-gel-derived powders of Cu-doped akermanite (CaMgSi2O) and bredigite (CaMgSiO) at various concentrations (10, 20, and 30 wt%). The scaffolds were initially characterized for their structural integrity, biodegradability, swelling behavior, impact on physiological pH, and cytocompatibility with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Cartilage tissue engineering using decellularized biomatrix hydrogel containing TGF-β-loaded alginate microspheres in mechanically loaded bioreactor.

Physiochemical tissue inducers and mechanical stimulation are both efficient variables in cartilage tissue fabrication and regeneration. In the presence of biomolecules, decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) may trigger and enhance stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we investigated the controlled release of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) as an active mediator of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in a biocompatible scaffold and mechanical stimulation for cartilage tissue engineering.

Biological evaluation and osteogenic potential of polyhydroxybutyrate-keratin/AlO electrospun nanocomposite scaffold: A novel bone regeneration construct.

In this study, the effect of alumina nanowire on the physical and biological properties of polyhydroxybutyrate-keratin (PHB-K) electrospun scaffold was investigated. First, PHB-K/alumina nanowire nanocomposite scaffolds were made with an optimal concentration of 3 wt% alumina nanowire by using the electrospinning method. The samples were examined in terms of morphology, porosity, tensile strength, contact angle, biodegradability, bioactivity, cell viability, ALP activity, mineralization ability, and gene expression.

Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived From Human Adipose Tissue Into Cholinergic-like Cells: An in Vitro Study.

Introduction: Cholinergic-associated diseases currently constitute a significant cause of neurological and neurodegenerative disabilities. As the drugs are not efficient in improving the suffered tissues, stem cell treatment is considered an effective strategy for substituting the lost cells.

Methods: In the current study, we set out to investigate the differentiation properties of human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AD-MSCs) into cholinergic-like cells by two morphogens of Retinoic Acid (RA) and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) using a three-step in vitro procedure.

A comparison between BMP4 and SB4 in inducing germ line gene expression pattern during embryonic stem cells differentiation.

Germ cell production from stem cells allows for studying the mechanisms involved in gamete development with the aim of helping infertile couples with the generation of healthy gametes. In this context, improving the protocols for in-vitro germ cell induction from stem cells is very important. Recently, SB4 small molecule has been introduced as a potent agonist for bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4).

In vitro investigation of zinc oxide nanoparticle toxic effects in spermatogonial cells at the molecular level.

Because spermatogonia transmit genetic information across generations, their DNA must be protected from environmental damages, including exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), which are frequently used in modern technology. Here, we used an in vitro system enriched for spermatogonia and exposed them to 10 and 20 μg/ml ZnO NPs for one/seven days. We did not detect any significant cell death, chromosomal instability, or DNA fragmentation in the spermatogonia treated with the ZnO NPs following one-day treatment with 10 or 20 μg/ml ZnO NPs.

Stem cell-based models and therapies: a key approach into schizophrenia treatment.

Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia can generate distress and disability along with heavy costs on individuals and health care systems. Different genetic and environmental factors play a pivotal role in the appearance of the mentioned disorders. Since the conventional treatment options for psychiatric disorders are suboptimal, investigators are trying to find novel strategies.

Gene Therapy as an Emerging Therapeutic Approach to Breast Cancer: New Developments and Challenges.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, which is the consequence of several genetic and environmental factors. Also, it is one of the most common causes of cancer death and second leading cancer among women all around the world. Therefore, it is necessary to develop novel therapeutic approaches useful for the successful treatment of breast cancer.

Mesenchymal stem cell as a novel approach to systemic sclerosis; current status and future perspectives.

Systemic sclerosis is a rare chronic autoimmune disease with extensive microvascular injury, damage of endothelial cells, activation of immune responses, and progression of tissue fibrosis in the skin and various internal organs. According to epidemiological data, women's populations are more susceptible to systemic sclerosis than men. Until now, various therapeutic options are employed to manage the symptoms of the disease.

The Outcome of Stem Cell-Based Therapies on the Immune Responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis as a common autoimmune inflammatory disorder with unknown etiology can affect 0.5-1% of adults in developed countries. It involves more than just the patient's joints and can be accompanied by several comorbidities and affect cardiovascular, pulmonary, and some other systems of the human body.

Short time exposure to low concentration of zinc oxide nanoparticles up-regulates self-renewal and spermatogenesis-related gene expression.

Extensive application of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) in everyday life results in increased exposure to these NPs. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) guarantee sperm production throughout the male reproductive life by providing a balance between self-renewal and differentiation. We used an in vitro platform to investigate the ZnO NPs effects on SSCs.

Auxiliary role of mesenchymal stem cells as regenerative medicine soldiers to attenuate inflammatory processes of severe acute respiratory infections caused by COVID-19.

Acute respiratory infections as one of the most common problems of healthcare systems also can be considered as an important reason for worldwide morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Coronaviruses are a group of well-known respiratory viruses that can cause acute respiratory infections. At the current state, the 2019 novel coronavirus is cited as the most worldwide problematic agent for the respiratory system.

Design and characterization of an electroconductive scaffold for cardiomyocytes based biomedical assays.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major cause of mortality worldwide. Accessibility to heart tissue is limited due to sampling issues and lack of appropriate culture conditions. In addition, animal models are not an ideal choice for physiological, pharmacological, and fundamental evaluations in the cardiovascular field due to interspecies differences.

Production and evaluation of decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogel for cartilage regeneration derived from knee cartilage.

Cartilage tissue engineering is the interdisciplinary science that will help to improve cartilage afflictions, such as arthrosis, arthritis, or following joints traumatic injuries. In the present work, we developed an injectable hydrogel which derived from decellularized extracellular matrix of sheep cartilage. Successful decellularization was evaluated by measuring the DNA, glycosaminoglycans (GAG), collagen contents, and histological analyses.

Suppression of transforming growth factor-beta signaling enhances spermatogonial proliferation and spermatogenesis recovery following chemotherapy.

Study Question: Could small molecules (SM) which target (or modify) signaling pathways lead to increased proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia following chemotherapy?

Summary Answer: Inhibition of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFb) signaling by SM can enhance the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia and spermatogenesis recovery following chemotherapy.

What Is Known Already: Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) hold great promise for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys diagnosed with cancer. However, the low number of SSCs limits their clinical applications.

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) levels in spermatozoa of normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic men.

Interest in the role of male factor in infertility continues to mount with defects related to sperm movement considered as one of the more severe forms of subfertility. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) primarily regulates the expression of target genes involved in energy control as well as lipid and glucose metabolism. Although the pivotal roles of these receptors on female fertility have been reported, there are limited studies addressing PPARs role(s) in the male.

Scalable and cost-effective generation of osteogenic micro-tissues through the incorporation of inorganic microparticles within mesenchymal stem cell spheroids.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered primary candidates for treating complex bone defects in cell-based therapy and tissue engineering. Compared with monolayer cultures, spheroid cultures of MSCs (mesenspheres) are favorable due to their increased potential for differentiation, extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, paracrine activity, and in vivo engraftment. Here, we present a strategy for the incorporation of microparticles for the fabrication of osteogenic micro-tissues from mesenspheres in a cost-effective and scalable manner.

The effect of modified electrospun PCL-nHA-nZnO scaffolds on osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

Large bone defects treatment is one of the challenges in current bone tissue engineering approaches. Various strategies have been proposed to address this issue, among which, prevascularization by coculturing of angiogenic and osteogenic cells on the scaffolds can alleviate this problem. In the present study, modified fibrous scaffolds were prepared by electrospinning and subsequent ultrasonication of polycaprolactone (PCL) containing nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA), with/without nano-zinc oxide (n-ZnO), and polyethylene oxide [PEO] as a sacrificial agent.

3D-porous β-tricalcium phosphate-alginate-gelatin scaffold with DMOG delivery promotes angiogenesis and bone formation in rat calvarial defects.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a well-studied angiogenesis pathway, plays an essential role in angiogenesis-osteogenesis coupling. Targeting the HIF-1a pathway frequently leads to successful reconstruction of large-sized bone defects through promotion of angiogenesis. Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) small molecule regulates the stability of HIF-1α at normal oxygen tension by mimicking hypoxia, which subsequently accelerates angiogenesis.

Contribution of osteocalcin-mimetic peptide enhances osteogenic activity and extracellular matrix mineralization of human osteoblast-like cells.

A natural peptide motif in the first helix of osteocalcin (OCN) is used to promote nucleation and crystallization of hydroxyapatite (HA) in hard tissue. The capability of osteocalcin mimetic peptides to induce osteogenic activity of osteoblast cells leading to in-vitro mineralization is demonstrated. An osteocalcin-derived peptide consisting of thirteen amino acids is synthesized in both acidic (OSC) and amidic (OSN) forms and added into the human osteoblast-like cells (MG63) culture.

Synergistic effect of strontium, bioactive glass and nano-hydroxyapatite promotes bone regeneration of critical-sized radial bone defects.

Critical-sized bone defects constitute a major health issue in orthopedics and usually cause mal-unions due to an inadequate number of migrated progenitor cells into the defect site or their incomplete differentiation into osteogenic precursor cells. The current study aimed to develop an optimized osteoinductive and angiogenic scaffold by incorporation of strontium (Sr) and bioglass (BG) into gelatin/nano-hydroxyapatite (G/nHAp) seeded with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to enhance bone regeneration. The scaffolds were fabricated by a freeze-drying technique and characterized in terms of morphology, structure, porosity and degradation rate.

Isolation, Characterization and Osteogenic Potential of Mouse Digit Tip Blastema Cells in Comparison with Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vitro.

Objectives: Limb regeneration mediated by blastema cells (BlCs) in mammals is limited to the digit tips of neonates. Due to the lack of access to BlCs in adults and the difficulty in isolating and expanding BlCs from neonates, the use of a cellular population with similar features of BlCs would be a valuable strategy to direct a non-regenerative wound towards regeneration. In this study, we have initially isolated and cultured BlCs, and explored their characteristics in vitro.