169 research outputs found

    Stem Cells in Domestic Animals

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    Stem cells are an attractive tool for cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, both for humans and animals. The research and review articles published in this first book of the Collection “Stem Cells in Domestic Animals: Applications in Health and Production” are excellent examples of the recent advances made in the field of stem/stromal cell research in veterinary medicine. In this field, sophisticated and new treatments are now required for improving patients’ quality of life; in livestock animals, the goal of regenerative medicine is to improve not only animal welfare but also the quality of production, aiming to preserve human health. The contributions collected in this book concern both laboratory research and clinical applications of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. The increasing knowledge of cell-based therapies may constitute an opportunity for researchers, veterinary practitioners, and animal owners to contribute to animal and human health and well-being

    Stem Cells in Domestic Animals: Applications in Health and Production

    Get PDF
    Stem cells are an attractive tool for cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, both for humans and animals. The research and review articles published in this first book of the Collection “Stem Cells in Domestic Animals: Applications in Health and Production” are excellent examples of the recent advances made in the field of stem/stromal cell research in veterinary medicine. In this field, sophisticated and new treatments are now required for improving patients’ quality of life; in livestock animals, the goal of regenerative medicine is to improve not only animal welfare but also the quality of production, aiming to preserve human health. The contributions collected in this book concern both laboratory research and clinical applications of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. The increasing knowledge of cell-based therapies may constitute an opportunity for researchers, veterinary practitioners, and animal owners to contribute to animal and human health and well-being

    Mediators of inflammation in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis

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    Introduction Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common, progressive inflammatory liver condition that leads to fibrosis, which is associated with increased mortality. The hepatic inflammatory and immune cellular infiltrate is a key element for NASH diagnosis, yet the nature and function of these cells in the liver are largely unknown as is their relationship to immune cells in the blood and other metabolically inflamed tissues such as adipose tissue. Hepatic Toll-like receptors (TLR) are sensors for circulating gut-derived inflammatory signals such as flagellin (via TLR5) and may represent therapeutic targets in NASH fibrosis. Flagellin and TLR5 have been implicated in murine NASH models. This thesis firstly examines TLR5 signalling in human NASH fibrosis and secondly investigates the phenotypic relationship between immune cells in the peripheral blood, adipose tissue and liver tissue during fibrosis progression. Method Patient-derived plasma, stool, adipose and liver tissues from ethically-approved research studies were used to characterise TLR5/flagellin signalling in NASH fibrosis. In-vitro models were used to investigate TLR5-mediated mechanisms associated with NASH fibrosis (steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis). Immune cells simultaneously extracted from blood, liver and adipose tissue during bariatric surgery were immunophenotyped using cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq). Results TLR5 signalling was activated in advanced NASH fibrosis, reversed following bariatric surgery and was associated with mechanisms of lipid-mediated inflammation and stellate cell activation. Immune cells from liver, blood and adipose tissue were not ubiquitously tissue/compartment-specific. Liver fibrosis progression was associated with reduction in the proportion of adipose tissue immune cells and emergence of dendritic cells and monocytes in the liver, as well as inflammatory NK cells, B cells and CD8 T cells. Conclusion TLR5 signalling pathway has potential as a novel therapeutic target in NASH fibrosis. Liver fibrosis resulted in significant changes in immune cell composition and function in blood, liver and adipose tissue

    Investigating a novel intramyocardial delivery method for induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

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    Cell therapy is a potential novel treatment for cardiac regeneration and numerous studies have attempted to transplant cells to regenerate the myocardium lost during myocardial infarction. To date, only minimal improvements to cardiac function have been reported. This is likely to occur from low cell retention following delivery and high cell death after transplantation. The thesis aimed to improve the delivery and engraftment of viable cells by using an injectable biomaterial which provides an implantable, biodegradable substrate for attachment and growth of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The thesis describes the fabrication and characterisation of Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) microspheres, and functionalisation of the microspheres to enable cell attachment in xeno-free conditions. The selected formulation resulted in iPSC attachment, expansion, and retention of pluripotent phenotype. Differentiation of iPSC into cardiomyocytes was investigated and characterised, comparing in vitro culture to microsphere culture using flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and western blotting techniques. Microsphere culture was shown to be protective against anoikis and compatible for injectable delivery. The in vivo compatibility of the microspheres was assessed using pre-clinical murine models. The microspheres were rendered trackable, using the computed tomography contrast agent barium sulphate, to assess the distribution after ultra-sound guided intramyocardial injections for targeted delivery. The findings suggest that barium sulphate-loaded microspheres can be used as a novel tool for optimising delivery techniques and tracking persistence and distribution of implanted products. Once in vivo compatibility was established, a cellularised microsphere formulation was delivered to the myocardium of immunocompromised mice, to compare the efficacy of biomaterial assisted versus suspension cell therapy. This work demonstrates that TIPS microcarriers offer a supporting matrix for culturing iPSC and iPSC derived cardiomyocytes in vitro and when implanted in vivo have the potential to be developed into an injectable biomaterial for cardiac regeneration

    Cell Culture

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    Cell culture is cell cloning technology that simulates in vivo environment conditions such as asepsis, appropriate temperature, and pH as well as certain nutritional conditions to enable cells to survive, grow, reproduce, and maintain their structure and function. Cell culture can be used to grow human, animal, plant, and microbial cells. Each type of cell culture has its own characteristics and essential conditions. This book focuses on the advanced technology and applications of cell culture in the research and practice of medical and life sciences. Chapters address such topics as primary cancer cell cultures, 2D and 3D cell cultures, stem cells, nanotechnology, and more

    Tumor vaccination: Chitosan nanoparticles as antigen vehicles to promote tumor-directed T cell responses

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    Tumor vaccination is a promising approach for treatment of cancer. Tumor vaccines sensitize the immune system to tumor-specific antigens and thus enhance CD8+ T cell responses. This immune response’s potency can be increased by a strategy where nanoparticles act as vehicles leading to more efficient antigen uptake into antigen-presenting cells with chitosan emerging as a promising basic substance. In this study, the potential of antigen-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) as delivery systems for inducing a potent CD8+ T cell response was assessed by using the model antigen SIINFEKL. First, uptake of FITC-conjugated antigen-loaded CNPs was verified. Small (approx. 200 nm in diameter) 90/10 CNPs did not show cytotoxic effects on human dendritic cells. Antigen-loaded CNPs did promote a more proinflammatory phenotype in murine and human dendritic cells. MHC-I mediated presentation of SIINFEKL on DC2.4 cells after treatment with SIINFEKL-loaded 90/10 CNPs was demonstrated. Coculturing CD8+ T cells isolated from spleens of OT-1 mice with DC2.4 cells that had been treated with SIINFEKL-loaded 90/10 CNPs led to elevation of activation marker expression on CD8+ T cells. Lastly, the functionality of these OT-1 derived CD8+ T cells activated by coculture with DC2.4 cells after pre-stimulation with 90/10 SIINFEKL CNPs was demonstrated by verifying CD8+ T cell-mediated antigen-specific lysis of PancOVA cells. Overall, the verification of internalization into dendritic cells, demonstration of low cytotoxicity and initiation of a more proinflammatory phenotype in dendritic cells, confirmation of MHC-I mediated antigen presentation and the activation of functionally active CD8+ T cells supports the hypothesis that CNPs are promising vehicles for tumor vaccination. Further studies have to be conducted to assess CNPs in a more clinical setting

    ECOS 2012

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    The 8-volume set contains the Proceedings of the 25th ECOS 2012 International Conference, Perugia, Italy, June 26th to June 29th, 2012. ECOS is an acronym for Efficiency, Cost, Optimization and Simulation (of energy conversion systems and processes), summarizing the topics covered in ECOS: Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer, Exergy and Second Law Analysis, Process Integration and Heat Exchanger Networks, Fluid Dynamics and Power Plant Components, Fuel Cells, Simulation of Energy Conversion Systems, Renewable Energies, Thermo-Economic Analysis and Optimisation, Combustion, Chemical Reactors, Carbon Capture and Sequestration, Building/Urban/Complex Energy Systems, Water Desalination and Use of Water Resources, Energy Systems- Environmental and Sustainability Issues, System Operation/ Control/Diagnosis and Prognosis, Industrial Ecology
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