Extracellular Vesicles as Intercellular Communication Vehicles in Regenerative Medicine

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent cell-specific carriers of bioactive cargos that can be of importance in either physiological or pathological processes. Frequently, EVs are seen as intercellular communication vehicles, but it has become more and more evident that their usefulness can vary from circulating biomarkers for an early disease diagnosis to future therapeutic carriers for slowing down the evolution of different afflictions and their ability to restore damaged tissue/organs. Here, we summarize the latest progress of EVs classification, biogenesis, and characteristics. We also briefly discuss their therapeutic potential, with emphasis on their potential application in regenerative medicine

Management of macrovascular diabetic complications: a single-center case series analysis of consecutively attending patients in primary care

Introduction. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing, with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) being a major health priority for any public health system. Increased arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes will lead to the appearance of vascular complications. Increased arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes usually leads to vascular complications. Any earlier diagnosis of impaired macrovascular evidence may lead to improved outcomes in patient care. The objective of our study was to assess and evaluate the finger-toe pulse wave velocity (ftPWV), as a measure of arterial stiffness, in order to assist with early detection of macrovascular diabetic complications. Materials and Methods. The observational case series included 140 patients who are registered in a primary care office, of whom 73 were previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (study group). The age-matched non-diabetic group included 67 consecutive registered patients who visited the practice for other reasons. Results. The mean age of all patients was 51.42±11.57 years, with DM patients being with 4.5 years older than the non-DM patients (CI 95% and CI 95%). There was a significantly higher mean value of ftPWV in the DM group (p = 0.0039) although the study presented some limitations. Conclusions. The mean value of ftPWV was statistically significant higher in diabetic patients. The assessment of ftPWV is a non-invasive test, and the data can be used as a useful marker of vascular stiffness in primary care, thus providing an early diagnosis of macrovascular complications during the monitoring and care of the diabetic patient

Telocytes and Other Interstitial Cells: From Structure to Function

The Special Issue, “Telocytes and Other Interstitial Cells: From Structure to Function” of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, is dedicated to recent progress in research on interstitial cells [...

Altered Organelle Calcium Transport in Ovarian Physiology and Cancer

Calcium levels have a huge impact on the physiology of the female reproductive system, in particular, of the ovaries. Cytosolic calcium levels are influenced by regulatory proteins (i.e., ion channels and pumps) localized in the plasmalemma and/or in the endomembranes of membrane-bound organelles. Imbalances between plasma membrane and organelle-based mechanisms for calcium regulation in different ovarian cell subtypes are contributing to ovarian pathologies, including ovarian cancer. In this review, we focused our attention on altered calcium transport and its role as a contributor to tumor progression in ovarian cancer. The most important proteins described as contributing to ovarian cancer progression are inositol trisphosphate receptors, ryanodine receptors, transient receptor potential channels, calcium ATPases, hormone receptors, G-protein-coupled receptors, and/or mitochondrial calcium uniporters. The involvement of mitochondrial and/or endoplasmic reticulum calcium imbalance in the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in ovarian cancer is also discussed, since Ca2+ channels and/or pumps are nowadays regarded as potential therapeutic targets and are even correlated with prognosis

Telocytes’ Role in Modulating Gut Motility Function and Development: Medical Hypotheses and Literature Review

This review article explores the telocytes’ roles in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), presenting the mechanisms and hypotheses related to epithelial regeneration, progressive fibrosis, and dysmotility as a consequence of TCs’ reduced or absent number. Based on the presented mechanisms and hypotheses, we aim to provide a functional model to illustrate TCs’ possible roles in the normal and pathological functioning of the digestive tract. TCs are influenced by the compression of nearby blood vessels and the degree of fibrosis of the surrounding tissues and mediate these processes in response. The changes in intestinal tube vascularization induced by the movement of the food bowl, and the consequent pH changes that show an anisotropy in the thickness of the intestinal tube wall, have led to the identification of a pattern of intestinal tube development based on telocytes’ ability to communicate and modulate surrounding cell functions. In the construction of the theoretical model, given the predictable occurrence of colic in the infant, the two-layer arrangement of the nerve plexuses associated with the intestinal tube was considered to be incompletely adapted to the motility required with a diversified diet. There is resulting evidence of possible therapeutic targets for diseases associated with changes in local nerve tissue development

A Glimpse at the Size of the Fetal Liver—Is It Connected with the Evolution of Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as an impairment of glucose tolerance, manifested by hyperglycemia, which occurs at any stage of pregnancy. GDM is more common in the third trimester of pregnancy and usually disappears after birth. It was hypothesized that the glycemic status of the mother can modulate liver development and growth early during the pregnancy. The simplest modality to monitor the evolution of GDM employs noninvasive techniques. In this category, routinely obstetrical ultrasound (OUS) examinations (simple or 2D/3D) can be employed for specific fetal measurements, such as fetal liver length (FLL) or volume (FLV). FLL and FLV may emerge as possible predictors of GDM as they positively relate to the maternal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and to the results of the oral glucose tolerance test. The aim of this review is to offer insight into the relationship between GDM and fetal nutritional status. Risk factors for GDM and the short- and long-term outcomes of GDM pregnancies are also discussed, as well as the significance of different dietary patterns. Moreover, the review aims to fill one gap in the literature, investigating whether fetal liver growth can be used as a predictor of GDM evolution. To conclude, although studies pointed out a connection between fetal indices and GDM as useful tools in the early detection of GDM (before 23 weeks of gestation), additional research is needed to properly manage GDM and offspring health