Differences in the pattern and regulation of mineral deposition in human cell lines of osteogenic and non-osteogenic origin

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used as a cellular model of bone formation, and can mineralize in vitro in response to osteogenic medium (OM). It is unclear, however, whether this property is specific to cells of mesenchymal origin. We analysed the OM response in 3 non-osteogenic lines, HEK293, HeLa and NTera, compared to MSCs. Whereas HEK293 cells failed to respond to OM conditions, the 2 carcinoma-derived lines NTera and HeLa deposited a calcium phosphate mineral comparable to that present in MSC cultures. However, unlike MSCs, HeLa and NTera cultures did so in the absence of dexamethasone. This discrepancy was confirmed, as bone morphogenetic protein inhibition obliterated the OM response in MSCs but not in HeLa or NTera, indicating that these 2 models can deposit mineral through a mechanism independent of established dexamethasone or bone morphogenetic protein signalling

Performing religion: Migrants, the church and belonging in Marrickville, Sydney

This article seeks to extend debates on questions of religious practices in a multicultural society and to explore the response of traditional churches to challenges and to customary practices. In particular, it considers the different forms of belonging sought within particular (albeit heterogeneous) ethnic groups, or within the wider community of a multicultural church, and the role played by the church in 'mixing-up people' across and within their differences, forging new connections and communities, and reconfiguring traditional religious practices to accommodate migrant cultures. The article proposes the concept of 'adaptive dexterity' to indicate the openness of an institution - in this case the church - at any one historical moment to the sharing of space and diverse cultural practices. It concludes with some brief reflections on the relationship between the possibility of enacting different religious practices and the question of everyday multicultural citizenship