Swiftlets and Edible Bird’s Nest Industry in Asia

Swiftlets are small insectivorous birds which breed throughout Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Among many swiftlet species, only a few are notable to produce edible bird’s nests (EBN) from the secreted saliva during breeding seasons. The taxonomy of swiftlets remains one of the most controversial in the avian species due to the high similarity in morphological characteristics among the species. Over the last few decades, researchers have studied the taxonomy of swiftlets based on the morphological trade, behavior, and genetic traits. However, despite all the efforts, the swiftlet taxonomy remains unsolved. The EBN is one of the most expensive animal products and frequently being referred to as the “Caviar of the East”. The EBN market value varies from US$1000.00 to US$10,000.00 per kilogram depending on its grade, shape, type and origin. Hence, bird’s nest harvesting is considered a lucrative industry in many countries in Southeast Asia. However, the industry faced several challenges over the decades such as the authenticity of the EBN, the quality assurance and the depletion of swiftlet population. Furthermore, there is limited scientific evidence regarding EBN’s medical benefits as claimed by manufacturers. This paper reviews the taxonomy of swiftlets, its morphological characteristics, the challenges currently encountered by the industry, and finally the composition and medical benefits of EBN

Swiftlets and edible bird's nest industry in Asia

Swiftlets are small insectivorous birds which breed throughout Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Among many swiftlet species, only a few are notable to produce edible bird’s nests (EBN) from the secreted saliva during breeding seasons. The taxonomy of swiftlets remains one of the most controversial in the avian species due to the high similarity in morphological characteristics among the species. Over the last few decades, researchers have studied the taxonomy of swiftlets based on the morphological trade, behavior, and genetic traits. However, despite all the efforts, the swiftlet taxonomy remains unsolved. The EBN is one of the most expensive animal products and frequently being referred to as the “Caviar of the East”. The EBN market value varies from US$1000.00 to US$10,000.00 per kilogram depending on its grade, shape, type and origin. Hence, bird’s nest harvesting is considered a lucrative industry in many countries in Southeast Asia. However, the industry faced several challenges over the decades such as the authenticity of the EBN, the quality assurance and the depletion of swiftlet population. Furthermore, there is limited scientific evidence regarding EBN’s medical benefits as claimed by manufacturers. This paper reviews the taxonomy of swiftlets, its morphological characteristics, the challenges currently encountered by the industry, and finally the composition and medical benefits of EBN

Progress in wound-healing products based on natural compounds, stem cells, and microRNA-based biopolymers in the european, USA, and asian markets: opportunities, barriers, and regulatory Issues

Wounds are breaks in the continuity of the skin and underlying tissues, resulting from external causes such as cuts, blows, impacts, or surgical interventions. Countless individuals suffer minor to severe injuries, with unfortunate cases even leading to death. In today’s scenario, several commercial products are available to facilitate the healing process of wounds, although chronic wounds still present more challenges than acute wounds. Nevertheless, the huge demand for wound-care products within the healthcare sector has given rise to a rapidly growing market, fostering continuous research and development endeavors for innovative wound-healing solutions. Today, there are many commercially available products including those based on natural biopolymers, stem cells, and microRNAs that promote healing from wounds. This article explores the recent breakthroughs in wound-healing products that harness the potential of natural biopolymers, stem cells, and microRNAs. A comprehensive exploration is undertaken, covering not only commercially available products but also those still in the research phase. Additionally, we provide a thorough examination of the opportunities, obstacles, and regulatory considerations influencing the potential commercialization of wound-healing products across the diverse markets of Europe, America, and Asia

Morphology comparison of swiftlet species from natural and man-made habitats in Malaysia

In Malaysia, nests of Aerodramus fuciphagus (white-nest swiftlet) and Aerodramus maximus (black-nest swiftlet) are harvested for commercial purposes, as one of the most valuable animal products. The taxonomy of a species is crucial, as delineating species boundaries is fundamental to discover life’s diversity. However, swiftlet taxonomy has been controversial, due to numerous undefined parameters. Although there are these limitations, morphological taxonomy cannot be the unique approach for species identification and it is a valuable component in taxonomy studies. We have undertaken a morphological approach to analyse community relationships among species of swiftlets. In this study, we selected three different swiftlet species to generate two sets of comparisons: Within species and among different habitats. This study found that A. fuciphagus from man-made habitats is generally larger in size compared to the natural habitat and A. maximus is larger compared with A. fuciphagus. We postulate the difference in body size is due to dietary behaviour and genetic variations of the swiftlets

Morphology comparison of swiftlet species from different habitat in Malaysia

In Malaysia, nest of Aerodramus fuciphagus (white-nest swiftlet) and Aerodramus maximus (black-nest swiftlet) are harvested for commercial purposes as one of most valuable animal product. Swiftlet taxonomy has been controversial due to numerous undefined parameters. Morphological differences between swiftlet species from different habitats remain unclear. This study found that A. fuciphagus from natural habitat are generally larger in size compared to man-made habitat and A. maximus are larger compared to A. fuciphagus. We postulated the different in body size is due to dietary behavior of the swiftlets

RNA sequencing of salivary gland of swiftlet

Genome mapping of avian species such as chicken, duck and turkey have significant impact on both sosio-economic and ecological due to their importance to agriculture and related industries. However, currently there is limited information available on genetic profiling of swiftlet species. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) based RNA sequencing of salivary gland of Aerodramus fuciphagus and Aerodramus maximus generated reference transcript libraries with 17.4 million and 19.6 million clean reads, respectively. A total of 14,835 genes were predicted and mapped toward various databases. Bioinformatics analysis and further validation studies of these genes my provide valuable information on swiftlet speciation and discovery of biomarker for edible bird nest identification

In vivo temporal penetration of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome eye drops across ocular tissue

This study explores the potential application of extracellular vesicles (EVs) or exosomes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in ophthalmology. Exosomes were isolated from MSCs’ culture supernatant, and applied as eye drops to rabbits’ eyes. Samples of aqueous (AH) and vitreous humour (VH) were collected at different time points for exosomes marker analysis. Our results showed that CD63 was detected in all AH and VH samples. Whereas, for CD9 and CD81, despite minimally expressed in control samples, showed varying expression in VH samples at different time points, indicating penetration and retention of exosomes in the eyes’ structure

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for sports injuries - from research to clinical practice

The number of sports-related injuries is on the rise as more people are involved in sports, especially the extreme sports that are prone to injury. A serious sports injury might end the career of an athlete. Thus, prompt and effective treatment is very important for these injuries. Cell-based therapy is becoming more popular as a potential new treatment for sports injuries that are refractory to conventional therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are commonly used in the treatment of sports injuries as they are safe and will not be rejected by the recipient. MSCs secrete paracrine factors that modulate the host immune response, promote angiogenesis, enhance cell migration and survival as well as prevent fibrosis. The safety and efficacy of MSC therapy in treating sports injuries involving the muscle, ligament, tendon, bone, cartilage, and nervous tissues have been demonstrated in many preclinical and clinical studies. However, more studies especially the large-scale randomized clinical trial need to be done in order to determine the adequacy of MSC therapy in treating different sports injuries. In this review, we discussed the treatment for sports injuries, focusing on MSC therapy, using data from preclinical and clinical studies

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes and micrornas in cartilage regeneration:Biogenesis, efficacy, mirna enrichment and delivery

Exosomes are the small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells for intercellular communication. Exosomes are rich in therapeutic cargos such as microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), small interfering RNA (siRNA), DNA, protein, and lipids. Recently, many studies have focused on miRNAs as a promising therapeutic factor to support cartilage regeneration. Exosomes are known to contain a substantial amount of a variety of miRNAs. miRNAs regulate the post-transcriptional gene expression by base-pairing with the target messenger RNA (mRNA), leading to gene silencing. Several exosomal miRNAs have been found to play a role in cartilage regeneration by promoting chondrocyte proliferation and matrix secretion, reducing scar tissue formation, and subsiding inflammation. The exosomal miRNA cargo can be modulated using techniques such as cell transfection and priming as well as post-secretion modifications to upregulate specific miRNAs to enhance the therapeutic effect. Exosomes are delivered to the joints through direct injection or via encapsulation within a scaffold for sustained release. To date, exosome therapy for cartilage injuries has yet to be optimized as the ideal cell source for exosomes, and the dose and method of delivery have yet to be identified. More importantly, a deeper understanding of the role of exosomal miRNAs in cartilage repair is paramount for the development of more effective exosome therapy