Combining regenerative medicine strategies to provide durable reconstructive options: auricular cartilage tissue engineering

Recent advances in regenerative medicine place us in a unique position to improve the quality of engineered tissue. We use auricular cartilage as an exemplar to illustrate how the use of tissue-specific adult stem cells, assembly through additive manufacturing and improved understanding of postnatal tissue maturation will allow us to more accurately replicate native tissue anisotropy. This review highlights the limitations of autologous auricular reconstruction, including donor site morbidity, technical considerations and long-term complications. Current tissue-engineered auricular constructs implanted into immune-competent animal models have been observed to undergo inflammation, fibrosis, foreign body reaction, calcification and degradation. Combining biomimetic regenerative medicine strategies will allow us to improve tissue-engineered auricular cartilage with respect to biochemical composition and functionality, as well as microstructural organization and overall shape. Creating functional and durable tissue has the potential to shift the paradigm in reconstructive surgery by obviating the need for donor sites

Rapid bioerosion in a tropical upwelling coral reef

Coral reefs persist in an accretion-erosion balance, which is critical for understanding the natural variability of sediment production, reef accretion, and their effects on the carbonate budget. Bioerosion (i.e. biodegradation of substrate) and encrustation (i.e. calcified overgrowth on substrate) influence the carbonate budget and the ecological functions of coral reefs, by substrate formation/consolidation/erosion, food availability and nutrient cycling. This study investigates settlement succession and carbonate budget change by bioeroding and encrusting calcifying organisms on experimentally deployed coral substrates (skeletal fragments of Stylophora pistillata branches). The substrates were deployed in a marginal coral reef located in the Gulf of Papagayo (Costa Rica, Eastern Tropical Pacific) for four months during the northern winter upwelling period (December 2013 to March 2014), and consecutively sampled after each month. Due to the upwelling environmental conditions within the Eastern Tropical Pacific, this region serves as a natural laboratory to study ecological processes such as bioerosion, which may reflect climate change scenarios. Time-series analyses showed a rapid settlement of bioeroders, particularly of lithophagine bivalves of the genus Lithophaga/ Leiosolenus (Dillwyn, 1817), within the first two months of exposure. The observed enhanced calcium carbonate loss of coral substrate (>30%) may influence seawater carbon chemistry. This is evident by measurements of an elevated seawater pH (>8.2) and aragonite saturation state (Ωarag >3) at Matapalo Reef during the upwelling period, when compared to a previous upwelling event observed at a nearby site in distance to a coral reef (Marina Papagayo). Due to the resulting local carbonate buffer effect of the seawater, an influx of atmospheric CO2 into reef waters was observed. Substrates showed no secondary cements in thin-section analyses, despite constant seawater carbonate oversaturation (Ωarag >2.8) during the field experiment. Micro Computerized Tomography (μCT) scans and microcast-embeddings of the substrates revealed that the carbonate loss was primarily due to internal macrobioerosion and an increase in microbioerosion. This study emphasizes the interconnected effects of upwelling and carbonate bioerosion on the reef carbonate budget and the ecological turnovers of carbonate producers in tropical coral reefs under environmental change.Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación/[028-2013-SINAC]/SINAC/Costa RicaSistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación/[72-2013-SINAC]/SINAC/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

Selection for seed yield in Andean intra-gene pool and Andean x middle American inter-gene pool populations of common bean

Yields of large-seeded Andean (A) common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars of Chile and Nueva Granada races are 40 to 60% lower compared to their Middle American (M) counterparts of small-seeded Mesoamerica and medium-seeded Durango races. Our objective was to use the concept of congruity backcrossing between Andean x Middle American inter-gene pool [AM 11833 = A 483 (A)///// A 686 (M) //// PVA 800A(A)/// Carioca (M)// Carioca (M)/ G 19833 (A)] and between races within Andean gene pool [i.e., intra-gene pool Andean, AA 11834 = A483 (A)//// Cardinal (A) /// Blanco Español (A) // BlancoEspañol (A) / Taylor (A)] to compare selection for seed yield improvement of large-seeded Andean beans. Seven hundred sixty seven F2-derived F3 (F2:3) families were produced for each population. Visual appraisal for total plant performance, combined with seed yield from non-replicated plots was used for selection of 551 families in F2:3, 182 families in F2:4, and 91 families in F2:5 in each population. Eight hundred twenty three F5:6 lines were developed from the 91 F2:5 families in each population. Visual selection, combined with seed yield in non-replicated plots was again used to select 294 lines in F5:6 in each population. Similarly, 44 highest yielding F5:7 lines were selected in AM 11833 and 39 F5:7 lines in AA 11834. Thus, single plant selections were made in the F2 and F5, and plants within each plot were harvested in bulk in F3, F4, F6, and F7. Thirty nine F5:8 lines from AA 11834 and 44 lines from AM 11833, parents, and checks were evaluated at Popayán and Quilichao, Colombia in 1998 and 1999. Selected lines in both populations, on average, out-yielded the mean of their large-seeded Andean parents. Mean yield of the lines selected from AM 11833 was 50% higher than AA 11834 lines. Twelve F5:8 lines out-yielded the highest yielding Andean parents G 19833 and A 483 in AM 11833, whereas only one line yielded significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the highest yielding parent A 483 in AA 11834. However, none of selected lines out-yielded small-seeded Middle American parents used in AM 11833 (A 686 and Carioca ). The mean 100 seed-weight of AA 11834 was 36 g compared to 28 G for AM 11833 F5:8 lines. Selected lines had similar days to maturity as parents in AM 11833, and matured 3 d later in AA11834. Correlation coefficients between yield and 100 seed-weight were negative in both populations. Yield and days to maturity were positively correlated in AA 11834

Genetic diversity and selection of genotypes to enhance Zn and Fe content in common bean

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important source of dietary protein and minerals worldwide. Genes conditioning variability for mineral contents are not clearly understood. Our ultimate goal is to identify genes conditioning genetic variation for Zn and Fe content. To establish mapping populations for this objective, we tested mineral content of 29 common bean genotypes. Chemical analyses revealed significant genetic variability for seed Zn and Fe contents among the genotypes. Genetic diversity was evaluated with 49 primer pairs, of which 23 were simple sequence repeats (SSR), 16 were developed from tentative consensus (TC) sequences, and 10 were generated from common bean NBS-LRR gene sequences. The discriminatory ability of molecular markers for identifying allelic variation among genotypes was estimated by polymorphism information content (PIC) and the genetic diversity was measured from genetic similarities between genotypes. Primers developed from NBS-LRR gene sequences were highly polymorphic in both PIC values and number of alleles (0.82 and 5.3), followed by SSRs (0.56 and 3.0), and markers developed from TC (0.39 and 2.0). genetic similarity values between genotypes ranged from 14.0 (JaloEEP558 and DOR364) to 91.4 (MIB152 and MIB465). Cluster analysis clearly discriminated the genotypes into Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools. Common bean genotypes were selected to include in crossing to enhance seed Zn and Fe content based on genetic diversity and seed mineral contents of the genotypes

Low soil fertility tolerance in landraces and improved common beans genotypes

Soil mineral deficiencies or toxicities adversely affect common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production worldwide. Cultivars tolerant to low soil fertility (LF) should support sustainable farming systems and reduce production costs and farmers' dependence on fertilizers. Our objective was to identify LF tolerant landraces and improved common bean genotypes. We systematically screened 5000 to 5500 landraces and improved genotypes for LF tolerance at Popayán and Quilichao, Colombia, between 1978 and 1998. Mean LF intensity index across locations for seed yield ranged from 0.35 to 0.68. Average seed yield reduction over five cropping seasons was 53%. Seed yield, biomass, and HI were positively associated in LF and high soil fertility (HF). LF tolerance was identified in eight landraces and 14 improved genotypes. All landraces were from Middle America (MA), belonging to common bean races Durango, Jalisco, and Mesoamerica. All improved genotypes except one (A 36) also possessed characteristics of and involved one or more LF tolerant MA landraces in their pedigree. There was considerable variation for seed, plant, and maturity characteristics among LF tolerant genotypes. In LF, mean seed yield for landraces ranged from 856 kg ha?1 for ‘Apetito’ to 332 kg ha?1 for G 19833. Among improved genotypes, A 774 had the highest (948 kg ha?1) and CAP 4 the lowest (651 kg ha?1) seed yield. Reduction in seed yield due to LF ranged from 31% for A 36 to 63% for CAP 4. All landraces and seven improved genotypes had either a below average or average LF susceptibility index. Use of these LF tolerant landraces and improved genotypes should be maximized in breeding and genetic studies to enhance sustainable farming systems