Tumor Spheroids And Organoids Encyclopedia

Understanding and investigating tumors is carried out by researchers using a number of different methods. One exciting and promising area is 3D tumor models including spheriod and organoid models. They act in similar ways to tumors which means we can use them to gather important information. This ranges from the way tumors react through to how different treatments may work on tumors. Ultimately they may help guide us towards the types of drugs and therapies that could be used to treat tumors. This work gives an overview of these technologies, the types of 3D models available and how they can be used to improve treatments and their applications in personalized medicine

Hearts, and the Heartless, in the Animal Kingdom

We all take our hearts for granted: the fascinating organ inside everyone that beats continuously to keep blood pumping through our bodies. Blood flow ensures that oxygen, nutrients from food, hormones, and waste products get to the correct cells. The heart is essential for keeping humans and most animals alive. Hearts are even more interesting when we examine what they do, how they look, how they work, and the similarities and differences in the hearts of species across the planet. Is a giraffe heart similar to a human heart? Which animal survives despite having no heart? Can a heart really beat over 1,500 times a minute? From dinosaurs to insects, humans to dogs, this paper looks at what is really happening on the inside, exploring the world of heart anatomy

Can Toothache Cause Heartbreak?

Poor mouth care and heart disease are two major health concerns worldwide. Both conditions occur in humans and in many mammals, including our pets. “Periodontal” is the word used to refer to structures surrounding the teeth, including the gums and bone. Scientists have seen a connection between poor periodontal health and the increased risk of developing heart disease. It is thought that the bacteria found in dental plaque enters the bloodstream once the gums become inflamed. These bacteria travel through blood vessels, helping blockages called atherosclerotic lesions to form, which narrow the passageways of blood to the heart. In severe cases, lesions can dislodge from the arteries and completely block blood flow to the heart, leading to heart disease and heart failure. Scientific studies have shown that poor periodontal health significantly increases the risk of developing heart disease. Interestingly, it seems our canine companions are suffering the same effects. Brushing teeth could save lives

Fatty acids in veterinary medicine and research

Fatty acid regulation is an essential process for all animals. A number of studies have shown that diet affects the levels/availability of fatty acids in the body but increasingly evidence shows that disease states can alter the amounts within the body too. Fatty acid levels and availability have been altered by a number of diseases, disorders and reactions including inflammatory responses, heart disease and heart failure and wound repair. They are also essential during the growth and development stages of animals. The amount of research into the consequences of different fatty acid intake and levels in various disease states and during development has increased in both humans and animals. This review presents an overview of the research undertaken to date and highlights the importance, uses and benefits of understanding the roles of fatty acids in both the healthy animal and under differing disorders and diseases

Reptilian Skin and Its Special Histological Structures

Reptilian skin is covered with scales forming armor that makes it watertight and enables reptiles to live on land in contrast to amphibians. An important part of the skin is the horny epidermis, with thick stratum corneum in which waxes are arranged in membrane-like layers. In lizards and snakes, the whole skin is covered in overlapping epidermal scales and in turtles and crocodiles in dermal scutes. The cornified part of the epidermis is strengthened by β-keratin and sometimes α-keratin. In crocodiles and many turtles, the outer scale surface consists of β-keratin and the hinge region containing α-keratin. In lizards and snakes, both keratins form continuous layers with the α-keratin below the β-keratin. Some reptiles have developed a sensitive mechanosensory system in the skin. The colors of reptile skin are produced by melanocytes and three types of chromatophores: melanophores, xanthophores, and iridophores. The color patterns may be fixed or the chromatophores may provide rapid color change. Skin from different species of reptiles, turtles (red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)), snakes (Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus) and Burmese python (Python bivittatus)), Cuvier’s dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), lizards (Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)), and Green iguana (Iguana iguana), were examined with histology techniques and compared

Unique characterisation of Langerhans cells in the spleen of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) has increasingly become an economically important food source especially in Africa, Asia and Europe, with exports extending to countries throughout the world. In the last 25 years, aquaculture of this species has been particularly effective with large increases in production and this is in part due to the catfish being highly resistant to disease. In order to further understand the immune system of the catfish, the spleen was investigated using a number of staining, immunohistochemical, light and transmission electron microscope techniques in order to verify the histological features of this organ. The gross histological features of the spleen confirmed the presence of a capsule containing numerous collagen fibers surrounded the spleen of the African catfish. Melanomacrophage centers, lymphocytes and surrounding arterial vessels were the main components of the white pulp whilst the red pulp contained sinusoids, capillaries and splenic cords of erythrocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes. Transmission electron microscopy identified Langerhans-like cells which were irregular to ovoid in shape with an electron lucent cytoplasm. The cells were characterized by the presence of numerous Birbeck-like granules, varying in shape from oval, round, rod to racket shaped granules. In total, three types of Birbeck-like granules were identified. The first type had heterogenic content, the second type were cored granules and the third type were racket shaped granules. Some of the racket shaped granules were enlarged and contained granular content. The Langerhans-like cells were further identified and characterised by showing a positive reaction with antibodies to S100 and CD1a. The existence of Langerhans-like cells within the spleen helps to identify the components of the immune system within the African catfish

Is your extra X chromosome holding you back? An insight into female education and academic careers in STEMM

This review discusses whether gender inequality still exists within medical, scientific and engineering academia, with regards to the career development of academic staff. In the 1970s it was suggested that women who are talented and educated with family responsibilities tend to come across problems of self-confidence and identity when attempting to enhance their professional careers, and although many are successful in doing so, others find it more challenging. By the 1990s, it was indicated that the main gender inequality mechanism in academia is the commonly known fact that women’s career development in the academic hierarchy is slower than that of men. In the past 50 years, laws and attitudes of many societies, industries and countries, have changed to promote gender equality. What is the impact of these changes, does inequality still exist and what mechanisms exist to address these issues? This review looks in depth at the links between gender equality and continuing personal and professional development (CPPD), in which individuals at work are educated more about the workplace environment and their job roles and performance. The different types, requirements and success rates of CPPD within the scientific (especially medical) academic community is discussed with an emphasis on gender equality

The importance of anatomy

Anatomy is the knowledge about the structure of the bodies of animals and people. This includes information about blood vessels, organs, the skeleton, and nerves. But have you ever wondered where the anatomical information in science books and websites comes from? When did our fascination with the body begin and why do people still study it now? Who teaches doctors, nurses, veterinary surgeons, and other health professionals about the body? How has anatomy inspired art, and vice versa? This paper looks at the amazing world of anatomy: what anatomy is; why it is needed; why it is important; who studies, teaches, and researches anatomy; and what the future holds for this fascinating science

Critical Impact of Different Conserved Endoplasmic Retention Motifs and Dopamine Receptor Interacting Proteins (DRIPs) on Intracellular Localization and Trafficking of the D2 Dopamine Receptor (D2-R) Isoforms

The type 2 dopamine receptor D2 (D2-R), member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, exists in two isoforms, short (D2S-R) and long (D2L-R). They differ by an additional 29 amino acids (AA) in the third cytoplasmic loop (ICL3) of the D2L-R. These isoforms differ in their intracellular localization and trafficking functionality, as D2L-R possesses a larger intracellular pool, mostly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This review focuses on the evolutionarily conserved motifs in the ICL3 of the D2-R and proteins interacting with the ICL3 of both isoforms, specifically with the 29 AA insert. These motifs might be involved in D2-R exit from the ER and have an impact on cell-surface and intracellular localization and, therefore, also play a role in the function of dopamine receptor signaling, ligand binding and possible homo/heterodimerization. Our recent bioinformatic data on potential new interaction partners for the ICL3 of D2-Rs are also presented. Both are highly relevant, and have clinical impacts on the pathophysiology of several diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, manic depression, and others, as they are connected to a variety of essential motifs and differences in communication with interaction partners

Promising Applications of Tumor Spheroids and Organoids for Personalized Medicine

One of the promising directions in personalized medicine is the use of three-dimensional (3D) tumor models such as spheroids and organoids. Spheroids and organoids are three-dimensional cultures of tumor cells that can be obtained from patient tissue and, using high-throughput personalized medicine methods, provide a suitable therapy for that patient. These 3D models can be obtained from most types of tumors, which provides opportunities for the creation of biobanks with appropriate patient materials that can be used to screen drugs and facilitate the development of therapeutic agents. It should be noted that the use of spheroids and organoids would expand the understanding of tumor biology and its microenvironment, help develop new in vitro platforms for drug testing and create new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss 3D tumor spheroid and organoid models, their advantages and disadvantages, and evaluate their promising use in personalized medicine