CDC warns of rising spread of babesiosis through blood transfusions http://t.co/lTwKaKL
266 days ago
Very disappointing study, scary how decisions based on so few #s: Cancer trial participation less than 1% http://t.co/RhY7Mkg via @addthis
277 days ago
You may have already seen blog @ Digital Pathology Blog but check out the Pathology Visions Conference-should be great! http://t.co/TVW0M7P
279 days ago
WCLC 2011 Oral Presentations: (More) Genomics http://t.co/xIOaw9j
280 days ago
As pathologists we tend to "think" spatially in the two-dimensional world of our glass slides but a recent paper in PNASabstract link (subscription required for full-text) challenged me to go to another dimension.
Rossello et al begin by noting how cells and tissues continuously coordinate spatial relationships via gap junction-mediated cell-to-cell communication. Such gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) is necessary both in development and as a part of tissue remodeling and repair. They hypothesize that genetically engineering cells to overexpress gap junction proteins, in this case connexin 43, should result in enhanced regeneration of larger and more uniform three-dimensional tissue volume. They use bone as an experimental model.
"In bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), GJIC and osteogenic
differentiation were compromised in 3D cultures relative to 2D
monolayers and in the core of 3D cultures relative to the surface.
Overexpression of connexin 43 (Cx43) via transduction of BMSCs with a
lentivirus overcame this problem, enhancing both the magnitude and
spatial distribution of GJIC and osteogenic differentiation markers
throughout 3D constructs. Transplantation of cells overexpressing Cx43
resulted in an increased volume fraction and spatial uniformity of bone
in vivo, relative to nontransduced BMSCs. Increased GJIC also enhanced
the effect of a potent osteoinductive agent (BMP-7), suggesting a
synergism between the soluble factor and GJIC."
This is some very cool stuff! As one interested in lung pathology, I wonder if anyone has looked at this with respect to interstitial lung disease and fibrosis. I'm off to PubMed!
As pathologists we tend to "think" spatially in the two-dimensional world of our glass slides but a recent paper in PNAS abstract link (subscription required for full-text) challenged me to go to another dimension.
Rossello et al begin by noting how cells and tissues continuously coordinate spatial relationships via gap junction-mediated cell-to-cell communication. Such gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) is necessary both in development and as a part of tissue remodeling and repair. They hypothesize that genetically engineering cells to overexpress gap junction proteins, in this case connexin 43, should result in enhanced regeneration of larger and more uniform three-dimensional tissue volume. They use bone as an experimental model.
This is some very cool stuff! As one interested in lung pathology, I wonder if anyone has looked at this with respect to interstitial lung disease and fibrosis. I'm off to PubMed!