“
“Tissue engineering is being investigated as a means for treating avascular meniscal injury or total meniscal loss in human and veterinary patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if an arthroscopic tissue shaver

can be used to collect viable synoviocytes for in vitro culture during therapeutic stifle arthroscopy, with the long term goal of producing autologous meniscal fibrocartilage for meniscal tissue engineering. Synovium was harvested arthroscopically from 13 dogs with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament deficiency and obtained from 5 dogs with patellar luxation via arthrotomy. Cells harvested via arthroscopy and arthrotomy were treated MK-2206 manufacturer with a chondrogenic growth factor protocol and analyzed for meniscal-like matrix GW-572016 nmr constituents including collagens type I, II, and glycosaminoglycans. Arthrotomy and Arthroscopic origin cells formed contracted tissues containing collagen 1, II and small amounts of GAG. These surgical methods

provide clinically relevant access to synoviocytes for potential use in meniscal tissue engineering. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“AL-108 is the intranasal learn more formulation of NAP (a peptide of eight amino acids, NAPVSIPQ). Phase IIa clinical results have recently shown that AL-108 has a positive impact on memory function in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a precursor to Alzheimer’s

disease (AD). The clinical development of AL-108 has been based on extensive studies showing pre-clinical efficacy for NAP. NAP has demonstrated potent neuroprotective activity in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism of action is thought to center on the modulation of microtubule stability in the face of outside damage. Such an effect on structures of such central importance in a broad range of cellular functions is thought to explain NAP’s activity in wide ranging models of cellular damage and neurodegeneration. The following article reviews NAP’s discovery and pharmacological characterization that has led to clinical development of a novel tangle-directed drug candidate.”
“Gap junctions allow the exchange of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells through intercellular channels formed by connexin proteins, which can also form functional hemichannels in nonjunctional membranes. Mutations in connexin genes cause a variety of human diseases.