Fetus in fetu is a very rare congenital abnormality in which one vertebrate fetus is enclosed within the abdomen of another fetus. With advancing ultrasound imaging technique, a few case of prenatal diagnosis is reported recently. A case of fetus in fetu with 6 X 6 X 4 cm sized cystic mass in the fetal retroperitoneum was diagnosed prenatally using ultrasound and confirmed by ultrasound and computer tomogram after delivery. This mass was removed completely from delivered baby and finally confirmed fetus in fetu by pathologic examination. Solid portion in this mass was composed of vertebral organization with limb bud, well-developed organ system.
Abdomen ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fetus* ; Limb Buds ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography ; Vertebrates

Three cases of human embryo of Carnegie stage 13 were described. The CR length of these embryos were 3.0-5.3mm. The authors made a reconstruction model using photograph, photocopy and computer. These embryos were characterized externally by 4 limb buds and 4 pairs of branchial arches, and internally closed otic pits, appearance of venous valves, septum primum and foramen primum in the heart, beginning of the right and left lung buds, appearance of lens disk.
Branchial Region ; Embryonic Structures* ; Heart ; Humans* ; Limb Buds ; Lung ; Venous Valves

We have examined the in vitro stage-related chondrogenic potential of human mandibular and limb bud mesenchyme cells using micromass culture, Our results indicate that limb bud mesenchyme cells as early as stage 16 by Carnegie system (37 days), well before the initiation of in vivo chondrogenesis, have chondrogenic potential which is expressed in micromass culture, These results are correlated with stage-related chondrogenic potential of human limb bud in vivo as a result of Alcian blue staining. The proliferation of chondrogenic cells increased in the first 3 days after culture and then decreased. These results were correlated with the cell cycle analysis of which the number of G degrees/G1 phase increased markedly after 3 days of culture, while the percentage of cells in S phase was decreased, On the other hand, it was rarely differentiated in the mandible. We examined the effects of two PKC modulators such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent activator of PKC, and staurosporine (STSN), an inhibitor of PKC. PMA inhibited the chondrogenesis, whereas STSN promoted the chondrogenesis in a dose dependent manner. In addition, PMA exerted no inhibitory effect when the cells were pretreated for 24 h with STSN, implying that the chondrogenic events might be settled at an early step in vitro and PKC may act as a negative modulator, Collectively, these results demonstrate, for the first time, the stage-related chondrogenic potential of human mandibular and limb bud mesenchyme cells and the role of PKC during chondrogenesis in vitro & in vivo.
Alcian Blue ; Cell Cycle ; Chondrogenesis ; Embryonic Structures* ; Extremities* ; Hand ; Humans* ; Limb Buds* ; Mandible ; Mesoderm ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinases* ; S Phase ; Staurosporine

Curcumin is a well known natural polyphenol product isolated from the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa, anti-inflammatory agent for arthritis by inhibiting synthesis of inflammatory prostaglandins. However, the mechanisms by which curcumin regulates the functions of chondroprogenitor, such as proliferation, precartilage condensation, cytoskeletal organization or overall chondrogenic behavior, are largely unknown. In the present report, we investigated the effects and signaling mechanism of curcumin on the regulation of chondrogenesis. Treating chick limb bud mesenchymal cells with curcumin suppressed chondrogenesis by stimulating apoptotic cell death. It also inhibited reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton into a cortical pattern concomitant with rounding of chondrogenic competent cells and down-regulation of integrin beta1 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. Curcumin suppressed the phosphorylation of Akt leading to Akt inactivation. Activation of Akt by introducing a myristoylated, constitutively active form of Akt reversed the inhibitory actions of curcumin during chondrogenesis. In summary, for the first time, we describe biological properties of curcumin during chondrogenic differentiation of chick limb bud mesenchymal cells. Curcumin suppressed chondrogenesis by stimulating apoptotic cell death and down-regulating integrin-mediated reorganization of actin cytoskeleton via modulation of Akt signaling.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/*pharmacology ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chick Embryo ; Chondrogenesis/*drug effects ; Curcumin/*pharmacology ; Cytoskeleton/*drug effects/metabolism ; Limb Buds/*cytology ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology/*drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism