Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Diseases ; diagnosis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of chondrogenesis in vitro with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) induced by the co-cultured chondrocytes.

METHODSThe BMSCs and chondrocytes were separated from pig and cultured. The supernatant of chondrocytes was used as the inducing solution for BMSCs from the 2nd generation. 7 days later, samples were taken and underwent immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR for detection of the expression of specific type II cartilage collagen, type II collagen and aggrecan mRNA. The cultured BMSCs and chondrocytes were mixed at a ratio of 8:2 (BMSC: cartilage cell) and were inoculated into a polyglycolic acid/polylactic acid (PGA/PLA) scaffold at the final concentration of 5.0 x 10(7)/ml. The cartilage cells and BMSCs were also inoculated separately at the same concentration as the positive and negative control. Pure cartilage cells at 20% of the above mentioned concentration (1.0 x 10(7)/ml) were used as the low concentration cartilage cell control group. Samples were collected 8 weeks later. General observations, wet weight, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) determination and histological and immunohistochemistry examinations were performed.

RESULTSThe expression of type II collagen, type II collagen and aggrecan mRNA were positive in induced BMSCs. In the co-cultured group and the positive control group, pure mature cartilage was formed after 8 weeks of culture in vitro, and the size and shape of the scaffold were maintained. The newly formed cartilage in the two groups were almost the same in appearance and histological properties. The immunohistochemistry results indicated that the cartilage cells of the two groups all expressed ample cartilage-specific type II collagen. The average wet weight and GAG content in the co-cultured group reached more than 70% of those in positive control group. Only an extremely small amount of immature cartilage tissues was formed in local regions in pure BMSC group, and the scaffold was obviously shrunk and deformed. Although the wet weight of newly generated cartilage tissue in the low concentration cartilage cell group reached 30% of that in positive control group, the scaffold was obviously shrunken and deformed. Only regional and discontinuous cartilage tissues were formed, and the amount of newly formed cartilage was obviously less than that in the co-culture group and the positive control group.

CONCLUSIONSChondrocytes can provide a micro-environment for the formation of cartilage, and also effectively induce BMSC to differentiate into chondrocytes and form tissue-engineered cartilage in vitro.

Aggrecans ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Coculture Techniques ; Collagen Type II ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Swine ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of ginsenoside-Rb (G-Rb) on total cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism and anti-oxidation in experimental hyperlipidemia rats.

METHODHyperlipidemia rats were respectively given G-Rb 50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) ig for twelve days. Total cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol and lipid peroxidation (LPO) contents, prostacycline (PGI2), thromboxane (TXA2), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and blood viscosity were measured. Fat accumulation in liver was also observed.

RESULTTriglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) in serum, TXA2 in plasma, LPO in serum and liver, and blood viscosity were decreased significantly. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) in serum, PGI2 in plasma and SOD in serum and liver were significantly increased by G-Rb (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) in experimental hyperlipidemia rats. In addition, G-Rb could decrease TC/HDL-c, LDLc/HDL-c ratio, increase PGI2/TXA2 ratio and inhibit fat accumulation in liver.

CONCLUSIONG-Rb could have anti-arteriosclerosis effect by improving cholesterol and lipoprotein-cholesterol metabolism, suppressing lipid peroxidation, increasing anti-oxidase activity and PGI2/TXA2 ratio.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Female ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Hyperlipidemias ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxides ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathological feature of primary hepatic carcinoma and the clinical significance.

METHODSFrom August 2000 to December 2007, there were 89 patients with cirrhosis and carcinoma of liver who accepted whole liver resection. The whole liver was cut into 10 mm slices to examine the tumor size, number, distribution, capsule, satellite nodes, portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT). The invaded adjacent tissue and lymph nodes were recorded, the distance from satellite to major tumor was measured, then histological examinations were carried out, and the final diagnosis was made by pathologists.

RESULTSThe total of 89 cases included hepatocellular carcinoma in 86 cases and cholangiocarcinoma in 3 cases; 53 cases with multiple tumors and 36 cases with solitary tumor; complete capsule only in 14 cases, no obvious margin in 11 cases, 13 cases had a major tumor in the right lobe and a small tumor in the left lobe; 8 of 25 cases with gross invaded tissue were confirmed by histological examination, 7 of 16 cases with swollen lymph nodes were infiltrated by cancer cells. There were 47 cases with PVTT (47.2%) and 39 cases with satellite nodes (43.8%). PVTT and satellite nodes increased with the increase of sizes and the numbers of the tumors. The distance from satellite node to major tumor mostly were 0.5 - 3.0 cm.

CONCLUSIONSThe whole explanted liver can completely reflect the characteristics of growth and infiltration of hepatic carcinoma. Attention must be paid to the small cancer lesions in another lobe, distal satellite nodes from major tumor, and tumor thrombi in a small branch of portal vein, which can not be found by imaging, and might influence the curative effectiveness after liver resection or transplantation.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult