In the recent years,many studies have confirmed that vascular endothelial progenitor cells(EPC)can migrate,proliferate and differentiate into mature endothelial cells.They participate in the angiogenesis not only during the process of embryonic development but also during the growth and metachoresis of tumor.Therefore,further studies on EPC are important for the understanding of the formation and treatment of tumor.This review summarizes the research progress in this field.

Objective To examine serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and C3 and explore sensitivity of glucocorticoid (prednisone) in primary nephropathyic children to study pathogenesis of primary nephropathy and direct clinical therapy. Methods Examine serum IgG, IgA, IgM and C3 by scattering turbidimetry and IgE by ELISA. Results Compared with healthy children, children suffering from primary nephropathy had lower IgG and higher IgM and IgE, but the same IgA and C3 Simple and nephritic nephropathy had very significant difference in sensitivity of glucocorticoid(x2=18.48 P

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Benzenesulfonates ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Workplace

Adolescent ; Heart Valve Diseases ; etiology ; Heart Valves ; pathology ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; pathology ; Male

To investigate the possibility of constructing composite skin, keratinocytes were cultivated in vitro on the epidermal surface of cell free dermis prepared from pig skin.Keratinocytes grown on the dermal matrix were released at selected time points, followed by determining the proliferative capacity with cell number quantity and cell proliferation test. Cells attaching to the dermal matrix after it were seeded for 1 and 2 weeks were observed with histological section HE staining and electron microscopy scanning. Results showed that the number of keratinocytes was markedly increased with culture time. They maintained their proliferative potential after they were seeded on acellular xeno dermal matrix and reached a confluent monolayer or 3 to 6 layers at the 1st and 2nd week after seeding. The data showed that a living composite skin combined with keratinocytes and acellular dermal matrix could be successfully prepared in vitro.

To investigate the fate of composite skin comprising mixed keratinocytes seeded on acellular dermal matrix (ADM) after its transplantation to the wound. Newborn BALB/c and human keratinocytes were mixed in various ratios, seeded on the surface of ADM, and cocultured. The composite skin substitute were then grafted onto the full thickness skin wounds in BALB/c mice. The fate of human keratinocytes was observed. The results showed that the composite skin substitutes could close the full thickness wounds in BALB/c mice. Human keratinocytes were mainly located in the upper layer of the epidermis, and were gradually replaced by BALB/c keratinocytes. This indicated that the mixed culture of keratinocytes of two different species on ADM could close full thickness wounds, having the advantages such as saving the donor skin and shortening the culture time in vitro .

To investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) of EGF gene transfected keratinocytes in vivo and in vitro after grafting. EGF levels in the supernatant of the culture media of EGF gene transfected keratinocytes cultured for different lengths of time and different passages were determined with ELISA method. Then, the gene transfected keratinocytes were seeded on the surface of acellular dermal matrix, After culture, the composite skin substitutes were grafted onto the full thickness wounds in nude mice. Specimens were harvested at intervals after grafting and stained for EGF with immunohistochemistry. The results showed that keratinocytes transfected with EGF gene secreted EGF, which was detected in the supernatant of the culture, for 5 passages. Immunohistochemical staining method showed that EGF was expressed in the newly generated epidermis 1～3 weeks after grafting of the composite skin substitute. The data showed that gene transfected keratinocytes could express EGF stably in vivo and in vitro , which would be of benefit to the construction of the tissue engineering skin.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment among older population worldwide,and wet AMD is more threatened to vision because of the choroidal neovascularization.Some physical therapies are thought to destroy the lesions but can not improve the visual acuity.Therefore,anti-VEGF drug therapy is becoming a new approach to the management of wet AMD.Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is thought to play an important role in the complicated pathogenesis,which can be addressed by disease reduction strategies.Among the anti-VEGF drug therapies,anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies are proved to maintain and improve visual acuity.Other therapies have been or now being developed for the treatment of neovascular AMD with the goal of inhibiting VEGF.These inhibitors include VEGF receptor decoy aflibercept,small interfering RNA-based therapies (bevasiranib) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (vatalanib),which could offer the potential for further advances.To completely realize the active mechanism of VEGF in wet AMD is helpful for the rational use of anti-VEGF drugs.

Objective Transforming growth factor-β( TGF-β) can regulate the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) inhibitors, thus affecting the reconstruction of extracellular matrix (ECM) after lung in-jury.So far, little is known about the regulation of TGF-β1 and MMPs/TIMPs ratio in endotoxin-induced lung injury as well as about the exact mechanisms of ECM reconstruction disorders .This study was to investigate the effects of TGF-β1 antibodies on the expressions of MMP and TIMP inhibitors and lung injury fibrosis in rats with endotoxin-induced acute lung injury . Methods Fifty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, normal (n=16), LPS (n=20), and LPS+TGF-β1(L+T, n=20).The rats of the LPS and L+T groups received intraperitoneal and intra-tracheal injection of endotoxin to induce lung injury fibrosis , the latter intrave-nously injected with TGF-β1 antibodies previously .The normal rats received intra-tracheal and intra-abdominal injection of the same a-mount of saline.At 1, 5, 9 and 14 days after modeling, all the rats were killed and blood and lung tissue samples obtained to detect the wet/dry lung tissue ( W/D ) ratio, diffuse alveolar damage ( DAD) score, hydroxyproline activity ( Hpy) , and the expressions of TGF-β1 , MMP-2 and TIMP-1. Results The DAD score, Hpy ac-tivity, and expressions of TGF-β1 , MMP-2 and TIMP-1 were signifi-cantly higher in the LPS group than in the normal control ( P <
0.05), and so were the DAD score, Hpy activity, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in the L+T group than in the controls (P<0.05).Com-pared with the LPS group, Hpy, TGF-β1 and TIMP-1 were markedly decreased in the L +T group (P<0.05).The expression of MMP-2 was gradually increased at 1, 5 and 9 days after modeling , reaching the peak at 9 days and then beginning to decline .The Hpy activity, TGF-β1 and TIMP-1 expressions kept rising after modeling . Conclusion The MMP/TIMP imbalance and ECM reconstruc-tion disorders mediated by the TGF-β1 signaling pathway may be an important cause of fibrosis in endotoxin-induced lung injury . TGF-β1 antibodies can exert a protective effect by alleviating lung injury fibrosis .