Publications by authors named "Amir Toren"

Background Aims: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are spindle-shaped plastic-adherent cells isolated from bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue and other organs, including the placenta. Autologous BM-derived MSC have been studied in animals with experimentally induced critical limb ischemia (CLI) as a model of end-stage peripheral vascular disease. While demonstrating therapeutic benefit, the use of these cells is limited by the need to surgically extract BM and the fear of thrombosis secondary to the use of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to mobilize the cells.

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The administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) provides an exciting emerging therapeutic modality for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease, a condition that is associated with critical limb ischemia as its end stage. Placental-derived MSCs, termed PLX-PAD cells, are stable adhesive stromal cells isolated from full-term human placentae, cultured on carriers, and expanded in a bioreactor called the PluriX. These cells can be expanded in vitro without phenotypic or karyotypic changes.

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We examined whether high incidence rates (18%-56%) of inflammation in the root of the aorta detected in a Balb/c mouse model for hind limb ischemia were related to the surgical procedure. Twenty mice underwent ligation of the femoral artery; incidences of aortic root inflammation were compared to those observed in controls. We used a multiple-section sampling method to increase the sensitivity of the diagnostic rates.

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For the past 40 years, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has become standard therapy to re-establish marrow function in patients with damaged or defective bone marrow. A human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling is the donor of choice for patients needing transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). As most patients do not have an acceptable matched, related donor, the National Marrow Donor Program has been established to match volunteer bone marrow donors with potential recipients who require BMT.

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Acinetobacter radioresistens KA53 produces an extracellular bioemulsifier, referred to as alasan. The surface active component of alasan is a 35.77 kDa protein AlnA.

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The bioemulsifier of Acinetobacter radioresistens KA53, referred to as alasan, is a high-molecular-weight complex of polysaccharide and protein. Recently, one of the alasan proteins, with an apparent molecular mass of 45 kDa, was purified and shown to constitute most of the emulsifying activity. The N-terminal sequence of the 45-kDa protein showed high homology to an OmpA-like protein from Acinetobacter spp.

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