A New C-Xyloside induces modifications of GAG expression, structure and functional properties.

Proteoglycans (PGs) are critically involved in major cellular processes. Most PG activities are due to the large interactive properties of their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharide chains, whose expression and fine structural features are tightly controlled by a complex and highly regulated biosynthesis machinery. Xylosides are known to bypass PG-associated GAG biosynthesis and prime the assembly of free polysaccharide chains.

Private health insurance and quality of life: perspectives of older Australians with multiple chronic conditions.

A qualitative study was conducted to explore in-depth issues relating to the health costs of chronic illness as identified in a previous study. A key theme that emerged from interviews carried out was the benefits and challenges of private health insurance (PHI) membership, and choices older Australians with multimorbidity make in accessing health services, with and without PHI. This is the focus of this paper.

Tissue-engineered ligament: implant constructs for tooth replacement.

Aim: A tissue-engineered periodontal ligament (PDL) around implants would represent an important new therapeutic tool to replace lost teeth. The PDL is the key to tooth anchoring; it connects tooth root and alveolar bone, and it sustains bone formation.

Materials And Methods: Cells were isolated from PDL and cultured in a bioreactor on titanium pins.

Evolutive skin reconstructions: from the dermal collagen-glycosaminoglycan-chitosane substrate to an immunocompetent reconstructed skin.

The development of human skin models that have the same properties as genuine human skin is of particular significance. Very promising skin models are the three-dimensional artificial skin constructs, which, similar to genuine skin, consist of an epidermis of differentiated keratinocytes and a dermis. A skin equivalent based on a collagen-glycosaminoglycan-chitosan dermal substrate has been developed to meet the growing demand in tissue engineered skin equivalents.

Optimization and characterization of an engineered human skin equivalent.

Skin equivalents (SEs) have been designed to meet both basic and applied research needs. The successful application of tissue-engineered SEs requires that the reconstituted tissues be endowed with the correct organization and function. A large body of experimental evidence now supports the notion that the inducing effects of mesenchymal tissue on epithelial cell morphogenesis are mediated, at least in part, by extracellular matrix components in addition to cell-cell interactions.