C-Type Lectin Receptor Mediated Modulation of T2 Immune Responses to Allergens.

Purpose Of Review: Allergic diseases represent a major health problem of increasing prevalence worldwide. In allergy, dendritic cells (DCs) contribute to both the pathophysiology and the induction of healthy immune responses to the allergens. Different studies have reported that some common allergens contain glycans in their structure.

Isolation and Culturing of Primary Mouse and Human Macrophages.

Macrophages are mature immune cells involved in the defense of the organism. Since their discovery, the main function attributed to macrophages has been phagocytosis. However, in recent years, several new functions such as angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, clearance of apoptotic cells, pro- and anti-inflammatory properties and tumor growth have been attributed to macrophages.

Sustained Focal Vascular Inflammation Accelerates Atherosclerosis in Remote Arteries.

Objective: Evidence from preclinical and clinical studies has demonstrated that myocardial infarction promotes atherosclerosis progression. The impact of focal vascular inflammation on the progression and phenotype of remote atherosclerosis remains unknown. Approach and Results: We used a novel knockout mouse model of sustained arterial inflammation, initiated by mechanical injury in the abdominal aorta.

Molecular Imaging in Ischemic Heart Disease.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this paper is to review current and new modalities to image key biological processes in ischemic heart disease and after myocardial infarction non-invasively.

Recent Findings: New imaging targets have been developed to detect and quantify myocardial damage after ischemia. Although positron emission tomography (PET) has been leading the development of new probes in the past, continuous improvements of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) together with the development of new novel MRI contrast agents opens new research avenues including the combination of both PET and MRI to obtain anatomic, functional, and molecular information simultaneously, which is not possible from a single imaging session.

Molecular imaging of cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction and subsequent heart failure is a major health burden associated with significant mortality and morbidity in western societies. The ability of cardiac tissue to recover after myocardial infarction is affected by numerous complex cellular and molecular pathways. Unbalance or failure of these pathways can lead to adverse remodelling of the heart and poor prognosis.