Interactions between human phagocytes and Candida albicans biofilms alone and in combination with antifungal agents.

Background: Biofilm formation is an important component of vascular catheter infections caused by Candida albicans. Little is known about the interactions between human phagocytes, antifungal agents, and Candida biofilms.

Methods: The interactions between C.

Cripto-1 is required for hypoxia to induce cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Cripto-1 is a membrane-bound protein that is highly expressed in embryonic stem cells and in human tumors. In the present study, we investigated the effect of low levels of oxygen, which occurs naturally in rapidly growing tissues, on Cripto-1 expression in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells and in human embryonal carcinoma cells. During hypoxia, Cripto-1 expression levels were significantly elevated in mES cells and in Ntera-2 or NCCIT human embryonal carcinoma cells, as compared with cells growing with normal oxygen levels.

Pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus and the kinetics of galactomannan in an in vitro model of early invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: implications for antifungal therapy.

Background: Little is known about the pathogenesis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and the relationship between the kinetics of diagnostic markers and the outcome of antifungal therapy.

Methods: An in vitro model of the human alveolus, consisting of a bilayer of human alveolar epithelial and endothelial cells, was developed. An Aspergillus fumigatus strain expressing green fluorescent protein was used.