The adult pituitary shows stem/progenitor cell activation in response to injury and is capable of regeneration.

The pituitary gland constitutes, together with the hypothalamus, the regulatory core of the endocrine system. Whether the gland is capable of cell regeneration after injury, in particular when suffered at adult age, is unknown. To investigate the adult pituitary's regenerative capacity and the response of its stem/progenitor cell compartment to damage, we constructed a transgenic mouse model to conditionally destroy pituitary cells.

Pituitary progenitor cells tracked down by side population dissection.

The pituitary gland represents the endocrine core, governing the body's hormonal landscape by adapting its cellular composition to changing demands. It is assumed that stem/progenitor cells are involved in this remodeling. Recently, we uncovered a candidate stem/progenitor cell population in the anterior pituitary.

In vitro evaluation of the ability of platelet-rich plasma to seal an iatrogenic fetal membrane defect.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the ability of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to seal an iatrogenic fetal membrane defect.

Methods: First, we evaluated the stability of a PRP plug in an amniotic fluid environment. Further, we evaluated the sealing capability of PRP plugs in an in vitro model that mimics a fetoscopic membrane defect.

Enrichment of collagen plugs with platelets and amniotic fluid cells increases cell proliferation in sealed iatrogenic membrane defects in the foetal rabbit model.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate cell proliferation in platelet-enriched collagen plugs with and without addition of amniotic fluid-derived heterologous foetal cells to seal an iatrogenic membrane defect in the foetal rabbit model.

Methods: Amniotic fluid cells were harvested from three donor does at 23 days of gestation (term = 32 days) and labelled with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE). In 42 other does, foetal membrane defects were induced by foetoscopic needle puncture at 23 days of gestation, and closed with either a platelet-enriched collagen plug with (n = 44) or without (n = 32) amniotic fluid cells.

Validation of beighton score and prevalence of connective tissue signs in 773 Dutch children.

Objective: Validation of the Beighton Score and the prevalence of connective tissue signs were investigated in Dutch children.

Methods: Hypermobility investigation according to Beighton was undertaken in 773 healthy children aged 4-12 years. An inventory of the signs that fitted with connective tissue disorders was compiled.