Microcystic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: A case report.

Microcystic variant of urothelial carcinoma was recently added to the World Health organization classification of transitional cell carcinoma. This variant is characterized by its aggressiveness explaining the low long-term survival rate of the patients. Larger studies are needed to determine the adequate treatment course.

Three-Dimensional Environment Sustains Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation into Platelet-Producing Megakaryocytes.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) differentiate into megakaryocytes (MK), whose function is to release platelets. Attempts to improve in vitro platelet production have been hampered by the low amplification of MK. Providing HSC with an optimal three-dimensional (3D) architecture may favor MK differentiation by mimicking some crucial functions of the bone marrow structure.

The use of total human bone marrow fraction in a direct three-dimensional expansion approach for bone tissue engineering applications: focus on angiogenesis and osteogenesis.

Current approaches in bone tissue engineering have shown limited success, mostly owing to insufficient vascularization of the construct. A common approach consists of co-culture of endothelial cells and osteoblastic cells. This strategy uses cells from different sources and differentiation states, thus increasing the complexity upstream of a clinical application.

Pullulan/dextran/nHA macroporous composite beads for bone repair in a femoral condyle defect in rats.

The repair of bone defects is of particular interest for orthopedic, oral, maxillofacial, and dental surgery. Bone loss requiring reconstruction is conventionally addressed through bone grafting. Depending on the size and the location of the defect, this method has limits and risks.

Leukocyte mimetic polysaccharide microparticles tracked in vivo on activated endothelium and in abdominal aortic aneurysm.

We have developed injectable microparticles functionalized with fucoidan, in which sulfated groups mimic the anchor sites of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1), one of the principal receptors supporting leukocyte adhesion. These targeted microparticles were combined with a fluorescent dye and a T2(∗) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, and then tracked in vivo with small animal imaging methods. Microparticles of 2.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms targeted by functionalized polysaccharide microparticles: a new tool for SPECT imaging.

Aneurysm diagnostic is nowadays limited by the lack of technology that enables early detection and rupture risk prediction. New non invasive tools for molecular imaging are still required. In the present study, we present an innovative SPECT diagnostic tool for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) produced from injectable polysaccharide microparticles radiolabeled with technetium 99m ((99m)Tc) and functionalized with fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide with the ability to target P-Selectin.

Cell interactions between human progenitor-derived endothelial cells and human mesenchymal stem cells in a three-dimensional macroporous polysaccharide-based scaffold promote osteogenesis.

Several studies have reported the benefits of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for bone tissue engineering. However, vascularization remains one of the main obstacles that must be overcome to reconstruct large bone defects. In vitro prevascularization of the three-dimensional (3-D) constructs using co-cultures of human progenitor-derived endothelial cells (PDECs) with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HBMSCs) appeared as a potential strategy.

A nano-hydroxyapatite--pullulan/dextran polysaccharide composite macroporous material for bone tissue engineering.

Research in bone tissue engineering is focused on the development of alternatives to allogenic and autologous bone grafts that can stimulate bone healing. Here, we present scaffolds composed of the natural hydrophilic polysaccharides pullulan and dextran, supplemented or not with nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite particles (nHA). In vitro studies revealed that these matrices induced the formation of multicellular aggregates and expression of early and late bone specific markers with human bone marrow stromal cells in medium deprived of osteoinductive factors.

A new dextran-graft-polybutylmethacrylate copolymer coated on 316L metallic stents enhances endothelial cell coverage.

Amphiphilic copolymers based on the copolymerization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties offer versatility in various biomedical material applications. Here, a new biocompatible copolymer of dextran-graft-polybutylmethacrylate is synthesized for the coating of metallic endovascular stents. Coating of metallic surfaces is performed and analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy before and after deformation corresponding to stent deployment by a balloon catheter.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a highly sensitive tool for a dynamic interaction study between heparin and antithrombin: a novel antithrombin sensor.

Specific recognition between two biological partners is widely exploited in biosensors nowadays. To explore this avenue, a novel biosensor for antithrombin (AT) detection was constructed. Heparin was used as the affinity ligand.

Magnetic resonance imaging tracking of human adipose derived stromal cells within three-dimensional scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

For bone tissue engineering, human Adipose Derived Stem Cells (hADSCs) are proposed to be associated with a scaffold for promoting bone regeneration. After implantation, cellularised scaffolds require a non-invasive method for monitoring their fate in vivo. The purpose of this study was to use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based tracking of these cells, labelled with magnetic agents for in vivo longitudinal assessment.

Influence of polysaccharide composition on the biocompatibility of pullulan/dextran-based hydrogels.

The implantation of a biomaterial for tissue engineering requires the presence of a suitable scaffold on which the tissue repair and regeneration will take place. Polymers have been frequently used for that purpose because they show similar properties to that of the natural extracellular matrix. Scaffold properties and biocompatibility are modulated by the composition of the polymers used.

Films of dextran-graft-polybutylmethacrylate to enhance endothelialization of materials.

We have synthesized new structures obtained from amphiphilic copolymers of dextran and polybutylmethacrylate with the aim of endothelialization of biomaterials. Grafting of butylmethacrylate onto dextran has been carried out using ceric ammonium nitrate as initiator. Three copolymers were obtained (11, 30 and 37 wt.

Synthesis and characterization of a new polysaccharide-graft-polymethacrylate copolymer for three-dimensional hybrid hydrogels.

Hybrid materials constituted by hydrophobic and hydrophilic biocompatible macromolecules are useful for biomedical applications. In this context, a well-known acrylic monomer (methyl methacrylate) was polymerized and grafted onto the polysaccharide dextran by the use of ceric ammonium nitrate as a redox initiator in aqueous nitric acid medium. The effects of concentrations of dextran, acrylic monomer, and ceric ions on the copolymerization yields were investigated in detail.