The Jag2/Notch1 signaling axis promotes sebaceous gland differentiation and controls progenitor proliferation.

The sebaceous gland (SG) is a vital appendage of the epidermis, and its normal homeostasis and function is crucial for effective maintenance of the skin barrier. Notch signaling is a well-known regulator of epidermal differentiation, and has also been shown to be involved in postnatal maintenance of SGs. However, the precise role of Notch signaling in regulating SG differentiation in the adult homeostatic skin remains unclear.

Local Pentraxin-2 Deficit Is a Feature of Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn's Disease.

Background: Pentraxin-2 (PTX-2) is a homo-pentameric plasma protein showing evidence of antifibrotic activity in Phase 2 clinical trials in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Whether PTX-2 plays a role in other fibrotic diseases, including intestinal fibrosis which commonly occurs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), remains unknown.

Aims: This study aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively assess PTX-2 expression in fibrostenotic Crohn's disease (FCD) and determine whether expression is correlated with postsurgical restenosis.

Synthetic Antigen Controls for Immunohistochemistry.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays provide valuable insights into protein expression patterns, the reliable interpretation of which requires well-characterized positive and negative control samples. Because appropriate tissue or cell line controls are not always available, a simple method to create synthetic IHC controls may be beneficial. Such a method is described here.