Association of hindfoot ligament tears and osteochondral lesions.

Background: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of ligament and joint surface anatomy variants, ligament tears, and osteochondral lesions (OCLs) in the hindfoot. These data were used to identify associations between anatomic variants or ligament tears and OCLs.

Methods: Seventy-two cadaver hindfoot specimens were examined.

The post-baccalaureate premedical certification program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center strengthens admission qualifications for entrance into medical school.

The Post-Baccalaureate (postbac) Premedical Certification Program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center provides an opportunity for individuals to enhance their credentials for entry into medical school by offering a challenging biomedical science core curriculum in graduate biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, and pharmacology. In addition, students (called postbacs) receive instruction in human gross anatomy, histology, and embryology with first-year medical students. More than 90% of the students accepted into the postbac program have applied to medical school previously but have been rejected by admission committees at least once, primarily because of low cognitive scores.

Microscopic characterization of rat retinal progenitor cells.

A progenitor cell line was developed from a postnatal day 2 (P2) rat retina to study the effects of secreted proteins of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) on isolated retinal progenitor cells and markers for immature and differentiated retinal cells. Progenitor cells were cloned from a P2 explant grown in secreted proteins of cultured RPE cells. A cell line was cloned from a single progenitor cell.

RPE-derived factors modulate photoreceptor differentiation: a possible role in the retinal stem cell niche.

A photoreceptor cell line, designated 661W, was tested for its response to growth factors secreted by retinal pigment epithelial cells including basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and nerve growth factor. Early passaged 661W cells expressed high levels of retinal progenitor markers such as nestin and Pax6, but not opsin or glial fibrillary acidic protein. 661W cells grown in FGF-2 or EGF exhibited a multiple-process morphology with small phase-bright nuclei similar to neurons, whereas cells cultured in nerve growth factor (NGF) or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-conditioned medium (RPE-CM) displayed rounded profiles lacking processes.

Promoting graduate student interest and participation in human gross anatomy.

For many years, graduate students at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) were reluctant to enroll in dissection-based human gross anatomy courses. Furthermore, few graduate faculty mentors would allow their students to enroll in these courses. The significant amount of time allotted to courses such as anatomy and its effect on students' research programs have been identified by faculty as the primary reason for this lack of enthusiasm.