Investigation of a Novel PLGA/CaP Scaffold in the Healing of Tooth Extraction Sockets to Alveolar Bone Preservation in Humans.

Background: It is expected that 40% to 60% of initial alveolar bone volume will be lost up to 6 months after tooth extraction. OsteoScaf(TM) (TRT, Toronto, ON, Canada) (poly (DL-lactide-co-glycololide/calcium phosphate [PLGA/CaP] scaffold) is a novel bone substitute material and represents a promising alternative for maintaining alveolar bone integrity in this clinical scenario.

Purpose: Here it was hypothesized that OsteoScaf would reduce alveolar bone lost after tooth extraction in patient, acting as a clot-retention device.

The effects of human umbilical cord perivascular cells on rat hepatocyte structure and functional polarity.

Hepatocyte culture is a useful tool for the study of their biology and the development of bioartificial livers. However, many challenges have to be overcome since hepatocytes rapidly lose their normal phenotype in vitro. We have recently demonstrated that human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) are able to provide support to hepatocytes.

Human umbilical cord perivascular cells improve rat hepatocyte function ex vivo.

Hepatocyte functionality and survival decrease rapidly in culture, and both can be improved using bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). We have previously described an alternative, more plentiful source of MSCs coming from the perivascular area of the umbilical cord, human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs). Our objective was therefore to ascertain whether HUCPVCs could serve as hepatocyte stromal cells ex vivo.