Publications by authors named "Kayla Soon"

Article Synopsis
  • The lower respiratory tract consists of a network of flexible tubes lined with a special layer of cells, but existing airway models haven't fully mimicked their natural characteristics, specifically regarding stress and structural shape.
  • A new airway model using collagen tubes has been developed, allowing for realistic growth conditions that simulate human small airways and enabling dynamic studies of breathing mechanics and their effects on the cells lining the airways.
  • Research using this model shows that the repetitive opening and collapsing of airways can cause more damage to the cells than simply over-expanding them, indicating a need for strategies to reduce airway collapse during ventilation.
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Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a disorder wherein abnormal, enlarged blood vessels connect arteries directly to veins, without an intervening capillary bed. AVMs are one of the leading causes of hemorrhagic stroke in children and young adults. Most human sporadic brain AVMs are associated with genetic activating mutations in the KRAS gene.

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Due to the integration of recent advances in stem cell biology, materials science, and engineering, the field of cardiac tissue engineering has been rapidly progressing toward developing more accurate functional 3D cardiac microtissues from human cell sources. These engineered tissues enable screening of cardiotoxic drugs, disease modeling (eg, by using cells from specific genetic backgrounds or modifying environmental conditions) and can serve as novel drug development platforms. This concise review presents the most recent advances and improvements in cardiac tissue formation, including cardiomyocyte maturation and disease modeling.

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Fibrosis, characterized by abnormal and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, results in compromised tissue and organ structure. This can lead to reduced organ function and eventual failure. Although activated fibroblasts, called myofibroblasts, are considered the central players in fibrosis, the contribution of endothelial cells to the inception and progression of fibrosis has become increasingly recognized.

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Replacement of large tracheal defects remains an unmet clinical need. While recellularization of acellular tracheal grafts appeared to be a viable pathway, evidence from the clinic suggests otherwise. In hindsight, complete removal of chondrocytes and repopulation of the tracheal chondroid matrix to achieve functional tracheal cartilage may have been unrealistic.

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Tracheal injury, stenosis, and malignancy demand tracheal reconstruction, which often fails due to the lack of a functioning epithelium. We performed an extensive comparative analysis to determine optimal biomaterials for developing tracheal epithelial grafts with mucociliary function. We screened Hyaluronan-Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Chitosan-Collagen, Collagen Vitrigel Membrane, Fibrin Glue, Silk Fibroin, and Gelatin based on various parameters including mechanical strength, bulk degradation, cell attachment, spreading, metabolic activity, focal adhesion formation, and differentiation into ciliated and goblet cells.

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