Phenotype, function, and differentiation potential of human monocyte subsets.

Human monocytes have been grouped into classical (CD14++CD16-), non-classical (CD14dimCD16++), and intermediate (CD14++CD16+) subsets. Documentation of normal function and variation in this complement of subtypes, particularly their differentiation potential to dendritic cells (DC) or macrophages, remains incomplete. We therefore phenotyped monocytes from peripheral blood of healthy subjects and performed functional studies on high-speed sorted subsets.

Characterization of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in aging.

Adult mesenchymal stem cells are a resource for autologous and allogeneic cell therapies for immune-modulation and regenerative medicine. However, patients most in need of such therapies are often of advanced age. Therefore, the effects of the aged milieu on these cells and their intrinsic aging in vivo are important considerations.

Adult Stem Cells and Diseases of Aging.

Preservation of adult stem cells pools is critical for maintaining tissue homeostasis into old age. Exhaustion of adult stem cell pools as a result of deranged metabolic signaling, premature senescence as a response to oncogenic insults to the somatic genome, and other causes contribute to tissue degeneration with age. Both progeria, an extreme example of early-onset aging, and heritable longevity have provided avenues to study regulation of the aging program and its impact on adult stem cell compartments.

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells display enhanced clonogenicity but impaired differentiation with hypoxic preconditioning.

Stem cells are promising candidate cells for regenerative applications because they possess high proliferative capacity and the potential to differentiate into other cell types. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are easily sourced but do not retain their proliferative and multilineage differentiative capabilities after prolonged ex vivo propagation. We investigated the use of hypoxia as a preconditioning agent and in differentiating cultures to enhance MSC function.

Fiberoptic imaging of cavernous nerves in vivo.

Purpose: A critical intraoperative variable for the return of tumescence following radical prostatectomy is preservation of the cavernous nerves. We developed a nontoxic technique that would allow high resolution, in vivo real-time imaging specifically of the cavernous nerves.

Materials And Methods: The cavernous nerves were labeled by injecting a fluorescent retrograde nerve tracer into the corpus cavernosum of male rats.