Zebrafish as a high throughput model for organ preservation and transplantation research.

Despite decades of effort, the preservation of complex organs for transplantation remains a significant barrier that exacerbates the organ shortage crisis. Progress in organ preservation research is significantly hindered by suboptimal research tools that force investigators to sacrifice translatability over throughput. For instance, simple model systems, such as single cell monolayers or co-cultures, lack native tissue structure and functional assessment, while mammalian whole organs are complex systems with confounding variables not compatible with high-throughput experimentation.

Zebrafish as a New Tool in Heart Preservation Research.

Heart transplantation became a reality at the end of the 1960s as a life-saving option for patients with end-stage heart failure. Static cold storage (SCS) at 4-6 °C has remained the standard for heart preservation for decades. However, SCS only allows for short-term storage that precludes optimal matching programs, requires emergency surgeries, and results in the unnecessary discard of organs.

Leveraging the zebrafish to model organ transplantation.

Purpose Of Review: The availability of organs for transplant fails to meet the demand and this shortage is growing worse every year. As the cost of not getting a suitable donor organ can mean death for patients, new tools and approaches that allows us to make advances in transplantation faster and provide a different vantage point are required. To address this need, we introduce the concept of using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a new model system in organ transplantation.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine supplementation on cellular damage and oxidative stress indicators in volleyball athletes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplementation on cellular damage and oxidative stress indicators in volleyball athletes. Twenty male volleyball athletes at national level performed a physical training session and were divided into 2 groups, which for 7 days took the placebo substance or NAC. After 7 days the athletes repeated the same training session.

Effect of Liposome Treatment on Hemorheology and Metabolic Profile of Human Red Blood Cells During Hypothermic Storage.

Background: Ex vivo cold storage of red blood cells (RBCs) for transfusion has long been associated with hypothermic storage lesions. It has been proposed that liposomes can be used to mitigate hemorheological elements of RBC membrane storage lesions. This study aimed to determine the appropriate liposome treatment time and assess the effects of liposome treatment on RBC's hemorheological and metabolic profiles.

Evaluation of the functional properties of cryopreserved buffy coat-derived monocytes for monocyte monolayer assay.

Background: Monocyte monolayer assay (MMA) is a compatibility testing method for evaluating the clinical significance of red blood cell (RBC) alloantibodies. Time-consuming monocyte isolation procedures and requirement for fresh monocytes have limited application of the MMA. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the utility and efficacy of cryopreserved buffy coat (BC)-derived monocytes for MMA application.

The immune-stimulation capacity of liposome-treated red blood cells.

Our in vivo studies on a rat model established safety of transfusing liposome-treated red blood cells (RBCs) but identified the potential for immune modulation as related to transfusion efficacy of liposome-treated RBCs. The aim of this study was at assessing the impact of liposome-induced membrane changes on the immune profile of liposome-treated RBCs by (a) evaluating their interaction with endothelial cells and monocytes; and (b) the resulting immune response derived from this interaction, in the form of cytokine release, adhesion molecules expression and phagocytosis. Unilamellar liposomes were synthesized to contain unsaturated phospholipids (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DOPC]:CHOL, 7:3 mol%).

Effect of liposome-treated red blood cells in an anemic rat model.

Context: Liposomes have been shown to improve human red blood cell (RBC) in vitro quality by minimizing membrane damage occurring during 42-d hypothermic storage. Small animal models are necessary to evaluate novel blood products and guide future clinical studies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of liposome treatments on rat RBC hypothermic storage lesion (HSL) and to examine in vivo outcomes of transfusing liposome treated RBCs in a rat model.

Differences in Rat and Human Erythrocytes Following Blood Component Manufacturing: The Effect of Additive Solutions.

Background: Small animal models have been previously used in transfusion medicine studies to evaluate the safety of blood transfusion products. Although there are multiple studies on the effects of blood banking practices on human red blood cells (RBCs), little is known about the effect of blood component manufacturing on the quality of rat RBCs.

Methods: Blood from Sprague-Dawley rats and human volunteers (n = 6) was collected in CPD anticoagulant, resuspended in SAGM or AS3, and leukoreduced.