Publications by authors named "Ng Min Hwei"

Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) can be isolated from umbilical cords which is abundant and easy to obtain. Due to their potent immunosuppressive properties, multilineage differentiation potential, and lack of ethical issues, WJ-MSCs are considered a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. However, large-scale in vitro expansion is necessary to obtain enough cells for therapeutic purposes.

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Milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs) are emerging as promising therapeutic candidates due to their unique properties and versatile functions. These vesicles play a crucial role in immunomodulation by influencing macrophage differentiation and cytokine production, potentially aiding in the treatment of conditions such as bone loss, fibrosis, and cancer. mEVs also have the capacity to modulate gut microbiota composition, which may alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases and promote intestinal barrier integrity.

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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that pose significant environmental and health risks. These compounds originate from both natural phenomena, such as volcanic activity and wildfires, and anthropogenic sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial processes, and fossil fuel combustion. Their classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic substances link them to various cancers and health disorders.

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Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (pEVs) are emerging as pivotal players in numerous physiological and pathological processes, extending beyond their traditional roles in hemostasis and thrombosis. As one of the most abundant vesicle types in human blood, pEVs transport a diverse array of bioactive molecules, including growth factors, cytokines, and clotting factors, facilitating crucial intercellular communication, immune regulation, and tissue healing. The unique ability of pEVs to traverse tissue barriers and their biocompatibility position them as promising candidates for targeted drug delivery and regenerative medicine applications.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant public health challenge, with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance being a major obstacle to effective treatment. Despite advancements, resistance to 5-FU remains formidable due to complex mechanisms such as alterations in drug transport, evasion of apoptosis, dysregulation of cell cycle dynamics, tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions, and extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated resistance pathways. Traditional chemotherapy often results in high toxicity, highlighting the need for alternative approaches with better efficacy and safety.

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Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) hold promises for cell therapy and tissue engineering due to their self-renewal and differentiation abilities, along with immunomodulatory properties and trophic factor secretion. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from MSCs offer similar therapeutic effects. However, MSCs are heterogeneous and lead to variable outcomes.

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Breast cancer, a multifaceted and heterogeneous disease, poses significant challenges in terms of understanding its intricate resistance mechanisms and devising effective therapeutic strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the intricate landscape of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the context of breast cancer, highlighting their diverse subtypes, biogenesis, and roles in intercellular communication within the tumour microenvironment (TME). The discussion spans various aspects, from EVs and stromal cells in breast cancer to their influence on angiogenesis, immune response, and chemoresistance.

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Numerous challenges remain within conventional cell-based therapy despite the growing trend of stem cells used to treat various life-debilitating diseases. These limitations include batch-to-batch heterogeneity, induced alloreactivity, cell survival and integration, poor scalability, and high cost of treatment, thus hindering successful translation from lab to bedside. However, recent pioneering technology has enabled the isolation and enrichment of small extracellular vesicles (EVs), canonically known as exosomes.

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The animal gut microbiota, comprising a diverse array of microorganisms, plays a pivotal role in shaping host health and physiology. This review explores the intricate dynamics of the gut microbiome in animals, focusing on its composition, function, and impact on host-microbe interactions. The composition of the intestinal microbiota in animals is influenced by the host ecology, including factors such as temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and nutrient availability, as well as genetic makeup, diet, habitat, stressors, and husbandry practices.

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This paper sheds light on the alarming issue of antibiotic resistance (ABR) in aquatic environments, exploring its detrimental effects on ecosystems and public health. It examines the multifaceted role of antibiotic use in aquaculture, agricultural runoff, and industrial waste in fostering the development and dissemination of resistant bacteria. The intricate interplay between various environmental factors, horizontal gene transfer, and bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) in accelerating the spread of ABR is comprehensively discussed.

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Recent breakthroughs in developing human-relevant organotypic models led to the building of highly resemblant tissue constructs that hold immense potential for transplantation, drug screening, and disease modeling. Despite the progress in fine-tuning stem cell multilineage differentiation in highly controlled spatiotemporal conditions and hosting microenvironments, 3D models still experience naive and incomplete morphogenesis. In particular, existing systems and induction protocols fail to maintain stem cell long-term potency, induce high tissue-level multicellularity, or drive the maturity of stem cell-derived 3D models to levels seen in their counterparts.

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Treatments for skin injuries have recently advanced tremendously. Such treatments include allogeneic and xenogeneic transplants and skin substitutes such as tissue-engineered skin, cultured cells, and stem cells. The aim of this paper is to discuss the general overview of the quality assurance and quality control implemented in the manufacturing of cell and tissue product, with emphasis on our experience in the manufacturing of MyDerm, an autologous bilayered human skin substitute.

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Human platelet lysate (hPL) has high levels of fibrinogen and coagulation factors, which can lead to gel and precipitate formation during storage and cell culture. Heparin derived from animals is commonly added to minimize these risks, but cannot completely eliminate them. Thus, this study proposes an alternative method to prepare fibrinogen-depleted hPL (Fd-hPL) that supports heparin-free expansion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

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MicroRNAs are short, single-stranded ribonucleic acids expressed endogenously in the body to regulate gene expression at the post-translational level, with exogenous microRNA offering an attractive approach to therapy. Among the myriad microRNA candidates involved in controlling bone homeostasis and remodeling, () is the most abundant. This paper discusses the studies conducted on the role and mechanism of human () in the regulation of bones and the various pathways mediated by , and explores the feasibility of employing exogenous as a strategy for promoting osteogenesis.

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In recent years, bone loss and its associated diseases have become a significant public health concern due to increased disability, morbidity, and mortality. Oxidative stress and bone loss are correlated, where oxidative stress suppresses osteoblast activity, resulting in compromised homeostasis between bone formation and resorption. This event causes upregulation of bone remodeling turnover rate with an increased risk of fractures and bone loss.

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Over the last several decades, numerous modifications and advancements have been made to design the optimal corneal biomatrix for corneal epithelial cell (CECs) or limbal epithelial stem cell (LESC) carriers. However, researchers have yet to discover the ideal optimization strategies for corneal biomatrix design and its effects on cultured CECs or LESCs. This review discusses and summarizes recent optimization strategies for developing an ideal collagen biomatrix and its interactions with CECs and LESCs.

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Cancer is the second leading contributor to global deaths caused by non-communicable diseases. The cancer cells are known to interact with the surrounding non-cancerous cells, including the immune cells and stromal cells, within the tumor microenvironment (TME) to modulate the tumor progression, metastasis and resistance. Currently, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the standard treatments for cancers.

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Xeno-free three-dimensional cultures are gaining attention for mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) expansion in clinical applications. We investigated the potential of xeno-free serum alternatives, human serum and human platelet lysate, to replace the current conventional use of foetal bovine serum for subsequent MSCs microcarrier cultures. In this study, Wharton's Jelly MSCs were cultured in nine different media combinations to identify the best xeno-free culture media for MSCs culture.

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Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a worldwide problem which hugely affects the quality of patients' life. Nerve conduits are now the alternative for treatment of PNI to mimic the gold standard, autologous nerve graft. In that case, with the advantages of electrospun micro- or nano-fibers nerve conduit, the peripheral nerve growth can be escalated, in a better way.

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Background: Excitotoxicity-induced in vivo injury models are vital to reflect the pathophysiological features of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans. The duration and concentration of chemical treatment controls the extent of neuronal cell damage. The extent of injury is explained in relation to locomotor and behavioural activity.

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HIV-1 derived lentiviral vector is an efficient transporter for delivering desired genetic materials into the targeted cells among many viral vectors. Genetic material transduced by lentiviral vector is integrated into the cell genome to introduce new functions, repair defective cell metabolism, and stimulate certain cell functions. Various measures have been administered in different generations of lentiviral vector systems to reduce the vector's replicating capabilities.

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Wound represents a significant socioeconomic burden for both affected individuals and as a whole healthcare system. Accordingly, stem cells have garnered attention due to their differentiation capacity and ability to aid tissue regeneration by releasing biologically active molecules, found in the cells' cultivated medium which known as conditioned medium (CM) or secretomes. This acellular approach provides a huge advantage over conventional treatment options, which are mainly used cellular treatment at wound closure.

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are minute vesicles with lipid bilayer membranes. EVs are secreted by cells for intercellular communication. Recently, EVs have received much attention, as they are rich in biological components such as nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins that play essential roles in tissue regeneration and disease modification.

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Objectives: To determine the serum levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) in patients with acquired laryngotracheal stenosis (ALTS) and healthy volunteers and compare levels between serum and tissue of the stenotic segment.

Materials And Methods: An exploratory cohort study included 20 participants with ALTS and 5 healthy volunteers. ALTS group was categorised into mild and severe according to grade of stenosis and presence of tracheostomy.

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Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have excellent clinical potential and numerous properties that ease its clinical translation. Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy metabolism, essential for cellular activities, such as proliferation, differentiation, and migration. However, mitochondrial dysfunction can occur due to diseases and pathological conditions.

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