Extracorporeal Shock Waves Increase Markers of Cellular Proliferation in Bronchial Epithelium and in Primary Bronchial Fibroblasts of COPD Patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is due to structural changes and narrowing of small airways and parenchymal destruction (loss of the alveolar attachment as a result of pulmonary emphysema), which all lead to airflow limitation. Extracorporeal shock waves (ESW) increase cell proliferation and differentiation of connective tissue fibroblasts. To date no studies are available on ESW treatment of human bronchial fibroblasts and epithelial cells from COPD and control subjects.

Modulating tumor reactive stroma by extracorporeal shock waves to control prostate cancer progression.

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. Tumor microenvironment is composed of activated fibroblasts, the so called carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). They express high levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen (COL1), and support proliferation and migration of tumor epithelial cells.

Fibulin-1 interacts with Sex Hormone Binding Globulin and is linked to less aggressive estrogen-dependent breast cancers.

Aims: Interaction of Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells has a protective role against estrogen exposure. No specific membrane receptor for SHBG had been identified by now, but a putative interaction of SHBG with extracellular matrix associated-proteins (e.g.

Extracorporeal shock waves trigger tenogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells.

Purposes: Incomplete tendon healing impairs the outcome of tendon ruptures and tendinopathies. Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells (hASCs) are promising for tissue engineering applications. Extracorporeal Shock Waves (ESW) are a leading choice for the treatment of several tendinopathies.