Uncultured adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) seeded in collagen scaffold improves dermal regeneration, enhancing early vascularization and structural organization following thermal burns.

Objective: Advances in tissue engineering have yielded a range of both natural and synthetic skin substitutes for burn wound healing application. Long-term viability of tissue-engineered skin substitutes requires the formation and maturation of neo-vessels to optimize survival and biointegration after implantation. A number of studies have demonstrated the capacity of Adipose Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs) to promote angiogenesis and modulate inflammation.

Role of a novel tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channel in the nitrergic relaxation of corpus cavernosum from the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus.

Introduction: Coitus in snakes may last up to 28 hours; however, the mechanisms involved are unknown.

Aim: To evaluate the relevance of the nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) system in snake corpus cavernosum reactivity.

Methods: Hemipenes were removed from anesthetized South American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus) and studied by light and scanning electronic microscopy.

Chapter 7. Mouse models of ischemic angiogenesis and ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) events are distinct but interrelated processes etiologic to the most prevalent human diseases. A delicate balance exists whereby ischemic injury can result in beneficial angiogenesis or in detrimental reperfusion injury overwhelming the organism. Here, we describe in vivo models of ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion injury with emphasis on murine hindlimb ischemia models.

A role for VEGF as a negative regulator of pericyte function and vessel maturation.

Angiogenesis does not only depend on endothelial cell invasion and proliferation: it also requires pericyte coverage of vascular sprouts for vessel stabilization. These processes are coordinated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) through their cognate receptors on endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), respectively. PDGF induces neovascularization by priming VSMCs/pericytes to release pro-angiogenic mediators.

Carotid endarterectomy as the criterion standard in high-risk elderly patients.

Background: Carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is now a viable alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients considered to be high-risk candidates for surgery, despite recent reports of increased adverse periprocedural outcomes in elderly patients. We sought to evaluate our single-institution experience and the 30-day perioperative outcomes of CEA in patients 75 years or older, who are traditionally considered high-risk surgical candidates and are recommended for CAS.

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Semaphorin 3A suppresses VEGF-mediated angiogenesis yet acts as a vascular permeability factor.

Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), a known inhibitor of axonal sprouting, also alters vascular patterning. Here we show that Sema3A selectively interferes with VEGF- but not bFGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Consistent with this, Sema3A disrupted VEGF- but not bFGF-mediated endothelial cell signaling to FAK and Src, key mediators of integrin and growth factor signaling; however, signaling to ERK by either growth factor was unperturbed.

A novel fluorescence-based cellular permeability assay.

Vascular permeability is a pathologic process in many disease states ranging from metastatic progression of malignancies to ischemia-reperfusion injury. In order to more precisely study tissue, and more specifically cell layer permeability, our goal was to create a fluorescence-based assay which could quantify permeability without radioactivity or electrical impedance measurements. Human aortic endothelial cells were grown in monolayer culture on Costar-Transwell clear polyester membrane 6-well cell culture inserts.