Stereological assessment of the blood-air barrier and the surfactant system after mesenchymal stem cell pretreatment in a porcine non-heart-beating donor model for lung transplantation.

More frequent utilization of non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) organs for lung transplantation has the potential to relieve the shortage of donor organs. In particular with respect to uncontrolled NHBD, concerns exist regarding the risk of ischaemia/reperfusion (IR) injury-related graft damage or dysfunction. Due to their immunomodulating and tissue-remodelling properties, bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been suspected of playing a beneficial role regarding short- and long-term survival and function of the allograft.

Evaluating acellular versus cellular perfusate composition during prolonged ex vivo lung perfusion after initial cold ischaemia for 24 hours.

Normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has developed as a powerful technique to evaluate particularly marginal donor lungs prior to transplantation. In this study, acellular and cellular perfusate compositions were compared in an identical experimental setting as no consensus has been reached on a preferred technique yet. Porcine lungs underwent EVLP for 12 h on the basis of an acellular or a cellular perfusate composition after 24 h of cold ischaemia as defined organ stress.

Quantitative morphological changes in the interplacentomal wall of the gravid uterine horn of cattle during pregnancy.

Background: The interplacentomal wall of the gravid uterine horn in cattle is the subject of reports dealing mainly with specific aspects of early pregnancy or the peripartal period. Only a very limited number of early and descriptive studies includes the whole period of pregnancy. Thus, there is a gap concerning quantitative morphological data of the uterine wall during pregnancy.

Mesenchymal stem cell pretreatment of non-heart-beating-donors in experimental lung transplantation.

Background: Lung transplantation (LTx) is still limited by organ shortage. To expand the donor pool, lung retrieval from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD) was introduced into clinical practice recently. However, primary graft dysfunction with inactivation of endogenous surfactant due to ischemia/reperfusion-injury is a major cause of early mortality.

A secondary metabolite of Brassicales, 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate, as well as its degradation product, 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl alcohol, forms DNA adducts in the mouse, but in varying tissues and cells.

1-Methoxy-3-indolylmethyl (1-MIM) glucosinolate, a secondary metabolite of Brassicales species, and its breakdown product 1-MIM alcohol are mutagenic in cells in culture after activation by plant β-thioglucosidase and human sulphotransferase, respectively. In the present study, we administered these compounds orally to mice to study time course, dose dependence, tissue distribution and cellular localization of the 1-MIM DNA adducts formed. We used isotope-dilution ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to quantify the adducts and raised an antiserum for their immunohistochemical localization.

Keratinization of the esophageal epithelium of domesticated mammals.

We studied the esophageal epithelium for keratinization characteristics from samples of domesticated mammals of three nutrition groups (herbivores: horse, cattle, sheep; omnivores: pig, dog, rat; carnivores: cat) using histochemistry (keratins, disulfides), sulfur measurements, and cryo-SEM. Keratins were found in all esophageal layers of all species, except for the equine Stratum corneum. The positive reaction staining of Pan-keratin was remarkable, but decreased in intensity toward the outer layers, whereas in the pig and cat, staining was confined to the corneal layer.

Detection of DNA adducts originating from 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate using isotope-dilution UPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

1-Methoxy-3-indolylmethyl (1-MIM) glucosinolate, present at substantial levels in several food crops (e.g., broccoli and cabbage), forms DNA adducts in vitro and is mutagenic to bacterial and mammalian cells after activation by the plant enzyme myrosinase.

Classically or alternatively activated bovine monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro do not resemble CD163/Calprotectin biased macrophage populations in the teat.

The functional phenotype of resident macrophages significantly determines the character of an inflammatory response. In this study we identified two phenotypes of tissue macrophages in bovine teat tissue based on expression of Calprotectin and CD163. To investigate a possible link between the dichotomy in phenotype and functional properties of cells in association with different host mediators we set up an in vitro model with bovine monocyte-derived macrophages (MdM).

Demonstration of substances of innate immunity in the esophageal epithelium of domesticated mammals: Part II--Defence mechanisms, including species comparison.

The second part of our study deals with a comparative evaluation and discussion of the immunohistochemical results that were obtained. The cryoscanning electron microscopy (cryoSEM) observations confirmed a monolayer colonization of the esophageal surface with bacteria and fungi (yeasts); the latter in particular was prominent in the ruminant species studied. We demonstrated the existence of several innate immune parameters, including pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs), such as Toll-like receptor 2, which was primarily expressed in the stratum basale; however, the presence β-glucan receptors remained inconclusive.

A first report on the microbial colonisation of the equine oesophagus.

Based on cryo-SEM, standard and high resolution TEM, glycoconjugate histochemistry, and microbiological differentiation, the present study demonstrates the colonisation of the epithelium of the equine oesophagus with microorganisms. As particularly apparent using cryo-SEM to illustrate natural conditions, the present microbiota were clearly dominated by bacteria, forming a one-layer system, as attached to and embedded in concentrated mannose/mannan substances covering the outer stratum corneal cells. Bacterial numbers ranged from 5600 to 7200 per mm(2) in the central part of the oesophagus, the number of fungi was less than 1% of the amount of bacteria.

Demonstration of substances of innate immunity in the esophageal epithelium of domesticated mammals. Part I--Methods and evaluation of comparative fixation.

The aim of the investigation was to demonstrate that the esophageal epithelium of domesticated mammals exhibits characteristic features of innate immunity. The esophageal samples used were obtained immediately after euthanization from seven species of domesticated mammals of three nutrition groups (herbivores: horse, goat, cattle; omnivores: pig, dog, laboratory rat; carnivores: cat). The experimental basis was immunohistochemistry, which was evaluated in a qualitative and statistically relevant semi-quantitative manner.

Lectin histochemical aspects of mucus function in the oesophagus of the reticulated python (Python reticulatus).

Using lectin histochemistry, the study characterizes basic functional aspects of the mucus produced by the oesophageal epithelium of the Reticulated python (Python reticulatus). Reaction staining varied as related to the two epithelium types present, containing goblet cells and ciliary cells. Remarkable intensities were achieved especially in the luminal mucus layer and the fine mucus covering the epithelial ciliary border for Con A (alpha-D-Man; alpha-D-Glc) as part of neutral glycoproteins, Limax flavus agglutinin (NeuNac = NeuNgc), emphasizing that water binding hyaluronan provides a hydrated interface conductive to the passage of material and UEA-I (alpha-L-Fuc), corroborating the view that fucose-rich highly viscous mucus is helpful against mechanical stress during prey transport.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of connexin-related epithelization defects in a lamb caused by (erythro)keratodermia variabilis.

The distribution of four important connexins (Cx 26, 30, 31, 43) in the skin of a neonatal lamb with (erythro)keratodermia (EKV) was demonstrated using immunohistochemistry, including a very sensitive visualization system. The reaction staining for Cx 26, 30 and 31 was negative to weak in all skin structures, and only Cx 43 displayed weak to moderate positive reactions, although not uniformly distributed throughout the important systems (e.g.

Osteopontin distribution in the canine skeleton during growth and structural maturation.

The distribution of osteopontin (OPN) was studied immunohistochemically in cells and extracellular matrix in the humerus, scapula, and lumbar vertebrae of growing (age: 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 4.5 months) and adult dogs. OPN was expressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes of epiphyseal cartilage and in chondrocytes of the deep zone of mature articular cartilage, where extracellular matrix was also stained.

Growth kinetics of porcine lymphatic organs during early postnatal life.

During the critical early postnatal period, the development of lymphatic organs, being the major structural components of the immune system, progresses rapidly. In this context, the growth kinetics and growth rates of Peyer's patches, tonsilla veli palatini, lymphnodes (lc. mesentericum craniale and lc.

Further aspects of the general antimicrobial properties of pinniped skin secretions.

In 2 pinniped species with varying hair densities (the northern fur seal Callorhinus ursinus, and the common seal Phoca vitulina), the enzyme lysozyme and the peptide group beta-defensins are demonstrated for the first time as products of the apocrine glands and the sebaceous glands in the common integument of mammals. These antimicrobial substances are also found in the epithelial lining of the hair follicles, between the corneal lamellae of the epidermis, and in dermal histiocytes. Thus, it becomes obvious that another general defense mechanism against microbes, in addition to free sugars (Meyer et al.

The architecture of growing compact bone in the dog: visualization by 3D-reconstruction of histological sections.

The three-dimensional architecture of growing canine compact bone was investigated by generating a composite virtual model including both cellular and extracellular elements. Serial trichrome-stained histological sections were prepared from samples of the diaphysis of the humerus of six week old Beagle puppies. Identical fields of vision were recorded in consecutive sections, preprocessed in Adobe Photoshop 5.

SEM demonstration of elastic fibres in the integument of small and densely-haired mammals.

The combination of SEM and autoclave methods gave a clear three-dimensional demonstration of integumental elastic fibres in small densely-haired mammals. The specific organisation of a fine and spongy elastic network was characterised by uniformly thin elastic fibres which were homogeneously distributed between both hair follicle types throughout the whole dermis. All the hair follicles were connected with each other by elastic fibres along their complete intradermal length.