Generation of functional thymic organoids from human pluripotent stem cells.

The thymus is critical for the establishment of a functional and self-tolerant adaptive immune system but involutes with age, resulting in reduced naive T cell output. Generation of a functional human thymus from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is an attractive regenerative strategy. Direct differentiation of thymic epithelial progenitors (TEPs) from hPSCs has been demonstrated in vitro, but functional thymic epithelial cells (TECs) only form months after transplantation of TEPs in vivo.

Generation of functional human thymic cells from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: The thymus is a glandular organ that is essential for the formation of the adaptive immune system by educating developing T cells. The thymus is most active during childhood and involutes around the time of adolescence, resulting in a severe reduction or absence of naive T-cell output. The ability to generate a patient-derived human thymus would provide an attractive research platform and enable the development of novel cell therapies.

Estrogen Mitigates the Negative Effects of Arsenic Contamination in an Wound Model.

Arsenic, a naturally occurring environmental contaminant, is harmful to humans at elevated concentrations. Increased levels of arsenic in the environment occur as a result of human activities and from natural geologically sourced leaching into ground and surface water. These sources pose an exposure risk above the USEPA standard to individuals whose food and water sources become contaminated.

Epigenetics of breast cancer: Modifying role of environmental and bioactive food compounds.

Scope: Reduced expression of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) increases the susceptibility to breast cancer. However, only a small percentage of breast tumors is related to family history and mutational inactivation of TSG. Epigenetics refers to non-mutational events that alter gene expression.