Response of Osteoblasts on Amine-Based Nanocoatings Correlates with the Amino Group Density.

Increased life expectancy in industrialized countries is causing an increased incidence of osteoporosis and the need for bioactive bone implants. The integration of implants can be improved physically, but mainly by chemical modifications of the material surface. It was recognized that amino-group-containing coatings improved cell attachment and intracellular signaling.

An Evaluation of Parylene Thin Films to Prevent Encrustation for a Urinary Bladder Pressure MEMS Sensor System.

Recent developments in urological implants have focused on preventive strategies to mitigate encrustation and biofilm formation. Parylene, a conformal, pinhole-free polymer coating, has gained attention due to its high biocompatibility and chemical resistance, excellent barrier properties, and low friction coefficient. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of parylene C in comparison to a parylene VT4 grade coating in preventing encrustation on a urinary bladder pressure MEMS sensor system.

Laser Structured Dental Zirconium for Soft Tissue Cell Occupation-Importance of Wettability Modulation.

Various approaches are being pursued to physico-chemically modify the zirconia neck region of dental implants to improve the integration into the surrounding soft tissue. In this study, polished zirconia discs were laser microstructured with periodic cavities and convex waves. These zirconia samples were additionally activated by argon plasma using the kINPen09.

Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress and protein misfolding in disorders of the liver and pancreas.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site of synthesis and folding of membrane and secretory proteins. The fraction of protein passing through the ER represents a large proportion of the total protein in the cell. Protein folding, glycosylation, sorting and transport are essential tasks of the ER and a compromised ER folding network has been recognized to be a key component in the disease pathogenicity of common neurodegenerative, metabolic and malignant diseases.

In Vitro Enzyme Measurement to Test Pharmacological Chaperone Responsiveness in Fabry and Pompe Disease.

The use of personalized medicine to treat rare monogenic diseases like lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) is challenged by complex clinical trial designs, high costs, and low patient numbers. Hundreds of mutant alleles are implicated in most of the LSDs. The diseases are typically classified into 2 to 3 different clinical types according to severity.

ADAM23 promotes neuronal differentiation of human neural progenitor cells.

Background: ADAM23 is widely expressed in the embryonic central nervous system and plays an important role in tissue formation.

Results: In this study, we showed that ADAM23 contributes to cell survival and is involved in neuronal differentiation during the differentiation of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs). Upregulation of ADAM23 in hNPCs was found to increase the number of neurons and the length of neurite, while its downregulation decreases them and triggers cell apoptosis.

Fluorescent probes for selective protein labeling in lysosomes: a case of α-galactosidase A.

Fluorescence-based live-cell imaging (LCI) of lysosomal glycosidases is often hampered by unfavorable pH and redox conditions that reduce fluorescence output. Moreover, most lysosomal glycosidases are low-mass soluble proteins that do not allow for bulky fluorescent protein fusions. We selected α-galactosidase A (GALA) as a model lysosomal glycosidase involved in Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) for the current LCI approach.

Enzyme enhancers for the treatment of Fabry and Pompe disease.

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are a group of heterogeneous diseases caused by compromised enzyme function leading to multiple organ failure. Therapeutic approaches involve enzyme replacement (ERT), which is effective for a substantial fraction of patients. However, there are still concerns about a number of issues including tissue penetrance, generation of host antibodies against the therapeutic enzyme, and financial aspects, which render this therapy suboptimal for many cases.