Tissue engineered cartilage integration to live and devitalized cartilage: a study by reflectance mode confocal microscopy and standard histology.

This study investigated the in vivo formation of engineering cartilage within living or devitalized cartilage discs using reflectance mode confocal microscopy and conventional light microscopy. Pig articular chondrocytes were suspended in fibrin glue and placed between two cartilage discs. Four experimental groups were prepared: in groups 1 and 2, the cell-hydrogel composite was placed between two live or between two devitalized cartilage discs, respectively; in groups 3 and 4, acellular fibrin glue was placed between two live or between two devitalized cartilage discs, respectively.

Virtual biopsy of the joint tissues using near-infrared, reflectance confocal microscopy. A pilot study.

Standard noninvasive imaging techniques applied to joints provide gross morphological features, insufficient for assessing histological detail. On the other hand, biopsying is invasive, time consuming, and may involve unwanted processing artifacts. Near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy is a technique that allows serial, high-resolution optical sectioning through intact tissues without employing exogenous fluorescent stains.

Uremia associated with erythrophagocytosis by small intestine epithelial cells: a case report.

Background: Anemia is a frequent finding in patients with uremia due to chronic renal failure. Two factors contribute to the decrease in the red blood cell count and worsen the patient's general status: depression of erythropoiesis and shortening of the red blood cell lifespan.

Case: A novel response mechanism to erythrocyte loss took place in a uremic patient with gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Novel virtual biopsy of the kidney with near infrared, reflectance confocal microscopy: a pilot study in vivo and ex vivo.

Purpose: Current diagnostic strategies for the kidney combine noninvasive imaging techniques with invasive procedures such as needle biopsy. However, renal needle biopsy is not devoid of risks, such as bleeding or infection. Additionally, histology studies are limited to ex vivo morphology and processing induces tissue artifacts, is time-consuming and limits the performance of further studies.

Evaluation of human knee meniscus biopsies with near-infrared, reflectance confocal microscopy. A pilot study.

Knee cartilage biopsy is used to confirm the pathology in both clinical and experimental conditions and often guides diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. Current histopathological techniques are time consuming, induce tissue artefacts and often prevent further evaluation, once the tissue has been fixed. Hence, there is a potential need for a fast and nondestructive imaging technique for unfixed tissue.

In vivo and ex vivo virtual biopsy of the liver with near-infrared, reflectance confocal microscopy.

The assessment of liver architecture is an essential part of the understanding of its physiology and pathology. Current fluorescence confocal microscopy methods face numerous drawbacks, such as cytotoxicity, quenching effect, potential negative ino- and chrono-tropic effects and leaking of fluorescent agents through the sinusoid fenestrations. The recently developed, near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy allows high-resolution optical sectioning through intact tissues, without employing fluorescent stains, while contrast between structures is provided by the natural refractivity of the tissue.

Evaluation of hepatic histology by near-infrared confocal microscopy: a pilot study.

Liver biopsy is a necessary procedure in establishing the tissue diagnosis of many liver conditions and often guides therapeutic strategies. Current histopathologic techniques are either time-consuming or tissue-destroying; hence the potential need for a fast and nondestructive imaging technique of unfixed human liver. This pilot study evaluates the use of near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy (CM) in the study of human liver histopathology.