Synthesis, Isolation, and Characterization of Mono- and Bis-norbornene-Annulated Biarylamines through Pseudo-Catellani Intermediates.

A palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization of an external ring of N-acyl 2-aminobiaryl with bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (norbornene) via multiple C-H bond activations was developed.

Formation of AAB-Type Collagen Heterotrimers from Designed Cationic and Aromatic Collagen-Mimetic Peptides: Evaluation of the C-Terminal Cation-π Interactions.

Most of natural collagens are heterotrimers composed of two (AAB) or three (ABC) different peptide chains, and thus heterotrimeric constructs are preferable to mimic natural collagens. Exploring the forces to assemble synthetic collagen-mimetic peptides (CMPs) into heterotrimers has been an attractive topic in preparing collagen-related biomaterials. Here we designed and synthesized two cationic CMPs (CR and CK) in which multiple Arg or Lys residues are installed in their C-terminal region, and one aromatic CMP (CF) whose C-terminal end contains multiple Phe residues.

Hepatic stellate cells promote the differentiation of embryonic stem cell-derived definitive endodermal cells into hepatic progenitor cells.

Aim: Hepatic non-parenchymal cells are well known to be capable of providing an important microenvironment and growth factors for hepatic regeneration, but their capacity for directing embryonic stem cells (ESC) toward hepatocytes remains to be assessed. Thus, this study aims to investigate the role of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), the major type of hepatic non-parenchymal cells, in the differentiation of ESC as well as exploring the potentiality of ESC in regeneration medicine for cell-based therapy.

Methods: A two-step differentiation procedure that utilized the capability of HSC to regulate proliferation and differentiation of hepatocytes was used to develop an approach for directing the differentiation of ESC towards hepatic progenitor cells.