DNAzyme-based probe for circulating microRNA detection in peripheral blood.

Background: The recent discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their extracellular presence suggest a potential role of these regulatory molecules in defining the metastatic potential of cancer cells and mediating the cancer-host communication. This study aims to improve the sensitivity of miRNA detection via DNAzyme-based method and enhance the selectivity by using the DNAzyme-based probe to reduce nonspecific amplification.

Methods: The miRNA probes were chemically synthesized with a phosphate at the 5' end and purified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Quantification of liver fibrosis via second harmonic imaging of the Glisson's capsule from liver surface.

Liver surface is covered by a collagenous layer called the Glisson's capsule. The structure of the Glisson's capsule is barely seen in the biopsy samples for histology assessment, thus the changes of the collagen network from the Glisson's capsule during the liver disease progression are not well studied. In this report, we investigated whether non-linear optical imaging of the Glisson's capsule at liver surface would yield sufficient information to allow quantitative staging of liver fibrosis.

In vivo label-free quantification of liver microcirculation using dual-modality microscopy.

Microcirculation lesion is a common symptom of chronic liver diseases in the form of vasculature deformation and circulation alteration. In acute to chronic liver diseases such as biliary atresia, microcirculation lesion can have an early onset. Detection of microcirculation lesion is meaningful for studying the progression of liver disease.

Hepatic stellate cell-targeted delivery of hepatocyte growth factor transgene via bile duct infusion enhances its expression at fibrotic foci to regress dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis generates fibrotic foci with abundant activated hepatic stellate cells and excessive collagen deposition juxtaposed with healthy regions. Targeted delivery of antifibrotic therapeutics to hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) might improve treatment outcomes and reduce adverse effects on healthy tissue. We delivered the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene specifically to activated hepatic stellate cells in fibrotic liver using vitamin A-coupled liposomes by retrograde intrabiliary infusion to bypass capillarized hepatic sinusoids.

Hepatocyte function within a stacked double sandwich culture plate cylindrical bioreactor for bioartificial liver system.

Bioartificial liver (BAL) system is promising as an alternative treatment for liver failure. We have developed a bioreactor with stacked sandwich culture plates for the application of BAL. This bioreactor design addresses some of the persistent problems in flat-bed bioreactors through increasing cell packing capacity, eliminating dead flow, regulating shear stress, and facilitating the scalability of the bioreactor unit.

[Artificial and bioartificial liver support systems for acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of artificial and bioartificial liver support systems for management of acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Methods: Articles documenting randomized clinical trials concerning any liver support systems vs standard conservative therapy, published between January, 1970 and June, 2008, were retrieved by database searching. Of the 1134 articles retrieved, 12 randomized trials involving 479 patients were included.

[Decellularization technology application in whole liver reconstruct biological scaffold].

Objective: To explore an innovative method for preparation of a whole-liver reconstruct scaffold with intact three-dimensional geometry, vasculature and bile duct by decellularization technology.

Methods: The portal vein was annulated and perfused sequentially with 1%Triton X-100 and 1%SDS for about 4 h, and then was perfused with phosphate buffered saline to dilute SDS residue. The retained structure was evaluated by histological analyses, including macroscopic, Hematoxylin-Eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, orcein staining and SEM.

[Preparation of whole-kidney acellular matrix in rats by perfusion].

Objective: To prepare rat whole-kidney acellular matrix (ACM) scaffolds using fluid perfusion method.

Methods: The kidneys with ureters and renal vessels were harvested from 12-week-old Wistar rats. Intravenous catheters were inserted through the renal arteries to establish channels for whole-kidney retrograde perfusion successively with heparinized PBS, 1% SDS, deionized water, 1% TritonX-100 and antibiotic-containing PBS under a pressure of 100 cmH2O.