Can apple antioxidants inhibit tumor cell proliferation? Generation of H(2)O(2) during interaction of phenolic compounds with cell culture media.

It has recently been suggested that the ability of apple extracts to inhibit proliferation of tumor cells in vitro may be due to phenolic/flavonoid antioxidants. Our study demonstrates that this inhibition is caused indirectly by H(2)O(2) generated through interaction of the phenolics with the cell culture media. The results indicate that many previously reported effects of flavonoids and phenolic compounds on cultured cells may result from similar artifactual generation of oxidative stress.

Early genes induced in hepatic stellate cells during wound healing.

Activation of mesenchymal cells is a central event in the wound healing response of most tissues. In liver, the mesenchymal element responsible for organ fibrosis is the hepatic stellate cell (HSC) (formerly known as lipocyte or Ito cell). The phenotypic cascade of stellate cell activation in liver fibrosis has been well documented and involves both marked morphologic changes and upregulation of several functional components including extracellular matrix, cytokine receptors, contractile filaments and metalloproteinases.

Improvement of Aconitum napellus micropropagation by liquid culture on floating membrane rafts.

An efficient method was developed using floating membrane rafts (Liferaft(™)) for the micropropagation of Aconitum napellus (Ranunculaceae), a cut flower crop with a low natural propagation rate. This was achieved by introducing shoot tips into culture on Murashige and Skoog's (1962) solid medium, or liquid medium-supported rafts, supplemented by different levels of benzyl adenine (BA). Optimum shoot proliferation on solid medium required 4mg/l BA, whereas for expiants supported on rafts optimal proliferation was achieved at 0.