Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds - A Tissue-Specific Bioactive Niche for Stem Cells in Regenerative Therapy

Aiming to restore the normal function of diseased or injured tissues, regenerative therapy approaches are generally based on the engineering of complex tissue-mimicking grafts, encompassing biomaterial scaffolds, stem cells, or their combinations [1-4]. Due to the major role of stem cells in physiological regenerative mechanisms, regenerative therapies normally rely on either stem cells transplantation or stem cell recruitment from the neighboring tissue into the implanted scaffold

Introducing New Neurons in the Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly population. The patients suffer cerebral atrophyas a consequence of extensive neuronal loss, especially in areas that play a role in memory and cognition. Cell therapies approaches have emerged as promising treatments to regenerate the brain tissue of the patients

Biochemical and Biomechanical Myogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications

Tissue engineering has shown great promise in generating vascular grafts with properties similar to that of native blood vessels. Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMC) are the main component of the vasculature tunica media. Recreation of this layer represents a major challenge in tissue engineering due to difficulties in harvesting and culturing autologous VSMC. The use of stem cells and their inherent ability to differentiate into diverse cell types, including vascular lineages, have been proposed

Mechanical and Thermodynamic Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiated into Myofibroblasts: A Commentary on the Article “Statistical Mechanics of Non-Muscle Myosin IIA in Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Seeded in a Collagen Scaffold: A Thermodynamic Near-Equilibrium Linear System Modified by the Tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)”

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells found in bone marrow and have the capacity to differentiate into myofibroblast. In contractile myofibroblasts, the molecular motor is the non-muscle myosin (NMIIA) which differs from the muscle myosin by its ultra-slow kinetics. The differentiation of MSCs into myofibroblasts is promoted by the “Transforming Growth Factor” (TGF-b) which represents a potentially target against tissue fibrosis and cancer.

Cancer Stem Cell Assay for the Treatment of Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

This data indicates that the drug cytotoxicity assay aimed at targeting CSCs may be a useful tool for optimizing treatment selection when first-line therapy fails, and when there are multiple clinically-acceptable and -equivalent treatments available.

Bone Marrow Aspirate for Delayed Union due to Severe Thoracic Rib Trauma

In this peculiar setting, the infiltrations with BMA proved to be an efficient alternative tool for the treatment of severe thoracic rib trauma and delayed union. The patient returned with no complaints and CT evidence indicated that all of the fractured ribs had complete consolidation. Pain and functional outcome of the chest wall in terms of stability improved with the help of this orthobiologic alternative.

TotiCyte, a Paradigm Shift in Stem Cell Isolation and Storage from Umbilical Cord Blood

We provide evidence to support the use of TotiCyte as a novel volume reduction technology capable of significantly improving CD34+ stem cell recovery

Cell Therapy Moving in the Right Direction

Recently, Biagi et al., 2021 published results of yet another successful demonstration of how hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes can engraft in rats' hearts and improve their cardiac function [1]. According to the work, these results are probably due to the segmental improvement in areas where the grafts were found

Resolution of a Clinical Case of Severe Bone Deficit in a Patient with Marked Osteoporosis with the use of Growth Factors

This clinical case report describes and demonstrates how advanced modern implantology can successfully handle severe vertical and horizontal bone defects.

Feasibility and Outcome of Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant with Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide in High-Risk Malignancies in Children

The use of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (Haplo-PTCy) is increasing in adults, but also in children; this procedure is a good alternative for transplanting pediatric patients lacking a matched family donor; indeed, this is very relevant in regions with economic constraints or with a population which is not well represented in the international donor registries which make access to unrelated cord blood units or bone marrow donors difficult.