Histochemistry and translational medicine.

T his issue of the Journal is mainly devoted to a specific, crucial topic in the field of histochemical research: how in situ technologies can be exploited to study tissue samples from patients with specific diseases. The final goal is on one hand a more accurate diagnosis; on the other, the identification of specific features that can: i) be followed and compared at different time points ii) provide hints on the natural history of the disease and iii) represent surrogate end-points for targeted molecular treatments. The European Journal of Histochemistry has always been particularly concerned with the molecular study of diseases in different tissues, and we had the privilege to publish recently several cuttingedge reports dealing with such a subject (Boniotto et al., 2003; Lanni et al., 2003; Maraldi et al., 2003; Munoz et al., 2003; Benkoel et al., 2004; Cremer et al., 2004; Rambotti et al., 2004;Trovato et al., 2004; Waltregny et al., 2004; Woodall and Graham, 2004) In situ techniques should be considered as a part of the tremendous effort of molecular medicine in the last decades of the past century, aimed at providing a steadily improving standard for patients care, focussed as much as possible non only on clinical improvement but also on the relief from pain and disability. As it often is the case when major changes take place, modern medicine has witnessed controversies and fights, since when Jenner verified on an homeless kid the toxicity of an experimental treatment (later on defined vaccination), developed based on scanty evidence and at least questionable supporting science; so much for the current discussion on informed consent. Notably, the homeless kid became, for the sake of political correctness, the own son of the scientist in the later descriptions of the event. A similar scepticism accompanied the first usage of antibiotics (to the best of our knowledge, fungi!), or the pioneering work on organ transplantation, which originated important bioethical concerns, leading to a substantial shift in the relationship with our dead and with the intrinsic value of the human cadaver. In these days, a lively discussion deals with the proper usage of embryonic cells.The issue should be limited to human embryonic cells: it is in our opinion reasonable that national ethical committees and funding agencies pretend that all the due respect is granted when dealing with human embryos (regardless of their origin and their final destiny). However, the overall research in such a promising field should not be indiscriminately held back, at least when non-human embryonic stem cells or stem cells deriving from adult tissues are concerned. The priority is the molecular dissection of the constrains limiting the differentiative and proliferative potential of stem cells, which will make novel cell therapy approaches feasible, valuable in different scenarios, including neurodegenerative chronic disorders or cardiovascular diseases. We feel that cytologists and analytical cytochemists should continue their relentless effort to improve our insight about cell fate at a molecular level, with all the possible attention to the specific signals activating specific programs in diverse tissues. We should keep in mind that we are possibly the witnesses of a new technological revolution, which, as already happened in our recent past, will substantially change our perception of what human life really is.