Cartilage molecular changes in osteoarthritis are most commonly related to the degradation and loss of proteoglycan and collagen fibrils of the extracellular matrix, which directly influence tissue stiffness and compression-generated streaming potentials. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a new technique, spatially resolved mapping of streaming potentials, to non-destructively indica...

The trachea forms the part of the conducting system which transports air from the external environment to the lungs. The aim of this study was to provide quantitative dimensions of the trachea of Red Sokoto goat (Capra hircus). Quantitative analysis was conducted on nine tracheas from goats (ages were ranged between eight months and three years) without sex variation in this study. The results ...

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects the articular cartilage. Recent studies have demonstrated that lithium chloride exhibits significant efficacy as a chondroprotective agent, blocking cartilage degradation in response to inflammatory cytokines. However, conflicting literature suggests lithium may affect the physicochemical properties of articular cartilage and thus lo...

protein-chondroitin sulfate bonds.8 No similar mammalian enzymes in joint tissues were found until Ziff, et al.' demonstrated an agent extracted from the synovial membrane in cases of acute rheumatoid arthritis and related this to its content of granulocytes. Since this type of inflammation is not usually seen in osteoarthritis, it is of considerable interest that Lack' has suggested blood plas...

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of spinal fusion with different graft materials during an anterior lumbar interbody fusion, we examined the gene-expression profiles after implantation of equine bone protein extract, rhBMP-2 and autograft using microarray technology and data analysis, including hierarchical clustering, self-organizing maps (SOM), KEGG pathway and Biological process GO anal...

In previous studies, we have shown the relaxatory effect of grape leaf (Vitis vinifera) extract on isolated ileum, uterus and aorta. In rat aorta it was revealed that the NO and endothelium are involved in the relaxation induced by grape leaf extract. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of the Vitis vinifera leaf hydroalcoholic extract (VLHE) on rat trachea precontracted by A...

INTRODUCTION: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation has been observed to enhance bone formation, cartilage regeneration, and softtissue (tendon and muscle) healing. In particular, increased biosynthetic activity and chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells were observed under LIPUS . However, optimal conditions (such as frequency, intensity and treatment durati...

Tetrasaccharides were prepared from chondroitin sulfate by means of a limited degradation with chondroitinase ABC. Tetrasaccharides containing one sulfate per disaccharide unit were isolated and were found to be of three types: a tetrasaccharide with two 6-sulfated disaccharide units, a tetrasaccharide with two 4-sulfated disaccharide units, and a tetrasaccharide with one 4-sulfated disaccharid...

BACKGROUND Tissue engineering is used for the treatment of many diseases, and the ideal cell source for cartilage tissue engineering is chondrocytes. The main limitation of chondrocyte is the low number of cells in cartilage tissue engineering. This study investigated a suitable cell source with high proliferation rate to obtain a large number of chondrocytes. METHODS Adult cartilage t...

background: integrins are a family of transmembrane proteins that allow communication between the extracellular matrix and the interior of cells. chondrocytes, cells of articular cartilage, express integrins and these molecules appear to have a variety of roles including mechanotransduction. integrins are known to associate with a number of accessory molecules such as cd147 that may act to regu...