Traditionally two different subfamilies of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily have been associated with different effects on tissue fibrosis: the profibrotic TGF-β subfamily (TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3) and the antifibrotic bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) subfamily. TGF-β1 is the most widely studied profibrotic cytokine, as it regulates numerous processes involved in tissue ...

It is estimated worldwide that over 6 million people per annum experience a burn injury. Despite advances in management and improved survival rates, the incidence of hypertrophic scarring remains high. These scars are particularly common after burns and are often raised, red, hard and may cause abnormal sensations. Such pathological scarring can lead to severe functional impairment, psychologic...

We have constructed and expressed recombinant chimeric soluble TGF-β type II receptor fused with the Fc portion of human IgG1 (sTβRII-Fc) in NS0 mouse myeloma cells and isolated cell lines constitutively secreting very high levels of biologically active protein. The GS-NS0 expression system takes advantage of the strong human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter expression vector and glutam...

The ability to develop tissue constructs with matrix composition and biomechanical properties that promote rapid tissue repair or regeneration remains an enduring challenge in musculoskeletal engineering. Current approaches require extensive cell manipulation ex vivo, using exogenous growth factors to drive tissue-specific differentiation, matrix accumulation, and mechanical properties, thus li...

BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are viewed as a having significant potential for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine therapies. Clinical implementation of MSCs, however, demands that their preparation be stable and reproducible. Given that environmental and bioprocessing parameters such as substrate stiffness, seeding densities, culture medium composition, and mechanical loadi...

BACKGROUND Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by recurrent epistaxis, mucocutaneous telangiectasia, and arteriovenous malformations. The efficacy of traditional treatments for HHT is very limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic role of thalidomide in HHT patients and the effect in FLI-EGFP transgenic zebrafish mod...

The development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is considered a turning point in tissue engineering. However, more data are required to improve understanding of key aspects of the cell differentiation process, including how specific chondrogenic processes affect the gene expression profile of chondrocyte‑like cells and the relative value of cell differentiation markers. The mai...

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is known as a main factor contributing to fetomaternal mortality, which might affect 2-8% of all pregnancies after the twentieth week of gestation. The balance of T helper subsets is essential to sustain a normal pregnancy and preventing fetomaternal complications. Objective: To investigate differences in the levels of transcription factors and cytokine gene e...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE There have been several case reports of improvement in the appearance of mature burn scars following treatment with fractional CO(2) lasers. However, the biochemical mechanisms responsible for these improvements have not been elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten patients with mature, full-thickness, hypertrophic burn scars received initial treatment with a fractional...