Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering - Volume 18, issue s1

Authors: Builles, Nicolas | Bechetoille, Nicolas | Justin, Virginie | André, Valérie | Burillon, Carole | Damour, Odile

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: To reconstruct artificial stroma close to corneal stroma, it is necessary to use keratocytes with high proliferative potential that maintain the keratocyte phenotype as characterised by CD34. To select such cells, we tested the proliferative potential and characterised the keratocytes isolated from 4 different areas of the human cornea: superior perilimbal, inferior perilimbal, superior central and inferior central. Keratocytes isolated from these different areas had significantly different growth rates (p<0.05), as measured by population doublings: superior perilimbal (42.59±11.78) > inferior perilimbal (38.23±12.67) > superior central (35.69±8.07) > inferior central (25.35±7.63). Their clonogenic potential evolved in the same order. Moreover, CD34 …labelling gave higher levels in the central areas in relation to the perilimbal areas. We found the best location for isolating keratocytes for stromal reconstruction. The superior perilimbal area had the greatest capacity for proliferation, as well as the best clonogenic potential and the average CD34 level (70%) remained high. Show more

Keywords: Keratocytes, culture, localisation

Citation: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 18, no. s1, pp. 87-98, 2008

Authors: de Isla, N.G. | Mainard, D. | Muller, S. | Stoltz, J.F.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease which represents a combination of several disorders leading to cartilage degradation. The production of nitric oxide (NO) by iNOS, which is stimulated by proinflammatory mediators, is involved in cartilage catabolism and should therefore be considered a potential target for therapeutic interventions. Diacerein is a slow-acting drug that may slow down the breakdown of cartilage and relieve pain and swelling. Diacerhein, in contrast to an NSAID, is a potent inhibitor of IL-1β induced NO production by chondrocytes and cartilage. This effect appeared to result from iNOS transcriptional and/or post-transcriptional events, maybe by the inhibition …of the NF-κB transcription factor. This paper presents results on the influence of Diacerein on NO production. Show more

Keywords: Articular chondrocytes, diacerein, nitric oxide, NO synthase

Citation: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 18, no. s1, pp. 99-104, 2008

Authors: Féréol, S. | Fodil, R. | Laurent, V.M. | Planus, E. | Louis, B. | Pelle, G. | Isabey, D.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The sensitivity of alveolar macrophages to substrate properties has been described in a recent paper (Féréol et al., Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 63 (2006), 321–340). It is presently re-analyzed in terms of F-actin structure (assessed from 3D-reconstructions in fixed cells) and mechanical properties (assessed by Magnetic Twisting Cytometry experiments in living cells) of cortical and deep cytoskeleton structures for rigid plastic (Young Modulus: 3 MPa) or glass (70 MPa) substrates and a soft (~0.1 kPa) confluent monolayer of alveolar epithelial cells. The cortical cytoskeleton component (lowest F-actin density) is represented by the rapid and softer viscoelastic compartment while the deep cytoskeleton …component (intermediate F-actin density) is represented by the slow and stiffer compartment. Stiffness of both cortical and deep cytoskeleton is significantly decreased when soft confluent monolayer of alveolar epithelial cells replace the rigid plastic substrate while F-actin reconstructions reveal a consistent actin cytoskeleton remodeling observable on both cytoskeleton components. Show more

Citation: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 18, no. s1, pp. 105-118, 2008