1,720,968 research outputs found

    Single-cell sequencing has revealed a more complex array of thymic epithelial cells

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    : Thymic epithelial cells participate in the maturation and selection of T lymphocytes. This review explores recent insights from single-cell sequencing regarding classifying thymic epithelial cells in both normal and neoplastic thymus. Cortical thymic epithelial cells facilitate thymocyte differentiation and contribute to positive selection. Medullary epithelial cells are distinguished by their expression of AIRE. Cells progress from a pre-AIRE state, containing precursors with cortical and medullary characteristics, termed junctional cells. Mature medullary epithelial cells exhibit promiscuous gene expression and after that downregulate AIRE mRNA. Post-AIRE cells can adopt a Hassall corpuscle-like phenotype or exhibit distinctive differentiation characteristics including tuft cells, ionocytes, neuroendocrine cells, and myoid cells

    Specific integrin expression is associated with podosome-like structures on mesodermal progenitor cells.

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    Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a heterogeneous cell population capable of differentiating toward several cell lines in vitro and, possibly, in vivo. Within cultured MSCs, we identified and purified a precursor cell population [mesodermal progenitor cells (MPCs)] retaining robust proliferation potential and ability to differentiate into endothelial or mesenchymal cells. MPC-derived MSCs retain the ability to further differentiate into osteoblasts, cartilage, or fat cells. Here we further characterized MPCs and MSCs by evaluating expression of integrins and adhesion molecules showing their ability to assemble the molecular machinery involved in endothelium adhesion. MPCs were shown to interact with activated and nonactivated endothelium, whereas MSCs exhibited activation of focal adhesion complexes, higher cell motility, and reduced or absent adhesiveness onto endothelial cells, suggesting a matrix remodeling vocation. We also reported a consistent expression of CXCR4 on the MPC cell surface, suggesting that the different phenotypic behavior could be related to specific functions of the cell in each differentiation stage

    Selective Culture of Mesodermal Progenitor Cells (MPCs)

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    We have recently identified mesodermal progenitor cells (MPCs) isolated from adult human bone marrow. These cells show unusual phenotypes, having putative embryonic markers and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. Interestingly, these resting cells, which have been selected by culturing them in the presence of adult human serum, can easily be induced to differentiate into mature mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) after substituting the adult human serum for fetal bovine serum (FBS) or human cord serum. MPC-derived MSCs are, in turn, able to differentiate toward osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Furthermore, MPCs are able to differentiate into endothelial cells. MPCs have been proven to be strongly adherent to plastic culture bottles and to be trypsin-resistant. In the present article, we show a simple and inexpensive method to isolate highly selected mesodermal progenitors from bone marrow or cord blood. The optimization of standard culture conditions (using commercial human AB sera and appropriate concentrations for cell seeding in plastics) allows a pure population of MPCs to be obtained even after a short culture period. We believe that this simple, repeatable, and standardized method will facilitate studies on MPCs

    Isolating Mesangiogenic progenitor cells (MPCs) from human bone marrow

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    In a research study aimed to isolate human bone marrow (hBM)-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) for clinical applications, we identified a novel cell population specifically selected for growth in human serum supplemented medium. These cells are characterized by morphological, phenotypic, and molecular features distinct from MSCs and we named them Mesodermal Progenitor Cells (MPCs). MPCs are round, with a thick highly refringent core region; they show strong, trypsin resistant adherence to plastic. Failure to expand MPCs directly revealed that they are slow in cycling. This is as also suggested by Ki-67 negativity. On the other hand, culturing MPCs in standard medium designed for MSC expansion, gave rise to a population of exponentially growing MSC-like cells. Besides showing mesenchymal differentiation capacity MPCs retained angiogenic potential, confirming their multiple lineage progenitor nature. Here we describe an optimized highly reproducible protocol to isolate and characterize hBM-MPCs by flow cytometry (CD73, CD90, CD31, and CD45), nestin expression, and F-actin organization. Protocols for mesengenic and angiogenic differentiation of MPCs are also provided. Here we also suggest a more appropriate nomenclature for these cells, which has been re-named as “Mesangiogenic Progenitor Cells”

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    Variations on the Author

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    “Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship

    Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis

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    We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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