Effect of Laminin on Neurotrophic Factors Expression in Schwann-Like Cells Induced from Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Vitro.

The Schwann-like cells can be considered as promising in stem cell therapies, at least in experimental models. Human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are induced into Schwann-like cells (SC-like cells) and are cultured on either a plastic surface or laminin-coated plates. The findings here reveal that laminin is a critical component in extracellular matrix (ECM) of SC-like cells at in vitro. The survival rate of SC-like cells on a laminin matrix are measured through MTT assay and it is found that this rate is significantly higher than that of the cells grown on a plastic surface (P < 0.05). Schwann cell markers and the myelinogenic ability of SC-like cells at the presence versus absence of laminin are assessed through immunocytochemistry. The analysis of GFAP/S100ß and S100ß/MBP markers indicate that laminin can increase the differentiated rate and myelinogenic potential of SC-like cells. The expression levels of SCs markers, myelin basic proteins (MBP), and neurotrophic factors in two conditions are analyzed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The findings here demonstrated that gene expression of SCs markers, MBP, and brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) increase significantly on laminin compared to plastic surface (P < 0.01). In contrast, the nerve growth factor (NGF) expression is downregulated significantly on laminin-coated plates (P < 0.05). The obtained data suggest that production of neurotrophic factors in SC-like cell in presence of laminin can induce appropriate microenvironment for nerve repair in neurodegenerative diseases.

Effect of soy milk on circulating 17- ß estradiol, number of neurons in cerebral cortex and hippocampus and determination of their ratio in neonatal ovariectomized rats.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soy milk on serum 17- ß estradiol level and number of neurons in cerebral cortex and hippocampus as well as determination of the ratio of neurons in cortical and hippocampal regions in neonatal ovariectomized rats. Thirty female rats (one day old) were divided into six groups of five. At day 7, ovariectomy surgery was performed in four groups and two other groups were assumed as sham and control groups. Three groups of ovareictomaized rats were fed with soy milk at the doses of 0.75, 1.50 and 3.00 mL kg-1 per day since they were 14. At day 60, the blood samples were collected to measure the17- ß estradiol concentration, and then the brain of rats were prepared for histological studies. The serum 17- ß estradiol level significantly increased in ovariectomized rats fed with soy milk compared to ovariectomized rats with no soy milk supplementation. In addition, the results showed that soy milk significantly increased the number of neurons in CA1, CA2 and dentate gyrus regions of hippocampus and granular layer of cerebral cortex in ovariectomized rats, whereas there was no significant change in number of neurons in CA3 zone of hippocampus and molecular, pyramidal and multiform layers of cerebral cortex in ovariectomized rats fed with soy milk. The ratio of cerebral cortex neurons to hippocampal neurons had no significant changes among the experimental groups.

Abnormal bisubclavian trunk arising from the aortic arch determined by cadaver dissection of a native dog: A case report.

Congenital anomalies of the great thoracic vessels have been reported in 20% of dogs and cats. In some cases, the vascular ring anomalies remain unrecognized throughout the lifetime of an animal. This report describes a case with an unusual vascular ring anomaly (VRA) that was detected during dissection on a cadaver of an approximately two-year-old male native mixed breed dog. No history of the animal's life was available. But, good physical condition and age of the animal based on dentition indicated the anomaly was perhaps asymptomatic. Two main branches of the aorta were identified with the initial branch being a bicarotid trunk followed by a bisubclavian trunk. The left subclavian and aberrant right subclavian arteries formed a very short trunk and arose directly from the aortic arch. No dilatation cranial to the esophageal sulcus was found. To the authors' knowledge, our case is the first report of such anomalies perhaps without any clinical signs in a native dog in Iran.

Evaluation of hematopoietic cells and myeloid/erythroid ratio in the bone marrow of the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).

In order to study the normal hematopoiesis, cellular components and myeloid/erythroid (M/E) ratio in the bone marrow of the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), bone marrow samples were collected from the proximal tibiotarsus bone of 16 clinically healthy adult pheasant. The bone marrow smears were stained using the Giemsa stain. The results indicated that the development and formation of blood cells in the bone marrow of pheasant were similar to other birds, whereas the morphology of the cells was similar to chickens, ducks, quail, and black-head gull. The mean M/E ratio was 1.24, the mean erythroid percentage was 42.24, the mean myeloid percentage was 52.62, and the mean percentage of all other cells percentage was 5.38. There was no significant difference in any of the cellular composition between male and female.

Histomorphometric study on blood cells in male adult ostrich.

In order to perform a histomorphometric study of blood cells in male adult ostrich, blood samples were obtained from jugular vein of 10 clinically healthy male adult ostriches (2 - 3 years old). The slides were stained with the Giemsa methods and the smears were evaluated for cellular morphology, with cellular size being determined by micrometry. The findings of this study revealed that the shape of the cell, cytoplasm and nucleus of erythrocytes in male adult ostriches were similar to those in other birds such as quails, chickens, Iranian green-head ducks.