Project description:Pao extract is an herbal preparation of the bark of an amazonian rain forest tree,Pao Pereira (Geissospermum vellosii),which could inhibit Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Characterizing the molecular alterations of BPH1 and WPMY-1 cells treated with PAO is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of PAO inhibiting BPH. We used microarrays to detail the RNA expression.
Project description:Deep sequencing of the transcriptome of P. vivax parasite populations from vivax malaria patients with scarce parasitemia from the low transmission Brazilian Amazonian endemic region we the aim of better understanding the molecular mechanisms behind this cytoadherence and rosetting phenotypes by identifying proteins, especially parasitic ligands, which might be important for the P. vivax adhesion capacity within the human host. We used RNA-seq coupled with parasite enrichment from field samples and cytoadherence and rosetting assays to privilege the sequence of the whole transcriptome of parasite populations with distinct adhesive characteristics and, also assess the human host immune-related expression profile in the context of vivax malaria disease.
Project description:Climate change forecasts increase the susceptibility of forest due to longer drier seasons. The adaptive management protocols have highlighted the reduction of the forest densification to improve their vulnerability to extreme climate events (i.g. drought). One of this sensitive woody species to climate change is the Abies pinsapo, a relic conifer tree endemic from the southern Spain. Previous works have shown changes in their trends because of the climate change action, being carried out experimental thinning management in their lowest distribution limit, in Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park (Malaga). Our objective is to evaluate the water improvements of thinned trees in terms of light availability by means of a shading treatment in those thinned trees. To do that we have evaluated the synergic effect of ecophysiology, metabolomics and transcriptomics in control, thinning and thinning+shading plots in wet and dry seasons for two years. The results showed strong differences between summer and spring seasons at the three studied levels. The water deficit shows a greater influence than light exposure in the ecophysiology and metabolomics tree response. And the transcriptomics suggested an improvement of thinned trees when light exposure was reduced. Our results support the necessity of adaptive forest management in order to improve the conservation status of A. pinsapo forest. The combination of different levels of tree response is paramount to understand and predict the tree physiology under water and light stress conditions.
Project description:Vascular networks are critical for the development and maintenance of human tissues, as they support metabolism and regulate tissue growth and function. In vitro models such as organoids and organs-on-chip often have a limited capacity to recapitulate in vivo functional vascular networks and their integration within tissues. Most existing systems fail to mimic the structural and functional complexity of native capillary beds, lack physiological flow dynamics, and do not support vascular circulation. Here, we present a fully stem cell-derived microfluidic platform capable of generating perfusable vascular network organoids-on-chip with capillary-scale vessels, endothelial responses to biophysical forces, and physiologically accurate gene expression. Using this platform, we generate vascularized heart organoids-on-chip that replicate the dense capillary architecture of the heart and exhibit organ-specific vascular features and gene expression. These results establish a scalable and physiologically relevant approach for engineering and studying vascularized organoids under dynamic flow, with broad applications in developmental biology, disease modeling, and multi-organ in vitro systems.
Project description:Vascular networks are critical for the development and maintenance of human tissues, as they support metabolism and regulate tissue growth and function. In vitro models such as organoids and organs-on-chip often have a limited capacity to recapitulate in vivo functional vascular networks and their integration within tissues. Most existing systems fail to mimic the structural and functional complexity of native capillary beds, lack physiological flow dynamics, and do not support vascular circulation. Here, we present a fully stem cell-derived microfluidic platform capable of generating perfusable vascular network organoids-on-chip with capillary-scale vessels, endothelial responses to biophysical forces, and physiologically accurate gene expression. Using this platform, we generate vascularized heart organoids-on-chip that replicate the dense capillary architecture of the heart and exhibit organ-specific vascular features and gene expression. These results establish a scalable and physiologically relevant approach for engineering and studying vascularized organoids under dynamic flow, with broad applications in developmental biology, disease modeling, and multi-organ in vitro systems.