Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a widely used growth supplement in the in vitro culturing of animal and human cells, tissues and organs, notably due to the occurrence of abundant micro-and macronutrients, along with growth factors. Over the years, increasing demand, high price, batch-to-batch variability in quality and composition, increasing ethical concerns lead to the search for an alternative to FBS. Several approaches have been suggested and employed in the past, but none is implemented as widely as FBS, and each supplement has its own disadvantages. In this review, we described the importance of FBS in cell culture, discussed the issues associated with FBS use and presented the efforts made in the recent past to reduce or replace FBS. The potential of four different alternative sources to FBS, namely, bovine ocular fluid, sericin protein, human platelet lysate and earthworm heat inactivated coelomic fluid was evaluated. In the end, we present the conceptual perspective using the Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) and earthworm Heat Inactivated Coelomic Fluid (HI-CF) combination to alternate FBS and its context in scientific and economic impacts.
The earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae, has a prodigious ability to regenerate lost segments. The skin of the worm has an outermost epidermal layer followed by a thick circular muscle layer and an innermost thin longitudinal cell layer. During the process of regeneration, the circular muscle layer decreased in thickness, and longitudinal cell layer increased. The histological analysis of the regenerated worm shows that the longitudinal cell layer forms the regeneration blastema. BrdU-labeling retention assay confirmed that the circular muscle and longitudinal cell layers have BrdU-positive cells, which migrate from the adjacent segments to the regeneration blastema. In addition, it was noted that the cells of the earthworm, E. eugeniae, have the property of autofluorescence. Autofluorescence was found in the cytoplasm, but not in the nucleus. It has been also found that the major source for autofluorescence is riboflavin. Further, it was also demonstrated that supplementation with riboflavin increases the rate of regeneration, while regeneration was hampered by reduced levels of riboflavin. The importance of riboflavin in regeneration was also confirmed by rescue assay. In addition, it was also identified that BrdU-positive cells are highly fluorescent compared to the surrounding cells.
Microscope is a device used for the visualization of tiny objects which are not visible to the naked eye. Traditional microscopes have been crucial for the advancement of contemporary science and medicine. Recent advancements in the field of microscopy have fueled its exponential growth rate. However, due to their expensive cost and complicated structure, modern microscopes remain inaccessible to the majority of the public. Nonetheless, the foldscope paper microscope has made it possible for anyone to explore and understand the world of microbes and organisms. In this review, we have listed foldscope-based research projects in various domains, as well as their key properties when compared to traditional research microscopes. In addition, we have briefly explored the impact of a foldscope microscope on public health, clinical diagnostics, forensic science, agriculture, basic science, developmental biology, and education. Moreover, the major drawbacks of paper microscopes and the current steps being taken to upgrade foldscope and its features are discussed in this review. Finally, we have concluded with our perspective that the microscope may be updated to imitate the advancement of a conventional microscope. Research Highlights• The foldscope, a low-cost instrument for studying the microscopic world.• Foldscope applications were compared to conventional microscopes in many sectors.• The foldscope microscope's existing limitations and potential prospects are highlighted.
The earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae is a segmented worm. It has two pairs of testes whose cells are highly proliferative. It was found that the earthworm, which is irradiated with X-ray, shows the following phenotypic changes in its sperm: fragmented acrosome in the head, break in the tail, and the appearance of zigzag sperm tail. Sperm morphology can be used as a tool to study radiation hazards in local areas. These three phenotypes were not observed in the sperm of worms exposed to different concentration of toxic chemicals such as sodium arsenate, lead acetate, and mercuric chloride. In contrast, exposure of worms to ethidium bromide caused fragmented acrosome in the head of their sperm cells.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio), is a well‐established vertebrate animal model widely used in developmental biology and toxicological research. In the present study, foldscope is used as an innovative tool to study the developmental stages and toxicological analysis of the zebrafish embryos. Briefly, the developmental stages, such as zygote, cleavage, blastula, gastrula, segmentation, and pharyngula formation are observed and documented using simple foldscope. Toxicological parameters upon exposure to different concentration of ethanol extract of Curcuma longa and its lead compound, ar‐turmerone along with rhodamine B (bio‐coupler) on zebrafish embryos are analyzed upto 72 hr using foldscopes in live condition. The lethal endpoints, such as coagulation, lack of somite formation, non‐detachment of tail, and lack of heartbeat are clearly monitored and documented using foldscope. Bio‐evaluation of test compounds with the aid of foldscope confirms that the toxicity is directly proportional to the concentration. Our results conclude that, ethanol extract of C. longa, ar‐turmerone and rhodamine B exposed embryos remains healthy up to 96, 48, and 24 µg concentrations, respectively. Embryos exposed to higher concentrations become coagulated, however normal physiological active movement of tail lashing and heartbeat are evident in lower concentration exposed embryos. Except coagulation, no other abnormalities are observed and interestingly, the hatching ability is not delayed, when compared with the control embryos. It is confirmed that the test compounds are not highly toxic to zebrafish embryos. Hence it can be used for further analysis, especially for studying the neural‐regeneration and its neuronal development in zebrafish embryos.
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