Objective: To assess the multiexaminer reproducibility and the accuracy comparing with cadaver anatomic specimens of ultrasound (US) measurement of femoral articular cartilage (FAC) thickness. Methods: In 8 flexed cadaver knees, FAC thickness was blindly, independently and consecutively measured twice by 10 rheumatologists at the lateral condyle (LC), medial condyle (MC) and intercondylar notch (IN) with US. After the US measurements, the knees were dissected. Articular cartilage integrity was evaluated macroscopically in the femoral condyles. FAC thickness was blindly measured in the specimens using a stereoscopic magnifying loupe and a digitised image software. Interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability of US FAC thickness measurement and agreement between US and anatomic measurements were assessed by estimating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Conclusion: US demonstrated a good reproducibility in FAC thickness measurement by multiple examiners. In addition, US FAC thickness measurement was accurate in normal to moderately damaged cartilage.

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Conde MV, Gonzalez MC, Quintana-Villamandos B, Abderrahim F, Briones AM, Condezo-Hoyos L, Regadera J, Susin C, de Diego JJ, Delgado-Baeza E, Diaz-Gil JJ, Arribas SM. Liver growth factor treatment restores cell-extracellular matrix balance in resistance arteries and improves left ventricular hypertrophy in SHR. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 301: H1153-H1165, 2011. First published June 3, 2011 doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00886.2010.-Liver growth factor (LGF) is an endogenous albumin-bilirubin complex with antihypertensive effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We assessed the actions of LGF treatment on SHR mesenteric resistance and intramyocardial arteries (MRA and IMA, respectively), heart, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats treated with vehicle or LGF (4.5 g LGF/rat, 4 ip injections over 12 days) were used. Intra-arterial blood pressure was measured in anesthetized rats. The heart was weighted and paraffinembedded. Proliferation, ploidy, and fibronectin deposition were studied in carotid artery-derived VSMC by immunocytochemistry. In MRA, we assessed: 1) geometry and mechanics by pressure myography; 2) function by wire myography; 3) collagen by sirius red staining and polarized light microscopy, and 4) elastin, cell density, nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide anion by confocal microscopy. Heart sections were used to assess cell density and collagen content in IMA. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) regression was assessed by echocardiography.LGF reduced blood pressure only in SHR. LGF in vitro or as treatment normalized the alterations in proliferation and fibronectin in SHR-derived VSMC with no effect on WKY cells. In MRA, LGF treatment normalized collagen, elastin, and VSMC content and passive mechanical properties. In addition, it improved NO availability through reduction of superoxide anion. In IMA, LGF treatment normalized perivascular collagen and VSMC density, improving the wall-to-lumen ratio. Paired experiments demonstrated a partial regression of SHR LVH by LGF treatment. The effective cardiovascular antifibrotic and regenerative actions of LGF support its potential in the treatment of hypertension and its complications. intramyocardial arteries; mesenteric resistance arteries; nitric oxide; vascular remodeling; left ventricular hypertrophy LIVER GROWTH FACTOR (LGF) was first described as an endogenous factor with mitogenic properties in liver (21).LGF is not detected in physiological conditions, but it increases in plasma in situations of hepato-biliary disorders, both in humans and rats (21,24). The chemical analysis of LGF obtained from human and rat plasma has revealed that it is a covalently bound albumin-bilirubin complex (24,25). The regenerative effects of LGF, initially described in hepato-biliary disorders (22,23,26), have been recently extended to other diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (35, 52), testicular degeneration (51), and pulmonary fibrosis (47).LGF treatment also has cardiovascular effects as previously shown in rodent models of hype...

Adult stem cells are essential for tissue renewal, regeneration and repair, and their expansion in defined culture medium is on focus for regenerative medicine and genetic pathologies. The bone marrow has been shown to be very rich is pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) capable of forming bone, cartilage and also may give rise, to neurons and astrocytes in vivo and in vitro. MSCs can be isolated and expanded in culture, but human cells cannot be verified for a cartilage or a bone fate by transfer experiments. Accordingly, here we used different approaches to characterize hMSCs osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. hMSCs grown in culture in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) expressed the bone-specific transcription factor Runx2/AML3. When cells were incubated in osteoblastic differentiation medium, cells expressed transcripts belonging to the signaling of Indian HH-PTHrP axis, GLI transcription factors, and bone target genes including osteopontin. The HH pathway proved to be functional since it induced cells to grow. Cells growing or differentiating to osteoblasts presented the Runx2/AML3 transcription factor, its partner CBFB, and Smad2/3 at the nuclei associated with the nuclear matrix. Furthermore, Runx2/AML3 was observed to co-localize with SC35 to the nuclear intermediary filaments. These data support the notion that hMSCs isolated from human bone are or become bone progenitor cells upon culture. In the absence of FBS and in the presence of insulin or prolactin, cells show cytoskeletal organization and an AP-1 transcription site activity resembling proliferative osteochondrocytes while cells in the presence of dexamethasone and added prolactin or TGF-beta resembled differentiated osteoblasts. These specific cellular conditions match those observed during endochondral bone formation.

In this study, we found a good quantitative correlation between established arthroscopic severity and histopathological scoring systems, particularly in less advanced lesions. Our results suggest that the arthroscopic method is a valuable tool in clinical research to score chondropathies in the medial femorotibial compartment of the OA knee, although some limitations should not be overlooked.

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) is a complex process that is regulated by hemodynamic changes, the modulation of cytokines and growth factors, and the activation of immediate early transcription factors that lead to a round of hepatocyte mitosis. Among the factors involved, the pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) has been shown to induce a hepatotrophic response after partial hepatectomy similar to that caused by phorbol esters; and in isolated hepatocytes PRL triggers a mitogenic response. However, it is becoming clear that PRL exerts a dual role acting in proliferation and differentiation processes. In this work, we have assessed the role of PRL in the early stages of liver regeneration in rats. To this end, three groups of rats were compared: Sham operated, regenerant and regenerant with PRL i.p. administration. Results show that PRL administration prior to partial hepatectomy caused an increase in the binding activity of several transcription factors involved in cell proliferation: AP-1, c-Jun and STAT-3, and in liver-specific differentiation and maintenance of energetic metabolism: CEBPalpha, HNF-1, HNF-4 at early time points and at later time points HNF-3. Hepatic sections show that PRL administration increases the number of proliferating cells within 5 h post-partial hepatectomy. The mRNA of the angiogenic and survival factors VEGF and HIF-1alpha, was also induced by PRL treatment. Data indicate that PRL triggers, either directly or indirectly, an acceleration of liver regeneration, preserving liver function and fulfilling a hepatoprotective role. J. Cell. Physiol. 219: 626-633, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The assessment of liver architecture is an essential part of the understanding of its physiology and pathology. Current fluorescence confocal microscopy methods face numerous drawbacks, such as cytotoxicity, quenching effect, potential negative ino-and chrono-tropic effects and leaking of fluorescent agents through the sinusoid fenestrations. The recently developed, near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy allows highresolution optical sectioning through intact tissues, without employing fluorescent stains, while contrast between structures is provided by the natural refractivity of the tissue. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy in the evaluation of the hepatic microscopic architecture in vivo and ex vivo. Rat livers were noninvasively examined in vivo and ex vivo with near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy. Two experimental contrast agents were subsequently used to enhance particular structures. Parenchymal and vascular structures are readily identified, as well as some intracellular details. Differences between in vivo and ex vivo states were also observed. The use of contrast agents also highlights certain morphologic structures. In conclusion, near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy stands as a useful adjunct technique to the study of hepatic parenchyma offering details equivalent to, if not surpassing traditional light microscopy.

Certain β-adrenergic blockers have proven useful in the regression of ventricular remodeling when administered as long-term treatment. However, early regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has not been reported, following short-term administration of these drugs. We tested the hypothesis that short-term administration of the cardioselective β-blocker esmolol induces early regression of LVH in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Fourteen-month-old male SHRs were treated i.v. with vehicle (SHR) or esmolol (SHR-E) (300 μg kg(-1) min(-1)). Age-matched vehicle-treated male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats served as controls. After 48 h, left ventricular morphology and function were assessed using M-mode echocardiograms (left ventricular mass index (LVMI), ejection fraction and transmitral Doppler (early-to-atrial filling velocity ratio (E/A), E-wave deceleration time (Edec time)). The standardized uptake value (SUV) was applied to evaluate FDG (2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose) uptake by the heart using PET/CT. Left ventricular subendocardial and subepicardial biopsies were taken to analyze changes in cross-sectional area (CSA) of left ventricular cardiomyocytes and the fibrosis was expressed as collagen volume fraction (CVF). LVMI was lower in SHR-E with respect to SHR (P=0.009). There were no significant differences in EF, E/A ratio or Edec time in SHR-E compared with SHR (P=0.17, 0.55 and P=0.80, respectively). PET acquisitions in SHR-E showed lower (18)F-FDG uptake than SHR (P=0.003). Interestingly, there were no significant differences in SUV in either SHR-E or WKY (P=0.63). CSA in subendocardial and subepicardial regions was minor in SHR-E with respect to SHR (P<0.001), and there were no significant differences in CVF between both groups. Esmolol reverses early LVH in the SHR model of stable compensated ventricular hypertrophy. This is the first study to associate early regression of LVH with administration of a short-term β-blocker.