Corneal epithelial stem cells are known to be localized to the basal layer of the limbal epithelium, providing a model system for epithelial stem cell biology; however, the mechanisms regarding the maintenance of these stem cells in their specialized niche remain poorly understood. Ncadherin is a member of the classic cadherin family and has previously been demonstrated to be expressed by hematopoietic stem cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that N-cadherin is expressed by putative stem/ progenitor cells, as well as melanocytes, in the human limbal epithelial stem cell niche. In addition, we demonstrate that upon in vitro culture using 3T3 feeder layers, loss of N-cadherin expression occurs with cell proliferation. These results indicate that N-cadherin may be a critical cell-to-cell adhesion molecule between corneal epithelial stem/progenitor cells and their corresponding niche cells in the limbal epithelium. STEM CELLS 2007;25: 289 -296
In the catheter ablation for AF, we found no significant reduction in the 1-year incidence of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias by ATP-guided PVI compared with conventional PVI.
Short-term use of AAD for 90 days following AF ablation reduced the incidence of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias during the treatment period, but it did not lead to improved clinical outcomes at the later phase.
The recurrence of cholesteatoma after surgical treatment often occurs as a result of poor mucosal regeneration in the middle ear cavity and mastoid cavity and changes, such as granulation tissue formation, which impair gas exchange in the middle ear cavity. Conventional tympanoplasty often results in a lack of mucosal regeneration in the resected area of the mastoid cavity. In particular, mucosal regeneration in a poorly pneumatized mastoid cavity is extremely difficult. If the middle ear mucosa can be preserved or rapid postoperative regeneration of mucosa on the exposed bone surface can be achieved after middle ear surgery, the results of surgical treatment for otitis media, including cholesteatoma, can potentially be improved and the physiological function of the middle ear can be recovered. To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel treatment method combining tympanoplasty and autologous nasal mucosal epithelial cell sheet transplantation for postoperative regeneration of the middle ear mucosa. In clinical research, we endoscopically removed an approximately 10 × 10 mm2 piece of nasal mucosal tissue. Tissue-engineered autologous nasal mucosal epithelial cell sheets were fabricated by culturing the harvested cells in an aseptic environment in a good manufacturing practice-compliant cell processing facility. The cultivated cell sheets were transplanted, during tympanoplasty, onto the exposed bony surface of the attic of the tympanic and mastoid cavities where the mucosa had been lost. We performed this procedure on four patients with middle ear cholesteatoma and one patient with adhesive otitis media. All patients showed favorable postoperative course with no adverse events or complications and the patients’ hearing ability post-transplantation remained good.
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