Cells were isolated from four human amniotic membranes, and their biological characteristics analyzed during ex vivo expansion. Morphologically homogenous populations of fibroblast-like cells were obtained from the second or third passage. Under the appropriate culture conditions, these human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal cells (HAM) were shown to differentiate into adipocytes, osteocytes, chondrocytes and neuronal cells, as visualized by Oil Red O, von Kossa, alcian blue, anti-Neu N, and anti-Gal C antibody staining, respectively. Immunophenotype analysis of HAM cells revealed the presence of antigens for SSEA-3, SSEA-4, collagen type-I, -II, -III, -IV, -XII, fibronectin, alpha-SMA, vimentin, desmin, cytokeratin18 (CK18), HCAM-1, fibroblast surface protein, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ABC. ICAM-1 protein was weakly detectable, and proteins of TRA-1-60, VCAM-1, von Willebrand factor, PECAM-1, and HLA DR were not detected. HAM cells reached senescence after 14.5+/-0.9 passages, over a period of 146.8+/-8.9 days, and underwent an average of 36.9 4.7 population doublings. RT-PCR analysis showed that all four HAM cell lines consistently expressed genes of Oct-4, Rex-1, SCF, NCAM, nestin, BMP-4, GATA-4, HNF-4alpha, vimentin, and CK18, regardless of the passage number. The genes of Brachyury, FGF-5, Pax-6, and BMP2 were never expressed. Strikingly, alpha-fetoprotein (alphaFP), HLA ABC, and HLA DR genes were expressed in an earlier passage but not expressed in later passages. Telomerase activity of two HAM lines was discernable upon the third passage. These observations strongly suggest that HAM might be immune-privileged and, thus, advantageous as therapeutic cells.

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Abstract. Hemolymphangioma is a malformation of the lymphatic and blood vessels. To the best of our knowledge, only a limited number of hemolymphangioma cases have been reported in the literature thus far, with no cases developed in the waist region. The present study reported the case of a 17-year-old male patient with hemolymphangioma growing on the waist, presented with back pain for four months. Upon physical examination, the lesion was identified to be oval in shape, soft and compressible, with mild tenderness. No abnormalities were detected in the results of laboratory examinations. However, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed a tumor with low signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging (WI) and high signal intensity on T2-WI. The mass was successfully removed during surgery. During the seven-month follow-up period, the patient was asymptomatic with no evidence of recurrence. The present study discussed the imaging findings and pathological features of this uncommon case and reviewed the relevant literature. IntroductionLymphangioma, also known as angioma lymphaticum, is a congenital malformation of the vascular system, comprising newly-formed lymph spaces and channels (1). Landing and Farber (2) classified this benign malformation in four categories, including capillary, cavernous and cystic (hygroma) lymphangioma, and hemolymphangioma, which is a combination of hemangioma and lymphangioma.Hemolymphangioma is a congenital malformation that may be asymptomatic for a long period of time (3). This lesion is typically considered to be a benign and noninvasive disorder, characterized by the presence of dilated lymphatic spaces, extravasation of red blood cells, hemosiderin deposition and fibrosis (4). Hemolymphangioma formation may be due to venolymphatic communication obstruction between the dysembrioplastic vascular tissue and systemic circulation (5).The incidence of hemolymphangioma is 1.2-2.8 per 1,000 newborn infants (6). Hemolymphangioma has been previously detected at the pancreas (5,7-12), spleen (13-16), stomach (1,17), rectum (18), mediastinum (19-21), chest wall (22-25), small intestine (26), extremities (3,27,28), cervix (29,30), pericardium (31), oral region (32), esophagus (33), axilla (34), retroperitoneal space (35,36), adrenal gland (37), abdomen (38), duodenum (4) and hepatica (39), as well as on the tongue (40,41) and orbit (42,43). However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have reported this type of tumor in the waist region, as determined by a review of the medical literature until June 2014 using the PubMed database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed; accessed on 9th June 2014). Complete excision is considered the optimal treatment for hemolymphangioma, which exhibits a low recurrence rate. Non-surgical treatments are also used, including aspiration and drainage, cryotherapy, injection of sclerotic agents, laser therapy and radiotherapy, however, to date, the outcomes of such treatments have been unsatisfactory (3,22). In cases of tumor recurrence, conservative treatmen...

Cervical spondylosis and hypertension are all common diseases, but the relationship between them has never been studied. Patients with cervical spondylosis are often accompanied with vertigo. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is an effective method of treatment for cervical spondylosis with cervical vertigo that is unresponsive to conservative therapy. We report 2 patients of cervical spondylosis with concomitant cervical vertigo and hypertension who were treated successfully with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Stimulation of sympathetic nerve fibers in pathologically degenerative disc could produce sympathetic excitation, and induce a sympathetic reflex to cause cervical vertigo and hypertension. In addition, chronic neck pain could contribute to hypertension development through sympathetic arousal and failure of normal homeostatic pain regulatory mechanisms.Cervical spondylosis may be one of the causes of secondary hypertension. Early treatment for resolution of symptoms of cervical spondylosis may have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular disease risk in patients with cervical spondylosis.

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No abstract