Cultures of oral epithelial cells can be generated to confluence on AM expanded ex vivo from biopsy-derived oral mucosal tissue. Autologous transplantation was performed with these cultivated oral epithelial cells onto the ocular surfaces of keratectomized rabbit eyes. Autologous transplantation of cultivated oral epithelium is a feasible method for ocular surface reconstruction. The long-term outcome of such transplantation is not yet clear, and its feasibility in clinical use should be evaluated further.

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by congenital malformation of the great toes and by progressive heterotopic bone formation in muscle tissue. Recently, a mutation involving a single amino acid substitution in a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor, ALK2, was identified in patients with FOP. We report here that the identical mutation, R206H, was observed in

This study was undertaken to determine whether human oral keratinocyte stem cells characteristically express higher levels of the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75 and to elucidate the function of p75 in oral keratinocytes. Examination of their expression patterns and cell-cycling status in vivo showed that p75 was exclusively expressed in the basal cell layer of both the tips of the papillae and the deep rete ridges. These immunostaining patterns suggest a cluster organization; most p75(؉) cells did not actively cycle in vivo. Cell sorting showed that cells in the p75(؉) subset were smaller and possessed higher in vitro proliferative capacity and clonal growth potential than the p75(؊) subset. Clonal analysis revealed that holoclone-type (stem cell compartment), meroclone-type (intermediate compartment), and paraclone-type (transient amplifying cell compartment) cells, previously identified in skin and the ocular surface, were present in human oral mucosal epithelium. Holoclonetype cells showed stronger p75 expression at both the mRNA and protein level than did meroclone-and paraclone-type cells. Among the several neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 stimulated p75(؉) oral keratinocyte cell proliferation, and only NGF protected them from apoptosis. Our in vivo and in vitro findings indicate that p75 is a potential marker of oral keratinocyte stem/progenitor cells and that some neurotrophin/p75 signaling affects cell growth and survival. STEM CELLS 2007;25:628 -638

To determine the immunolocalization of ClC-5 in the mouse kidney, we developed a ClC-5-specific rat monoclonal antibody. Immunoblotting demonstrated an 85-kDa band of ClC-5 in the kidney and ClC-5 transfected cells. Immunocytochemistry revealed significant labeling of ClC-5 in brush-border membrane and subapical intracellular vesicles of the proximal tubule. In addition, apical and cytoplasmic staining was observed in the type A intercalated cells in the cortical collecting duct. In contrast, the staining was minimal in the outer and inner medullary collecting ducts and the thick ascending limb. Western blotting of vesicles immunoisolated by the ClC-5 antibody showed the presence of H+-ATPase, strongly indicating that these two proteins were present in the same membranes. Double labeling with antibodies against ClC-5 and H+-ATPase and analysis by confocal images showed that ClC-5 and H+-ATPase colocalized in these ClC-5-positive cells. These findings suggest that ClC-5 might be involved in the endocytosis and/or the H+ secretion in the proximal tubule cells and the cortical collecting duct type A intercalated cells in mouse kidney.

These results suggest that the presence of lactoferrin in human tear fluid may inhibit UV-induced corneal epithelial damage.

Self-assembled metal−organic architectures have great potential to undergo major structural changes into different architectures. Such molecular transformation is widely applicable to responsive systems like drug delivery and allosteric catalysis. A great number of metal−organic architectures responsive to a specific stimulus have been reported so far. However, interconversion between a pair of distinct metal−organic structures in response to multiple stimuli is rarely reported despite its high versatility. Herein we report multi-stimuliresponsive interconversion between a bowl-shaped and a capsule-shaped self-assembled Zn II complexes, [Zn II 4 L 3 X 6 ] and [Zn II 4 L 4 ], respectively, which were found to form in equilibrium from porphyrin-based ligand L and Zn II ions with different stoichiometry. Specifically, this interconversion was induced by four distinct external stimuli: exogenous ligands, Brønsted base/acid, solvents, and guest molecules. The mechanisms of the interconversion system are discussed in detail focusing on the species included in the equilibria. Thus, these findings would provide a helpful clue to design principles for multi-stimuli-responsive systems with functional versatility.

Hetero-multinuclear metal complexes are a promising class of compounds applicable to photoluminescence, magnetism, and catalysis. In this work, we have developed a synthetic method for hetero-tetranuclear metal complexes by combining advantages of site-selective redox switching and transmetalation. First, a homo-tetranuclear Co II 4 complex was converted to a mixed-valence Co III Co II 3 complex by site-selective oxidation, which was then transmetalated from Co II to Ni II to form a heterometallic Co III Ni II 3 complex. Finally, a Co II Ni II 3 complex was synthesized by metalselective reduction on the Co III site. The basic structural frameworks of the main products in the whole process starting from the Co II 4 complex are isostructural. Notably, the Co II Ni II 3 complex was not accessible by direct mixing of ligand, Co II , and Ni II . This method would provide an alternative strategy for highly selective synthesis of hetero-multinuclear metal complexes.

The basement membrane of amniotic membrane resembles that of corneal epithelium but not conjunctiva. Amniotic membrane may be an excellent substrate for corneal epithelial cells.