We identified a gene of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, designated EFG1, whose high‐level expression stimulates pseudohyphal morphogenesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In a central region the deduced Efg1 protein is highly homologous to the StuA and Phd1/Sok2 proteins that regulate morphogenesis of Aspergillus nidulans and S.cerevisiae, respectively. The core of the conserved region is homologous to the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) motif of eukaryotic transcription factors, specifically to the human Myc and Max proteins. Fungal‐specific residues in the bHLH domain include the substitution of an invariant glutamate, responsible for target (E‐box) specificity, by a threonine residue. During hyphal induction EFG1 transcript levels decline to low levels; downregulation is effected at the level of transcriptional initiation as shown by a EFG1 promoter–LAC4 fusion. A strain carrying one disrupted EFG1 allele and one EFG1 allele under the control of the glucose‐repressible PCK1 promoter forms rod‐like, pseudohyphal cells, but is unable to form true hyphae on glucose‐containing media. Overexpression of EFG1 in C.albicans leads to enhanced filamentous growth in the form of extended pseudohyphae in liquid and on solid media. The results suggest that Efg1p has a dual role as a transcriptional activator and repressor, whose balanced activity is essential for yeast, pseudohyphal and hyphal morphogenesis of C.albicans. Functional analogies between Efg1p and Myc are discussed.

The liver has a large capacity for regeneration after resection. However, below a critical level of future liver remnant volume (FLRV), partial hepatectomy is accompanied by a significant increase of postoperative liver failure. There is accumulating evidence for the contribution of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) to participate in liver regeneration. Here we report on three patients subjected to intraportal administration of autologous CD133 + BMSCs subsequent to portal venous embolization of right liver segments, used to expand left lateral hepatic segments as FLRV. Computerized tomography scan volumetry revealed 2.5-fold increased mean proliferation rates of left lateral segments compared with a group of three consecutive patients treated without application of BMSCs. This early experience with portovenous application of CD133 + BMSCs could suggest that this novel therapeutic approach bears the potential of enhancing and accelerating hepatic regeneration in a clinical setting. Stem Cells 2005;23:463-470

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In patients with malignant liver lesions, the combination of PVE with CD133(+) BMSC administration substantially increased hepatic regeneration compared with PVE alone.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are important angiogenic growth factors. While basic FGF (FGF2) is well established as a potent inducer of angiogenesis much less is known about other FGFs possibly expressed by EC. We investigated the expression of all known FGFs, their main tyrosine kinase receptors and antagonists by RT-PCR analysis in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) to obtain a complete expression profile of this important growth factor system in model endothelial cells (EC). In addition to FGFR1IIIc, which is considered as the major FGF receptor in EC, HUVECs express similar levels of FGFR3IIIc, detectable amounts of FGFR2IIIc and a new FGF receptor without an intracellular kinase domain (FGFR5). HUVECs express several secreted FGFs, including FGF5, 7, 8, 16 and 18 and two members of the fibroblast growth factor homologous factors (FHFs), not yet reported to be expressed in EC. The expression panel was compared with that obtained from human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and human aortic tissue. Human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs) and HUVECs express the identical FGF receptor and ligand panel implicating that both cell types act, according the FGF signals more as an entity than as individual cell types. Expression of Fgf1, 2, 7, 16 and 18 and the antagonists Sprouty 2,3 and 4 was demonstrated for all analysed cDNAs. The IIIc isoforms of FGFR1 and 2 and the novel FGFR5 were expressed in the aorta, but expression of the FGF receptor 3 was not detected in cDNAs derived from aortic tissue. In the VSMC of rat aortic tissue and in HUASM cultured cells we could demonstrate FGF18 immunoreactivity in the nucleus of the cells. The expression of several secreted FGFs by EC may focus the view more on their paracrine effects on neighbouring cells during tissue regeneration or tumor formation.