High-quality Fluorescence Imaging of the Human Acrosyringium Using a Transparency: Enhancing Technique and an Improved,Fluorescent Solvatochromic Pyrene Probe

Two-photon, excitation fluorescent microscopy featuring autofluorescence or immunofluorescence, combined with optical clearance using a transparency-enhancing technique, allows deep imaging of three-dimensional (3D) skin structures. However, it remains difficult to obtain high-quality images of individual cells or 3D structures. We combined a new dye with a transparency-enhancing technology and performed high-quality structural analysis of human epidermal structures, especially the acrosyringium. Human fingertip skin samples were collected, formalin-fixed, embedded in both frozen and paraffin blocks, sliced, stained with propidium iodide, optically cleared using a transparency-enhancing technique, and stained with a new fluorescent, solvatochromic pyrene probe. Microscopy revealed fine skin features and detailed epidermal structures including the stratum corneum (horny layer), keratinocytes, eccrine sweat glands, and peripheral nerves. Three-dimensional reconstruction of an entire acrosyringium was possible in one sample. This new fluorescence microscopy technique yields high-quality epidermal images and will aid in histopathological analyses of skin disorders.     

Experimental boundary conditions of reinstatement-induced return of fear in humans: Is reinstatement in humans what we think it is?

Experimental paradigms used to study reinstatement of fear in humans are characterized by procedural heterogeneity. Reinstatement protocols involve unexpected (re)-presentations of the unconditioned stimulus (USs) after fear extinction training. Here, we address the number of reinstatement USs administered as a potential boundary condition that may explain divergent findings in the field. A sample of 171 participants is exposed to a fear acquisition training, immediate extinction training, and reinstatement test experiment. Three groups differing in the number of reinstatement US are employed: one (n = 57) or four (n = 55) in experimental groups and zero (n = 59) in the control group. We adopt Bayesian statistical approaches beyond classical null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) to qualify evidence for or against this potential methodological boundary condition in reinstatement-induced return of fear. Startle potentiation to the reinstatement administration context was increased for the RI–US_one compared to the RI–US_zero group, supporting the role of context conditioning in reinstatement. This effect was weaker in the RI–US_four group. This, however, did not transfer to responding to conditioned stimuli during the return of fear-test: no evidence for an effect of the number of reinstatement USs (zero, one, four) was observed in behavioral or physiological measures. In sum, our results speak against the number of reinstatement USs as a potential boundary condition in experimentally induced return of fear in humans. This may challenge what we think we know about the reinstatement phenomenon in humans and call for critical reconsideration of paradigms as well as mechanisms that may underlie some reinstatement effects in the literature.     

OPN4 belongs to the photosensitive system of the human skin

The human skin has previously been described to be affected by light; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. OPN4 (melanopsin) expression was first identified in the skin of amphibians; however, whether it is also expressed and functioned in the human skin has not yet been identified. Here, we show that OPN4 was expressed in the human skin tissue and cultures of isolated keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts. Additionally, Ca²⁺ influx in vitro and ex vivo and phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1/2 in human fibroblasts were observed by stimulation of blue light irradiation. Notably, our findings showed that this Ca²⁺ influx and phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1/2 are promoted in an intensity‐dependent manner, indicating that the light signal is converted to an intracellular signal via OPN4 in the human skin. Overall, in this study we showed that the human skin functions as a photoreceptor by demonstrating that in human skin, the photoreceptive protein was expressed, and photoreception was conducted via photoreceptive protein.     

The skin structures and their role in the thermoregulation of the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis)

The skin of the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) is important for animal thermoregulation in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Skin tissue samples were collected from A. australis for microscopic analysis and were related to anatomical references. The aim of this study was to describe the skin morphology, as well as to suggest the major anatomical regions and skin components involved in the thermoregulation of this species. Using light microscopy, the skin of six animals was examined based on histological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical criteria. Hair follicle morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The skin was classified as either thick or thin based on its epidermal thickness. The thin epidermis regions had more abundant hair follicles, as well as high pigmentation, whereas the thick epidermis regions had very pigmented epidermal layers. Pigmentation of hair and skin is fundamental for protection against ultraviolet rays; moreover, hair is important in preventing abrasion, and provides an insulating layer against the external environment, which can be much colder than body temperature. Furthermore, the dermis is well vascularized, especially the superficial dermis. All regions of the skin have adaptations for maintaining the animal's condition in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Among the studied regions, the interdigital region from hindflipper showed important morphological characteristics related to thermoregulation, such as having an epidermis of intermediate thickness, a dermis with a small number of hairs, a large amount of blood vessels, and sweat glands with large lumens, indicating that heat exchange in this region may be faster.     

人胎盘间充质干细胞CD200+亚群细胞对同种异基因移植排斥的调节效应

文题释义： CD200⁺亚群细胞：从人胎盘间充质干细胞中分选获得的高表达CD200抗原的一群细胞。属于免疫球蛋白超级家族的膜糖蛋白CD200在调节免疫反应方面很重要,在维持免疫稳态方面起着关键作用。 移植排斥：在同种异基因组织、器官移植中,受者的免疫系统会对移植物产生排斥反应,这是一个涉及多种免疫反应的免疫学现象。排斥反应的轻重取决于供者与受者之间人类主要组织相容抗原的差异程度。 背景：免疫排斥反应仍是皮肤异体移植面临的重要难题,实验室前期研究发现高表达CD200的人胎盘间充质干细胞亚群细胞具备较强的免疫调节能力。 目的：进一步研究人胎盘间充质干细胞CD200⁺亚群细胞对同种异基因移植排斥的调节作用。 方法：构建同种异基因小鼠皮肤移植模型,经尾静脉分别将PBS(对照组)、人胎盘间充质干细胞(PMSCs组)、人胎盘间充质干细胞CD200⁺亚群细胞(CD200⁺-PMSCs组)输注C57BL/6小鼠体内。观察移植物的开始坏死时间、存活时间、皮片状态;细胞治疗7 d,采集小鼠外周血进行白细胞计数,采用Q-PCR、ELISA方法检测小鼠脾脏与外周血中白细胞介素10、干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α的表达。 结果与结论：①与对照组相比,PMSCs组与CD200⁺-PMSCs组移植物状态良好,存活时间明显延长(P < 0.001);CD200⁺-PMSCs组移植物状态及存活时间均优于PMSCs组(P < 0.01);②细胞治疗7 d,PMSCs组与CD200⁺-PMSCs组白细胞数量明显少于对照组(P < 0.01);③与对照组相比,CD200⁺-PMSCs组脾脏中白细胞介素10 mRNA表达明显升高(P < 0.05),PMSCs组、CD200⁺-PMSCs组干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α mRNA表达量则明显下调(P < 0.05,P < 0.01),同时CD200⁺-PMSCs组干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α mRNA表达量明显低于PMSCs组(P < 0.01,P < 0.05);④与对照组相比,PMSCs组、CD200⁺-PMSCs组血液中白细胞介素10水平明显升高(P < 0.05,P < 0.01),而干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α水平则明显下调(P < 0.05,P < 0.001;P < 0.01,P < 0.001),同时CD200⁺-PMSCs组干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α水平明显低于PMSCs组(P < 0.05);⑤结果表明,人胎盘间充质干细胞对同种异基因皮肤移植排斥具有调节作用;CD200⁺亚群细胞抑制免疫排斥反应能力更强,其机制可能是CD200通过调节白细胞介素10、干扰素γ及肿瘤坏死因子α等免疫相关因子参与免疫反应。 ORCID: 0000-0002-9945-9094(刘婷) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞;骨髓干细胞;造血干细胞;脂肪干细胞;肿瘤干细胞;胚胎干细胞;脐带脐血干细胞;干细胞诱导;干细胞分化;组织工程     

组织玻璃化冻存技术：优势与尚未完全解决的问题

文题释义：玻璃化冷冻保存：是利用这些高浓度的低温保护剂组合成玻璃化冻存液,通过与水分子发生强烈的水合作用,增加溶液黏性,降低冰晶形成速度,从而使细胞在快速降温或复温过程中得以保护。 玻璃化：对于非晶高分子,当高分子通过降温从高弹态转变为玻璃态,或者通过升温从玻璃态转变为高弹态的过程称之为玻璃化转变,发生玻璃化转变的温度叫玻璃化转变温度。对于结晶高分子,玻璃化转变是指其非晶部分所发生的由高弹态向玻璃态(或者玻璃态向高弹态)的转变。因此,玻璃化转变是高分子中普遍存在的现象。但是玻璃化转变现象并不局限于高分子,一些小分子化合物也存在玻璃化转变。 背景：玻璃化冷冻保存是一种应用前途广阔的低温冷冻方法,通过使用高浓度的玻璃化冻存试剂将生物材料进行玻璃态转变,从而实现活性保存。 目的：就玻璃化冻存的生物学原理及玻璃化冻存试剂的分类,卵巢、皮肤与角膜等医学组织标本的玻璃化冻存进行综述。 方法：以“tissue;vitrification;cryopreservation”为英文检索词;“组织;玻璃化;冷冻保存”为中文检索词,检索1994年1月至2019年10月 PubMed 数据库及万方医学网相关文献。按照纳入与排除标准筛选后,对最终纳入的45篇文献进行归纳总结。 结果与结论：玻璃化冻存可以防止细胞内外冰晶形成,避免了冰晶给细胞带来的多种损伤,有效保留了细胞的生物活性与基本功能。玻璃化冻存试剂主要分为渗透性和非渗透性2种,其操作简便、高效,唯一的缺点是高浓度的冻存试剂对细胞具有一定的毒性损伤。为了降低对组织整体损伤风险,可以混合使用多种低毒冻存试剂。目前玻璃化冻存技术已经成功应用于多种细胞,但组织冻存的技术难题尚未完全解决。 ORCID: 0000-0003-0140-9935(张源) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程     

外科订书钉和闭合带在初次全膝关节置换皮肤闭合中应用的系统回顾与荟萃分析

BACKGROUND: Skin closure with surgical staplers has been widely used in total knee arthroplasty. In recent years, a new kind of skin closure tape has also achieved good results in total knee arthroplasty. There is no clear report on which method of skin closure is better.     

FOXP3 expression and frequency of regulatory T cells in healed individuals from Leishmania major infection and the asymptomatic cases

Two groups of residents in an endemic area of Leishmania major infection in Iran with positive leishmanin skin tests who were either asymptomatic or had healed cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions were compared with respect to their T helper responses. The percentages of regulatory T cells (T_reg; CD4⁺CD25^high FoxP3⁺) from the peripheral blood and CD4⁺ T cells producing intracellular cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 and IFN-γ) from the stimulated PBMCs were evaluated by flow cytometry and the expressions of RORC and FOXP3 genes were quantified by real-time RT-PCR. T responder (CD4⁺CD25⁻) and T_reg-enriched (CD4⁺CD25⁺) cells were isolated magnetically and the suppressive capacity of the latter and the cytokines (IFN-γ, TGF-β and IL-10) secreted from them were evaluated by in vitro assays. The results showed that the frequency of T_reg in the studied groups were similar and T_reg from both groups exhibited high yet similar suppressive capacities while significantly higher levels of FOXP3 expression was observed in the asymptomatic group. Taken together, similar frequency and suppressiveness of T_reg combined with high ratios of IFN-γ/IL-10 producing CD4⁺ T cells were common in both groups; however the members of the asymptomatic group appeared to require higher expression of FOXP3 to maintain their immunity to re-infection.