Purpose: Rauwolfia serpentina (L.) Benth, from the family, Apocynaceae, is an important medicinal plant due to the alkaloid content of its root. The purpose of this study was to obtain roots directly from leaf explant using growth regulators. Methods: The leaf explant was inoculated on MS (Murashige and Skoog) medium supplemented with single and combinations of growth regulators. Root growth wa...

The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joint is characterized by an inflammatory synovial pannus which mediates tissue destruction. IL-13 is a cytokine that inhibits activated monocytes/macrophages from secreting a variety of proinflammatory molecules. The aim of this study was to examine whether gene therapy-delivered IL-13 could reduce the production of key proinflammatory mediators in RA synovial tis...

During chicken cardiac development the proepicardium (PE) forms the epicardium (Epi), which contributes to several non-myocardial lineages within the heart. In contrast to Epi-explant cultures, PE explants can differentiate into a cardiomyocyte phenotype. By temporal microarray expression profiles of PE-explant cultures and maturing Epi cells, we identified genes specifically associated with di...

Surface sterilization of explant is an important and most sensitive step in plant tissue culture. Inappropriate concentrations of sterilants have lethal effect in cell division and it restricts growth and development of explant. Therefore, suitable concentration, combinations and duration of exposure of sterilant is essential to raise in vitro cultures successfully. This data demonstrates use o...

In order to ascertain possible abnormalities in somatostatin and gastrin secretion in patients with duodenal ulcer, the author compared bombesin-stimulated somatostatin and gastrin secretion by antral mucosal explants in patients with duodenal ulcer, those with atrophic gastritis and normal controls. An organ culture technique was employed. This excluded neurogenic, hormonal and circulatory inf...

Revision of well fixed uncemented Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) acetabular components is challenging due to their dual radius design and their stabilising fins. These features preclude use of the standard Explant device. We investigated a novel device designed to simplify revision of this socket. This prospective study included 6 male and 14 female patients. The reasons for revision, techniq...

The oxidative metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene and the conjugative metabolism of 1-naphthol by explant cultures of normal human colon and colonic tumor tissue, obtained at surgery, have been studied. After 24 hr in culture, the explants were exposed to either [1-14C]-1-naphthol (20 to 100 microM) or [3H]-benzo(a) pyrene (1.5 microM) for a further 1.5 to 24 hr. Both normal-appearing tissue and tumor...