Type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are transporters of Gram-negative bacteria that mediate interbacterial DNA transfer, and translocation of virulence factors into eukaryotic host cells. The alpha-proteobacterial genus Bartonella comprises arthropod-borne pathogens that colonize endothelial cells and erythrocytes of their mammalian reservoir hosts, thereby causing long-lasting intraerythrocytic ...

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a benign, locally destructive neoplasm, with tumors comprised of mesenchymal fibroblast-like stromal cells; monocytic, mononuclear cells of myeloid lineage; and the characteristic osteoclast-like, multinucleated giant cells. Hampering the study of the complex interaction of its constituent cell types is the propensity of longstanding, repeatedly passaged cell ...

T/NK progenitors are present in the thymus; however, the thymus predominantly promotes T cell development. In this study, we demonstrated that human thymic epithelial cells (TEC) inhibit NK cell development. Most ex vivo human thymocytes express CD1a, indicating that thymic progenitors are predominantly committed to the T cell lineage. In contrast, the CD1a(-)CD3(-)CD56(+) NK population compris...

Notch signaling has been shown to play a pivotal role in inducing T lineage commitment. However, T cell progenitors are known to retain other lineage potential long after the first point at which Notch signaling is required. Thus, additional requirements for Notch signals and the timing of these events relative to intrathymic differentiation remain unknown. Here, we address this issue by cultur...

The immunoregulatory cytokine Interleukin 10 (IL-10) protein is produced by various cells during the course of inflammatory disorders. Mainly, it downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, antigen presentation, and helper T cell activation. In this study, we show that the ratio of IL-10-producing cells was significantly increased in lineage negative (i.e., not T, B, or leukocyte cell lineages) c...

The expression of Forssman antigen on the surface of cells of post-implantation mouse embryos between 5 and 7 1/2 days old and of cells of the gonads from 10 1/2 days has been followed using the monoclonal antiserum M1/22.25. In the early post-implantation embryo a lineage-related distribution is found. The inner cell mass of the blastocyst was previously shown to be Forssman antigen positive a...

background: several influential factors such as transcription factors and intracellular signaling components are involved in differentiation of stem cells into a specific lineage. p15 and p16 proteins are among these factors. accumulating evidences has introduced the epigenetic as a master regulator of these factors during lineage specification. the main objective of this study is to determine ...