The effect of several recombinant cytokines, including interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-6, and IL-1 alpha, on megakaryocyte (MK) colony formation by a normal human bone marrow subpopulation (CD34+ DR+), enriched for the MK colony-forming unit (CFU-MK), was studied using a serum-depleted, fibrin clot culture system. IL-3 and GM-CSF, but not IL-6...

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), a polypeptide present in abundant amounts in bone matrix, was examined for its effects on osteoclast formation by using a human bone marrow culture system in which multinucleated cells (MNCs) with osteoclast characteristics form. TGF-beta strongly inhibited MNC formation at concentrations as low as 1 ng/ml. TGF-beta also completely suppressed the effe...

introduction: hyperplastic pulpitis (pulp polyp)tissues contains cells with stem cell properties similar to that of the dental pulp stem cells (dpscs). it has also been shown that cd146 enrichment can homogenize the cultures of dpscs and enhance the colony forming potentials of their cultures. this study determines whether cd146 enrichment can help purifying the stem cells from heterogeneous cu...

Background: Tuber aestivum Vittad., known as black summer truffle, represents high-value food especially used as garnishment in nouvelle cuisine. The aim of this study was to investigate on the viable microbial populations associated with T. aestivum ascomata collected in different sites of Sicily and one locality of Umbria (Italy). Methods: The ripe ascomata of black summer truffles were coll...

We read with interest the article “Redefining endothelial progenitor cells via clonal analysis and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell principles” by Yoder et al.1 The authors compared 2 types of colony assays that have been shown to identify endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)2,3 and studied the function of the cells derived from these assay systems. They found that a commercially available kit...

The aim of the study was to assess microbial quality of water in dental unit waterlines in a dental school at Mangalore. Methodology: Water samples were taken from tap water for control, air/water syringe and the high speed hand piece of 20 dental units. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and streaked on the culture media namely Mac Conkey agar, Sabourauds dextrose media, Buffered c...

The quantification of colony forming units (cfu), turbidity, and optical density at 600 nm (OD600) measurements were used to evaluate Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth. Turbidity and OD600 measurements displayed similar growth curves, while cfu quantification showed a continuous growth curve. We determined the cfu equivalents to McFarland and OD600 units.

We have shown that lymphocytes stimulated by PHA produce colony-forming unit of granulocyte/monocyte (CFU-GM)-stimulating and -inhibiting activities, IFN-gamma, and lymphotoxin (LT). IFN-gamma is necessary for inhibition of CFU-GM by PHA-conditioned medium (CM), as shown by experiments in which removal of IFN-gamma from PHA-CM abrogated inhibition. However, experiments in which rIFN-gamma was a...

Quantitative lytA PCR is often performed using in-house standards. We hypothesised equivalence when measuring a standard suspension of Streptococcus pneumoniae by colony-forming-units (CFU) or genome-copies. Median (IQR) ratio of CFU/genome-copies was 0.19 (0.1-1.2). Genome-copies were less variable than CFU, but the discrepancy between the methods highlights challenges with absolute quantifica...