The aim of the current study was to evaluate primary (human bronchial epithelial cells, HBEC) and non-primary (Calu-3, BEAS-2B, BEAS-2B R1) bronchial epithelial cell culture systems as air-liquid interface- (ALI-) differentiated models for asthma research. Ability to differentiate into goblet (MUC5AC+) and ciliated (β-Tubulin IV+) cells was evaluated by confocal imaging and qPCR. Expression of ...

Background: Tight junctions are found in epithelial cells and function as selective gatekeepers to regulate absorption. PT-gliadin is the gluten protein segment that is known to impair the functioning of tight junctions. This study aimed to examine the effects of a lignite extract dietary supplement (RESTORE) on tight junction function in small intestine (IEC-6) and colon (Caco-2) epithelial ce...

the aim of this investigation was to design and develop nanoemulsions as novel delivery systems for rapamycin. phase behavior of quaternary systems composed of traicetin (as oil), various surfactants and co-surfactants and water at different surfactant/co-surfactant weight ratios were investigated by the construction of phase diagrams. formulations were taken from the o/w ne region of the phase...

African trypanosomes are tsetse fly transmitted protozoan parasites responsible for human African trypanosomiasis, a disease characterized by a plethora of neurological symptoms and death. How the parasites under microvascular shear stress (SS) flow conditions in the brain cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is not known. In vitro studies using static models comprised of human brain microvascul...

In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models based on primary brain endothelial cells (BECs) cultured as monoculture or in co-culture with primary astrocytes and pericytes are useful for studying many properties of the BBB. The BECs retain their expression of tight junction proteins and efflux transporters leading to high trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER) and low passive paracellular pe...

Abstract Background Transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair (TEER) with MitraClip offers a less invasive alternative for patients severe, symptomatic regurgitation (MR) who are considered high risk surgery. However, patient selection TEER remains challenging given the variability in underlying MR pathology and current discordance among studies regarding predictors of procedural efficacy clinic...

We investigated whether poly-L-arginine (PLA) enhances the paracellular permeability of the Caco-2 monolayer to hydrophilic macromolecules and clarified the disposition of tight junction (TJ) proteins. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD-4) permeation were determined after treatment with PLA. TJ proteins were visualized using immuno...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the signature injury of modern military conflicts due to the prevalence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). However, the pathobiology of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) and its effects on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) – a structure essential for maintaining brain homeostasis – remain poorly understood. This work utilized a helium-driven shock tube...