Birkvilladsen3093

Then, the platform is applied to the selective isolation of infiltrated cells through the photopatterning and subsequent dissolution of cleavable hydrogel domains. As a demonstration, the preferential collection of highly migratory cells (HCT116) over a comparable cell line with low malignancy and migratory potential (Caco-2) is shown. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.2D cultures are useful platforms allowing studies of the fundamental mechanisms governing neuron and synapse functions. Yet, such models are limited when exploring changes in network dynamics due to 3D-space topologies. 3D platforms fill this gap and favor investigating topologies closer to the real brain organization. Graphene, an atom-thick layer of carbon, possesses remarkable properties and since its discovery is considered a highly promising material in neuroscience developments. Here, elastomeric 3D platforms endowed with graphene cues are exploited to modulate neuronal circuits when interfaced to graphene in 3D topology. Ex vivo neuronal networks are successfully reconstructed within 3D scaffolds, with and without graphene, characterized by comparable size and morphology. By confocal microscopy and live imaging, the 3D architecture of synaptic networks is documented to sustain a high rate of bursting in 3D scaffolds, an activity further increased by graphene interfacing. Changes are reported in the excitation/inhibition ratio, potentially following 3D-graphene interfacing. A hypothesis is thus proposed, where the combination of synapse formation under 3D architecture and graphene interfaces affects the maturation of GABAergic inhibition. This will tune the balance between hyperpolarizing and depolarizing responses, potentially contributing to network synchronization in the absence of changes in GABAergic phenotype expression. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.There is a globally rising healthcare need to develop new anticancer therapies as well as to test them on biologically relevant in vitro cancer models instead of overly simplistic 2D models. To address both these needs, a 3D lung cancer spheroid model is developed using human A549 cells trapped inside a collagen gel in a compartmentalized microfluidic device and homogenously sized (35-45 µm) multicellular tumor spheroids are obtained in 5 days. The novel tryptophan-rich peptide P1, identified earlier as a potential anticancer peptide (ACP), shows enhanced cytotoxic efficacy against A549 tumor spheroids (>75%) in clinically relevant low concentrations, while it does not affect human amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cells at the same concentrations ( less then 15%). The peptide also inhibits the formation of tumor spheroids by reducing cell viability as well as lowering the proliferative capacity, which is confirmed by the expression of cell proliferation marker Ki-67. The ACP offers a novel therapeutic strategy against lung cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. The microfluidic device used is likely to be useful in helping develop models for several other cancer types to test new anticancer agents. Tiplaxtinin PAI-1 inhibitor © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.Biofabrication is roughly defined as techniques producing complex 2D and 3D tissues and organs from raw materials such as living cells, matrices, biomaterials, and molecules. It is useful for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug screening, and organs-on-a-chip. Biofabrication could be carried out by microfluidic techniques, optical methods, microfabrication, 3D bioprinting, etc. Meanwhile, electrochemical devices and/or systems have also been reported. In this progress report, the recent advances in applying these devices/systems for biofabrication are summarized. After introducing the concept of biofabrication, biofabrication strategies using electrochemical approaches are summarized. Then, various electrochemical systems such as probes and chip devices are described. Next, the biofabrication of hydrogels for 3D cell culture, electrochemical modification on cell culture surfaces, electrodeposition of conductive materials in hydrogels for cell culture, and biofabrication of cell aggregates using dielectrophoresis is discussed. In addition, electrochemical stimulation methods such as electrotaxis are mentioned as promising techniques for biofabrication. Finally, future research directions in this field and the application prospects are highlighted. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids present in legumes and are called phytoestrogens because of their estrogen-like activity. Endogenous estrogen is well known to regulate mammary gland morphogenesis during pregnancy. Each isoflavone also has different physiological activities. However, it is difficult to investigate the direct effect of each isoflavone in mammary morphogenesis in vivo because isoflavones are metabolized into different isoflavones by enteric bacteria. In this study, investigated are the direct influences of coumestrol, daidzein, and genistein on mammary structure development and future milk production ability of mammary epithelial cells (MECs) using in vitro culture models. Mouse MECs are cultured in Matrigel with basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor to induce ductal branching and alveolar formation, respectively. Coumestrol and genistein inhibit ductal branching and alveolar formation by affecting the proliferation and migration of MECs with the induction of apoptosis. Daidzein hardly influences mammary structure development. Furthermore, pretreatment with coumestrol adversely affects the induction of milk production ability of MECs. These results suggest that each isoflavone differentially influences mammary morphogenesis and future milk production by affecting MEC behaviors. These results also suggest that the culture models are effective to study mammary epithelial morphogenesis in vitro. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.The rapid dissemination of non-conjugative virulence plasmids among non-K1/K2 types of Klebsiella pneumoniae poses an unprecedented threat to human health, yet the underlying mechanisms governing dissemination of such plasmids is unclear. In this study, a novel 68 581 bp IncFIA plasmid is discovered that can be fused to a hypervirulence-encoding plasmid to form a hybrid conjugative virulence plasmid in conjugation experiments; such fusion events involve homologous recombination between a 241 bp homologous region located in each of the two plasmids. The fusion hypervirulence-encoding plasmid can be conjugated to both classic and blaKPC-2 -bearing carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains through conjugation, enabling such strains to acquire the ability to express the hypervirulence phenotype. Dissemination of this fusion virulence plasmid will impose an enormous burden on current efforts to control and treat infections caused by multidrug resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.