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Glossary of scientific and technical terms in bioengineering and biological engineering
Published in Megh R. Goyal, Scientific and Technical Terms in Bioengineering and Biological Engineering, 2018
Totipotent stem cells are bone marrow cells that (when signaled) mature into both red blood cells and white blood cells. Receptors on the surface of totipotent stem cells “grasp” passing blood cell growth factors (for example, Interleukin-7, Stem Cell Growth Factor), bringing them inside these stem cells and thus causing the maturation and differentiation into red and white blood cells. These receptors are called FLK-Z receptors.
Evaluating the cytotoxicity of tin dioxide nanofibers
Published in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2018
Ashley S. Reynolds, Tanya H. Pierre, Rebecca McCall, Ji Wu, Worlanyo E. Gato
To further examine the effects of SnDNFs on A549 cells, the expression of key inflammatory genes were quantified. There has not been much research on the gene expression in A549 cells exposed to SnDNFs. After completing PCR, it appears that both inflammatory genes and apoptotic genes were expressed. The genes for IL-7, IL-21 and TNFα were over-expressed in cells that were treated with SnDNF. IL-7 (interleukin 7), is a cytokine involved in B-cell and T-cell formation. IL-7 can play a role in lymphoid cell survival and could have effects on cancer.[15] IL-7 also has anti-tumor effects leading to the potential of decreasing cancer cell development. Therefore, an overexpression of this gene could show a decrease in cancer cell growth.[15] Similarly, IL-21 is a cytokine involved in immune response. This protein also plays a role in antitumor T-cell immunity.[16] Overexpression of IL-21 would exhibit increased formation of T-cells that provide protection from cancerous cells. TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor, is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The overexpression of TNF- α could imply cells are undergoing increased inflammation, or increased apoptosis.[17]
Visfatin gene expression and oxidative stress in pregnancy induced hypertension
Published in Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2018
Hanan M.A. El-Taweel, Nevein A. Salah, Amal K. Selem, A.A. El-Refaeey, A.F. Abdel-Aziz
Adipokines play an important role in some process including inflammation, organization of food intake, and arrangement of body weight homeostasis, proliferation, insulin sensitivity, immunity and vascular homeostasis [10]. In obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus have an alteration in adipokine production. Also, there is imbalance in adipokine production at the onset of insulin resistance, adipose tissue inflammation, chronic systemic inflammation, cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction [11]. Fukuhara et al. [12] are the first one that characterize visfatin as an adipokine and show that insulin mimetic properties in mice with binding to and promoting the insulin receptor. Visfatin was found identical to pre-B cell colony enhancing factor (PBEF). It is a highly conserved 52 kDa cytokine-like protein. It increases the maturation of B cell precursors in relation to interleukin-7 and stem cell factor [11] and also suppresses the apoptosis of neutrophils [13]. Rongvaux et al. [14] reported that visfatin displays intrinsic enzymatic activity as a nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (Nampt). However, the physiological connection of NAMPT stay argumentative [15], Revollo et al. [16] showed that the critical role of NAMPT in the monitoring of glucose metabolism through the NAD biosynthetic activity.