Activity of the Mechanically Isolated Hybrid Stromal Vascular Fraction on Osteoarthritis

Background: Regenerative medicine holds promise for treating degenerative and inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis (OA). However, the complex molecular mechanisms of OA and the limitations of current therapies remain challenges. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) and stromal vascular fraction (SVF) are gaining attention for OA treatment due to their abundance in adipose tissue. The literature delineates two primary techniques for SVF extraction from adipose tissue: enzymatic digestion and mechanical methods. The Lipocube Hybrid SVF presents a straightforward and secure mechanical isolation method for SVF, enhancing its regenerative potential for various applications. Purpose: This study aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of Lipocube Hybrid SVF as a regenerative therapy for OA, contributing to the broader understanding of its applicability in addressing this debilitating condition. Method: To assess the effectiveness and safety of the Lipocube Hybrid SVF, we have designed a comparative study that evaluates cellular activity and viability, phenotypic characterization, and differentiation potential. The in vitro activity of mechanically isolated SVF is compared to the established gold standard enzymatic digestion method. After in vitro studies, Lipocube Hybrid mechanical isolation method was used to isolate SVF and applied in 42 knee and 7 hip joints of 28 patients with Grade II, Grade III, and Grade IV OA. Results: The Lipocube Hybrid group had slightly lower viable cell numbers but higher cell viability. Flow cytometry analysis showed the Lipocube Hybrid group exhibited more favorable markers for regenerative potential and reduced inflammatory response. Additionally, both groups demonstrated successful osteogenic differentiation, with the Lipocube Hybrid group excelling in chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation. The clinical application of the Lipocube Hybrid SVF in OA patients resulted in significant improvements in WOMAC and VAS scores across different OA grades. Conclusions: This comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Lipocube Hybrid SVF, which has shown promise in laboratory settings, for different stages of osteoarthritis. The study findings provide valuable insights into the potential of Lipocube Hybrid SVF as a regenerative therapy for OA, highlighting its suitability for addressing this debilitating condition.

Temporal and spatial differentiation in microhabitat use: Implications for reproductive isolation and ecological niche specification

Niche differentiation enables ecologically similar species to coexist by lessening competition over food and/or shelters and may be critical for reproductive isolation between closely related species in close proximity.Be­cause no extra traits need to evolve,spatial and temporal differentiation may readily take place to complement other isolating mechanisms.Two closely related treefrog species occur together in Korea:the endangered Hyla suweonensis and the widespread Hyla japonica.Advertisement calls are differentiated,but it is unclear whether call difference is sufficient for reproductive isolation.We tracked individuals of both species to study fine-scale differentiation in microhabitat use in the diel cycle of the breeding season using a harmonic direction finder.tracking male movement patterns of both species revealed spatial and temporal differentiation in microhabitat use for calling and resting during the breeding season.Males of both H.suweonensis and H.japonica occurred in all 5 microhabitats identified in this study:rice paddy,ground,buried,grass and bush.Both treefrog species showed general similarities in calling from rice paddies and resting in grass and bush.However,H.suweonensis moved into rice paddies and produced advertisement calls 3 h earlier than H.japonica.These differences like­ly minimize contact between the species and provide an additional isolating mechanism.In addition,the activity of H.suweonensis may be contributing to the decline of this species,as resting in grass would increase dangers from predatory birds and habitat disturbance.

Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from poor quality embryos

Poor quality embryos discarded from in vitro fertilization （IVF） laboratories are good sources for deriving human embryonic stem cell （hESC） lines. In this study, 166 poor quality embryos donated from IVF centers on day 3 were cultured in a blastocyst medium for 2 days, and 32 early blastocysts were further cultured in a blastocyst optimum culture medium for additional 2 days so that the inner cell masses （ICMs） could be identified and isolated easily. The ICMs of 17 blastocysts were isolated by a mechanical method, while those of the other 15 blastocysts were isolated by immunosurgery. All isolated ICMs were inoculated onto a feeder layer for subcultivation. The rates of ICM attachment, primary ICM colony formation and the efficiency of hESC derivation were similar between the ICMs isolated by the two methods （P〉0.05）. As a result, four new hESC lines were established. Three cell lines had normal karyotypes and one had an unbalanced Robertsonian translocation. All cell lines showed normal hESC characteristics and had the differentiation ability. In conclusion, we established a stable and effective method for hESC isolation and culture, and it was confirmed that the mechanical isolation was an effective method to isolate ICMs from poor embryos. These results further indicate that hESC lines can be derived from poor quality embryos discarded by IVF laboratories.