Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation - Volume 33, issue 3

Authors: Tran, Nguyen | Marie, Pierre-Yves | Nloga, Joseph | Mascali, Fatiha | Franken, Philippe | Lahoutte, Tony | Li, Yan | Antunes, Laurent | El Jaafari, Assia | Bensoussan, Daniele | Stoltz, Jean-François | Villemot, Jean-Pierre

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Recent experimental and clinical studies have shown that autologous cell based therapy using skeletal myoblasts or bone marrow-derived stem cells might have beneficial effects in chronic ischemic heart disease. The underlying concept is based on the repopulation of necrotic tissue by either readily contractile myoblasts or by bone marrow-derived stem cells. However, there is a need to resolve a number of issues for determining the better way to perform these treatments and, moreover, for assessing the real beneficial functional effect of each of these cell therapies. In this mini-review, we will discuss (i) the issues of the selection of chronic …infarct animal to truly determine the impact of cell therapy on cardiac function recovery, and (ii) the evaluation of the bio-availability and the bio-distribution of transplanted cells. Some new investigational methodologies based on clinical end-points are also proposed. Show more

Citation: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 263-268, 2005

Authors: Boura, C. | Muller, S. | Voegel, J.C. | Schaaf, P. | Stoltz, J.F. | Menu, P.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The surface modification using thin polyelectrolyte multilayered films was proposed as a new scaffold material for different cell lines. In this study, we evaluated the possible use of polyelectrolyte multilayers as surface modification for the development of endothelial cells. In order to control the behaviour of endothelial cells, cell viability by MTT assay was studied. Moreover, the endothelial cell phenotype was checked and the expression of a leukocyte adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) was quantified. The behaviour of the cells on two polyelectrolyte multilayers was compared to cells on polystyrene, and two polyelectrolyte monolayers (terminating the multilayer architectures). The results have shown …a better cell viability on the polyelectrolyte multilayers, inducing a higher cell number compared to polyelectrolyte monolayers after 1 and 3 days of culture. Moreover, the cells showed a normal morphology of cytoskeleton. The phenotype of the endothelial cells was kept and a low level of leukocyte adhesion molecules was observed. In conclusion, the polyelectrolyte multilayers can be considered as a potential surface modification procedure to enhance the development of endothelial cells on hydrophobic substrate and which can be applied to vascular tissue engineering. Show more

Keywords: Polyelectrolyte multilayers, endothelial cells, cell adhesion, cell growth, tissue engineering

Citation: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 269-275, 2005

Authors: Planus, Emmanuelle | Galiacy, Stéphane | Féréol, Sophie | Fodil, Redouane | Laurent, Valérie M. | d'Ortho, Marie-Pia | Isabey, Daniel

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Using Magnetic Twisting Cytometry (MTC) technique, we attempted to characterize in vitro the rigidity of the lining tissue covering the lung alveolar wall from its apical face. We purposely used a cellular model constituted by a monolayer of human alveolar epithelial cell (A549) over which microbeads, fixed to InterCellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM-1), exert a controlled mechanical stress. ICAM-1 expression was induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α). Rigidity measurements, performed in the course of cytochalasin D depolymerization, reveal the force transmitter role of the transmembrane receptor ICAM-1 and demonstrate that ICAM-1 and F-actin linkages confers mechanical rigidity to the apical face …of the epithelial cell monolayer resembling that provided by integrins. These results confirm the ability of MTC in identifying transmembrane mechanoreceptors in relation with F-actin. Molecular linkages between ICAM-1 and F-actin were observed by spatial visualisations of the structure after double staining of F-actin and anti ICAM-1 antibody through confocal microscopy. Show more

Keywords: Alveolar epithelial cell line, cell mechanics, F-actin structure, ICAM-1, transient magnetic bead twisting cytometry, migration, adhesion, 3D visualisation, cytoskeleton

Citation: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 277-291, 2005

Authors: Dumas, D. | Stoltz, J.-F.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this work, we investigated a voltage-sensitive fluorescent system to monitor membrane potential by spectral and lifetime fluorescence microscopy. A two-component FRET sensor has been designed that utilizes fluorescent phospholipids acceptor (DHPE-TRITC) bound on one side of the membrane and donor molecules (oxonol) which are sensitive to membrane potential. We used multiphoton excitation and FLIM to deliver contrast lifetimes of different line cancerous cells. These results provide new information concerning the differential response to depolarized cancerous cells from resting cells when compared to fibroblast normal cells. Given the sensitivity and the fast time response, this FRET system may be particularly …useful for applications involving compression of tissues by mechanical forces. Show more

Keywords: Potentiometric dyes, FLIM, spectral, oxonol, valinomycin, fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Citation: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 293-302, 2005

Authors: Baquey, Charles

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: For more than thirty years the thrombogenicity of blood-contacting materials has been deplored. This impotency, combined with inappropriate mechanical properties of these materials, explains the poor patency of medium-sized arterial prostheses and the lack of substitutes for small diameter arteries (∅≤5 mm). The author here recalls several studies, among many others, which have opened opportunities to improve this situation. However there is a gap which has not been jumped over yet between laboratory experiments and the availability of devices which could be clinically tried. This step clearly needs strong investments from the industry people, and the latter should be encouraged …to do so by the public health authorities, as far as they believe that innovation is the condition of therapeutic progress as well as social and economic benefits. Show more

Citation: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 303-308, 2005