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This chapter focuses on the immunomodulatory properties of placental mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from the amniotic membrane, umbilical cord, and chorionic villi. Within the amniotic membrane (AM), we discuss the immunomodulatory properties of the two main cell populations that can be isolated from AM: human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) and human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs). Within the umbilical cord, several compartments have been described, including the amniotic compartment, the Wharton’s jelly (WJ) compartment, and the vascular and perivascular compartment, but herein attention is focused on the properties of human WJ MSCs (hWJMSCs). Since different isolation protocols have been used, umbilical cord matrix stem cells, umbilical cord stromal cells, and human umbilical cord MSCs (herein hUCMSCs) were also included. This chapter also discusses the properties of human chorionic villi/placenta MSCs (hCVMSCs/hPLMSCs). The nomenclature of placental MSCs used in this chapter was chosen on the basis of consensus from the First International Workshop on Placenta-Derived Stem Cells for hAECs and hAMSCs (Parolini et al. 2008). Since different nomenclature is reported for the other placental MSCs, the following nomenclature is used: hWJMSCs/hUCMSCs for MSCs from WJ (and from umbilical cord where described isolation protocols include WJ) and hCVMSCs/hPLMSCs for MSCs from chorionic villi and the placenta/trophoblast compartment.

The heteroepitaxial growth of 3C-SiC on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates deeply patterned at a micrometer scale by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition is shown to lead to space-filling isolated structures resulting from a mechanism of self-limitation of lateral expansion. Stacking fault densities and wafer bowing may be drastically reduced for optimized pattern geometries.

Cigarette smoke is a potent stressor for the respiratory system, contributing to pathogenesis, for instance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its effects on the expression, function, and cellular localization of mitochondrial chaperonins are still largely unknown. We studied in vivo (airways biopsies) the localization of Hsp10 and Hsp60 in patients (smokers and non-smokers) affected by mild-moderate COPD, and characterized the effects of non-lethal doses of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the expression of these molecules in two human cell lines: lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) and bronchial epithelial (16HBE). We applied various in vitro methods: immunohistochemistry (IHC), subcellular fractionation analyses (SFA), Western blotting (WB), immunocytochemistry (ICC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) immunogold, and used bioinformatics and databases searches to gather structural in silico data for interpreting and complementing the in vitro results. IHC showed that in smokers and non-smokers COPD patients Hsp10 was localized in both, the cytoplasm and the nucleus of epithelial and lamina propria cells, while Hsp60 was present only in the cytosol. ICC, SFA, and WB on both CSE-exposed cell lines confirmed the presence of nuclear Hsp10, with an increasing trend in parallel to CSE concentration. TEM immunogold further confirmed Hsp10 in the nucleus, in addition to its presence in the cytoplasm and mitochondria, on both cell lines. Bioinformatics and in silico structural analyses indicated that Hsp10 can localize in extramitochondrial sites, such as the nucleus, even if Hsp10 lacks known DNA-binding motifs or nuclear import signals in its primary sequence. Our data suggest a link between exposure to exogenous oxidative stress and cell response, involving Hsp10, which would play roles different from its canonical functions. It is known that Hsp10 can display an array of functions depending on its location: cytoplasm, mitochondria, or extracellular. Here, we show for the first time the presence of Hsp10 in the nucleus of epithelial and stromal human-lung cell lines, paralleling the observations in vivo in COPD patients, and indicating that intranuclear Hsp10 levels are affected by oxidative stress due to an exogenous stressor like cigarette-smoke. The questions now are by what mechanism Hsp10 becomes a resident of the nucleus and what are its functions there.

Perinatal stem cells research attracted great interest worldwide in recent years. Foetus-associated tissues contain various populations of stem cells, most of which are comprised within the category of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This special issue collects both reviews and original reports on all the perinatal stem cell types which are currently under investigation. These cells have multiple promising features: differentiative capacity towards mature cell types of all the three germ layers, hypoimmunogenicity in vitro and in vivo, ease of sourcing, ex vivo culture and stor- age. In particular, immune modulation is viewed as a prom- ising feature of many MSCs populations, since these cells, once administered therapeutically, may be able to overcome, or at least evade, the host immune response which may lead to acute or chronic rejection of the transplant .

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Cigarette smoke is a potent stressor for the respiratory system, contributing to pathogenesis, for instance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its effects on the expression, function, and cellular localization of mitochondrial chaperonins are still largely unknown. We studied in vivo (airways biopsies) the localization of Hsp10 and Hsp60 in patients (smokers and non-smokers) affected by mild-moderate COPD, and characterized the effects of non-lethal doses of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the expression of these molecules in two human cell lines: lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) and bronchial epithelial (16HBE). We applied various in vitro methods: immunohistochemistry (IHC), subcellular fractionation analyses (SFA), Western blotting (WB), immunocytochemistry (ICC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) immunogold, and used bioinformatics and databases searches to gather structural in silico data for interpreting and complementing the in vitro results. IHC showed that in smokers and non-smokers COPD patients Hsp10 was localized in both, the cytoplasm and the nucleus of epithelial and lamina propria cells, while Hsp60 was present only in the cytosol. ICC, SFA, and WB on both CSE-exposed cell lines confirmed the presence of nuclear Hsp10, with an increasing trend in parallel to CSE concentration. TEM immunogold further confirmed Hsp10 in the nucleus, in addition to its presence in the cytoplasm and mitochondria, on both cell lines. Bioinformatics and in silico structural analyses indicated that Hsp10 can localize in extramitochondrial sites, such as the nucleus, even if Hsp10 lacks known DNA-binding motifs or nuclear import signals in its primary sequence. Our data suggest a link between exposure to exogenous oxidative stress and cell response, involving Hsp10, which would play roles different from its canonical functions. It is known that Hsp10 can display an array of functions depending on its location: cytoplasm, mitochondria, or extracellular. Here, we show for the first time the presence of Hsp10 in the nucleus of epithelial and stromal human-lung cell lines, paralleling the observations in vivo in COPD patients, and indicating that intranuclear Hsp10 levels are affected by oxidative stress due to an exogenous stressor like cigarette-smoke. The questions now are by what mechanism Hsp10 becomes a resident of the nucleus and what are its functions there., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol 118, No 2 (Supplement) 2013

Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) fabricated in 3?C-SiC are receiving particular attention thanks to the material physical properties: its wide band gap (2.3?eV), its ability to operate at high temperatures, its mechanical strength and its inertness to the exposure in corrosive environments. However, high residual stress (which is normally generated during the hetero-epitaxial growth process) makes the use of 3?C-SiC in Si-based MEMS fabrication techniques very limited leading to a failure of micro-machined/sensor structures. In this paper, micro-Raman characterizations and finite-element modeling (FEM) of microstructures realized on poly and single-crystal (100) 3?C-SiC/Si films are performed. Transverse optical (TO) Raman mode analysis reveals the stress relaxation on the free standing structure (796.5?cm-1) respect to the stressed unreleased region (795.7?cm-1). Also, microstructures as cantilever, bridge and planar rotating probe show an intense stress field located around the undercut region. Here, the TO Raman mode undergoes an intense shift, up to 2?cm-1, ascribed to the modification of the Raman stress tensor. Indeed, the generalized axial regime, described by diagonal components of the Raman stress tensor, cannot be applied in this region. Raman maps analysis and FEM simulations show the activation of the shear stress, i.e. non-diagonal components of the stress tensor. The stress-Raman modes shift correlation, in the case of fully non-diagonal stress tensors, has been investigated. The aim of future works will be to minimize the stress field generation and the defects density within the epitaxial layer.

Heteroepitaxial cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is an extremely promising material for micro-and nano-electromechanical systems due to its large Young's modulus. Unfortunately, the heteroepitaxy of 3C-SiC on Si substrate is affected by the high mismatch in the lattice parameters and the thermal expansion coefficients between the two dissimilar materials that generate a high number of defects in the material. In this work, through the measurement of natural resonant frequencies and Raman shift analysis, a strong relationship between the mechanical proprieties of the material (Young's modulus) and the film crystal quality (defect density) was observed.