extracellular matrix

[eLife] The authors used a highly specific integrin α5β1 peptidomimetic combined with nanopatterned hydrogels to show that keratinocyte sheets regulated their migration ability at an optimal integrin α5β1 nanospacing.

[International Immunopharmacology] Scientists examined the effect of interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF-4) deficiency on inflammation and kidney fibrosis in an acute kidney injury-chronic kidney disease transition model induced by folic acid injury.

[Cell Death & Disease] The role of FGF21 in the progression of osteoarthritis was investigated in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, FGF21 administration alleviated apoptosis, senescence, and ECM catabolism of the chondrocytes induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide by mediating autophagy flux.

[Aging] Scientists screened rutin (RT) for its activity against osteoarthritis with in vivo and in vitro models of osteoarthritis. Pretreatment of RT decreased the ECM degradation, inhibited expression of TRAF-6 and BCL-2 the NF-κB/MAPK pathway proteins.

[Acta Biomaterialia] Decellularized ECM deposited by immortalized cells significantly influenced replicative senescent infrapatellar fat pad-derived stem cells in proliferation and differentiation preference, the effect of which was hinged on the approach of immortalization using either simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40LT) or human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT).

[Blood Advances] Researchers showed that hapln1b, a key component of the extracellular matrix was specifically expressed in hematopoietic sites in the zebrafish embryo. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments all resulted in the absence of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the early embryo, showing that hapln1b was required, at the correct level, to specify HSPCs in the hemogenic endothelium.