Topic Review
Endogenous Opioids and Stem Cells
Opioids are considered the oldest drugs known by humans and have been used for sedation and pain relief for several centuries. Nowadays, endogenous opioid peptides are divided into four families: enkephalins, dynorphins, endorphins, and nociceptin/orphanin FQ. They exert their action through the opioid receptors (ORs), transmembrane proteins belonging to the su-per-family of G-protein-coupled receptors, and are expressed throughout the body; the receptors are the δ opioid receptor (DOR), μ opioid receptor (MOR), κ opioid receptor (KOR), and nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor (NOP). Endogenous opioids are mainly studied in the central nervous system (CNS), but their role has been investigated in other organs, both in physiological and in pathological conditions. Here, it is presented a revision of their role in stem cell (SC) biology, since these cells are a subject of great scientific interest due to their peculiar features and their involvement in cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine. In particular, it will be focused on the endogenous opioids’ ability to modulate SC proliferation, stress response (to oxidative stress, starvation, or damage following ischemia–reperfusion), and differentiation towards different lineages, such as neuro-genesis, vasculogenesis, and cardiogenesis.
  • 355
  • 28 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Hematopoietic Cell Transplant
Following primary infection, herpesviruses establish latency in infected individuals in the host cells and may reactivate upon external stimuli and during periods of immunosuppression.
  • 354
  • 10 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Histopathology of Cervical HPV Lesions
Only after fully understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of HPV lesions and their interaction with different cofactors such as the microbiota will it be possible to define the most effective strategy for patients. The Pathologist and the HPV test allows identifying women with “high risk” to be included in personalized protocols and targeted follow-up in cynical practice.
  • 354
  • 10 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Basic Biology of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive as well as the most dangerous form of breast cancer. Due to the lack of biomarkers that can be targeted by specific molecular therapeutics, treatment is usually limited to chemotherapy and surgery where applicable. 
  • 354
  • 06 May 2023
Topic Review
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the end-stage consequence of various interstitial lung diseases (ILD). It is a chronic progressive disease with an average survival of 3–5 years after diagnosis. The pathological features of PF are the abnormal activation and proliferation of myofibroblasts and the extraordinary deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM). 
  • 354
  • 30 May 2023
Topic Review
Membrane Traffic in Aspergillus oryzae
This entry summarizes molecular mechanisms of intracellular membrane traffic, mainly focusing on the secretory and endocytic pathways, in A. oryzae and its related filamentous fungi.
  • 353
  • 06 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Human Brain Genome Organization and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Human brain, a central organ of the human nervous system, is a highly complex organ that regulates many essential processes including cognition, memory, emotion, vision, breathing, motor skills, and experiences of surroundings. As the most complex organ in the human body, the brain manifests its complexity in various aspects. Underneath the cerebral cortex, there are many indispensable structures encompassing the thalamus, the epithalamus, the striatum, the pineal gland, the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, the subthalamus, the substantia nigra, as well as the limbic structures, including the amygdala and the hippocampus. A number of studies, particularly through examining gene expression and epigenetic profiles from various regions of the brain, have identified the most associated regions for different brain-related disorders.
  • 352
  • 07 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Muscarinic Receptors Associated with Cancer
Cancer has been considered the pathology of the century and factors such as the environment may play an important etiological role. The ability of muscarinic agonists to stimulate growth and muscarinic receptor antagonists to inhibit tumor growth has been demonstrated for breast, melanoma, lung, gastric, colon, pancreatic, ovarian, prostate, and brain cancer. 
  • 352
  • 13 May 2022
Topic Review
Modelling Ischaemic Stroke In Vitro
Most of the knowledge on the pathophysiological mechanisms of an ischaemic stroke is derived from animal-based in vitro and in vivo models. Over the past decades, different animal models of stroke have been developed, induced by emboli, intraluminal suture, photothrombosis or endothelin-1, typically in rodents. The rat is one of the most commonly used species in stroke research, among other reasons, due to the similarity of the cerebral vasculature and physiology with that of humans. Moreover, mice are often used, since they are helpful in unravelling the function of certain genes in the pathophysiology of stroke by means of the creation of transgenic mice. Animal stroke models have been an indispensable tool, as they can model different aspects of the complex pathophysiology of ischaemic stroke that cannot be modelled (yet) in simple in vitro models lacking intact blood vessels and blood flow. However, simplified, highly controlled in vitro systems are required and preferred when investigating specific basic mechanisms and cell type-specific responses under ischaemia-like conditions. Besides, in the context of testing potential neuroprotective compounds, working in vitro allows high-throughput screenings, even on a human-based background.
  • 352
  • 19 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Energy-Saving Mechanism in Skeletal Muscle
Exercise produces oxidants from a variety of intracellular sources, including NADPH oxidases (NOX) and mitochondria. Exercise-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) are beneficial, and the amount and location of these ROS is important to avoid muscle damage associated with oxidative stress.
  • 351
  • 22 Aug 2023
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