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Germ cell tumours of ovary (GCT) are rapidly growing neoplasms derived from pleuripotent primordial germ cells. They comprise 15–20% of all ovarian neoplasms of which 95% are mature cystic teratomas and 5% are malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCT). MOGCT continues to be the cause of diverse, diagnostically challenging issues for the pathologist, and they are academically interesting because of the biological diversity exhibited by these tumours in the two gonads (testis and ovaries). Their correct diagnosis often has major important therapeutic and prognostic implications. This review intends to provide a refresher and update on the diagnostic aspects MOGCT including clinical, morphological, immunocytochemical and where relevant the molecular features. Somatic malignancies with a germ cell components and the use of new pluripotency markers that have improved diagnostic accuracy have also been included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity to regenerate entire body parts, tissues, and organs had generally been thought to be lost in evolution with very few exceptions (e.g. the liver) surviving in mammals. The discovery of the MRL mouse and the elucidation of the underlying molecular pathway centering around hypoxia inducible factor, HIF-1α, has allowed a drug and materials approach to regeneration in mice and hopefully humans. The HIF-1α pathway is ancient and permitted the transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms. Furthermore, HIF-1α and its regulation by PHDs, important oxygen sensors in the cell, provides a perfect drug target. We review the historical background of regeneration biology, the discovery of the MRL mouse, and its underlying biology, and novel approaches to drugs, targets, and delivery systems (see Fig. 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We investigated the effect of long-term lithium treatment on very-small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) and the mRNA expression of pluripotency and glial markers, in peripheral blood, in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods Fifteen BD patients (aged 53 ± 7 years) not treated with lithium, with duration of illness > 10 years, 15 BD patients (aged 55 ± 6 years) treated with lithium for 8–40 years (mean 16 years) and 15 control subjects (aged 50 ± 5 years) were included. The number of VSELs was measured by flow cytometric analysis. Assessment of the mRNA levels of pluripotency markers (Oct-4, Sox 2 and Nanog) and glial markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein - GFAP, Olig1 and Olig2) was performed, using the Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Results In BD patients not taking lithium, the number of VSELs was significantly higher than in control subjects and correlated with the duration of illness. The expression of pluripotency markers was significantly higher than in the controls and correlated with the number of VSELs. The mRNA levels of the Olig1 and Olig 2 were higher than in the controls and those of the GFAP were higher than in patients receiving lithium. In lithium-treated BD patients the number of VSELs was similar to controls and correlated negatively with the duration of lithium treatment and serum lithium concentration. The mRNA levels of Oct-4, Sox-2, GFAP and Olig1 were not different from controls. The mRNA expression of Nanog was significantly higher and correlated with the number of VSELs. The mRNA expression of Olig 2 was higher than in the BD patients not taking lithium. Conclusion Long-term treatment with lithium may suppress the activation of regenerative processes by reducing the number of VSELs circulating in PB. These cells, in BD patients not treated with lithium, may provide a new potential biological marker of the illness and its clinical progress. The higher expression of peripheral mRNA markers in BD patients may involve ongoing inflammatory process, compensatory mechanisms and regenerative responses. Long-term lithium treatment may attenuate these mechanisms, especially in relation to the transcription factors Oct-4, Sox-2, GFAP and Olig1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Human term placenta has attracted increasing attention as an alternative source of stem cells for regenerative medicine since it is accessible without ethical objections. The amniotic membrane (AM) contains at least two stem cell types from different embryological origins: ectodermal amniotic epithelial stem cells, and mesodermal mesenchymal stromal cells. Among the second group we studied the characteristics of amniotic mesenchymal cells (AMC) versus the ones enriched for the commonly used surface marker c-Kit (amniotic progenitor/stem cells-ASC), a stem cell factor receptor with crucial functions in a variety of biological systems and presents in early progenitors of different origin, as been already demonstrated in the enriched chorionic stem cells. Methods After isolation, cells from the amniotic membranes (amniotic cells-AC) were selected for c-Kit (ASC) and compared these cells with c-Kit unselected (AMC), evaluating the expression of other stem cell markers (Oct-4, Tra-1-81, SSEA-4), CD271 and Slug. Results Immunofluorescence analysis showed that ASC cells exhibited greater stem cell marker expression and included more CD271 and Slug positive cells. This was consistent with the interpretation that c-Kit enriched AC show greater stemness capacity compared to c-Kit unselected AMC. Discussion AMC and ASC can both differentiate into various cell types including adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, neurogenic and hepatic lineages, but the enrichment in c-Kit improved stemness and differentiation potential of ASC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]