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PurposeMolecular pathogenesis underlying persistent ocular surface inflammation in chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) still remains largely unexplored. The present study investigates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP3, MMP9, MMP11 and TIMP1 (tissue inhibittor of matrix metalloproteinase 1) in pannus tissues of chronic ocular SJS undergoing cultivated oral mucosal epithelial transplantation (COMET) and their prognostic relevance.MethodsIn this prospective study, 45 eyes with chronic SJS underwent COMET for visual and anatomical rehabilitation. Preoperative and postoperative clinical parameters were documented. MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, MMP11 and TIMP1 expression were assessed using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real time PCR. Inflammadry MMP9 assay was performed at 1-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used to correlate protein expression with clinicopathological parameters and COMET graft survival outcomes.ResultsMMP9 and MMP11 positivity was seen in both pannus epithelia (48% and 55%, respectively) and in stromal layer (57% and 33%, respectively) while MMP2 and MMP3 showed only pannus epithelial positivity in 35% and 51% cases, respectively. High MMP9 stromal expression was significantly associated with preoperative corneal keratinisation (p=0.011), conjunctival hyperaemia (p=0.014), symblepharon (p=0.028). High MMP9 and MMP3 epithelial expression were found to be independent risk factors for poor best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) outcomes post-COMET (p=0.022 and p=0.048). Multivariate analysis revealed MMP9 to be the best prognostic marker (p=0.050).ConclusionOur findings suggest that differential expression of MMPs and TIMP1 is seen in SJS in chronic stage. Emergence of MMP9 as a poor prognostic predictor of BCVA post COMET and postoperative MMP9 immunoassay positivity could be a useful tool in further studies to understand the unresolved ocular surface inflammation seen in SJS.

Decellularized corneas obtained from other species have gained intense popularity in the field of tissue engineering due to its role to serve as an alternative to the limited availability of high-quality donor tissues. However, the decellularized cornea is found to evoke an immune response inspite of the removal of the cellular contents and antigens due to the distortion of the collagen fibrils that exposes certain antigenic sites, which often lead to graft rejection. Therefore, in this study we tested the hypothesis that cross-linking the decellularized corneas with chondroitin sulfate may help in restoring the distorted conformationation changes of fibrous matrix and thus help in reducing the occurrence of graft rejection. Cross-linking of the decellularized cornea with oxidized chondroitin sulfate was validated by ATR-FTIR analysis. An in vitro immune response study involving healthy monocytes and differentiated macrophages with their surface marker analysis by pHrodo red, Lysotracker red, ER tracker, and CD63, LAMP-2 antibodies confirmed that the cross-linked decellularized matrices elicited the least immune response compared to the decellularized ones. We implanted three sets of corneal scaffolds obtained from goat, i.e., native, decellularized, and decellularized corneas conjugated with chondroitin sulfate into the rabbit stroma. Histology analysis, three months after implantation into the rabbit corneal stromal region, confirmed the restoration of the collagen fibril conformation and the migration of cells to the implanted constructs, affirming proper graft integration. Hence we conclude that the chondroitin sulfate cross-linked decellularized corneal matrix may serve as an efficient alternative to the allograft and human cadaveric corneas.

Background and Objective. Acquired aplastic anemia (aAA) is a bone marrow failure disorder characterized by pancytopenia and bone marrow aplasia. Bone marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BM-MSCs) are an important component of BM microenvironment, associated with hematopoietic and immune homeostasis. Any alterations in BM microenvironment can disrupt the normal functioning and it needs to be assessed. Methods. In the current study, we investigated the morphological differences, proliferation capacity, population doubling time (PDT), surface marker profiling, trilineage differentiation potential, and immunosuppressive ability of BM Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BM-MSCs) from untreated aAA patients and in the same number of age- and gender-matched controls. Results. We observed similar morphology, proliferation capacity, phenotype, trilineage differentiation potential, and immunomodulatory properties of BM-MSCs in aAA patients and control subjects. Conclusion. Our results confirm that the basic and immunosuppressive properties of BM-MSCs from aAA patients do not differ from normal BM-MSCs. Our data suggest that BM-MSCs from aAA patients might not be involved in disease pathogenesis. However, owing to a smaller number of samples, it is not conclusive, and future studies with more exhaustive investigation at transcriptome level are warranted.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the treatment outcome of custom made maxillary transport distractor appliance for closure of large alveolar clefts. METHOD: A pilot study was conducted on 12 large alveolar cleft defects present in 11 non-syndromic cleft lip and palate patients (1 bilateral and 10 unilateral) in the age group of 16–25 years. All the subjects underwent pre-surgical orthodontics followed by alveolar distraction using custom-made distractor appliance. Study models, lateral cephalogram, panoramic radiograph and cone beam computed tomograms were obtained pre-surgically (T0) and after distractor removal (T1). The reduction in the width and volume of the alveolar cleft defect and change in the mesiodistal axial inclination of the teeth in transport segment following distraction were recorded. P value ​

Pandanus odorifer (Forssk.) Kuntze (kewda) is an industrially important aromatic plant currently having huge demand for the unique fragrance possessed by its essential oil. Phenyl ethyl methyl ether is the major component which imparts this exquisite odour to the kewda male flower essential oil. This distinctive aroma instigates its extensive usage in the cosmetic, pharmaceuticals and flavour and fragrance industries. Almost every part of the plant (flower, stem, root, leaves) possess numerous pharmacological and ethnic utilities. The plant propagation using elite genetic material is therefore imperative to produce improved quality kewda plants to meet the global need. The accelerated demand of kewda perfumes has resulted in a hike in the price of kewda oil. Hence, the farmers require its large-scale cultivation mainly in the coastal and sub-coastal regions. The present chapter focuses on the botanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, agronomical and biotechnological aspects of Pandanus odorifer. This comprehensive information will conclusively allow better utilization of this industrially important plant for various industrial uses and improve the socio-economic growth of low-income coastal villagers.

Frontal sinus wall fracture is a unique fracture of the face that often requires complex management. The location of the frontal bone, containing frontal sinus, is adjacent to vital structures, including the brain and eyes. A frontal wall fracture mostly occurs along with fractures of the skull, orbital roof and nose and naso-orbito-ethmoid (NOE) and Le Fort fractures. In addition, management of a frontal sinus wall fracture is complicated not only by the presence of concomitant injuries but also by mucosal membranes and the nasofrontal ducts. Meticulous assessment of a frontal bone fracture will subsequently lead to the appropriate treatment plan critical for the long-term health of the patient and reduction of complications.

Graphene-based nanocomposites have been extensively employed to design biomimetic platforms epitomizing the structural and functional complexity of the tissue with increased robustness and physiological relevance. The adhesive and mechanical cues provided by such nanocomposite microenvironment kindles the cell fate decisions. Owing to their differentiation and regenerative potential, Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) have proven to be a promising candidate for treating several neurodegenerative disorders. However, their degree of differentiation and its reproducibility is often jeopardized by multiple levels of heterogeneity, thereby compromising their translational utilization. Baffled at this crossroad, we designed a one-step approach to electrospin Poly-caprolactone (PCL) nanocomposite, with varying graphene concentrations, to capture, for the first time, the realms of their biocompatible and anisotropic characteristics, providing biomimetic platforms for improved differentiation of human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hMSCs) into neurons. Interestingly, PCL having 0.05% graphene (PCL-G0.05) showcased an ideal nano-topography with an unprecedented combination of guidance stimuli and substrates cues, aiding in enhanced differentiation of hMSCs into dopaminergic neurons (DA). These newly differentiated DA neurons were characterized at gene, protein, and functional levels and were seen to exhibit unique neuronal arborization, enhanced intracellular Ca2+ influx, and dopamine secretion, thereby opening new horizons for pre-clinical and clinical applications.

Docetaxel (DTX), an FDA approved chemotherapeutic agent, is used as a first-line treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Its poor aqueous solubility, rapid metabolism, short half-life, and effective targeting to the cancer cells limits its optimal therapeutic use. Herein, we report folate targeted amphiphilic lipopolymer grafted with cholesterol conjugated carbonate and DL-lactide prepared by microwave assisted ring opening polymerization, for the efficient actively targeted delivery of DTX. The DTX-loaded folate-targeted lipopolymeric nanoparticles (F-DTX-LPNs) prepared by the emulsion solvent evaporation method exhibited a smaller size of ∼115.17 nm with a PDI of 0.205 and encapsulation efficiency of >80%. Further, these lipopolymeric nanoparticles (F-DTX-LPNs) showed a good on-bench stability and sustained DTX release for 7 days. Cell-based assays in MDA-MB-231 cells revealed a significant enhancement in the intracellular uptake of folate-targeted lipopolymeric nanoparticles compared to non-targeted nanoparticles. Further, methyl beta-cyclodextrin (Mβ-CD) completely inhibited the uptake of these nanoparticles in the cells, indicating a lipid raft-mediated uptake mechanism. The developed F-DTX-LPNs showed improved cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and significant fold-change in expression levels of Bcl-2, BAX and Ki-67 as compared to non-targeted DTX-LPNs and free DTX. Further, F-DTX-LPNs showed an improved in vivo pharmacokinetic profile in Sprague Dawley rats as compared to the free DTX. The bio-imaging of ex vivo tissues demonstrated that the DiR loaded folate targeted LPNs exhibited intense signals after 24 h because of slow release of DiR dye from the nanoparticles.

Background: Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) can be derived from various tissue sources and differentiated into dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons using various types of inducers. There are several strategies that have been reported to generate functional dopaminergic neuronal cells from hMSCs in the most efficient manner possible. However, this area is still under extensive research. In this study, we aim to compare hMSCs derived from bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue (AD) and dental pulp (DP) to generate functional dopaminergic neurons, using FGF2 and forskolin. Post-differentiation, multiple factors were used to characterize the cells at morphological, morphometric, ultra-structural, mRNA and protein levels for various markers (Nestin, NF, MAP2, Tuj1, TH, DAT, PitX3, Ngn2, Kv4.2, SCN5A). Cells&rsquo, functionality was studied by calcium ion imaging, along with the amount of dopamine secreted by the cells in the culture medium. Results: Data analysis revealed that forskolin has comparable effect on BM- and AD-derived MSC (28.43% and 29.46% DAergic neurons, respectively), whereas DP-MSC (42.78 &plusmn, 1.248% DAergic neurons) show better outcome in terms of efficient generation of DAergic neuronal cells, expression of neuronal associated markers, dopamine release and calcium ion efflux. Ultra-structural studies by SEM and TEM also revealed a substantial change in both cellular morphology and composition of cellular organelles. It was observed that AD-MSCs showed the best neuronal features, at morphological, gene, and protein levels upon induction with the above-mentioned induction cocktail. Conclusion: It may be concluded that a combination of FGF2 and forskolin yields functionally active dopaminergic neuronal cells in vitro, with highest percentage of the same from AD-MSCs, as compared to that in BM-MSCs and DP-MSCs. The outcomes and comparative evaluation provide a substantial platform for further studies on molecular pathways involved in the process of DAergic neurogenesis in individual cases.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review article is to outline the pathology, virology and mechanism of severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to study the regenerative role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to tackle the lung damage caused by SARS-CoV-2. BACKGROUND: The MSCs possess trophic potentialities which enable them to find out the sites of injury or inflammation and because of their pleiotropic and pericytic nature, these cells are capable of differentiating into different cell types. The MSCs can be derived from a variety of tissue sources be it adult or embryonic origin. The one major characteristic of MSCs is that they are immunologically naïve in terms of expression of MHC Class II. This very low or no expression of MHC class II makes them useful in clinical settings where they can be used in allogenic transplant cases. This allogenic transplant possibilities of these MSCs makes them one of the most researched stem cells and investigated for cell-based therapies. Though these MSCs are in clinical settings for long the one even more important characteristic which makes them even more in demand is their immunomodulatory properties which have been used in various cases to mitigate the effect of overstimulation of the immune system. In recent times after the pandemic of the novel corona virus disease 2019 (nCOVID-19) generated by SARS-CoV-2, the effect of various MSCs isolated from various tissue sources are being utilized to curb the overstimulation of immune response, so that the immune system can be brought under some regulation to ultimately reduce the effect of inflammation. METHODS: In this review article, we have reviewed the existing literature, data and ongoing clinical trials by using keywords like novel coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, acute respiratory distress syndrome, mesenchymal stem cells, immunomodulation properties of stem cells, regenerative properties of stem cells, cell therapy, clinical trials of stem cells, clinical trials of COVID-19 and stem cells till 20th August 2020 using database named PubMed, NCBI, Google Scholar, Scopus, Research Gate and Clinicaltrials.gov. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, concluding the therapeutic potential of MSCs in managing and treating COVID-19.

The recent pandemic situation transpired due to coronavirus novel strain SARS-CoV-2 has become a global concern. This human coronavirus (HCov-19) has put the world on high alert as the numbers of confirmed cases are continuously increasing. The world is now fighting against this deadly virus and is leaving no stone unturned to find effective treatments through testing of various available drugs, including those effective against flu, malaria, etc. With an urgent need for the development of potential strategies, two recent studies from China using Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) to treat COVID-19 pneumonia have shed some light on a potential cure for the COVID-19 infected patients. However, MSCs, despite being used in various other clinical trials have always been questioned for their tendency to aggregate or form clumps in the injured or disease microenvironment. It has also been reported in various studies that exosomes secreted by these MSCs, contribute towards the cell's biological and therapeutic efficacy. There have been reports evaluating the safety and feasibility of these exosomes in various lung diseases, thereby proposing them as a cell-free therapeutic agent. Also, attractive features like cell targeting, low-immunogenicity, safety, and high biocompatibility distinguish these exosomes from other synthetic nano-vesicles and thus potentiate their role as a drug delivery nano-platform. Building upon these observations, herein, efforts are made to give an overview of stem cell-derived exosomes as an appealing therapeutic agent and drug delivery nano-carrier. In this review, we briefly recapitulate the recent evidence and developments in understanding exosomes as a promising candidate for novel nano-intervention in the current pandemic scenario. Furthermore, this review will highlight and discuss mechanistic role of exosomes to combat severe lung pathological conditions. We have also attempted to dwell into the nano-formulation of exosomes for its better applicability, storage, and stability thereby conferring them as off the shelf therapeutic.

Wolbachia has long been known to share an endosymbiotic relationship with its host as an obligate intracellular organism. Wolbachia diversity as different supergroups is found to be host-specific in most cases except a few, where the host species is seen to accommodate multiple strains. Besides, the Wolbachia genome must have undergone several changes in response to the evolving host genome in order to adapt and establish a strong association with its host, thus making a distinctive Wolbachia-host alliance. The present study focusses on four novel genome assembly and genome-wide sequence variations of Indian Wolbachia strains, i.e. wMel and wRi isolated from two different Drosophila hosts. The genome assembly has an average size of ~ 1.1 Mb and contains ~ 1100 genes, which is comparable with the previously sequenced Wolbachia genomes. The comparative genomics analysis of these genomes and sequence-wide comparison of some functionally significant genes, i.e. ankyrin repeats, Wsp and T4SS, highlight their sequence similarities and dissimilarities, further supporting the strain-specific association of Wolbachia to its host. Interestingly, some of the sequence variations are also found to be restricted to only Indian Wolbachia strains. Further analysis of prophage and their flanking regions in the Wolbachia genome reveals the presence of several functional genes which may assist the phage to reside inside the bacterial host, thus providing a trade-off for the endosymbiont-host association. Understanding this endosymbiont genome in different eco-geographical conditions has become imperative for the recent use of Wolbachia in medical entomology as a vector-control agent.

The multi-lineage differentiation potential is one of the prominent mechanisms through which stem cells can repair damaged tissues. The regenerative potential of stem cells is the manifestation of several changes at the structural and molecular levels in stem cells that are regulated through intricate mitochondrial-nuclear interactions maintained by Ca

The study's purpose was to fabricate a 3-D porous scaffold, in which chitosan was coated onto the pore wall of polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds as a bioactive agent to maximize the cell recognition signals, to improve the osteoconductivity of the scaffolds. The pppporogen leaching technique has been modified and used in the fabrication process, comprising of the coating of chitosan over the porogen followed by transferring of coating to the pore wall of the PCL scaffold. The cytotoxicity and hemolysis results indicated chitosan's presence over the surface of the scaffold's pore walls has significantly enhanced its biocompatibility. Scaffolds coated with 2.5 %(w/v) chitosan shows 6.74 % increase in porosity and 207.96 % upsurge in mechanical strength, compared to PCL scaffolds. The Gene-expression also proves the study groups of scaffolds show the minimal osteogenic expression. Therefore, chitosan coating over the scaffold's pore wall's surface opens an unconventional approach for tissue engineering applications.

Objective: India has been a producer of a large number of aromatic medicinal plants which serves as a valuable genetic resource for future quality improvement to meet the ever-growing demand of human essential products. Thus, an urgent need arises for germplasm conservation of these high yielding varieties to help the pharmaceutical and other industries. For this understanding, the population structure is essential in order to explore their genetic identification by fingerprinting and molecular characterization. Methods: In the present study DNA was isolated using modified Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) method and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed according to standardized method along with its data analysis. This study was undertaken to characterize the highly medicinal Kaempferia galanga collected from 4 different populations of Odisha using the molecular markers as Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats for the first time. Results: A dendrogram constructed through Sequential Agglomerative Hierarchical and Nested (SAHN) clustering and Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis showed an average similarity of 0.993 ranging between 0.967 to 1.000. Jaccard’s similarity coefficient of combined markers segregated the genotypes into two main clusters, 1 with six samples and the others at 0.98 similarity coefficient. Conclusion: Hence, the molecular analysis could be further used for the identification of important novel gene present in Kaempferia galanga which can be utilized for future crop improvement as well as pharmacological activities.

Temporomandibular joint disorders are a common cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain worldwide. Among these, internal disc derangement is the most frequent type of disorder. Internal derangement is defined as an abnormal positional and functional relationship between the disc and articulating surfaces. Common clinical symptoms include pain and clicking. Imaging plays a key role in diagnosing temporomandibular joint disorders. It is important for the radiologist to detect early imaging signs of internal derangement, thereby avoiding the evolution of this condition to degenerative joint disease. The aim of this article is to familiarise the reader with the spectrum of imaging findings that are encountered at different stages of the disease.

Background: Stem cells with their tremendous differentiation and trans-differentiation potential are the cells with many applications in degenerative disease management. Isolation, characterization, and differentiation are the areas that are most widely investigated to take the cells in clinical settings. Among many sources of stem cells, the skin is getting special attention because it is one of the most easily accessible tissues and has high differentiation potential. Methods: We have given a detailed description of skin tissue collection, processing, and cell culture. The RNA isolation and cell proliferation by the MTT assay have also been elaborated. Discussion: All the protocols detailed here were standardized in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. We hope the protocols will be of help to those who initiate studies of skin stem cells and new investigators who may come up with further modifications. This will benefit advancement in this field.

The development of transplantable cell sheets of functional keratocytes embedded within an aligned collagen type I matrix is a viable approach for constructing a bioequivalent of corneal stroma. Thermoresponsive materials based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PolyNIPA) have been utilized to recover carrier-free corneal cell sheets by inducing temperature changes. In this study, we employed direct-write assembly (DWA) to develop microperiodic parallel patterns of silk–PolyNIPA and gelatin–PolyNIPA. Semi-interpenetrating networks of PolyNIPA hybrids (with silk/gelatin) exhibited temperature-responsive nature and thereby have potential use in cell sheet engineering. Silk–PolyNIPA and gelatin–PolyNIPA hybrids demonstrated a hydrophobic surface at 37 °C (i.e. above their lower critical solution temperature) with a contact angle of 59° ± 0.3° and 55° ± 3°, respectively, whereas the surface roughness of silk–PolyNIPA was double that of gelatin–PolyNIPA. The reduction of temperature to 20 °C resulted in a decrease in the value of surface roughness and water contact angle for both hybrids. All four parallel patterned substrates guided corneal cell alignment along the direction of the patterns. Collagen type-I and aggrecan gene expression was higher when the cells were grown over the gelatin–PolyNIPA matrix after 3 weeks of culture when compared to silk–PolyNIPA. In addition, a significantly higher metabolic activity as well as enhanced vinculin expression of keratocytes on the gelatin–PolyNIPA matrix indicated the improved cytocompability compared to the silk, gelatin and silk–PolyNIPA matrices. Interestingly, the detachment of keratocytes cell sheet was achieved from the silk–PolyNIPA and gelatin–PolyNIPA planar films only within 10 min and 30 min, respectively, but the patterns could not yield intact sheet recovery. Hence, we conclude that while gelatin–PolyNIPA hybrids with parallel patterns fabricated using DWA will benefit from the application of cellular alignment, some optimization in the pattern parameters may be required for rapid sheet recovery from such substrates. Understanding the keratocytes responses to such hybrid biomaterials suggests viable options to develop a corneal stromal bioequivalent.

An extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking architecture was introduced with gelatin glycosaminoglycans like hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate and a triterpenoid using asiatic acid, possessing biodegradable and biocompatible properties that mark the functionality for the treatment of second-degree burn wounds. In the present work, a foam-based scaffold was fabricated and sterilized with gamma radiation at a 2.5 Mrad dose. The scaffolds were further characterized for morphology, swelling, degradation behaviour, release of bioactive components, ATR-FTIR, mechanical, thermal properties and compared with control. In vitro cytocompatibility of the developed scaffold was studied with L929 mouse fibroblast cells and human mesenchymal stem cells based on deoxyribonucleic acid and lactate dehydrogenase assay. Additionally, the developed scaffold was evaluated for its biocompatibility on the Wistar rat to assess any toxicity induced to the animal based on blood biochemistry and histopathology analysis. Finally, we assessed the efficacy of developed foam scaffolds on the second-degree burn wound-induced Wistar rat with a scaffold alone and a scaffold seeded with human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a wound healing study for 28 d. The wound contraction assay, histopathology, immunohistochemistry analysis and pro-healing marker quantification using hexosamine, hydroxyproline, and pro-inflammatory markers like TNF-α and MMP-2 were carried out and compared with the commercially available wound dressing. The results revealed that foam-based ECM mimic was cytocompatible, biocompatible and biodegradable in 18 ± 3 d in in vivo conditions and the scaffold fostered the process of healing of second-degree burns within 28 d of treatment. The obtained result proved that the scaffold has a potential for clinical settings in second-degree burn wound treatment.

Aims and Objectives 3d-printed models (bio-models) have become a useful tool in the armamentarium of surgeons for improved surgical planning in the recent past. This study directs at reinforcing the incorporation of these bio-models as a handy tool in treatment planning, resident training, patient education and record maintenance. The aim of this empirical study was to compare the outcome in reconstructive maxillofacial surgery when planned using 3d-printed model and without 3d-printed model (conventional). The objectives were to assess and compare the intraoperative time taken during reconstruction, the immediate post-operative experience (pain, mouth opening and incidence of infection) and the quality of life using University of Washington (UW-QOL) questionnaire during follow up. Methods This retrospective comparative study was conducted in Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, from March 2018 to March 2020. It included 50 cases consisting variety of pathologic and traumatic maxillofacial defects and they were grouped into with 3d-printed model (Group A) and without 3d-printed model (Group B). The groups were further subclassified based on maxillary (MR) and mandibular reconstruction [vascularized flaps (VFFF), non-vascularised grafts (NVG), reconstruction plate alone (RP)]. We compared intra operative time taken along with immediate post-operative parameters (pain, mouth opening and presence of infection) and patient’s quality of life using UW-QOL questionnaire. These values were taken for comparison and statistical analysis was done by unpaired t-test. Result There was 14.75% (35.26 minutes) mean reduction in operative time (* P = .029) and reduction in mean visual analogue score (VAS) (* P = .003) with statistically significant difference. However, increase in immediate post-operative mouth opening was not found to be statistically significant difference ( P =.471). The comparison of the social and functional domain of UW-QOL showed statistically significant P-value in saliva (*0.004) and mood (*0.002) with regard to NVG. In RP group, pain (*0.026), swallowing (*0.041) and taste (*0.008) was found to be statistically significant. In MR group, only pain (*0.037) showed statistically significant difference. Conclusion Use of 3d-printed model to guide and assist in surgical procedures have provided promising results. Based on this study, we found that there is decreased intraoperative time and post-operative pain score when 3d-printed model were used. The patient’s quality of life was also found to be better in terms of reduction in pain, salivary secretion and mood elevation. With increased success rate, the authors are of the strong opinion that it is time to revisit the surgical protocol used for reconstruction and include 3d-printed model as a primary tool or technology across the board for all patients notwithstanding the comparative cost, as the results offset the financial aspect.

The worldwide incidence of bone disorders has trended steeply upward and is expected to get doubled by 2030. The biological mechanism of bone repair involves both osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity. Despite the self-healing functionality after injury, bone tissue faces a multitude of pathological challenges. Several innovative approaches have been developed to prepare biomaterial-based bone grafts. To design a suitable bone material, the freeze-drying technique has achieved significant importance among the other conventional methods. However, the functionality of the polymeric freeze-dried scaffold in in-vivo osteogenesis is in a nascent stage. In this study facile, freeze-dried, biomaterial-based load-bearing three-dimensional porous composite scaffolds have been prepared. The biocompatible scaffolds have been made by using chitosan (C), polycaprolactone (P), hydroxyapatite (H), glass ionomer (G), and graphene (gr). Scaffolds of eight different groups (C, P, CP, CPH, CPHG, CPHGgr1, CPHGgr2, CPHGgr3) have been designed and characterized to evaluate their applicability in orthopedics. To evaluate the efficacy of the scaffolds a series of physio-chemical, morphological, and in-vitro and in-vivo biological experiments have been performed. From the obtained results it was observed that the CPHGgr1 is the ideal compatible material for Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the blood cells. The in-vitro bone-specific gene expression study revealed that the scaffold assists MSCs osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, the in-vivo study on the mice model was also performed for a period of four and eight weeks. The subcutaneous implantation of the designed scaffolds did not show any altered physiological condition in the animals, which indicated the in-vivo biocompatibility of the designed material. The histopathological study revealed that after eight weeks of implantation, the CPHGgr1 scaffold supported significantly better collagen deposition and calcification. The facile designing of the CPHGgr1 multicomponent nanocomposite provided an osteo-regenerative biomaterial with desired mechanical strength as an ideal regenerative material for cancellous bone tissue regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells owing to their regenerative potential and multilineage potency. MSCs have wide-scale applications either in their native cellular form or in conjugation with specific biomaterials as nanocomposites. Majorly, these natural or synthetic biomaterials are being used in the form of metallic and non-metallic nanoparticles (NPs) to encapsulate MSCs within hydrogels like alginate or chitosan or drug cargo loading into MSCs. In contrast, nanofibers of polymer scaffolds such as polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), silk fibroin, collagen, chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid (HA), and cellulose are used to support or grow MSCs directly on it. These MSCs based nanotherapies have application in multiple domains of biomedicine including wound healing, bone and cartilage engineering, cardiac disorders, and neurological disorders. This review focused on current approaches of MSCs-based therapies and has been divided into two major sections. The first section elaborates on MSC-based nano-therapies and their plausible applications including exosome engineering and NPs encapsulation. The following section focuses on the various MSC-based scaffold approaches in tissue engineering. Conclusively, current review mainly discussed the MSC-based nanocomposite's current approaches their advantages and limitations for building effective regenerative medicines.

Sarcomas of the Oral and Maxillofacial Region (SOMR) are rare lesions which pose diagnostic and management challenges. We analyzed 26 cases of SOMR with respect to clinical presentation, histopathological subtype, treatment modalities, recurrence, and treatment outcome. In our series, Osteosarcoma (OS) was the most common type of sarcoma (7 cases), followed by 5 cases of Ewing's Sarcoma (ES), 3 cases each of Chondrosarcoma (CS) and Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), 2 cases each of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST), Pleomorphic Undifferentiated Sarcoma (PUS), Myeloid Sarcoma (MS)and Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Surgery was the primary treatment modality in most cases and was combined with adjuvant chemo/ radiotherapy in few cases. 24 of the 26 cases were followed up for an average period of 40.67 months. Adverse disease outcomes like recurrence were seen in 2 cases whereas death due to the disease was reported in 7 cases. In view of the diagnostic challenges faced in SOMRs, it appears practical to stress on the underlying genetic aspects of the disease process rather than histological subtyping to improve disease outcome.

Application of Inter Simple Sequence Repeats and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers in Curcuma aromatica collected from 4 different populations of Odisha. A dendrogram was constructed through sequential agglomerative hierarchial and nested (SAHN) clustering and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis using Jaccard’s similarity coefficient of combined markers using this particular species. Two major clusters were found i.e., cluster-I (Koraput-1, Koraput-2, Koraput-3, G.Udaigiri-1, G.Udaigiri-2, G.Udaigiri-3 and Phulabani-1, Phulabani-2, Phulabani-3) and cluster-II (Raikia-1, Raikia-2 and Raikia-3). The clustering pattern also revealed moreover the extent of genetic similarity between germplasms collected from those populations. This technique would be further utilized for identification and tagging of important novel gene present in different taxa or improvement work in family Zingiberaceae. This study would be of immense significance for conservation and characterization of important medicinal plant species.

Introduction The success of endodontic regeneration lies in the appropriate combination of stem cells and bioactive materials. Several novel dental materials are available on the market in this regard. Hence, the current study aimed to evaluate the proliferation, differentiation, and osteogenic potential of human bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) onto biomaterials like ProRoot MTA (MTA; Dentsply Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK), Biodentine (BD; Septodont, Saint Maur de Fosses, France), and EndoSequence Root Repair Material (ERRM; Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA). Methods Dental cements were formulated into discs and assessed for their biocompatibility. hBMSCs were used to study biocompatitibility and the proliferative and osteogenic potential of these dental cements. A live dead assay was performed using confocal microscopy to study the biocompatibility, proliferation, and cell attachment property of the cements. An 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was also performed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 to study growth kinetics. The osteogenic potential of these cements was studied by inducing hBMSCs over them using osteogenic differentiation medium (assessed by alkaline phosphatase assay). Results ERRM and MTA have shown the best biocompatibility among the tricalcium silicate materials used with no significant difference between them. Both have shown significantly higher osteogenic bioactivity than BD. All 3 tricalcium silicate cements support good adherence of hBMSCs. Conclusions All of the dental cements used in this study are biocompatible with the potential to induce proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Therefore, the newly introduced ERRM can be the material of choice in various endodontic applications.

The cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions play a very important role during angiogenesis. Remodeling of the extracellular matrix along with pro-angiogenic/anti-angiogenic factors, and matrix-degrading proteases, accounts for endothelial cell growth, migration, and tube formation. However, for studying angiogenesis, only limited and expensive biomaterials are available. Despite being biocompatible, inexpensive, and easy availability; the potential of goat tendon collagen (GTC) has never been explored for vascular tissue engineering applications. Hence, the current investigation was focused on evaluating GTC as an alternative matrix for HUVEC microtissue-based angiogenesis. HUVEC microtissues (MTs), synthesized via hanging drop method, were subjected to angiogenesis in GTC-human fibrin (HF) hydrogels. Sprouting tip cells originated from the MTs within 24 h. Further, comprehensive in vitro study and in vivo validation revealed that, endothelial media with FBS and growth factors, 24 h old HUVEC MTs of 500 cells, seeded at 200 aggregates/cm3 in GTC-HF gel of 100 Pa elastic modulus, resulted in most optimal angiogenesis with intact lumen that was stable up to a week, without any supporting cells. Although early to predict, GTC-HF matrix may serve as a potential ECM for engineering complex and functional tissues of clinical relevance.

Stroke is a multi-factorial polygenic disease and is a major cause of death and adult disability. Administration of bone marrow stem cells protects ischemic rat brain by facilitating recovery of neurological functions. But the molecular mechanism of stem cells action and their effect on gene expression is not well explored. In this study, we have transplanted 1× 106 human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) in middle cerebral artery occluded (MCAo) adult male Wistar rats through intracarotid artery route at 24 hours after surgery. Motor behavioral tests (rotarod and open field) were performed to assess the changes in motor functions at day 0 and day1, 4, 8 and 14. The expression of studied genes at mRNA and protein level was quantified by using Q-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Further, we have assessed the methylation pattern of promoter of these genes by using methylation-specific PCR. Data was analyzed statistically and correlated. A significant improvement in behavioral deficits was observed in stem cells treated group after 14th day post stroke. Significantly (p

Three-dimensional multicellular human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) are showing a great promise in the repair of bone tissue due to its osteogenic differentiation potential, mimicking in vivo microenvironment and immunomodulatory property. In the present study, the potential of hBM-MSC microtissues (MTs) in combination with a biocomposite material to form vascularized bone-like tissue at an ectopic site in an immunocompromised mouse was evaluated. The scaffold was fabricated using gelatin, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol and nano-hydroxyapatite (GCnHP) by the freeze-drying method. The physico-chemico-biological characteristics were compared with control scaffold devoid of polyvinyl alcohol (GCnH). The scaffolds (GCnH and GCnHP) were highly porous and had interconnected pores. GCnHP showed higher mechanical strength, higher water adsorption and a lower rate of collagenase-mediated degradation in comparison to GCnH. The scaffolds also supported growth and proliferation of hBM-MSCs MTs and subsequent differentiation into osteoblast-like cells. The differentiated cells showed matrix mineralization and high expression of runX2, alkaline phosphatase, collagen type 1 and osteocalcin genes. A high expression of VEGF was also observed suggesting the potential of hBM-MSC MTs to induce angiogenesis. H&E and Masson's trichrome staining of the 4-weeks in vivo implanted scaffold revealed the presence of newly synthesized collagen and infiltration of host vasculature. IHC assessment showed expression of osteocalcin and osterix. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the combination of hBM-MSC MTs and biocomposite material as a promising approach for in vivo non-load bearing bone tissue repair for future clinical and various regenerative medicine applications.

Background Noncultured, extracted follicular outer root sheath suspension (NC-EHF-ORS-CS) is a recently introduced technique for the treatment of stable vitiligo. Objective To study the clinical efficacy of this technique and to determine the viability and cell composition of the suspension. Methods Twenty-five patients with stable vitiligo were included in this prospective study. Fifty follicles were extracted from occipital scalp and were incubated with trypsin–ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to separate outer root sheath cells. The cell suspension was filtered and centrifuged to obtain a cell pellet, which was resuspended and applied to the dermabraded recipient area. Cell viability of the suspension was assessed using trypan blue staining, and markers of keratinocyte stem cells (CD200) and melanocytes (S100) were evaluated using flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Results At 6 months, the mean (±SD) repigmentation was 52 ± 25.1%, and >75% repigmentation was seen in 8/25 (32%) patients. Mean percentage cell viability of the suspension was 80 ± 17.2% with a mean concentration of CD200 + and S100 + cells being 7.91 ± 8.68% and 9.93 ± 1.22% (n = 3), respectively. Recipient site infection was seen in 4 of 25 (16%) patients and a color mismatch in 11 of 25 (44%) patients. Conclusion NC-EHF-ORS-CS is a useful minimally invasive therapy for vitiligo.

Aim To evaluate the role of bone marrow-derived stem cells in the treatment of advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using multifocal electroretinogram (mf-ERG) and fundus autofluorescence imaging. Methods Thirty patients (60 eyes) with bilateral central geographic atrophy (GA) were recruited. Worse eye of each patient received autologous bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells (BM-HSCs) (group 1) and the fellow eye with better visual acuity served as control (group 2). The effect of stem cell therapy was determined in terms of visual acuity, amplitude and implicit time in mf-ERG and size of GA on fundus autofluorescence imaging. These tests were performed at presentation and first, third and sixth month follow up. Adverse events (if any) were also monitored. Results At 6mo follow-up there was no statistically significant improvement in median logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in either group. Mf-ERG revealed significant improvement in amplitude and implicit time in the intervention group. A significant decrease was also noted in greatest linear dimension (GLD) of GA in the eyes receiving stem cells [6.78±2.60 mm at baseline to 6.56±2.59 mm at 6mo (P=0.021)]. However, no such improvement was noted in the control group. Conclusion Electrophysiological and anatomical improvement in the intervention group sheds light on the therapeutic role of BM-HSCs. Further studies are required to determine the stage of disease at which the maximal benefit can be achieved and to standardize the dose and frequency of stem cell injection.

To understand the process of neurogenesis, generation of functional dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is important. BDNF has been reported to be responsible for inducing neuronal maturation and functionality. Previously, we have reported the efficient generation of neurons from human bone marrow derived MSCs using FGF2 alone. We hypothesize that hMSCs from various tissues [(bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue (AD) and dental pulp (DP)], if treated with BDNF on 9th day of induction, alongwith FGF2 will generate functional DAergic neurons. Hence, cells were characterized at morphometric, transcription and translational levels for various markers like MAP2, TH, NGN2, PITX3, DAT, synaptophysin, Kv4.2 and SCN5A. Functionality of in vitro generated neurons was studied by calcium ion imaging. Result analysis depicted that BDNF has effect on expression of dopaminergic neuronal markers at gene and protein levels and functionality of neurons. Among these hMSCs, DP-MSC showed significantly better neuronal characteristics in terms of morphology, expression of neuronal markers and foremost, functionality of neurons. From the present study, therefore, we concluded that i) BDNF has additive effect on neuronal characteristics and functionality ii) DP-MSC are better MSC candidate to study DAergic neurogenesis and perform future studies.

Curcuma longa L., accumulates substantial amount of curcumin and essential oil. Little is known about the differential expression of curcumin synthase (CURS) gene and consequent curcumin content variations at different agroclimatic zones. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of climate, soil and harvesting phase on expression of CURS gene for curcumin yield in two high yielding turmeric cultivars. Expression of CURS gene at different experimental zones as well as at different harvesting phase was studied through transcriptional analysis by qRT-PCR. Curcumin varied from 1.5 to 5% and 1.4-5% in Surama and Roma respectively. The expression of CURS also varied from 0.402 to 5.584 fold in Surama and 0.856-5.217 fold in Roma. Difference in curcumin content at a particular zone varied among different harvesting period from 3.95 to 4.31% in Surama and 3.57-3.83% in Roma. Expression of CURS gene was also effected by harvesting time of the rhizome which varied from 7.389 to 16.882 fold in Surama and 4.41-8.342 fold in Roma. The CURS gene expression was found regardless of variations in curcumin content at different experimental zones. This may be due to the effects of soil and environmental variables. Expression was positively correlated with curcumin content with different harvesting time at a particular zone. This find indicates effect of soil and environment on molecular and biochemical dynamics of curcumin biosynthesis and could be useful in genetic improvement of turmeric.

Comparative analysis of multiple genomes of closely or distantly related Drosophila species undoubtedly creates excitement among evolutionary biologists in exploring the genomic changes with an ecology and evolutionary perspective. We present herewith the de novo assembled whole genome sequences of four Drosophila species, D. bipectinata, D. takahashii, D. biarmipes and D. nasuta of Indian origin using Next Generation Sequencing technology on an Illumina platform along with their detailed assembly statistics. The comparative genomics analysis, e.g. gene predictions and annotations, functional and orthogroup analysis of coding sequences and genome wide SNP distribution were performed. The whole genome of Zaprionus indianus of Indian origin published earlier by us and the genome sequences of previously sequenced 12 Drosophila species available in the NCBI database were included in the analysis. The present work is a part of our ongoing genomics project of Indian Drosophila species.

Introduction: Stem cell (SC) therapy has been envisioned as a therapeutic vehicle to promote recovery in resistant neurological diseases. Knowing the logistics and paradigms in recovery processes after Stroke, clinicians have pioneered the transplantation therapy. This study presents four-year follow up of our previous trial transplanting bone-marrow-derived animal-free culture expanded intravenous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in chronic stroke which was published in 2010. Methods: We performed an open-label, pilot trial on 12 patients with chronic stroke. Patients were allocated to two groups, those who received intravenous autologous ex vivo cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC group) or those who did not (control group), all followed for four years from the day of cell transplantation. Results: The reports have been optimistic regarding safety as we did not find any cell related side effects / mortality till 208th week. We observed that modified Barthel Index showed statistical significant improvement at 156 and 208 weeks of transplantation (95 % CI : -10.27 to 0.07; p =0.041) follow up in the MSC group as compared to controls. The 2nd and 3rd quartile for mBI in MSC group was 89 & 90 respectively suggesting good performance of patients in the stem cell group. The impairment scales i.e., Fugl Meyer, Ashworth tone scale, strength of hand muscles (MRC) did not show any significant improvement at 208th week which is similar to our previous published report. Conclusion: This follow up study primarily indicates safety, tolerance and applicability of autologous mesenchymal stem cells in Stroke. MSCs may act as "chaperones" or work through paracrine mechanisms leading to functional recovery post stroke.

Activation of pluripotency regulatory circuit is an important event in solid tumor progression and the hypoxic microenvironment is known to enhance the stemness feature of some cells. The distinct population of cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor initiating cells exist in a niche and augment invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Previously, studies have reported global hypomethylation and site-specific aberrant methylation in gliomas along with other epigenetic modifications as important contributors to genomic instability during glioma progression. Here, we have demonstrated the role of hypoxia-mediated epigenetic modifications in regulating expression of core pluripotency factors, OCT4 and NANOG, in glioma cells. We observe hypoxia-mediated induction of demethylases, ten-eleven-translocation (TET) 1 and 3, but not TET2 in our cell-line model. Immunoprecipitation studies reveal active demethylation and direct binding of TET1 and 3 at the Oct4 and Nanog regulatory regions. Tet1 and 3 silencing assays further confirmed induction of the pluripotency pathway involving Oct4, Nanog, and Stat3, by these paralogues, although with varying degrees. Knockdown of Tet1 and Tet3 inhibited the formation of neurospheres in hypoxic conditions. We observed independent roles of TET1 and TET3 in differentially regulating pluripotency and differentiation associated genes in hypoxia. Overall, this study demonstrates an active demethylation in hypoxia by TET1 and 3 as a mechanism of Oct4 and Nanog overexpression thus contributing to the formation of CSCs in gliomas.

We designed this study to determine the efficiency and stability of anterior segmental osteotomies (ASO) without orthodontics for various dentofacial deformities. Records of patients treated with maxillary or mandibular ASO, or both, without orthodontics in the past 15 years were analysed. The assessment included postoperative analysis of patients' aesthetics and functional satisfaction using a questionnaire and grading (score 0 - 4) system, and the amount of relapse calculated from 12-month postoperative cephalograms. A total of 26 ASO subjects (age range 13- 31 years) were studied (14 maxillary, two mandibular, and 10 bimaxillary). Long-term stability was acceptable in all cases with no significant relapse (p>0.05). No major complications were encountered. All patients reported good to excellent (score=3 to 4) satisfaction following surgery. Using meticulous planning and a careful surgical technique, ASO without orthodontics is a simple, quick, safe, and stable option for the correction of dentofacial deformities.

Objective Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, progressive precancerous condition of oral mucosa, predominantly seen in the Indian subcontinent. This technical note describes the use of oral screen prosthesis used as an adjunct to surgery to prevent relapse following surgical correction. Methods The modified oral screen appliance was inserted in the patient’s labial and buccal vestibule as oral screen. The appliance was intended to be used as an oral stent along with mouth exercises to counteract relapse of the corrected mouth opening. Results The possibility of flap shrinkage and interference with occlusion results in surgical failure of the treatment of OSMF. Securing the flap in position using oral screen prosthesis has been tried as an adjunct to treat such cases. Conclusions This modified approach can be performed in routine clinical practice, making the rehabilitation of such a case possible with relative ease.

The current therapies for oxidative stress-induced lung diseases are majorly based on the reduction of airway obstruction and improved exacerbations. However, none of the available treatments have been proven to avoid disease progression or reduce mortality. In this context, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has become a strong contender for better therapeutic strategies for several pulmonary diseases. MSCs can be readily harvested from various tissues and efficiently propagated and possess strong immunomodulatory/suppressive properties. Animal studies have shown encouraging outcomes with MSC therapy for various lung disorders, like COPD and emphysema. These studies have inspired research groups to understand the mechanisms by which MSCs may bring about their beneficial effects upon transplantation; however, clinical trials have not been as successful. This chapter summarizes and highlights the various aspects of MSC therapy in cellular, preclinical, and clinical settings.

Stem cells have been used in multiple clinical trials. Tracking these transplanted cells in vivo will provide real-time information on the fate of these cells. Iron oxide labeling is one such uncomplicated noninvasive labeling method. These transformed nanocrystals can be used for varied applications including stem-cell tracking, magnetic resonance imaging, and theranostics. Here we elucidate the protocol for iron oxide nanoparticles synthesis (IONPS) and labeling of mesenchymal stem cells which can be used for imaging and tracking cells to understand their fate in in vivo studies.

The rapid development of wireless communication technologies provides convenient and efficient online services to make life easier. Wireless body area network (WBAN) such type of service which provides a simple and low-cost strategy for health monitoring without going to the hospital. WBAN consists of a number of sensors, which embedded into the patient's body and send the collected information to the server. However, the privacy of the patient is an essential feature as the leakage of patient's sensitive data cause threats to tampering of health. This study proposes a privacy preservation user authentication scheme (PUASW) for WBAN based on the chaotic map. The formal security analysis of the scheme has been done using ROR model. In addition, PUASW can achieve several security features and can withstand several well-known attacks. AVISPA tool is used for the formal verification of our scheme. The communicational and computational cost of the proposed scheme is less compared to other related schemes.

Background Craniofacial bone loss is a common phenomenon ranging from small periodontal defects to large defects following trauma, surgery or congenital malformations. It is imperative to address these defects with utmost care and precision to avoid functional and aesthetic problems. The human oral cavity is a rich source of adult mesenchymal stem cells. Researchers have documented their isolation and studied them extensively for their invitro capacity of hard and soft tissue regeneration. One of the widely studied properties is their osteogenic potential. Bone formation using oral stem cells has shown successful results in numerous animal trials. Some studies have progressed to evaluate their future potential in humans. Highlight This review aimed at discussing the use of human oral stem cells, specifically for bone regeneration in human maxillofacial region. Conclusion Oral stem cells have excellent potential for bone formation and can be successfully used to replace traditionally used bone marrow stem cells. Some sources like stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), dental follicle stem cells (DFSC), Stem Cells from Apical Papilla (SCAP), and others need assessment beyond animal models and require human studies for clinical use. More clinical trials of randomized nature are suggested to standardize the clinical procedure and strengthen the claim of oral stem cells as potential replacement of bone marrow counterparts.

Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is used to provide medical services to patients in resource-constrained environments and remote locations. Anonymous authentication and unlinkability of data are essential services for WBANs. In this paper, we propose a lightweight mutual authentication protocol for WBANs. Our proposed scheme is simulated using popular AVISPA software. The formal and informal securities of the system are analyzed rigorously and found to resistant some well known active and passive attacks. In addition, we proved the security of the session key of our proposed scheme through BAN logic.