RNAscope 2.5 HD Red assay

Despite recent advances in understanding skin scarring, mechanisms triggering hypertrophic scar formation are still poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate mature human hypertrophic scars and developing scars in mice at single cell resolution. Compared to normal skin, we find significant differences in gene expression in most cell types present in scar tissue. Fibroblasts show the most prominent alterations in gene expression, displaying a distinct fibrotic signature.

Despite the development and deployment of antibody and vaccine countermeasures, rapidly-spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations at key antigenic sites in the spike protein jeopardize their efficacy. The recent emergence of B.1.1.529, the Omicron variant1,2, which has more than 30 mutations in the spike protein, has raised concerns for escape from protection by vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. A key test for potential countermeasures against B.1.1.529 is their activity in pre-clinical rodent models of respiratory tract disease.

Substantial clinical evidence supports the notion that ciliary function in the airways plays an important role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Although ciliary damage has been observed in both in vitro and in vivo models, consequent impaired mucociliary transport (MCT) remains unknown for the intact MCT apparatus from an in vivo model of disease.

Peritoneal metastases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in ovarian cancer. Cancer cells float in peritoneal fluid, named ascites, together with a definitely higher number of non neo-neoplastic cells, as single cells or multicellular aggregates. The aim of this work is to uncover the features that make these aggregates the metastasizing units. Immunofluorescence revealed that aggregates are made almost exclusively of ovarian cancer cells expressing the specific nuclear PAX8 protein.

The rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a global health emergency. While most human disease is mild to moderate, some infections lead to a severe disease characterized by acute respiratory distress, hypoxia, anosmia, ageusia, and, in some instances, neurological involvement. Small-animal models reproducing severe disease, including neurological sequela, are needed to characterize the pathophysiological mechanism(s) of disease and to identify medical countermeasures.

During neuronal development, growth cones (GCs) of projection neurons navigate complex extracellular environments to reach distant targets, thereby generating extraordinarily complex circuitry. These dynamic structures located at the tips of axonal projections respond to substrate-bound as well as diffusible guidance cues in a neuronal subtype- and stage-specific manner to construct highly specific and functional circuitry.

Patients with bi-allelic loss of function mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 present with congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP), whilst low threshold mechanosensation is reportedly normal. Using psychophysics (n = 6 CIP participants and n = 86 healthy controls) and facial EMG (n = 3 CIP participants and n = 8 healthy controls) we have found that these patients also have abnormalities in the encoding of affective touch which is mediated by the specialised afferents; C-low threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs).

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly metastatic disease and cytotoxic chemotherapy is the standard of care treatment for patients with advanced disease.

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, novel and traditional vaccine strategies have been deployed globally. We investigated whether antibodies stimulated by mRNA vaccination (BNT162b2), including 3rd dose boosting, differ from those generated by infection or adenoviral (ChAdOx1-S and Gam-COVID-Vac) or inactivated viral (BBIBP-CorV) vaccines. We analyzed human lymph nodes after infection or mRNA vaccination for correlates of serological differences. Antibody breadth against viral variants is less after infection compared to all vaccines evaluated, but improves over several months.

The recent emergence of B.1.1.529, the Omicron variant1,2 has raised concerns for escape from protection by vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. A key test for potential countermeasures against B.1.1.529 is their activity in pre-clinical rodent models of respiratory tract disease.