Mesenchymal stem cells as a valuable agent in osteoarthritis treatment

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their...

Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.     
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder marked by chronic inflammation of the GI tract. Various treatment strategies for Crohn's disease are employed, such as immunomodulatory agents, glucocorticoids, and biologics or anti-TNF therapy. Azathioprine (Imuran), a commonly used immunomodulatory drug for Crohn's disease, is converted in the body to mercaptopurine, which inhibits purine biosynthesis and cell proliferation. Both are utilized in severe cases of Inflammatory Bowel...

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. All the cells in the body are generated from stem cells in the early embryo, but small populations of stem cells are also present in many adult tissues including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut. These adult stem cells typically produce the various cell types found in that tissue—to replace cells that are damaged or to continuously...

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore...