Chapters authored
Tissue Engineering for Skin Replacement Methods
The skin is the biggest structure of the body, and it plays a significant role in maintaining the unity of the body environment. The skin is important for the endurance of the organism as an outer coat for the thermal regulation and hydration preservation. With the intention of helping these significant utilities, the skin continually experiences regeneration and holds the capability to overhaul wound by repair and regeneration of several kinds of skin stem cells. Noteworthy, development has been accomplished throughout the recent times in the generation of engineered skin alternates which imitate human skin cells in vitro for replacement or modeling. Conversely, existing new skin alternatives do not reinstate completely the healthy skin anatomy and suffer from deficiency of natural supplements in skin covering, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and sweat glands. Improvements in stem cell biology and skin morphogenesis show significant potentials to evidently advance the engineering of skin replacements which would preferably be vague from normal skin. This chapter reviews these developments in the in vivo and in vitro techniques of engineered and manufactured skin scaffold biomaterials.
Part of the book: Stem Cells in Clinical Practice and Tissue Engineering
The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Immunomodulation and Pathogenesis of Leishmania and Other Protozoan Infections
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have lately emerged as crucial mediators in parasite infections. Recent research suggests that protozoan parasites, including Leishmania, employ EVs as transport vehicles to deliver biologically active effector molecules such as parasitic virulence factors to modulate the host immune system and their microenvironment. The immunomodulatory effects of EVs play an essential role in the formation and progression of parasitic diseases. The immunomodulatory strategies applied by EVs of protozoan origin have similarities to the development and progression of other infections or diseases such as cancer. In this chapter, we will provide recent insights into the role of EVs in host-pathogen interactions, intercellular-communication, immunomodulation and pathogenesis of Leishmania and other protozoan parasites, including Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma spp. and Trypanosoma spp. In addition, biologically inspired by the immunomodulation strategies of protozoan parasites, new immunotherapeutic models are being currently investigated to implement EVs more intensively in both therapy and diagnostics. Therefore, besides highlighting the role of EVs in protozoan infections, this chapter sheds light briefly on new immunotherapeutic approaches utilizing the strategies of protozoan EVs in medicine.
Part of the book: Extracellular Vesicles