Gross morphology and adhesion-associated physical properties of Drosophila larval salivary gland glue secretion.

One of the major functions of the larval salivary glands (SGs) of many Drosophila species is to produce a massive secretion during puparium formation. This so-called proteinaceous glue is exocytosed into the centrally located lumen, and subsequently expectorated, serving as an adhesive to attach the puparial case to a solid substrate during metamorphosis. Although this was first described almost 70 years ago, a detailed description of the morphology and mechanical properties of the glue is largely missing. Its main known physical property is that it is released as a watery liquid that quickly hardens into a solid cement. Here, we provide a detailed morphological and topological analysis of the solidified glue. We demonstrated that it forms a distinctive enamel-like plaque that is composed of a central fingerprint surrounded by a cascade of laterally layered terraces. The solidifying glue rapidly produces crystals of KCl on these alluvial-like terraces. Since the properties of the glue affect the adhesion of the puparium to its substrate, and so can influence the success of metamorphosis, we evaluated over 80 different materials for their ability to adhere to the glue to determine which properties favor strong adhesion. We found that the alkaline Sgs-glue adheres strongly to wettable and positively charged surfaces but not to neutral or negatively charged and hydrophobic surfaces. Puparia formed on unfavored materials can be removed easily without leaving fingerprints or cascading terraces. For successful adhesion of the Sgs-glue, the material surface must display a specific type of triboelectric charge. Interestingly, the expectorated glue can move upwards against gravity on the surface of freshly formed puparia via specific, unique and novel anatomical structures present in the puparial's lateral abdominal segments that we have named bidentia.

A two-layer skin construct consisting of a collagen hydrogel reinforced by a fibrin-coated polylactide nanofibrous membrane.

Background: Repairs to deep skin wounds continue to be a difficult issue in clinical practice. A promising approach is to fabricate full-thickness skin substitutes with functions closely similar to those of the natural tissue. For many years, a three-dimensional (3D) collagen hydrogel has been considered to provide a physiological 3D environment for co-cultivation of skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes. This collagen hydrogel is frequently used for fabricating tissue-engineered skin analogues with fibroblasts embedded inside the hydrogel and keratinocytes cultivated on its surface. Despite its unique biological properties, the collagen hydrogel has insufficient stiffness, with a tendency to collapse under the traction forces generated by the embedded cells. Methods: The aim of our study was to develop a two-layer skin construct consisting of a collagen hydrogel reinforced by a nanofibrous poly-L-lactide (PLLA) membrane pre-seeded with fibroblasts. The attractiveness of the membrane for dermal fibroblasts was enhanced by coating it with a thin nanofibrous fibrin mesh. Results: The fibrin mesh promoted the adhesion, proliferation and migration of the fibroblasts upwards into the collagen hydrogel. Moreover, the fibroblasts spontaneously migrating into the collagen hydrogel showed a lower tendency to contract and shrink the hydrogel by their traction forces. The surface of the collagen was seeded with human dermal keratinocytes. The keratinocytes were able to form a basal layer of highly mitotically-active cells, and a suprabasal layer. Conclusion: The two-layer skin construct based on collagen hydrogel with spontaneously immigrated fibroblasts and reinforced by a fibrin-coated nanofibrous membrane seems to be promising for the construction of full-thickness skin substitute.

The rabbit gingival tissue response to retraction liquids and tetrahydrozoline.

UNLABELLED: BACKROUND/AIM: Retraction agents for temporary vertical and lateral suppression of gingival tissue as well as bleeding control and fluid flow in the gingival sulcus are expected to have maximal efficiency without irreversible damage of local tissue and adverse systemic effects. The research started from the assumption that tetrahydrozoline is a biologically more acceptable means of gingival retraction than commercially available preparations. The aim of the study was to comparatively analyse the inflammatory effects of different retraction materials and tetrahydrozoline. METHODS: The effect of retraction liquid on the basis of aluminum chloride and epinephrine and tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride on gingival tissue of rabbits was investigated. The application time in the rabbit's gingival sulcus was 7 minutes. Tissue biopsy was performed after an hour, a day, and 7 and 30 days. Tissue preparations were analyzed under a microscope. RESULTS: The obtained results indicate a reversible damage of gingival tissues as a result of local application of aluminum chloride- and epinephrine-based retraction agents. Their use led to acute inflammatory response after an observation period of 1 and 7 days. After 30 days reparation of damaged tissue was observed. The use of tetrahydrozoline resulted in a visibly weaker inflammatory response. CONCLUSION: Retraction liquids insertion led to an acute inflammatory response of gingival tissue which in time assumed a chronic character. The inflammatory response to the administered tetrahydrozoline was significantly lower with complete reparation of gingival tissue. Taking this fact into account it is recommended as a potential retraction agent.