Anticipating in vitro gametogenesis: Hopes and concerns for IVG among diverse stakeholders.

In vitro gametogenesis (IVG), the reconstitution of germ cell development in vitro, is an emerging stem cell-based technology with profound implications for reproductive science. Despite researchers' long-term goals for future clinical applications, little is currently known about the views of IVG held by the stakeholders potentially most affected by its introduction in humans. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 80 individuals with lived experience of infertility and/or LGBTQ+ family formation in the US, two intersecting groups of potential IVG users. Respondents expressed hope that IVG would lead to higher reproductive success than current assisted reproductive technology (ART), alleviate suffering associated with ART use, and promote greater social inclusion, while expressing concerns predominantly framed in terms of equity and safety. These findings underscore the importance of sustained engagement with stakeholders with relevant experience to anticipate the implications of IVG for research and clinical translation.

Coculture model of a liver sinusoidal endothelial cell barrier and HepG2/C3a spheroids-on-chip in an advanced fluidic platform.

The liver is one of the main organs involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and a key organ in toxicity studies. Prior to accessing the hepatocytes, xenobiotics pass through the hepatic sinusoid formed by liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). The LSECs barrier regulates the kinetics and concentrations of the xenobiotics before their metabolic processing by the hepatocytes. To mimic this physiological situation, we developed an in vitro model reproducing an LSECs barrier in coculture with a hepatocyte biochip, using a fluidic platform. This technology made dynamic coculture and tissue crosstalk possible. SK-HEP-1 and HepG2/C3a cells were used as LSECs and as hepatocyte models, respectively. We confirmed the LSECs phenotype by measuring PECAM-1 and stabilin-2 expression levels and the barrier's permeability/transport properties with various molecules. The tightness of the SK-HEP-1 barrier was enhanced in the dynamic coculture. The morphology, albumin secretion, and gene expression levels of markers of HepG2/C3a were not modified by coculture with the LSECs barrier. Using acetaminophen, a well-known hepatotoxic drug, to study tissue crosstalk, there was a reduction in the expression levels of the LSECs markers stabilin-2 and PECAM-1, and a modification of those of CLEC4M and KDR. No HepG2/C3a toxicity was observed. The metabolisation of acetaminophen by HepG2/C3a monocultures and cocultures was confirmed. Although primary cells are required to propose a fully relevant model, the present approach highlights the potential of our system for investigating xenobiotic metabolism and toxicity.

Investigation of the metabolomic crosstalk between liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes exposed to paracetamol using organ-on-chip technology.

Organ-on-chip technology is a promising in vitro approach recapitulating human physiology for the study of responses to drug exposure. Organ-on-chip cell cultures have paved new grounds for testing and understanding metabolic dose-responses when evaluating pharmaceutical and environmental toxicity. Here, we present a metabolomic investigation of a coculture of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs, SK-HEP-1) with hepatocytes (HepG2/C3a) using advanced organ-on-chip technology. To reproduce the physiology of the sinusoidal barrier, LSECs were separated from hepatocytes by a membrane (culture insert integrated organ-on-chip platform). The tissues were exposed to acetaminophen (APAP), an analgesic drug widely used as a xenobiotic model in liver and HepG2/C3a studies. The differences between the SK-HEP-1, HepG2/C3a monocultures and SK-HEP-1/HepG2/C3a cocultures, treated or not with APAP, were identified from metabolomic profiles using supervised multivariate analysis. The pathway enrichment coupled with metabolite analysis of the corresponding metabolic fingerprints contributed to extracting the specificity of each type of culture and condition. In addition, we analysed the responses to APAP treatment by mapping the signatures with significant modulation of the biological processes of the SK-HEP-1 APAP, HepG2/C3a APAP and SK-HEP-1/HepG2/C3a APAP conditions. Furthermore, our model shows how the presence of the LSECs barrier and APAP first pass can modify the metabolism of HepG2/C3a. Altogether, this study demonstrates the potential of a "metabolomic-on-chip" strategy for pharmaco-metabolomic applications predicting individual response to drugs.

Optimization of a Class of Dihydrobenzofurane Analogs toward Orally Efficacious YAP-TEAD Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitors.

The inhibition of the YAP-TEAD protein-protein interaction constitutes a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancers linked to the dysregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway. The identification of a class of small molecules which potently inhibit the YAP-TEAD interaction by binding tightly to the Ω-loop pocket of TEAD has previously been communicated. This report details the further multi-parameter optimization of this class of compounds resulting in advanced analogs combining nanomolar cellular potency with a balanced ADME and off-target profile, and efficacy of these compounds in tumor bearing mice is demonstrated for the first time.

Development of Liver-on-Chip Integrating a Hydroscaffold Mimicking the Liver's Extracellular Matrix.

The 3Rs guidelines recommend replacing animal testing with alternative models. One of the solutions proposed is organ-on-chip technology in which liver-on-chip is one of the most promising alternatives for drug screening and toxicological assays. The main challenge is to achieve the relevant in vivo-like functionalities of the liver tissue in an optimized cellular microenvironment. Here, we investigated the development of hepatic cells under dynamic conditions inside a 3D hydroscaffold embedded in a microfluidic device. The hydroscaffold is made of hyaluronic acid and composed of liver extracellular matrix components (galactosamine, collagen I/IV) with RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) sites for cell adhesion. The HepG2/C3A cell line was cultured under a flow rate of 10 µL/min for 21 days. After seeding, the cells formed aggregates and proliferated, forming 3D spheroids. The cell viability, functionality, and spheroid integrity were investigated and compared to static cultures. The results showed a 3D aggregate organization of the cells up to large spheroid formations, high viability and albumin production, and an enhancement of HepG2 cell functionalities. Overall, these results highlighted the role of the liver-on-chip model coupled with a hydroscaffold in the enhancement of cell functions and its potential for engineering a relevant liver model for drug screening and disease study.

Toxicoepigenetics for Risk Assessment: Bridging the Gap Between Basic and Regulatory Science.

Toxicoepigenetics examines the health effects of environmental exposure associated with, or mediated by, changes in the epigenome. Despite high expectations, toxicoepigenomic data and methods have yet to become significantly utilized in chemical risk assessment. This article draws on a social science framework to highlight hitherto overlooked structural barriers to the incorporation of toxicoepigenetics in risk assessment and to propose ways forward. The present barriers stem not only from the lack of maturity of the field but also from differences in constraints and standards between the data produced by toxicoepigenetics and the regulatory science data that risk assessment processes require. Criteria and strategies that frame the validation of knowledge used for regulatory purposes limit the application of basic research in toxicoepigenetics toward risk assessment. First, the need in regulatory toxicology for standardized methods that form a consensus between regulatory agencies, basic research, and the industry conflicts with the wealth of heterogeneous data in toxicoepigenetics. Second, molecular epigenetic data do not readily translate into typical toxicological endpoints. Third, toxicoepigenetics investigates new forms of toxicity, in particular low-dose and long-term effects, that do not align well with the traditional framework of regulatory toxicology. We propose that increasing the usefulness of epigenetic data for risk assessment will require deliberate efforts on the part of the toxicoepigenetics community in 4 areas: fostering the understanding of epigenetics among risk assessors, developing knowledge infrastructure to demonstrate applicability, facilitating the normalization and exchange of data, and opening the field to other stakeholders.

Liver organ-on-chip models for toxicity studies and risk assessment.

The liver is a key organ that plays a pivotal role in metabolism and ensures a variety of functions in the body, including homeostasis, synthesis of essential components, nutrient storage, and detoxification. As the centre of metabolism for exogenous molecules, the liver is continuously exposed to a wide range of compounds, such as drugs, pesticides, and environmental pollutants. Most of these compounds can cause hepatotoxicity and lead to severe and irreversible liver damage. To study the effects of chemicals and drugs on the liver, most commonly, animal models or in vitro 2D cell cultures are used. However, data obtained from animal models lose their relevance when extrapolated to the human metabolic situation and pose ethical concerns, while 2D static cultures are poorly predictive of human in vivo metabolism and toxicity. As a result, there is a widespread need to develop relevant in vitro liver models for toxicology studies. In recent years, progress in tissue engineering, biomaterials, microfabrication, and cell biology has created opportunities for more relevant in vitro models for toxicology studies. Of these models, the liver organ-on-chip (OoC) has shown promising results by reproducing the in vivo behaviour of the cell/organ or a group of organs, the controlled physiological micro-environment, and in vivo cellular metabolic responses. In this review, we discuss the development of liver organ-on-chip technology and its use in toxicity studies. First, we introduce the physiology of the liver and summarize the traditional experimental models for toxicity studies. We then present liver OoC technology, including the general concept, materials used, cell sources, and different approaches. We review the prominent liver OoC and multi-OoC integrating the liver for drug and chemical toxicity studies. Finally, we conclude with the future challenges and directions for developing or improving liver OoC models.

Heritable changeability: Epimutation and the legacy of negative definition in epigenetic concepts.

Epigenetic concepts are fundamentally shaped by a legacy of negative definition, often understood by what they are not. Yet the function and implication of negative definition for scientific discourse has thus far received scant attention. Using the term epimutation as exemplar, we analyze the paradoxical like-but-unlike structure of a term that must simultaneously connect with but depart from genetic concepts. We assess the historical forces structuring the use of epimutation and like terms such as paramutation. This analysis highlights the positive characteristics defining epimutation: the regularity, oxymoronic temporality, and materiality of stable processes. Integrating historical work, ethnographic observation, and insights from philosophical practice-oriented conceptual analysis, we detail the distinctive epistemic goals the epimutation concept fulfils in medicine, plant biology and toxicology. Epimutation and allied epigenetic terms have succeeded by being mutation-like and recognizable, yet have failed to consolidate for exactly the same reason: they are tied simultaneously by likeness and opposition to nouns that describe things that are assumed to persist unchanged over space and time. Moreover, negative definition casts the genetic-epigenetic relationship as an either/or binary, overshadowing continuities and connections. This analysis is intended to assist practitioners and observers of genetics and epigenetics in recognizing and moving beyond the conceptual legacies of negative definition.

A compartmentalized microsystem helps understanding the uptake of benzo[a]pyrene by fungi during soil bioremediation processes.

Hydrophobic organic soil contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are poorly mobile in the aqueous phase and tend to sorb to the soil matrix, resulting in low bioavailability. Some filamentous fungi are efficient in degrading this kind of pollutants. However, the mechanism of mobilization of hydrophobic compounds by non-motile microorganisms such as filamentous fungi needs investigations to improve pollutant bioavailability and bioremediation efficiency. Usual homogeneous media for microbial growth in the lab are poorly suited to model the soil, which is a compartmentalized and heterogeneous habitat. A microfluidic device was designed to implement a compartmentalization of the fungal inoculum and the source of the pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) as a deposit of solid crystals in order to gain a further insight into the mechanisms involved in the access to the contaminant and its uptake in soils. Thus in this device, two chambers are connected by an array of parallel microchannels that are wide enough to allow individual hyphae to grow through them. Macro-cultures of Talaromyces helicus in direct contact with BaP have shown its uptake and intracellular storage in lipid bodies despite the low propensity of BaP to cross aqueous phases as shown by simulation. Observations of T. helicus in the microfluidic device through laser scanning confocal microscopy indicate preferential uptake of BaP at a close range and through contact with the cell wall. However faint staining of some hyphae before contact with the deposit also suggests an extracellular transport phenomenon. Macro-culture filtrates analyses have shown that T. helicus releases extracellular non-lipidic surface-active compounds able to lower the surface tension of culture filtrates to 49.4 mN/m. Thus, these results highlight the significance of active mechanisms to reach hydrophobic contaminants before their uptake by filamentous fungi in compartmentalized micro-environments and the potential to improve them through biostimulation approaches for soil mycoremediation.

Sorting of capsules according to their stiffness: from principle to application.

We assess experimentally the ability of a simple flow-based sorting device, recently proposed numerically by [Zhu et al., Soft Matter, 2014, 10, 7705-7711], to separate capsules according to their stiffness. The device consists of a single pillar with a half-cylinder cross-section which partially obstructs a flow channel so that initially centred, propagating capsules deform and circumvent the obstacle into an expanding channel (or diffuser). We perform experiments with millimetric capsules of fixed size which indicate that the deviation of the capsule in the diffuser varies monotonically with a capillary number - the ratio of viscous to elastic stresses - where the elastic stresses are measured independently to include the effects of pre-inflation, membrane thickness and material properties. We find that soft capsules with resistance to deformation differing by a factor of 1.5 can be reliably separated in the diffuser but that experimental variability increases significantly with capsule stiffness. We extend the study to populations of microcapsules with size polydispersity. We find that the combined effects of increasing capsule deformability and relative constriction of the device with increasing capsule size enable the tuning of the imposed flow so that capsules can be separated based on their shear modulus but irrespectively of their size.

What Is Lost in the Weismann Barrier?

The Weismann barrier has long been regarded as a basic tenet of biology. However, upon close examination of its historical origins and August Weismann's own writings, questions arise as to whether such a status is warranted. As scientific research has advanced, the persistence of the concept of the barrier has left us with the same dichotomies Weismann contended with over 100 years ago: germ or soma, gene or environment, hard or soft inheritance. These dichotomies distract from the more important questions we need to address going forward. In this review, we will examine the theories that have shaped Weismann's thinking, how the concept of the Weismann barrier emerged, and the limitations that it carries. We will contrast the principles underlying the barrier with recent and less recent findings in developmental biology and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance that have profoundly eroded the oppositional view of germline vs. soma. Discarding the barrier allows us to examine the interactive processes and their response to environmental context that generate germ cells in the first place, determine the entirety of what is inherited through them, and set the trajectory for the health status of the progeny they bear.

Microfluidic monitoring of the growth of individual hyphae in confined environments.

Soil fungi have the ability to form large mycelial networks. They rely on the resources available in the soil to produce biomass and are able to degrade complex biomolecules. Some of them can even degrade recalcitrant organic pollutants and are considered as promising candidates for soil bioremediation strategies. However, the success of this approach depends on the ability of fungi to colonize the soil matrix, where they encounter spatial and temporal variations of confinement, humidity and nutrient concentration. In this paper, we present a study of fungal growth at the scale of single hyphae in a microfluidic device, allowing fine control of nutrient and water supply. Time-lapse microscopy allowed simultaneous monitoring of the growth of dozens of hyphae of Talaromyces helicus, a soil isolate, and of the model fungus Neurospora crassa through parallel microchannels. The distributions of growth velocity obtained for each strain were compared with measurements obtained in macroscopic solid culture. For the two strains used in the study, confinement caused the growth velocity to drop in comparison with unconfined experiments. In addition, N. crassa was also limited in its growth by the nutrient supply, while the microfluidic culture conditions seemed better suited for T. helicus. Qualitative observations of fungi growing in microfluidic chambers without lateral confinement also revealed that side walls influence the branching behaviour of hyphae. This study is one of the first to consider the confinement degree within soil microporosities as a key factor of fungal growth, and to address its effect, along with physicochemical parameters, on soil colonization, notably for bioremediation purposes.

Performance of Fluorescence-based Systems in Early Caries Detection: A Public Health Issue.

AIM: Modern clinical caries management involves early stage caries diagnosis and should fit with dental health policy. The objective of this study was to achieve early caries detection in enamel and dentine with a laser-based system (DIAGNOdent™ pen) first and secondary with a new fluorescence intra-oral camera (Soprolife®). A visual inspection with a loupe was used as control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the consolidated standards of reporting trials recommendations, 628 occlusal fissures were included for analysis. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of both devices varied depending on the cutoff threshold of the caries score, and the ROC curve showed higher values for the Soprolife® than for DIAGNOdent™ pen. The values of the area under the curve decreased from 0.81 (Soprolife® in daylight) to 0.79 (Soprolife® in fluorescent mode) and 0.67 for DIAGNOdent™ pen. DIAGNOdent™ pen reproducibility (intra and inter-investigator) showed a wide dispersion, with many values scattered beyond the confidence limits (±2 SD), and the weighted kappa coefficient, which was quite low (0.58), confirmed this tendency. CONCLUSION: Caries prevalence in terms of public health policy is of interest and caries detection increased significantly when using an fluorescence-based intra-oral camera. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The clinical significance of these findings is that fluorescence could help improve caries diagnosis, reduce clinical misinterpretations, and finally benefit the patients. How to cite this article: Terrer E, Slimani A, Giraudeau N, et al. Performance of Fluorescence-based Systems in Early Caries Detection: A Public Health Issue. J Contemp Dent Pract 2019;20(10):1126-1132.

Epigenetics in the public sphere: interdisciplinary perspectives.

Despite the high public interest in epigenetics, few scholars have empirically investigated the forms, reasons and consequences of the public circulation of epigenetics. Using an original database focusing on 'lifestyle' or 'everyday' epigenetics, this article aims to promote an open-minded and interdisciplinary dialogue between the public appropriation of epigenetics and the current scientific state of the art. It raises three main questions: Are there any specific modes of circulation of epigenetics in the general public? Why does epigenetics seem so appealing to the public? Within the public repertoire of epigenetics, is it possible to identify some specific knowledge claims and, if so, given the current state of the art, what is their degree of accuracy? The article argues that the social diffusion of epigenetics frequently carries on beliefs and misconceptions about genetics and epigenetics. The social life of epigenetics fuels a collective 'illusion' of control and empowerment on the basis of which new markets expand. More unexpectedly, this article underlines the emergence of a new scientific culture, i.e. the 'scientifization' of the cultural appropriation of epigenetics. Our analysis can inform the scientific community about the current and evolving state of the public representation of epigenetics and help it frame outreach activities.

Experimental and numerical study of platelets rolling on a von Willebrand factor-coated surface.

Blood platelets circulate in the blood and adhere to wounded vessels to initiate coagulation and healing. The first step of this process is the capture of flowing platelets by adhesive molecules located at the wounded vessel wall. In this article, we study the transport of fixed blood platelets in a microfluidic channel coated with von Willebrand factor (vWF), a large multimeric protein expressed by endothelial cells in the vicinity of wounds. We measure the number of platelets adsorbed at the channel surface as a function of both time and space. Experimental results are compared with a new transport model. We show that transverse diffusion is an important feature of our model, while the rolling behaviour of the bounded platelets can be neglected.

Squeezing bio-capsules into a constriction: deformation till break-up.

We study experimentally the deformation and break-up of liquid-filled capsules trapped at an axisymmetric step constriction, and subjected to increasing pressure drops. We considered biological (trout fish eggs) and bioartificial (made of ovalbumin and alginate) ones, with the objective to characterize the transition to break-up. We find that both capsule populations behave as a brittle material. They do not exhibit any plastic deformation prior to break-up. Moreover critical pressure drop exhibits a stochastic behavior as known for the fracture of disordered media. The break-up probability follows a three-parameter Weibull distribution, from which one can deduce the capsule rupture characteristics.

Deformability- and size-based microcapsule sorting.

Biomedical applications often require to sort cells according to their physical properties, such as size, density or deformability. In recent years, microfluidics has provided a variety of tools to sort micro-objects. We present here a simple microfluidic device consisting of a channel containing a semi-cylindrical obstacle against which capsules are squeezed by the flow, followed by a diverging chamber where streamlines separate. We demonstrate that this basic system is capable of sorting elastic microcapsules according to their size at low flow strength, and according to the stiffness of their membrane at high flow strength. Contrary to most existing sorting devices, we show that the present one is very sensitive and capable of discriminating between capsules with differences in membrane elasticity of order unity.

Microfluidic model of the platelet-generating organ: beyond bone marrow biomimetics.

We present a new, rapid method for producing blood platelets in vitro from cultured megakaryocytes based on a microfluidic device. This device consists in a wide array of VWF-coated micropillars. Such pillars act as anchors on megakaryocytes, allowing them to remain trapped in the device and subjected to hydrodynamic shear. The combined effect of anchoring and shear induces the elongation of megakaryocytes and finally their rupture into platelets and proplatelets. This process was observed with megakaryocytes from different origins and found to be robust. This original bioreactor design allows to process megakaryocytes at high throughput (millions per hour). Since platelets are produced in such a large amount, their extensive biological characterisation is possible and shows that platelets produced in this bioreactor are functional.

Shooting in a foam.

We study the motion of a solid sphere after its fast impact on a bath of liquid foam. We identify two regimes of deceleration. At short times, the velocity is still large and the foam behaves similar to a Newtonian fluid of constant viscosity. Then we measure a velocity threshold below which the sphere starts experiencing the foam's elasticity. We interpret this behavior using a visco-elasto-plastic model for foam rheology. Finally we discuss the possibility of stopping a projectile in the foam, and evaluate the capture efficiency.

Supershear Rayleigh waves at a soft interface.

We report on the experimental observation of waves at a liquid foam surface propagating faster than the bulk shear waves. The existence of such waves has long been debated, but the recent observation of supershear events in a geophysical context has inspired us to search for their existence in a model viscoelastic system. An optimized fast profilometry technique allows us to observe on a liquid foam surface the waves triggered by the impact of a projectile. At high impact velocity, we show that the expected subshear Rayleigh waves are accompanied by faster surface waves that can be identified as supershear Rayleigh waves.