RESUMO
Purpose of Review: Organoids are an emerging technology utilizing three-dimensional (3D), multi-cellular in vitro models to represent the function and physiological responses of tissues and organs. By using physiologically relevant models, more accurate tissue responses to viral infection can be observed, and effective treatments and preventive strategies can be identified. Animals and two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models occasionally result in inaccurate disease modeling outcomes. Organoids have been developed to better represent human organ and tissue systems, and accurately model tissue function and disease responses. By using organoids to study SARS-Cov-2 infection, researchers have now evaluated the viral effects on different organs and evaluate efficacy of potential treatments. The purpose of this review is to highlight organoid technologies and their ability to model SARS-Cov-2 infection and tissue responses. Recent Findings: Lung, cardiac, kidney, and small intestine organoids have been examined as potential models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Lung organoid research has highlighted that SARS-CoV-2 shows preferential infection of club cells and have shown value for the rapid screening and evaluations of multiple anti-viral drugs. Kidney organoid research suggests human recombinant soluble ACE2 as a preventative measure during early-stage infection. Using small intestine organoids, fecal to oral transmission has been evaluated as a transmission route for the virus. Lastly in cardiac organoids drug evaluation studies have found that drugs such as bromodomain, external family inhibitors, BETi, and apabetalone may be effective treatments for SARs-CoV-2 cardiac injury. Summary: Organoids are an effective tool to study the effects of viral infections and for drug screening and evaluation studies. By using organoids, more accurate disease modeling can be performed, and physiological effects of infection and treatment can be better understood.
RESUMO
The early and effective treatment of wounds is vital to ensure proper wound closure and healing with appropriate functional and cosmetic outcomes. The use of human amnion membranes for wound care has been shown to be safe and effective. However, the difficulty in handling and placing thin sheets of membrane, and the high costs associated with the use of living cellularized tissue has limited the clinical application of amniotic membrane wound healing products. Here, we describe a novel amnion membrane-derived product, processed to result in a cell-free solution, while maintaining high concentrations of cell-derived cytokines and growth factors. The solubilized amnion membrane (SAM) combined with the carrier hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel (HA-SAM) is easy to produce, store, and apply to wounds. We demonstrated the efficacy of HA-SAM as a wound treatment using a full-thickness murine wound model. HA-SAM significantly accelerated wound closure through re-epithelialization and prevented wound contraction. HA-SAM-treated wounds had thicker regenerated skin, increased total number of blood vessels, and greater numbers of proliferating keratinocytes within the epidermis. Overall, this study confirms the efficacy of the amnion membrane as a wound treatment/dressing, and overcomes many of the limitations associated with using fresh, cryopreserved, or dehydrated tissue by providing a hydrogel delivery system for SAM. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:2020-2032.
