The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Generation of T lymphocytes from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells gives an alternative approach of using embryonic stem cells for T cell-based immunotherapy. The method shows that by utilizing either in vitro or in vivo induction system, iPS cells are able to differentiate into both conventional and antigen-specific T lymphocytes.

We present here a method to develop functional antigen (Ag)-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for immunotherapy of autoimmune arthritis in a murine model.

Presented here is a protocol for the effective suppression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in mice by utilizing adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of stem cell-derived viral antigen (Ag)-specific T lymphocytes. This procedure may be adapted for potential ACT-based immunotherapy of HBV infection.

The current protocol establishes a rigorous and reproducible method for quantification of morphological joint changes that accompany osteoarthritis. Application of this protocol can be valuable in monitoring disease progression and evaluating therapeutic interventions in osteoarthritis.

The present protocol describes traumatic peripheral nerve injuries (TPNIs), including precisely calibrated crush, strictly aligned and misaligned laceration, as well as grafted and non-grafted gaps of the sciatic nerve in mice. Custom-designed sensors are developed to gauge nerve trauma, induced with commonly available tools to ensure reproducible post-TPNI outcomes.

The study of wound healing associated with musculoskeletal injury often requires the assessment of in vitro interactions between Schwann cells (SCs), keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. This protocol describes the isolation, culturing, and characterization of these primary cells from the human foreskin.

Micro-computed tomography (µCT) is a non-destructive imaging tool that is instrumental in assessing bone structure in preclinical studies, however there is a lack of consensus on µCT procedures for analyzing the bone healing callus. This study provides a step-by-step µCT protocol that allows the monitoring of fracture healing.

Musculoskeletal Research: Current Methods and Innovative Approaches