Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Mesenchymal stromal cells-loaded 3D radially aligned composite scaffold with potentiated paracrine signaling for sequential bone regeneration

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.059

Figure Lengend Snippet: Temporal analysis of the BMSC paracrine profile on different scaffolds. (A) Confocal microscopy images from Live/Dead fluorescence staining of BMSCs encapsulated within the PCL/HAp-GelMA/BMSCs scaffold after 1, 3, 5, and 14 d of 3D culture (live cells, green; dead cells, red). (B) The concentrations of key paracrine factors (TGF-β, PGE2, VEGF, HGF, and BMP-2) from BMSCs cultured in different scaffolds, quantified from culture supernatants at day 3 and day 7. (C) Corresponding relative mRNA expression levels of TGFB1, PTGS2, VEGFA, HGF, and BMP-2 in BMSCs at day 3 and day 7, as determined by qPCR analysis. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3) *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001; ns: not significant.

Article Snippet: ELISA kits for PGE2 (Cat. No. E-EL-0034), TGF-β (Cat. No. E-EL-0162), VEGF (Cat. No. E-EL-R2603), and HGF (Cat. No. E-EL-R0496) were purchased from Elabscience (Wuhan, China).

Techniques: Confocal Microscopy, Fluorescence, Staining, Cell Culture, Expressing

Journal: Molecular and Clinical Oncology

Article Title: Long non-coding RNAs affect the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

doi: 10.3892/mco.2026.2940

Figure Lengend Snippet: Validation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition model. (A) Micrographs of Huh7 cells treated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β for 4 days. (B) Relative mRNA levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail and Slug in Huh7 cells treated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β for 4 days. (C) In vitro migration of Huh7 cells treated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β for 4 days. * P<0.05 vs. the control group. TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β.

Article Snippet: To induce the in vitro EMT cell model, Huh7 cells were cultured at 37 ̊C in DMEM with 2.5% FBS and 10 ng/ml TGF-β (cat. no. HY-P7118; MedChemExpress) for 4 days.

Techniques: Biomarker Discovery, In Vitro, Migration, Control

Journal: Molecular and Clinical Oncology

Article Title: Long non-coding RNAs affect the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

doi: 10.3892/mco.2026.2940

Figure Lengend Snippet: DE lncRNAs and mRNAs in TGF-β treated Huh7 cells. (A) Volcano plot demonstrating DE lncRNAs and mRNAs. Red points represent upregulated RNAs, blue points represent downregulated RNAs and black points represent RNAs with no significant differences. (B) Hierarchical clustering analysis based on the significantly DE lncRNAs and mRNAs. Red indicates high relative expression levels, blue indicates low relative expression levels and white indicates no change in the gene expression levels. The color brightness indicates the extent of the upregulation or downregulation of the gene expression. TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β; DE, differentially expressed; lncRNA, long non-coding RNA; FC, fold-change; FDR, false-discovery rate.

Article Snippet: To induce the in vitro EMT cell model, Huh7 cells were cultured at 37 ̊C in DMEM with 2.5% FBS and 10 ng/ml TGF-β (cat. no. HY-P7118; MedChemExpress) for 4 days.

Techniques: Expressing, Gene Expression

Journal: Molecular and Clinical Oncology

Article Title: Long non-coding RNAs affect the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

doi: 10.3892/mco.2026.2940

Figure Lengend Snippet: GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. GO term enrichment categories, including (A) molecular function, (B) cellular component and (C) biological process. (D) KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. GO, Gene Ontology; KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; ECM, extracellular matrix; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; AGE-RAGE, advanced glycation end-products-receptor for advanced glycation end-products.

Article Snippet: To induce the in vitro EMT cell model, Huh7 cells were cultured at 37 ̊C in DMEM with 2.5% FBS and 10 ng/ml TGF-β (cat. no. HY-P7118; MedChemExpress) for 4 days.

Techniques:

Journal: Molecular and Clinical Oncology

Article Title: Long non-coding RNAs affect the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

doi: 10.3892/mco.2026.2940

Figure Lengend Snippet: Validation of the sequencing data using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. (A) Relative mRNA levels of COL1A1, BMP6, TUBA1A, ATP2B2 and F2 in Huh7 cells treated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β for 4 days. (B) Relative lncRNA levels of NNMT-205, CASC15-204, UBASH3B-202, CAPN2-206, CAV2-214 and ZSWIM8-210 in Huh7 cells treated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β for 4 days. * P<0.05 vs. the control group. lncRNA, long non-coding RNA; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β.

Article Snippet: To induce the in vitro EMT cell model, Huh7 cells were cultured at 37 ̊C in DMEM with 2.5% FBS and 10 ng/ml TGF-β (cat. no. HY-P7118; MedChemExpress) for 4 days.

Techniques: Biomarker Discovery, Sequencing, Reverse Transcription, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Control

Journal: Journal of Inflammation Research

Article Title: Acupuncture Activates PI3K/Akt Pathway to Promote Spinal Microglial M2 Polarization and Alleviate Spastic Hemiplegia Following Ischemic Stroke

doi: 10.2147/JIR.S592917

Figure Lengend Snippet: Acupuncture shifted spinal microglia toward the M2 phenotype, modified spinal inflammation milieu, restored the E/I balancing in the spinal motor circuit and activated the spinal PI3K/Akt pathway in MCAO rats with spastic hemiplegia. Immunofluorescence of microglial polarization state: representative images of CD32 (M1 marker, green) and Iba-1 (microglial marker, red) co-localization by immunofluorescence ( A ); representative images of CD206 (M2 marker, green) and Iba-1 (red) co-localization by immunofluorescence ( B ) with all nuclei of cells stained by DAPI (blue); scale bar, 50 μm; the semi-quantitative fluorescent intensity results of CD32 ( C ) and CD206 ( D ). Immunofluorescence of synaptic boutons in motor circuit: representative images of vGluT1 immunoreactive boutons (marking the proprioceptive terminals, red) on CTB-labeled motor neurons (MNs, green) ( E ); representative images of vGluT1 boutons (red) contacting vGAT immunoreactive boutons (marking GABAergic synapses, green) ( F ); scale bar, 10 μm, 2 μm; fold change of vGluT1 boutons on MNs ( G ); ratio of vGluT1 boutons opposed by vGAT boutons ( H ). Representative Western blot bands ( I ) and quantitative results for CD32 ( J ), CD206 ( K ), vGluT1 ( L ), vGAT ( M ), p-PI3K/PI3K ( N ), and p-Akt/Akt ( O ) protein expressions relative to GAPDH protein. The mRNA levels of CD32 ( P ) and CD206 ( Q ) were detected by RT-qPCR. The concentrations of TNF-α ( R ), IL-6 ( S ), TGF-β ( T ), IL-10 ( U ), Glu ( V ), GABA ( W ) were detected by ELISA. N = 6 per group. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. **P<0.01,***P<0.001 versus M+AP group; ### P<0.001 versus M group.

Article Snippet: The levels of TNF-α (EK0526, Boster Biological), IL-6 (EK0412, Boster Biological), and TGF-β (EK0514, Boster Biological), IL-10 (EK0418, Boster Biological) were determined to assess neuroinflammation.

Techniques: Modification, Immunofluorescence, Marker, Staining, Labeling, Western Blot, Quantitative RT-PCR, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Journal: Journal of Inflammation Research

Article Title: Acupuncture Activates PI3K/Akt Pathway to Promote Spinal Microglial M2 Polarization and Alleviate Spastic Hemiplegia Following Ischemic Stroke

doi: 10.2147/JIR.S592917

Figure Lengend Snippet: Inhibition of M1 polarization of microglia mitigated spinal inflammatory milieu and facilitated the restoration of spinal E/I balance in MCAO rats with spastic hemiplegia. Immunofluorescence of microglial polarization state: representative images of CD32 (green) and Iba-1 (red) co-localization by immunofluorescence ( A ) representative images of CD206 (green) and Iba-1 (red) co-localization by immunofluorescence ( B ) with all nuclei of cells stained by DAPI (blue); scale bar, 50 μm; the semi-quantitative fluorescent intensity results of CD32 ( C ) and CD206 ( D ). Immunofluorescence of synaptic boutons in motor circuit: representative images of vGluT1 immunoreactive boutons (red) on CTB-labeled MNs (green) ( E ) representative images of vGluT1 boutons (red) contacting vGAT immunoreactive boutons (green) ( F ) scale bar, 10 μm, 2 μm; fold change of vGluT1 boutons on MNs ( G ) ratio of vGluT1 boutons opposed by vGAT boutons ( H ). Representative Western blot bands ( I ) and quantitative results for CD32 ( J ) CD206 ( K ) vGluT1 ( L ) vGAT ( M ) protein expression relative to GAPDH protein. The mRNA levels of CD32 ( N ) and CD206 ( O ) were detected by RT-qPCR. The concentrations of TNF-α ( P ) IL-6 ( Q ) TGF-β ( R ) IL-10 ( S ) Glu ( T ) GABA ( U ) were detected by ELISA. N = 6 per group. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 versus M+MC group; ### P<0.001 versus M group.

Article Snippet: The levels of TNF-α (EK0526, Boster Biological), IL-6 (EK0412, Boster Biological), and TGF-β (EK0514, Boster Biological), IL-10 (EK0418, Boster Biological) were determined to assess neuroinflammation.

Techniques: Inhibition, Immunofluorescence, Staining, Labeling, Western Blot, Expressing, Quantitative RT-PCR, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Journal: Journal of Inflammation Research

Article Title: Acupuncture Activates PI3K/Akt Pathway to Promote Spinal Microglial M2 Polarization and Alleviate Spastic Hemiplegia Following Ischemic Stroke

doi: 10.2147/JIR.S592917

Figure Lengend Snippet: Acupuncture mitigated excitability of spinal motor circuits and inflammatory milieu via PI3K/Akt pathway in MCAO rats with spastic hemiplegia. Immunofluorescence of synaptic boutons in motor circuit: representative images of vGluT1 immunoreactive boutons (red) on CTB-labeled MNs (green) ( A ); representative images of vGluT1 boutons (red) contacting vGAT immunoreactive boutons (green) ( B ); scale bar, 10 μm, 2 μm; fold change of vGluT1 boutons on MNs ( C ); ratio of vGluT1 boutons opposed by vGAT boutons ( D ). Representative Western blot bands ( E ) and quantitative results for CD32 ( F ) CD206 ( G ) vGluT1 ( H ) vGAT ( I ) protein expression relative to GAPDH protein. The mRNA levels of CD32 ( J ) and CD206 ( K ) were detected by RT-qPCR. The concentrations of TNF-α ( L ) IL-6 ( M ) TGF-β ( N ) IL-10 ( O ) Glu ( P ) GABA ( Q ) were detected by ELISA. N = 6 per group. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. ***P<0.001 versus M+AP+Veh group; ## P<0.01, ### P<0.001 versus M+Veh group.

Article Snippet: The levels of TNF-α (EK0526, Boster Biological), IL-6 (EK0412, Boster Biological), and TGF-β (EK0514, Boster Biological), IL-10 (EK0418, Boster Biological) were determined to assess neuroinflammation.

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Labeling, Western Blot, Expressing, Quantitative RT-PCR, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Partial EMT Drives Persistent Collective Migration via Collision Guidance in Heterogeneous Populations

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.714519

Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Experimental design compares cells in untreated control with 7 day treatment with 1 ng ml −1 or 5 ng ml −1 TGF- β 1. Cells were then replated for live imaging. (b) Representative snapshots of cell velocity fields for all three conditions (green arrows). Cell cytoplasm is labeled in red (CellTracker Deep Red) and nuclei in blue (Hoechst). (c) Comparison of average cell velocity and correlation length for each experimental condition from 15-22.5 h. Elliptical contours illustrate the Gaussian summaries of the data distribution, constructed from the mean and covariance matrix. (d) Schematic and representative images for single cell trajectories reconstructed from optical flow. (e) Representative cell trajectories classified as slow and persistent, slow and random, fast and persistent, or fast and random. (f) Comparison of representative single cell trajectories for control relative to TGF- β 1 treatments, revealing distinct behaviors at early and later times.

Article Snippet: EMT was induced in MCF-10A cells using 1 ng/mL or 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 (R&D Systems, 240-B002) in growth media.

Techniques: Control, Imaging, Labeling, Comparison, Construct, Single Cell

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Partial EMT Drives Persistent Collective Migration via Collision Guidance in Heterogeneous Populations

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.714519

Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Representative cell trajectory, partitioned into three sequential time segments: T seg (i), 00:00–07:30; T seg (ii), 07:30–15:00; and T seg (iii), 15:00–22:30. (b) UMAP dimensionality reduction of 17 motility metrics for each 7.5 h segment (per trajectory) projected into two dimensions, and overlaid with illustrative single cell trajectory segments. UMAP1 correlates with fast to slow migration, while UMAP2 correlates with persistent to random migration. (c) Spearman correlation between UMAP components and 17 individual motility features. (d, e) Distribution of cell trajectory segment metrics from each experimental condition at time segments T seg (i) and T seg (iii) (Control, brown; TGF- β 1 1 ng ml −1 , gray; and TGF- β 1 5 ng ml −1 , mint). Kernel density distributions of each condition along the UMAP1 and UMAP2 components are shown in the top and right panels, respectively. (f) Centroids for each time segment and experimental condition in the UMAP projection. Arrows indicate the displacement of centroids between adjacent segments, revealing changes in motility behavior over time. (g) Pairwise overlap analysis indicating relative similarity between experimental conditions and time windows. Smaller values indicate greater differences in motility behavior. Temporal changes in representative motility features across time segments: (h) speed, (i) directionality, (j) velocity correlation, and (k) arrest coefficient. Each dot represents the mean value of the corresponding motility feature, and error bars indicate the standard error of the mean (SEM).

Article Snippet: EMT was induced in MCF-10A cells using 1 ng/mL or 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 (R&D Systems, 240-B002) in growth media.

Techniques: Single Cell, Migration, Control

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Partial EMT Drives Persistent Collective Migration via Collision Guidance in Heterogeneous Populations

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.714519

Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Representative images of MCF-10A expressing Z-cad dual fluorescent reporter in untreated control relative to 1 ng/mL and 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 treatments. (b) Distribution of EMT reporter color expression at 0, 9, and 18 hours after imaging in control vs TGF- β 1 treatment. (c) Representative cell morphologies defined as compact, elongated, or spread. (d, e) Distribution of cell color and morphology in the UMAP latent space at different time segments T seg (i);(d), T seg (iii);(e). Cell shapes are reconstructed from autoencoder-derived latent representations, while color indicates the average EMT reporter level computed over local grid regions in the UMAP space. Subpanels summarize color distributions and representative morphological features. (f) Pairwise overlap analysis indicating relative similarity in motility behavior between EMT reporter and experimental condition. (g, h) Centroids for each time segment for fluorescent reporter state and experimental condition. Arrows indicate the displacement of centroids between adjacent segments, revealing changes in motility behavior over time.

Article Snippet: EMT was induced in MCF-10A cells using 1 ng/mL or 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 (R&D Systems, 240-B002) in growth media.

Techniques: Expressing, Control, Imaging, Derivative Assay

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Partial EMT Drives Persistent Collective Migration via Collision Guidance in Heterogeneous Populations

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.714519

Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Ternary diagram showing the percent composition of fluorecent reporter expression(red, green, and uncolored) across experimental conditions. Orange circles: Control; gray squares: TGF- β 1 (1 ng mL −1 ); cyan triangles: TGF- β 1 (5 ng mL −1 ). (b) Heterogeneity index is a read out of how evenly the three EMT states are distributed, where 0 corresponds to equal percentages of each EMT state in the population and 1 corresponds a population wholly comprised of one EMT state. Box plots show median and interquartile range with overlaid individual data points. Pairwise comparisons were evaluated using Bonferroni-corrected post hoc tests (*** p < 0.001). (c) Representative images of local color heterogeneity within a small region of interest. (d) Color heterogeneity in control or TGF- β 1 treatment condition. Horizontal lines indicate the median and interquartile range (IQR); dots denote individual cells. Statistical significance was assessed using Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons (*** p < 0.001). Density–heterogeneity maps of cell motility metrics; (e) speed and (f) velocity correlation. Data were binned along number of cells and color heterogeneity of each patch. Overlaid points represent individual measurements.

Article Snippet: EMT was induced in MCF-10A cells using 1 ng/mL or 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 (R&D Systems, 240-B002) in growth media.

Techniques: Expressing, Control

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Partial EMT Drives Persistent Collective Migration via Collision Guidance in Heterogeneous Populations

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.714519

Figure Lengend Snippet: (a) Schematic illustration of collective collision dynamics and experimental setup using a PDMS stencil to induce controlled collective collisions. (b, c) Mean migration speed of expanding direction and correlation length of expanding monolayer across TGF- β 1 pretreatment conditions ( n = 3 independent experiments). Statistical comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Welch’s unequal-variance t -tests with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Significance levels are indicated as * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001. (d) Representative snapshots of monolayer expansion and collisions between distinct epithelial or EMT states. Kymograph of collective front and cell velocity for control-control collisions (e,f), TGF- β 1 (1 ng mL −1 )–control collision (g,h), and TGF- β 1 (1 ng mL −1 )–TGF- β 1 (5 ng mL −1 ) collision (i,j). Orange stars indicate the spatiotemporal position of collective collisions (k) Schematic of collision behaviors associated with arrest, deformation wave, and repulsion.

Article Snippet: EMT was induced in MCF-10A cells using 1 ng/mL or 5 ng/mL TGF- β 1 (R&D Systems, 240-B002) in growth media.

Techniques: Migration, Control