Boston Children's Hospital

About: Boston Children's Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 165409 authors who have published 215589 publications receiving 6885627 citations.

Regulation of transcription factors by neuronal activity

Abstract: Synaptic activity regulates the expression of a set of neuronal gene products that are important for neuronal survival and differentiation, synaptogenesis and, ultimately, complex behaviour. Activity-dependent signalling pathways induce neuronal gene transcription by modulating the function of both transcriptional activators and repressors, and recent studies have revealed significant diversity in the mechanisms that control the activity of these transcriptional regulators. Investigators have begun to elucidate the distinct functions of individual activity-regulated transcription factors, and to explore how these factors cooperate to provide stimulus specificity in the initiation of neuronal transcriptional programmes.

Nanowired three-dimensional cardiac patches

Abstract: Incorporating gold nanowires into scaffolds used to create heart patches can improve electrical communication between cells and enhance the growth of tissues.

Microengineered physiological biomimicry: Organs-on-Chips

Abstract: Microscale engineering technologies provide unprecedented opportunities to create cell culture microenvironments that go beyond current three-dimensional in vitro models by recapitulating the critical tissue–tissue interfaces, spatiotemporal chemical gradients, and dynamic mechanical microenvironments of living organs Here we review recent advances in this field made over the past two years that are focused on the development of ‘Organs-on-Chips’ in which living cells are cultured within microfluidic devices that have been microengineered to reconstitute tissue arrangements observed in living organs in order to study physiology in an organ-specific context and to develop specialized in vitro disease models We discuss the potential of organs-on-chips as alternatives to conventional cell culture models and animal testing for pharmaceutical and toxicology applications We also explore challenges that lie ahead if this field is to fulfil its promise to transform the future of drug development and chemical safety testing

The incredible journey: From megakaryocyte development to platelet formation

Abstract: Circulating blood platelets are specialized cells that prevent bleeding and minimize blood vessel injury. Large progenitor cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes (MKs) are the source of platelets. MKs release platelets through a series of fascinating cell biological events. During maturation, they become polyploid and accumulate massive amounts of protein and membrane. Then, in a cytoskeletal-driven process, they extend long branching processes, designated proplatelets, into sinusoidal blood vessels where they undergo fission to release platelets. Given the need for platelets in many pathological situations, understanding how this process occurs is an active area of research with important clinical applications.