title: The use of human amniotic fluid stem cells as an adjunct to promote pulmonary development in a rabbit model for congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the potential benefit of intra-tracheal injection of human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSC) on pulmonary development combined with TO in a rabbit model for CDH.
  
  
  METHODS
  In time-mated pregnant does a left diaphragmatic defect was created at d23 (term = 31). At d28, previously operated fetuses were assigned to either TO and injection with 70 μL of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or 1.0 × 10(6) c-Kit positive hAFSC expressing LacZ or were left untouched (CDH). Harvesting was done at d31 to obtain their lung-to-body weight ratio (LBWR), airway and vascular lung morphometry, X-gal staining and immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and surfactant protein-B (SP-B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CDH-induced pulmonary hypoplasia is countered by TO + PBS, this reverses LBWR, mean terminal bronchiole density (MTBD) and medial thickness to normal. The additional injection of hAFSC decreases MTBD and results in a non-significant decrease in muscularization of intra-acinary vessels. There were no inflammatory changes and LacZ positive hAFSC were dispersed throughout the lung parenchyma 4 days after injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HAFSC exert an additional effect on TO leading to a decrease in MTBD, a measure of alveolar number surrounding the terminal bronchioles, without signs of toxicity. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: DeKoninck
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jaan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toelen
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xenia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Roubliova
authors.affiliation: Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Shea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Lab, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Città della Speranza, Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozzobon
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francesca Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jute
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter-Jan
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Vandersloten
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verbeken
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, UCL Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond St Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Coppi
authors.affiliation: Organ systems cluster, Department of Development and Regeneration, and Center for Surgical Technologies, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deprest
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000196:embryology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D053686:Fetal Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D046128:Fetal Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D065630:Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000196:embryology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits