Research — Biochemistry

Research Summary: Retinoic acid (RA) is the biologically active metabolite of vitamin A. It is a low molecular weight, lipophilic molecule that acts on the nucleus to induce gene transcription. In amphibians and mammals, it induces the regeneration of several tissues and organs, and these examples are reviewed here. RA induces the "super-regeneration" of organs that can already regenerate, such as the urodele amphibian limb, by respecifying positional information in the limb. In organs that cannot normally regenerate, such as the adult mammalian lung, RA induces the complete regeneration of alveoli that have been destroyed by various noxious treatments. In...

Research Summary: The skin is a vital organ, serving as the body’s largest barrier, but its function declines with aging. As a result, research into effective regeneration treatments must continue to advance. Stem cell transplantation, a cell-based therapy, has become a popular treatment for skin aging, although it comes with drawbacks such as host immune reactions. To address this, stem cell-derived cell-free therapies have emerged as an alternative, backed by promising preclinical findings. The key components in cell-free therapy from stem cells are stem cell secretomes and extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, comprehensive reviews on the mechanisms of such treatments for...

Research Summary: World consumers are looking for personal care products that supply multiple benefits with minimal effort. They also expect the latest technological advances to be incorporated into innovative formulations. The trend toward therapeutic cosmetics will lead to a better understanding of modern ingredients and their assessment techniques. To obtain skin care formulations with real consumer-perceivable benefits and to optimize sensory attributes, formulators are resorting to technology that until recently was exclusively used in cosmetic products. Various formulations come under special delivery systems like Vesicular, Particulate systems, and emulsions type, along with their applications, as shown in this article. This...

Research Summary Vitamin C in humans must be ingested for survival. As an electron donor, vitamin C acts as a potent water-soluble antioxidant. This property underlies all of its known functions. The antioxidant effects of vitamin C have been demonstrated in numerous in vitro experiments. Human diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer might partially result from oxidant damage to tissues. Oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA leads to specific oxidation products that can be measured in laboratory settings. While these biomarkers of oxidation have been measured in humans, the assays used are neither validated nor standardized, and the connection between...