Representatives of the Academy of Science of Czech Republic and Charles University have subscribed to the Founding Contract of the Biotechnological and Biomedical Center (BIOCEV) that will be situated in the vicinity of Vestec. and Luděk Svoboda.
ECM is composed of different collagenous and non-collagenous proteins. Collagen nanofibers play a dominant role in maintaining the biological and structural integrity of various tissues and organs, including bone, skin, tendon, blood vessels, and cartilage. Artificial collagen nanofibers are increasingly significant in numerous tissue engineering applications and seem to be ideal scaffolds for cell growth and proliferation. The modern tissue engineering task is to develop three-dimensional scaffolds of appropriate biological and biomechanical properties, at the same time mimicking the natural extracellular matrix and promoting tissue regeneration. Furthermore, it should be biodegradable, bioresorbable and non-inflammatory, should provide sufficient nutrient supply and have appropriate viscoelasticity and strength. Attributed to collagen features mentioned above, collagen fibers represent an obvious appropriate material for tissue engineering scaffolds. The aim of this minireview is, besides encapsulation of the basic biochemical and biophysical properties of collagen, to summarize the most promising modern methods and technologies for production of collagen nanofibers and scaffolds for artificial tissue development., L. Koláčná, J. Bakešová, F. Varga, E. Košťáková, L. Plánka, A. Nečas, D. Lukáš, E. Amler, V. Pelouch., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Spinal cord injury results in a permanent neurological deficit due to tissue damage. Such a lesion is a barrier for “communication” between the brain and peripheral tissues, effectors as well as receptors. One of the primary goal s of tissue engineering is to bridge the spinal cord injury and re-establish the damaged connections. Hydrogels are biocompatible implants used in spinal cord injury repair. They can create a permissive environment and bridge the lesion cavities by providing a scaffold for the regeneration of neurons and their axons, glia and other tissue elements. The advantage of using artificial materials is the possibility to modify their physical and chemical properties in order to develop the best implant suitable for spinal cord injury repair. As a result, several types of hydrogels have been tested in experimental studies so far. We review our work that has been done during the last 5 years with various types of hydrogels and their applications in experimental spinal cord injury repair., A. Hejčl, P. Lesný, M. Přádný, J. Michálek, P. Jendelová, J. Štulík, E. Syková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
This paper examines the changes in the species composition of aphids living in dry calcareous grasslands in Central Europe over a 25-year period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis of this type in the world that takes into account both previous and current data on species richness as well as groups of aphids that are distinguishable on the basis of biological and ecological criteria such as host-alternation and feeding types, life cycle, ecological niche, symbiosis with ants and their ecological functional groups. Over the period of more than 25 years, there has been a significant decrease in aphid α-diversity, from 171 to 105 species. The gain, which is in species not previously recorded, was 17 taxa. The loss of biodiversity occurred despite the fact that these habitats are protected and are valuable regional biodiversity hotspots. The losses are mostly related to intensive human activity in adjacent areas, which, unfortunately, has resulted in the isolation of these small, protected environmental islands by the removal of ecological corridors. Since, as is shown in this study, the frequencies between individual biological and ecological groups of aphids have been retained, it would be possible to restrict this loss of biodiversity if appropriate actions are taken., Barbara Osiadacz, Roman Hałaj, Damian Chmura., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Kudlanka nábožná (Mantis religiosa) je příklad teplomilného druhu, který v posledních letech začal expandovat i do severnějších oblastí Evropy. Na základě studia mitochondriálních markerů se ukázalo, že v rámci Evropy kudlanky náleží do tří odlišných genetických linií. Tyto linie (západoevropská, středoevropská a východoevropská) se postupně po poslední době ledové šířily na sever z různých glaciálních refugií. Tuto teorii také podporují paleoklimatická data a distribuční modely možného šíření kudlanek po poslední době ledové., The Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) is an example of a thermophilic species, which has recently been expanding northwards across Europe. Based on the study of mitochondrial genes, it has been shown, that the European M. religiosa belong to three different genetic lineages (West-, Central- and East-European). These lineages have been gradually spreading northwards from different glacial refugias after the last glacial period. This theory has also been supported using paleoclimatic data and distribution models of the potential spread of M. religiosa after the last glacial period., and Jakub Vitáček, Petr Janšta.