Dong Hwan Ho^1,*, Minhyung Lee^2,3, Daleum Nam¹, Hyejung Kim¹, Janghwan Kim^2,3, Mi Kyoung Seo^4,5, Sung Woo Park^4,5, Ilhong Son^1,6,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.7, pp. 1225-1244, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.065486 - 25 July 2025

Abstract Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by symptoms like tremors, muscle rigidity, and slow movement. The main cause of these symptoms is the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in a brain area called the substantia nigra. Various genetic and environmental factors contribute to this neuronal loss. Once symptoms of PD begin, they worsen with age, which also impacts several critical cellular processes. Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a gene associated with PD. Certain mutations in LRRK2, such as G2019S, increase its activity, disrupting cellular mechanisms necessary for healthy neuron function, including… More >

Yiqin He^1,2, Chenhan Hu^1,2, Xiangshu Meng^1,2, Rundong Ma^1,2, Kexin Duan^1,2, Yu Guo^2,3, Changqing Liu^1,2, Caiyun Ma^1,2, Gaofeng Liu^1,2,*, Chunjing Wang^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.6, pp. 1037-1055, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.064633 - 24 June 2025

Abstract Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown great potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), due to their ability to differentiate into neurons and secrete neurotrophic factors. Genetic modification of MSCs for PD treatment has become a research focus. Methods: In this study, rat pulmonary mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) were transduced with lentiviral vectors carrying Lmx1a/NeuroD1 to establish genetically engineered PMSCs (LN-PMSCs) and induce their differentiation into dopaminergic neurons. The LN-PMSCs were then transplanted into the right medial forebrain bundle region of PD model rats prepared using the 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) method. Four weeks… More >

MOHAMMAD-SADEGH LOTFI, FATEMEH B. RASSOULI^*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.10, pp. 1419-1428, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.053597 - 02 October 2024

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorders worldwide. So far, PD treatments only offer little clinical relief and cannot reverse or stop the disease progression. Stem cell (SC) therapy is a rapidly evolving technology that holds significant promise for enhancing current therapeutic approaches. Adipose-derived mesenchymal SCs (AD-MSCs) have many features such as easy harvest with minimal invasive techniques, high plasticity, non-immunogenicity, and no ethical issues, which have made them suitable choices for clinical applications in regenerative research. AD-MSCs are ideal tools to treat PD, as they have the potential to differentiate into… More >

VIRAAJ VISHNU PRASAD, JENNIFER SALLY SAMSON, VENKATACHALAM DEEPA PARVATHI^*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 693-706, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048776 - 06 May 2024

Abstract Physical activity and exercise have several beneficial roles in enhancing both physiological and psychological well-being of an individual. In addition to aiding the regulation of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, exercise can stimulate the synthesis of exerkine hormones in the circulatory system. Among several exerkines that have been investigated for their therapeutic potential, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is considered the most promising candidate, especially in the management of neurodegenerative diseases. Owing to the ability of physical activity to enhance BDNF synthesis, several experimental studies conducted so far have validated this hypothesis and produced satisfactory results at More > Graphic Abstract