October 2015 - This Month in JoVE: tuberculosis infection modeling, telemetric temperature pills, bioengineered cartilage, and 3D neuronal networks

Abstract

Here's a look at what's coming up in the October 2015 issue of JoVE: The Journal of Visualized Experiments. In JoVE Immunology & Infection, we feature a method for studying tuberculosis (TB), which affects 9 million people and causes 1.5 million deaths every year. The bacteria that cause TB spread through the air and set up infection in the lungs, and may spread to other organs. TB infection is a complex process and difficult to model in vitro. Braian et al. present a novel 3D human lung tissue model that recapitulates the dynamics that occur during TB infection, and provides a useful tool for studying this deadly infectious disease. In JoVE Medicine, 80% of the energy used for muscle contraction is released as heat, so physical activity can increase the body's core temperature. If core temperature gets too high, it may decrease physical performance or cause heat-related disorders. So it's important to monitor core temperature during prolonged and strenuous exercise. Bongers et al. describe a telemetric temperature pill that can be swallowed so it noninvasively measures gastrointestinal temperature during exercise. This pill is useful for monitoring core temperatures in laboratory and field-based settings. In JoVE Bioengineering, articular cartilage is particularly difficult to repair, and remains an unmet challenge for biomedical engineers. Promising approaches for regenerating cartilage include cell-based therapies. And this month, Smeriglio et al. describe a method for isolating articular chondrocytes and fabricating biomimetic hydrogels. These provide physiologically relevant microenvironments for chondrocyte expansion and maturation. The engineered cartilage tissue can then be assessed for regenerative potential. In JoVE Neuroscience, in vitro recordings of electrophysiological activity are mostly done in two-dimensional (2D) neuronal networks. This month, Tedesco et al. present a novel 3D platform that couples neuronal networks to planar micro-electrode arrays (MEAs). Scaffolds made of glass microbeads allow neurons to form complex 3D assemblies. The greater morphological complexity allows a wider range of electrophysiological patterns compared to standard 2D networks, and more closely approximates in vivo neural networks. You've just had a sneak peek of the October 2015 issue of JoVE. Visit the website to see the full-length articles, plus many more, in JoVE: The Journal of Visualized Experiments.