CONTENTS
1. Adult stem cell – isolation and culture protocols
V Paunescu, Adriana Plesa, Gabriela Tanasie, Erica Suciu, Ioana Raluca Siska, Carmen Bunu
2. Brief review: DNA damage and oxidants in the aging process
Cristina Petrica, Lucica Rosu, Veronica Sfredel
3. Protective effect of antioxidants in oxidative stress induced by short term exposure to ultraviolet
radiation
Adriana Mureşan, Camelia Alb, Lavinia Sabău, Şoimiţa Suciu
4. The role of reactive oxygen species, antioxidants and nitric oxide in the onset of labor at term
Lavinia Sabău, Adriana Mureşan, M Dorofteiu, Şoimiţa Suciu
5. Evaluation of coagulation in patients with hip fractures under anticoagulant treatment, by
thromboelastographic assay
Ileana Ion, N Ceamitru, Cecilia Adumitresi, V Lupescu
6. Regulation of basal tone in isolated human bronchial smooth muscle
Gabriela Tănasie, Ioana-Raluca Siska, Carmen Bunu, A Nicodim, Fr Schneider
7. Plasma levels of TNFalpha and nitric oxide in patients with severe chronic heart failure
Luminiţa Vida-Simiti, Anca Cristea
8. Experimental research on the fluoxetine antinociceptive effects
Tartau Liliana, O Mungiu
9. FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER: Valuable and still promissing: the lipoic acidR Orăsan, Adriana Mureşan
1. ADULT STEM CELL – ISOLATION AND CULTURE PROTOCOLS
Virgil Paunescu1,3, Adriana Plesa3, Erika Suciu2,3, Gabriela Tanasie2,3, Ioana-Raluca Siska2,3,
Carmen Bunu2,31
Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes Timisoara
2
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes Timisoara
3
Center of Immunophysiology and Biotechnology Timisoara
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Immunology and Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor
Babes”, 2, Uta Ioan Col. Martir Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

ABSTRACTStem cells (SC) are immature cells with capacity of self renewal and differentiation in other maturecell types. Of major interest for fundamental researches and clinical trials are hematopoietic stem
cells (HSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). In our laboratory, stem cells were isolated byvarious methods, our efforts being focused on optimization of both isolation protocols and in vitro
stem cells expansion. We performed a comparative analysis of the results obtained with different
isolation procedures when stem cells were isolated from bone marrow, peripheral blood andplacentary blood. The best source for both hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and mesenchymal stem
cells (MSC) seemed to be the bone marrow. We checked the viability of cells and theirimmunophenotypic characters. From our data we can conclude that hematopoietic and mesenchymal
stem cells present morphological, functional and viability characters required for their future
utilization in cell differentiation protocols.
Key words: adult stem cells, isolation, culture.
2. BRIEF REVIEW: DNA DAMAGE AND OXIDANTS IN THE AGING PROCESS
Cristina Petrica1, Lucica Rosu2, Veronica Sfredel3
1
Department of Pathophysiology,2
Department of Microbiology,
3
Department of Physiology

University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova.
Address for correspondence: Cristina Petrica – Department of Patophysiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Craiova, 4, Petru Rares Street, Craiova 1100, Romania

ABSTRACTFree radicals damage to cells, leads to the pathological changes associated with aging. Free radicals
are highly reactive compounds produced in normal process through the body’s use of oxygen.
Environmental pollutants such as smog, radiation, cigarette smoke, herbicides, pesticides and many
drugs can react within the body to cause production of free radicals. While free radicals are normal
products of our cells and have certain beneficial roles in the body, increased levels in body tissues
can be detrimental to health. Free radicals multiply through a series of chain reactions and can attack
the polyunsaturated fatty acids of membrane phospholipids, damaging both the structure and functionof cell membranes. There is extensive evidence to implicate free radicals in the development of anumber of degenerative diseases.
The degenerative diseases associated with aging include cancer, cardiovascular diseases, brain
dysfunction, cataract, immune system decline. The functional degeneration of somatic cell during
aging appears to contribute to these diseases. One important factor in longevity appears to be thebasal metabolic rate, which is about seven times higher in a rat than a human and which could
markedly affect the level of endogenous oxidants and other mutagens produced as by-products ofmetabolism. Oxidant by-products of normal metabolism cause extensive damage to DNA, protein
and lipid. This DNA damage (the same as that produced by radiation) is a major contributor to aging
and to degenerative diseases of aging.
Key words: oxidants, free radicals, DNA damage, aging.
3. PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ANTIOXIDANTS IN OXIDATIVE STRESS INDUCED BYSHORT TERM EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
Adriana Mureşan, Camelia Alb, Lavinia Sabău, Şoimiţa Suciu
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu”, Cluj-Napoca
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 13 Emil Isac
Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

ABSTRACT
Humans live on our planet under the continuous action of various environmental factors such as
ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric pollutants or various chemicals with a pro-oxidant effect. Exposure
to ultraviolet radiation can produce damaging effects on the human body, by intensifying the lipid
peroxidation processes and by altering the DNA synthesis, because of increased reactive oxygen
species production. The authors have followed the dynamics of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in
animals exposed to ultraviolet radiation, as well as the protective effect of some antioxidant drugs
commonly used in clinical practice.
Key words: oxidative stress, antioxidants, ultraviolet radiation.
4. THE ROLE OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES, ANTIOXIDANTS AND NITRIC OXIDEIN THE ONSET OF LABOR AT TERM
Lavinia Sabău, Adriana Mureşan, M Dorofteiu, Şoimiţa Suciu
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu “, Cluj-Napoca
Address for correspondence: Dept of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 13, Emil Isac
Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

ABSTRACTThe mechanism of the onset of labor at term have not been completely understood. The aim of ourstudy was to determine the serum levels of the products of reactive oxygen species, antioxidants andnitric oxide, and to investigate their possible effects in the onset of labor at term. We foundsignificantly higher values of serum reactive oxygen species, but also significantly lower serum
antioxidants and nitric oxide at the beginning of labor. The conclusion was that the increased level ofreactive oxygen species can be a cause of increased contractility of uterus at the onset of labor, notonly because they can stimulate the prostaglandin production which produce the contraction of
uterus, but also because they can consume the nitric oxide which produce the relaxation of uterus
during the pregnancy.
Key words: reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, antioxidants, onset of labor
5. EVALUATION OF COAGULATION IN PATIENTS WITH HIP FRACTURES UNDERANTICOAGULANT TREATMENT, BY THROMBOELASTOGRAPHIC ASSAY
Ileana Ion, N Ceamitru, Cecilia Adumitresi, V Lupescu
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine,”OVIDIUS” University, Constanţa
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University, 125, Mamaia Bd.,
Constanta 8700, Romania

ABSTRACT
Our study consists in coagulation monitoring by thromboelastographic method in patients
hospitalized in orthopedic surgery for hip fractures. All the 16 patients involved in our research were
under anticoagulant treatment with Low Molecular weight Heparins in order to prevent venous
thrombosis; this is the reason for which was very important to observe the appearance of
hypocoagulability tendency, phenomenon that may be not detected by routine coagulation tests.
The aim of our study is to demonstrate the sensitivity of this method, which estimates the clot
formation both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Key words: thromboelastography, anticoagulants, hip fracture.
6. REGULATION OF BASAL TONE IN ISOLATED HUMAN BRONCHIAL SMOOTH
MUSCLE
Gabriela Tănasie1,3, Ioana-Raluca Siska1,3, Carmen Bunu1,3, A Nicodim2, Fr Schneider1
1
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş” Timişoara
2
Department of thoracic surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeş” Timişoara
3
Centre of Immunophysiology and Biotechnologies, Timişoara
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 2, Col Martir
Uta Ioan Square, Timisoara, Romania

ABSTRACTThe significance of humoral factors in maintaining the airways basal tone is interesting not only forin vitro conditions. In vivo, in patients with bronchial hyperreactivity, excepting the “classical”
imbalance between the components of autonomic nervous system, the imbalance in local mediators’
production has a great importance for the modulation of basal tone and also for the response tovarious contractile. Our studies revealed the beneficial, relaxing effect of prostaglandins derived bycyclooxigenase pathway in respiratory epithelial cells. It is well known that in asthmatic patients asevere denuding of epithelium occurs, associated with a decrease of relaxing mediators, resulting in
airways narrowing and increased reactivity.
Key words: basal tone, human bronchial smooth muscle, epithelium, prostaglandins.

7. PLASMA LEVELS OF TNFα AND NITRIC OXIDE IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERECHRONIC HEART FAILURE
Luminiţa Vida-Simiti, Anca Cristea
1st Medical Clinic - Internal Medicine and Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu
Haţieganu” Cluj-Napoca
Address for correspondence: 1st Medical Clinic – Internal Medicine and Cardiology, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of
Medicine and Pharmacy, 13 Emil Isac Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

ABSTRACTIntroduction: TNF-α has been detected in cardiac related illness including myocarditis, ischemic
heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. TNF-α exerts a negative inotropic
effect directly and indirectly, the latter being mediated by increase of nitric oxide (NO) production.
Aim of the study: to investigate plasma levels of TNF-α and NO in patients with severe chronic
heart failure and to evaluated the outcome of these patients after 12 months of follow-up.
Methods: In 18 patients with severe chronic heart failure (EF < 35%), TNF-α (ELISA-sandwich
R&D System, high sensitivity), CRP (nano-RID, binding-site) and NO (by microcolorimetric dosage
based on the Griess reaction).
Results: In patients with heart failure as compared with the controls, plasma levels of TNF-α(2.89±0.39 ng/ml vs 0.68±0.16 ng/ml; p<0.0001) ) and NO (37.1±3.21µM/L vs 16.68 ± 0.88 µM/L;
p<0.0001) were higher. Over a follow-up of 12 months 4 patients died and 8 patients had at least one
readmission for severe heart failure. In heart failure TNF-α may be a potential biochemical marker
closely related to the severity and the prognosis of disease.
Key words: TNF-α, NO, heart failure.
8. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE FLUOXETINE ANTINOCICEPTIVE EFFECTS
Tartau Liliana, O Mungiu
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Algesiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy“Gr T Popa”, Iasi, Romania
Address for correspondence: Dept. of Pharmacology, “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16
Universitatii Street, 6600 Iasi, Romania

ABSTRACT
Aim: Experimental research on fluoxetine potent antinociceptive effects and its interactions withvarious opioid and adrenergic receptor derivatives, in cutaneous and visceral pain models were
investigated.
Material and method: The experiment was carried out, with white mice (20-25g), divided into 7
groups of 7 animals each, treated orally with the same volume of solution, for 7 days, as follows:
Group I: distilled water 0.3ml (DW); Group II (M): metamyzole 10mg/kbw; Group III (FLX-10):
fluoxetine 10mg/kbw; Group IV (FLX-30): fluoxetine 30mg/kbw; Group V (FLX+ATN): fluoxetine
30mg/kbw + atenolol 1mg/kbw; Group VI (FLX+TLZ): fluoxetine 30mg/kbw + tolazolin 1mg/kbw,
Group VII (NLX+FLX): naloxone 5mg/kbw + fluoxetine 30mg/kbw. Hot plate and tail flick wereused to assess fluoxetine-induced antinociception. The model of visceral pain consists of writhing
test using diluted acetic acid (0.6%). Data were statistically analized by Fisher-Tackey tests.
Results and conclusions: Oral administration of fluoxetine (10-30mg/kbw) resulted in a significant
and dose-dependent antinociceptive effect in writhing test (p<0.05). This antinociceptive effect wasincreased by atenolol (1mg/kbw) association. Fluoxetine (30mg/kbw) also exhibited antinociceptive
effect in hot plate assay. Further, tolazoline administration antagonized fluoxetine visceral analgesic
effect after 15 minutes of chemical peritoneal irritation. Fluoxetine-induced antinociception was
significantly inhibited by naloxone, after 20 minutes of writhing test. These data suggest thatfluoxetine-induced antinociception involves central opioid, adrenergic and serotoninergic pathways.
Keywords: SSRIs, fluoxetine, antinociception, pain

9. FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER. VALUABLE AND STILL PROMISSING: THE
LIPOIC ACID
R Orăsan, Adriana Mureşan
Department of Physiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu” Cluj-Napoca
ABSTRACT

10. BOOK REVIEW: CLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY – A MILESTONE IN CONTEMPORARY
MEDICINE
CLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY OF THE VENOUS SYSTEMFrancisc Schneider, Ioana Raluca Siska, Jecu Aurel Avram
Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003
303 pages, ISBN 1-4020-7411-5
Holistic vision on human beings and life is imposed in all fields of medicine. One of theconsequences of this vision is to see the circulatory system in a unitary way, paying a special
attention on venous and lymphatic system. A distinctive achievement in this field is the “ClinicalPhysiology of the Venous System” authors: Professor Francisc Schneider, Ioana Raluca Siska andProfessor Aurel Avram, printed at Kluwer Academic Publishers (Dordrecht, Boston, London). The
book, a volume of 302 pages, represents an important accomplishment of the physiology team led byProfessor Francisc Schneider, distinguished physiologist and school creator. The book, edited inexcellent graphic conditions has 8 chapters preceded by an introduction, where are presented data
regarding embryology and anatomy of the venous system.
In the 1st chapter, authors present hydrodynamic laws applied to blood flow into the veins and define
parameters that characterize this flow.
The 2nd chapter regards the functions of venous system, insisting on the fact that veins are not justpassive blood collectors. Functional particularities of veins from different parts of the body likebrain, liver, lung, face, are presented.
The next chapter is focused on the morphological and functional aspects of the venous wall. After
presenting each element of their normal function, the implications in pathology and aspects of thefunctional imbalance in the venous wall are outlined. In this way, the book builds a link between
normal and pathology, being useful especially for clinical practice.
Some short aspects of the pharmacology of the venous system are also presented.
The next chapter (and the most substantial in the book) concerns venous tonus regulation. Here theauthors present the role of the 3 main groups of factors involved in regulation: vegetative nervous
system, hormones (both polypeptides and steroids) and local factors (eicosanoids, NO, endothelin-1,etc.). After this, different sides of venous pathology are presented, starting with varicosities andending with veins trauma of inferior limbs.
A special attention is paid to pathogenic mechanisms and classifications of pathological entities,
patient’s clinical examination, and laboratory investigations, direct and differential diagnostic.
Other aspects presented in the book are general lesions appeared during therapy (surgical and drug
therapy). The book is a strong argument for a more and more pronounced vanishing of the border
between fundamental and applicative medicine, and science in general.
Each chapter starts with a „Take home messages” box, where are presented the keystones of thechapter. This is very useful to those who want to remember the essential of the chapter.
Substantial references of about 800 titles are especially useful to those who seek to go deeper in one
or another of the approached aspects.
The Forward, signed by Bernard Swynghedauw, PhD, MD, editor of Basic Science for the
Cardiologist series and former President of Federation of Physiologic Societies in Europe (FEPS)
remarks the utility of the approached issues for readers and also its importance for medical practice.

The book, of very good quality, is without doubt useful to physicians and to all those who performresearch in the areas of circulatory system.
Mihai Nechifor