Scaffolds with aligned channels based on acrylate copolymers, which had previously demonstrated good compatibility with neural progenitor cells were studied as colonizable structures both in vitro with neural progenitor cells and in vivo, implanted without cells in two different locations, in the cortical plate of adult rat brains and close to the subventricular zone. In vitro, neuroprogenitors colonize the scaffold and differentiate into neurons and glia within its channels. When implanted in vivo immunohistochemical analysis by confocal microscopy for neural and endothelial cells markers demonstrated that the scaffolds maintained continuity with the surrounding neural tissue and were colonized by GFAP-positive cells and, in the case of scaffolds implanted in contact with the subventricular zone, by neurons. Local angiogenesis was evidenced in the interior of the scaffolds' pores. New axons and neural cells from the adult neural niche abundantly colonized the biomaterial's inner structure after 2 months, and minimal scar formation was manifest around the implant. These findings indicate the biocompatibility of the polymeric material with the brain tissue and open possibilities to further studies on the relevance of factors such as scaffold structure, scaffold seeding and scaffold placement for their possible use in regenerative strategies in the central nervous system. The development of neural interfaces with minimized glial scar and improved tissue compatibility of the implants may also benefit from these results. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:3276-3286, 2012.

The Suzuki−Miyaura reaction is presented as a versatile procedure for the synthesis of a small library of highly electron‐rich 2‐[4,5‐dimethoxy‐2‐(hetero)arylphenyl]ethylamines. Microwave‐irradiation accelerates the reaction tremendously and furnishes superior yields. The difficult oxidative addition of the catalyst to a highly electron‐rich and ortho‐substituted system could be performed easily, and the proto‐deboronation during cross‐coupling reactions involving the highly electron‐withdrawing (2‐formylphenyl)boronic acid could be minimized. Enhanced yields and complete compatibility with aqueous conditions were found. This strategy was developed en route towards the synthesis of an apogalanthamine analogue. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)

Synthesis of an Apogalanthamine Analogue. -A variety of electron-rich, neutral, and electron-poor phenyl and heteroaryl rings are introduced at the 2-position of the highly electron-rich bromide (I) by the title reaction. Microwave irradiation is used to enhance yields and reaction rates. The coupling of (I) with the hindered boronic acid (IV) is also successfully accomplished, even in water as solvent. The resulting biaryl is transformed into tricycle (VII), a member of the Amaryllidacae alkaloid family. -(APPUKKUTTAN, P.; ORTS, A. B.; CHANDRAN, R. P.; GOEMAN, J. L.; VAN DER EYCKEN, J.; DEHAEN, W.; VAN DER EYCKEN*, E.; Eur.