The observed pathological changes of the trigeminal vasculature could be the primary factor, while demyelination of the trigeminal nerve fibers could be the secondary process in some patients with neuralgia.

In this paper, we have shown for the fi rst time the soft tissue response of novel silver/ poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene (Ag/PVA/Gr) and silver/poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/ graphene (Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr) nanocomposite hydrogels aimed for medical applications. These novel hydrogels were produced by in situ electrochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles in the polymer matrices as described in our previously published works. Both Ag/PVA/Gr and Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr, as well as controls Ag/PVA, Ag/PVA/CHI and commercial Suprasorb©hydrogel discs, were implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Implants with the surrounding tissue were dissected after post-implantation on days 7, 15, 30 and 60, and then processed for histological examination. The tissue irritation index (TIrI) score, according to ISO 10993-6, 2007, as well as the number of leukocytes in the peri-implant zone and connective tissue capsule thickness were examined. The results show that each TIrI score, the leukocyte number around the implanted materials and capsule thickness gradually decreased during the observation period. At the endpoint of follow-up, the Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr implant was surrounded with a thinner capsule, while both the TIrI score and the number of leukocytes of the peri-implant zone were greater compared to the Ag/PVA/Gr implant. Despite the observed differences, we can conclude that our in vivo experiment suggested that both novel hydrogels were biocompatible and suitable for medical use.

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The pancreas appears to be a major source of ghrelin during fetal development, but the ontogeny of ghrelin cells in the human pancreas and their developmental relationship with α- and β-cells remain largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the dynamics of ghrelin cell growth, colocalization of ghrelin with major pancreatic hormones and defined the similarities and differences among developmental patterns of ghrelin-, glucagon- and insulin-expressing cells in the human pancreas. To this end, paraffin-embedded pancreatic tissue sections from human embryos and fetuses were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Ghrelin-positive cells were first detected in the pancreas of 11-week-old fetuses. With advancing gestational age, both ghrelin- and glucagon-expressing cells were increasingly observed at the periphery of the developing islets, whereas insulin-containing cells were typically found in the islet core. Double immunohistochemistry showed that ghrelin-expressing cells were clearly separate from insulin-, somatostatin- and pancreatic polypeptide-containing cells. In contrast, cells coexpressing ghrelin and glucagon were sporadically detected during both the early and late fetal periods. Furthermore, morphometric analysis revealed a similar trend in the volume density of ghrelin- and glucagon-positive cells, and a contrasting pattern in β-cell density at specific time points during the development of the human pancreas. This study demonstrates that the developmental pattern of ghrelin cells, although clearly distinct, is quite similar to that of glucagon-expressing cells. The obtained findings indicate a close lineage relationship between these cell populations, a functional relationship between their secretory products and an auto/paracrine mode of ghrelin-glucagon interaction in pancreatic development.

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