3rd Araucaria Symposium in Cell and Molecular Biology
October 25th to 27th 2022
The 3rd Araucaria Symposium in Cell and Molecular Biology was organized by the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology of UFPR, the Graduate Program in Biosciences and Biotechnology of the ICC (Fiocruz-PR) and the Multicenter Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of UFPR (Palotina Sector) with the participation of renowned researchers from Brazil and abroad. The symposium addressed three main themes: Cancer, Neurogenesis, and Stem Cells and Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. It included lectures (with national and international researchers), round tables, poster and oral presentations, image and scientific divulgation short videos competition.
Venue: Auditorium of the Sector of Applied Social Sciences, Botanic Garden Campus, UFPR, Curitiba, PR.
About the event:
The Symposium was held from 25th to 27th October 2022 and had 190 in person participants, with 11 oral presentations, and 80 exposed posters. Also, 3 elevator talks and 14 microscopy images had participated of competition promoted during the Symposium.
Elevator Talks
Exposure to pesticides and metabolites widely used in Brazil may have negative impacts on the prognosis of cancer patients.
Study of the mutation in the CYFIP2 gene that causes epileptic encephalopathy Drug screening on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC).
Isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stromal stem cells from menstrual blood and tooth pulp from patients with cystic fibrosis.
Microscopy Images
Twinkle, twinkle little star, I want to see you shine? – Authors: Jacqueline Gonçalves dos Santos, Anderson Fraga Da Cruz, Kaique Siqueira Silva, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira. Description: Human melanoma cell (MeWo lineage) stained with DAPI (nucleus) and ActinRed (cytoskeleton) for morphology analysis. The image was obtained using a confocal fluorescence microscope at the Center for Advanced Fluorescence Technologies (CTAF). 
Yin Yang Tumor – Authors: Yasmin Carla Ribeiro, Jacqueline Santos, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira, Edvaldo da Silva Trindade. Description: B16-F10 melanoma cells treated with gold nanoparticles subjected to transwell invasion assay with matrigel, labeled with actin-green (cytoskeleton) and DAPI (nucleus). Image obtained after 72 hours of invasion on a Nikon A1R MP+ confocal microscope at the Center for Advanced Fluorescence Technologies – CTAF/UFPR. 
Woodpecker - Authors: Kaique Siqueira Silva, Anderson Fraga da Cruz, Jacqueline Gonçalves dos Santos, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira. Description: Confocal fluorescence microscopy of CHL-1 human melanoma cells. Where actin filaments (cytoskeleton) are labeled with ActinRed (red), nucleus with DAPI (blue) and HMB-45 protein labeled with anti-HMB-45 primary antibody and secondary antibody conjugated with AlexaFluor 647 (green, pseudocolor). Image obtained at 100x magnification on the A1R MP+ Nikon confocal microscope at the Center for Advanced Fluorescence Technologies at Federal University of Paraná. 
The Stem Cell Journey - Authors: Daniele De Freitas Garcia, Bruna Hilzendeger Marcon, Alejandro Correa Dominguez. Description: Scanning electron microscopy of a Mesenchymal Stem Cell isolated from human adipose tissue and cultured on the 3D Alumina scaffold. In the image it is possible to visualize the cell in its process of adhering to the biomaterial through its membrane extensions. 
The mosaic look - Author: Thais Cristina Tirado. Description: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image representing the ommatidia of the sandfly of the species Nyssomyia neivai. These structures make up the compound eyes of this insect, an important vector of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the state of Paraná, mainly transmitting the Leishmania braziliensis parasite. The image was acquired with a spot size (SS) of 30, working distance (WD) of 10 mm, under a voltage of 10 kV. 
Pseudobacillus - Authors: Renata Pinho Morais, Cláudia E. B. Marino, Izabel Riegel Vidotti. Description: The image “Pseudobacillus”, in fact, does not represent bacteria of the genus Bacillus, it shows the morphology of silica nanorods, hence “pseudo”. Silica nanorods have a rod shape, similar to bacteria of the Bacillus genus. These silica nanorods were synthesized to produce a new drug delivery system, which can be used to deliver bioactive substances to cells more efficiently and with greater specificity than traditional medicines. The image was obtained by Transmission Electron Microscopy on a JEOL JEM 1200EX-II device with 10kx magnification. 
Osteoclasts, the royal victories of cell biology - Authors: Iolanda Augusta Fernandes De Matos, Morgana Rodrigues Guimaraes Stabili. Description: Osteoclasts grow and fulfill their role in bone resorption, various stimuli are capable of making them mature, and from that moment on they become a key part of bone turnover. On the other hand, its exacerbated growth causes changes that deregulate this process, degrading uncontrolled bone matrix. Royal victories are the same way, in the environment in which they develop they help in the microenvironment, with nutrients, temperature balance, reproduction of some animals and others, but their disordered growth, triggers competition for food, light and oxygen, this destabilization can cause even the death of restricted environments. Water lilies and osteoclasts are similar, not only in shape, but also in their specific functions and microenvironment renewal. 
In search of the intracellular fate of Phospholipases-D: Lysosomes - Authors: Hanna Câmara da Justa, Luiza Helena Gremski, Silvio S. Veiga. Description: Phospholipase-D toxin from Loxosceles spider venom triggers skin symptoms such as dermonecrosis. The aim of the assay was to investigate direct interaction with endothelial cells. Therefore, the targeting of this toxin (intracellularly) upon contact with an endothelial cell (RAEC) was analyzed. In immunofluorescence, labeling for the nucleus (DAPI) and labeling for phospholipase-D (green) can be observed, suggesting a subtle colocalization with lysosomes (red). Therefore, it can be suggested that within 3 hours of contact, a small part of the PLD can be directed to lysosomes, and another part can be endocytosed and directed to other organelles and/or vesicles. 
Differentiation of type I and III collagens of muscle wraps - Authors: Matheus Felipe Zazula, Elielton Horlem da Luz, Diego Francis Saraiva Rodriguez, Katya Naliwaiko. Description: Photomicrographs of the plantar muscle of Wistar rats supplemented with excess omega 3 during development. Cross sections obtained in a cryostat chamber, 5 µm thick, stained using the picrosirius red technique. Through polarized light microscopy, it is possible to observe the presence of type I collagen (red) and type III collagen (green). Due to the thick structure of type III collagen, light passing through this molecule refracts at wavelengths in the green spectrum (500 – 565 nm). While when passing through type I collagen, it is less thick and refracts at wavelengths in the red spectrum (625 – 740 nm). 
Control of bacterial biofilms in central venous catheters using chitosan and silver nanoparticles- Authors: Manuela Nepomuceno Ladeira, Marcos Antonio Polinarski, Felipe Eduardo Bueno Silva, Helton José Alves, Juliana Bernardi Wenzel. Description: Scanning electron microscopy image of a polyurethane central venous catheter test piece with presence of biofilm from the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 in which the adapted methodology of inhibiting the formation of biofilms with Ch-Ag 6:1 (compound with 150 mg of chitosan and 25 mg of AgNO3 in 55 ml of solution) was used. Covering the catheter, the aforementioned bacteria (in the upper left corner, some of them are dividing) and the extracellular matrix of the bacterial biofilm are seen. 
Cellular entanglement - Authors: Anderson Fraga Da Cruz, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira, Izabel Riegel-Vidotti, Sabrina Hochheim. Description: Scanning electron microscopy of BALB/c 3T3 murine fibroblast cells (orange) plated on a zein (maize-derived protein) nanofiber matrix (purple) carrying propolis produced through electrospinning method, used as material for dermal application. It is possible to evaluate adhesion and interaction of cells with fibers. Image obtained with 15kV power and 2000x magnification on the JEOL JSM 6360-LV microscope at the Electron Microscopy Center of the Federal University of Paraná. 
Cell dance - Author: Anderson Fraga da Cruz, Jacqueline Gonçalves dos Santos, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira. Description: Confocal fluorescence microscopy of Sk-Mel 28 human melanoma cells where the actin filaments are labeled with ActinRed (red), the nucleus with DAPI (blue) and the HMB-45 protein labeled with primary anti-HMB-45 antibody and secondary antibody conjugated with AlexaFluor 647 (green, pseudocolor). Image taken at 100x magnification on the A1R MP+ Nikon confocal microscope at the Center for Advanced Fluorescence Technologies at the Federal University of Paraná. 
Caution, fragile! - Authors: Yasmin Carla Ribeiro, Anderson Fraga Da Cruz, Jenifer Pendiuk Goncalves, Anny Waloski Robert Kulig, Lia Carolina Almeida Soares de Medeiros, Carolina Camargo de Oliveira. Description: Silica nanocapsules with eosin after ten days in reducing medium simulating the tumor intracellular environment. Image obtained by transmission electron microscopy on a JEOL JEM-1400Plus microscope at Carlos Chagas Institute. 
At the beginning there was dark and fear, and then there were macrophages! - Author: Daniel de Lima Bellan. Description: Immortalized lineage macrophage phagocytizing yeast. Its spreads, nucleus and yeasts may seem, to the most enthusiastic observers, like the origin of a galaxy!
