Previous studies have shown that growth arrest, dedifferentiation, and loss of original function occur in cells after multiple generations of culture, which are attributed to the lack of stress stimulation. To investigate the effects of multi-modal biomimetic stress (MMBS) on the biological function of human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSMCs), a MMBS culture system was established to simulate the stress environment suffered by the bladder, and HBSMCs were loaded with different biomimetic stress for 24 h. Then, cell growth, proliferation and functional differentiation were detected. The results showed that MMBS promoted the growth and proliferation of HBSMCs, and 80 cm H2O pressure with 4% stretch stress were the most effective in promoting the growth and proliferation of HBSMCs and the expression level of α-smooth muscle actin and smooth muscle protein 22-α. These results suggest that the MMBS culture system will be beneficial in regulating the growth and functional differentiation of HBSMCs in the construction of tissue engineered bladder.
Objective To probe the relationship of differentiation degree with spread or survival prognosis in retinoblastoma (RB). Methods Clinical data, follow up status and eyeball specimens in 156 RB cases were investigated retrospectively. The tumors were divided into differentiated and undifferentiated groups. Conditions of the tumor invasion of ocular or surrounding tissues were reviewed. The fatality rate was obtained from the follow-up materials of 82 cases of RB. The fatality rate and the invasion rate between the two types were compared statistically by Chi-square test. In addition, the relation between the tumor invasion and death ,and the average survival time for dead people after surgery were explored. Results Local invasion of tumor cell was found in 8 eyes among 17 eyes with differentiated RB (47.06%),and in 66 eyes among 139 eyes with undifferentiated RB (47.48%).There was no significant difference with regards to the local invasion between the two types ( The fatality rate of cases of differentiated RB was 27.27%,and 22.54% in undifferent iated RB, and there was no statistical difference between the two types .The fat ality rate for patients with orbital and scleral extension was 100%, optic nerve invasion (grade Ⅳ) was 62.50%,and uveal invasion was 22.22%.The survival time for the dead victims were from 5 months to 41 months and averaged to 21.92 months. Conclusion There was no significant differ ence both in survival prognosis and local invasion between the two types. The survival prognosis of metastatic RB was dependent on the degree of spread and the efforts of treatment and regardless of the types of differentiation of RB cells. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001,17:18-20)
ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of L-Phenylalanine on the efficiency of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell derivation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and explore the underlying mechanisms. MethodsH1 hESCs were routinely cultured with mTeSR medium and divided into control and experimental groups. When cells reached over-confluence, spontaneous differentiation was triggered using 10% KSR differentiation medium without bFGF. L-Phenylalanine (0.2 mmol/L) was supplemented in the experimental group from the 3rd week. The expression of RPE markers and Wnt signaling components in the two groups was detected by Real time-RCR, Western blot and Flow cytometry analyses. Purified hESC-RPE cells and PBS were injected into the subretinal space of sodium iodine-induced retinal degeneration rats separately. Retinal function was assessed by ERG 6 weeks after the transplantation. ResultsOn the 7th week, much more pigment cell clumps appeared in the experimental group compared to the control group. Within these areas there were monolayer hexagonal RPE cells full of pigment granules. The experimental group showed significantly higher expression of Pax6, MITF, Tyrosinase, RPE65, Wnt3a, Lef1 and Tcf7 genes than the control group (P < 0.01). Higher expression level of MITF and RPE65 proteins and higher percentage of RPE65 (+) cells (P < 0.01) were detected in the experimental group. 6 weeks after sub-retinal transplantation of hESC-RPE cells, the amplitudes of a-b wave in the transplanted eyes were significantly higher than those in the control eyes (P < 0.01) at the stimulus intensity of 3.0 cd·s/m2. ConclusionsL-Phenylalanine effectively promoted the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into retinal pigment epithelial cells, and its impacts on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may partially explain the underlying mechanisms. Subretinal transplantation of hESC-RPE remarkably improved the retinal functions of retinal degenerative animal models.
Objective To isolate neural stem cells (NSCs) from rabbit retina and brain, and induce differentiation of those NSCs using different culture media. Methods Single-cell suspensions of retina and cerebral cortex were prepared from rabbit embryo, cultured in 5 types of different media to isolate the NSCs by continual passages. After 3 passages, NSCs were induced to differentiation in 2 types of different media for 8 to 10 days. NSCs and inducedretinal cells were examined by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry for the expression pattern of some specific antigens.Results Immunofluorescence showed that NSCs from retina and brain, cultured in serumfree media, both expressed Nestin partially. Flow cytometry showed that Nestin positive cells were significantly decreased while the Rhodopsin and Thy1.1 positive cells were increased after induction. Compared with the combined induction of alltrans retinoid acid (ATRA) and serum, 5%FBS (fetal bovine serum) led to higher expression of Rhodopsin（P＜0.01），but lower expression of Thy1.1（P=0.01）.Conclusion Serumfree media with N2, EGF, bFGF, LIF is the best for NSCs purification. Both induciton media can induce NSCs to differentiate.Retina NSCs have higher potentials to differentiate into retinal neuroepithelial cells than brain NSCs.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of Y27632 to induce transdifferentiation from human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells into neuron-like cells in vitro. Methods The third to sixth generation of primary hRPE cells were cultured with 2% fetal bovine serum + Dulbecco's modified eagle medium/F12 culture solution, with (experimental group) or without (control group) 10 mu;mol/L Y27632. At 3, 6 hours and 1, 3, 5, 7 days after induction, the morphologic changes of RPE cells were observed by inverted microscope. The expression rate of CK18, Map2, NF200 and Pax6 at 3 days after induction in the experimental and control group were detected by immunofluorescent staining. chi;2 test was employed for comparison between the two groups. Results 50.1% cells of the experimental group formed axon-like processes and interconnected each other with typical neuron-like appearance. The expression rates of CK18, Map2, NF200 and Pax6 in the experimental group were 43.88%, 31.90%, 57.45% and 65.79%, while the above indexes in the control group were 93.97%, 4.49%, 22.37% and 8.33% respectively. Compared the expression rate of CK18 (chi;2=64.763), Map2 (chi;2=23.634), NF200 (chi;2=21.261) and Pax6 (chi;2=25.946) between the two groups, the differences were significant (P＜0.01). Conclusion The hRPE cells can be trans-differentiated into neuron-like cells in vitro by Y27632.
Objective To observe the differentiation effect of rabbit amnion-derived stem cells (ADSC) induced into neural cells.Methods ADSC of New Zealand female rabbits were isolated and cultured. Its mRNA level of Fibronectin, Nestin and Vimentin were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The selfreplication ability of ADSC was confirmed by monoclonal formation experiments. These ADSC were further induced into neural cells in vitro. Five days after induced differentiation, the expression of -tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected by immunofluorescent staining. Results ADSC were separated from amnion tissue gradually after 24 hours. There were polygonal cells gathered around the amnion tissue at 72 hours, and were distributed compactly around the amnion at 120 hours. The morphology of cleavage daughter cells was basically the same as parent cells. ADSC has the ability of self-replication. The Nestin, Vimentin, Fibronectin mRNA expressions in ADSC were 15.79, 1.91, 7.65 times those in spleen cells. The differences were statistically significant(Z=-5.243, -3.972, -2.524; P＜0.05). The beta;-tubulin expression was found in cytoplasm of most cells. The GFAP expression was found in cytoplasm in some cells. Conclusions ADSC has self-replication ability. It can be induced into neurons and neuroglial cells under the right conditions.
ObjectiveTo explore the phenotypic changes of epidermal stem cells (ESCs) differentiating into sweat glands cells (SGCs) in vitro and its mechanisms. MethodsESCs and SGCs were isolated and cultured in vitro, which were identified using immunofluorescence staining. ESCs at passage 2 were divided into 4 groups: ESCs and SGCs co-cultured by Transwell plates in group A, ESCs cultured by simply adding sweat supernatant in group B, ESCs and SGCs co-cultured on Transwell plate adding epidermal growth factor (EGF) (60 ng/mL) in group C, and ESCs and SGCs co-cultured on transwell plate adding PD98059 (10 mmol/L) in group D. The inverted microscope was used for observing the morphology of ESCs, flow cytometry for detecting ESCs positive phenotype, and Western blot for exploring mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway. ResultsThe morphology observation and immunofluorescence staining suggested that cultured cells were ESCs and SGCs. The inverted phase contrast microscope observation showed that cells had similar morphological changes, with flat polygonal shape at 9 days in groups A, C, and D; cells had slow morphological change in group B, and had similar change to that of other groups at 12 days. Significant decreasing of β1-integrin expression and increasing of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) expression of ESCs were observed in group A when compared with group B, which was inhibited by EGF (group C) and enhanced by PD98059 (group D), and there were significant differences among groups A, C, and D (P<0.05). High level of ERK expression was displayed in 4 groups, but it was significantly lower in group B than the other 3 groups (P<0.05). The expression of phosphorylation ERK was the highest in group A and was the lowest in group C, showing significant difference among 4 groups (P<0.05). ConclusionESCs can be induced to differentiate into SGCs with the phenotypic changes under the condition of co-cultured by Transwell plates. The MAPK/ERK pathway plays a key role in the differentiation of ESCs into SGCs.
【Abstract】 Objective To explore the interventional effect of platelet lysate (PL) on osteogenic differentiation ofBMSCs by induction in rats in vitro. Methods Twenty-four clean-grade adult Wistar rats, weighing from 250 g to 300 g, maleor female, were included in this study. PL was obtained through three times of centrifugation and repeated freeze-thaw for the blood aspirated from cardiac cavities in 16 Wistar rats. ELISA assay was conducted to detect the concentration of growth factors PDGF, TGF-β1, IGF-1 and VEGF in PL. The BMSCs harvested by flushing femurs of 8 adult Wistar rats were isolated, cultivated and expanded in vitro. The cells at the 4 passage were performed for osteogenic differentiation by induction in three groups of A (5% PL of final concentration in basic induction medium), B (1% PL of final concentration in basic induction medium), and C (no presence of PL in basic induction medium as a control). The morphological changes of the cells were dynamically observed with inverted phase contrast microscope during the whole period. At different time-points, ALP staining (7 days) and ALP/TP (2, 8, 12 days) of the cells were detected to evaluate ALP activity, and the mineral formation in extracellular martrix was examined with Al izarin red staining which provided quantitative analysis of mineral deposits. Results ELISA assay showed that the content of PDGF, TGF-β1, IGF-1 and VEGF in PL reached (300 ± 30), (140 ± 25), (80 ± 35), (70 ± 20) pg/mL, respectively. Morphological observation displayed BMSCs in group A or B gradually turned from spindle-shape to square- or polygon-shape as the morphorlogical type of osteoblast-l ike cells at 7 days. The cells in group A showed slower shape changesbut higher prol iferation than that in group B or C. Moreover, at the 20 days, the cells in group A still displayed dense gro wth and produced obviously decreased amount of mineral deposits in ECM when compared with group B or C. At the 7 days, the cells ofgroup A showed smaller amount of granules positive for ALP staining in cytoplasm when compared with groups B and C, and displayed marked reduction in ALP activity assay at the 2, 8, and 10 days compared with that of groups B and C (P lt; 0.05). At the 20 days, Al izarin red staining showed the number of mineral deposits in groups A, B and C were 7.67 ± 1.10, 12.87 ± 0.81 and 15.59 ± 0.25, respectively, while the area of mineral deposits were (161 778.70 ± 44 550.80), (337 349.70 ± 56 083.24), and (415 921.70 ± 71 725.39) pixels, respectively. The number of mineral deposits and the area of mineral deposits in group A were smaller than those in groups B and C (P lt;0.05). But there was no statistically significant difference between groups B and C (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion PL is a kind of system carrying various growth factors. Exposure of PL inhibits both ALP activity and mineral formation of BMCs in a dose-dependent way under the osteogenic induction environment.
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of miRNA-1 in denervated skeletal muscle at different periods, and to explore effects of passive movement on the expression of miRNA-1 and differentiation of myoblasts in denervation-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in rats. MethodsTwenty-seven Sprague Dawley rats, weighing (200±10) g, were randomly divided into sham-operated group (group A, n=3), denervated group (group B, n=12), and passive movement group (group C, n=12). After the right sciatic nerve was exposed and dissociated, the sciatic nerve of 1 cm in length was removed in groups B and C; resection was not performed in group A. At 1 day after operation, passive flexion and extension movement was performed on the right hind limb in group C. At 6 hours in group A and at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days in groups B and C, 3 rats were sacrificed to measure the wet weight ratio of gastrocnemius muscle, to observe the diameter of the gastrocnemius muscle cell and evaluate the muscle atrophy by HE staining; RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of miRNA-1 and myocyte differentiation factor (MyoD), and immunohistochemistry to determine the protein expression of MyoD. ResultsAtrophy in various degrees was observed in denervated gastrocnemius muscle of groups B and C. The muscle fiber arranged in disorder and the diameter of the muscle cells decreased gradually with the time, without normal structure and morphology. The wet weight ratio and the cell diameter of the gastrocnemius in groups B and C were significantly less than those in group A (P<0.05); the wet weight ratio at 7, 14, 28 days and the cell diameter at 7, 14 days of group B were significantly greater than those of group A (P<0.05). The expressions of miRNA-1 and MyoD mRNA gradually increased with time in groups B and C, but were significantly less than those of group A at each time point (P<0.05). At 7, 14, and 28 days after operation, the expressions of miRNA-1 and MyoD mRNA in group C were significantly higher than those in group B (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed positive expression of MyoD in groups A, B, and C at each time point, but higher expression was observed in groups B and C than group A; the expression increased with time in groups B and C, and it was significantly higher in group C than group B. The correlation analysis results showed that the overall change trend of miRNA-1 and MyoD had no relation with the gastrocnemius wet weight ratio at 3 and 7 days (P>0.05), and had positive correlation at 14 and 28 days (P<0.05); positive correlation was found between the relative expression of MyoD and miRNA-1 mRNA (P<0.05). ConclusionPassive movement can prevent amyotrophy by increasing the expression of miRNA-1 and promoting the differentiation of myoblasts.
Objective To analyze MC3T3E1 cell morphology, prol iferation, and osteogenic differentiation in fibrin gel (FG) so as to lay a fundament for use of FG in tissue engneering. Methods MC3T3E1 cells were incubated in three concentrations (20, 10 and 5 mg/mL)of FG as the experimental groups (groups A, B and C) and in the common medium culture as the control group (group D). The cell morphology and distribution in FG were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope at different time. The cell prol iferation was assessed by fluorospectrophotometer. The alkal ine phosphatase (ALP) activity was detected by automatic biochemistry analyses and von Kossa staining was used to analyze calcium salts mineralization. RT-PCR was used to analyze the ALP and bone sialoprotein (BSP)mRNA expression at 14 and 21 days. Results In groups A, B and C, the MC3T3E1 cells had long processes which connected each other and formed network; but fusiform or cube cells were observed in group D at 21 days. The fluorescence intensity was increased gradually with time, was the highest at 14 days and the lowest at 28 days in group D; it was highest in groups A, B and C at 28 days, there were statistically significant differences when compared with group D (P lt; 0.05). The ALP activity was increased gradually with time, and it was the highest at 28 days in group D and at 21 days in groups A and B, there were significant differences (P lt; 0.05), no statistically significant differences compared with group D at other time points (P gt; 0.05). The mineral ization nodus were seen at 21 and 28 days in group A, but no mineral ization nodus was seen in group D at 28 days. The RT-PCR results showed the mRNA expressions of ALP and BSP were enhanced in group A when compared with group D (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The osteogenic differentiation was most obvious and cell prol iferation was most active after 21 days of incubation in FG.