肌源干细胞及其应用研究进展

研究证实,肌肉中存在2种类型的干细胞,即肌卫星细胞和多能干细胞,后者又可分为不同的细胞亚群。这些细胞群表现出自我更新能力和多潜能性,可分化为血细胞、成骨细胞、神经细胞等不同胚层的组织细胞。由于肌源干细胞具有治疗包括骨骼肌和心肌在内的肌肉疾病的可能性,并且潜在地可促进其他组织,如骨和软骨的再生和愈合,因此近几年来的相关研究取得很大进展。     

肌源干细胞研究进展

目前已证实肌肉是具有多向分化潜能的成体干细胞的一个储存库。研究者认为骨骼肌中至少有两种干细胞：肌卫星细胞（muscle satellite cells）和肌源干细胞（muscle-derived stem cells, MDSCs）,并且使用几种方法从肌肉中分离获得不同类群的MDSCs。研究发现分离这些细胞的方法影响干细胞的特征。本文对MDSCs的行为、生物学特征、分离、分化及其在治疗组织器官修复和再生中应用的可能性等作一概括介绍。     

骨骼肌卫星细胞对肉品质的影响及其分化调控

骨骼肌卫星细胞是一种肌源性干细胞, 在骨骼肌的生长、发育及肌肉损伤修复中有着至关重要的作用。肌卫星细胞通过增殖、分化融合肌纤维形成新的肌核从而导致骨骼肌纤维的肥大以及骨骼肌纤维类型的相互转化, 进而影响肉品质的形成。文章从肌纤维的发育与肉品质形成、卫星细胞分化与肌纤维特征的相关性等方面, 对卫星细胞的Notch等经典遗传信号通路和miRNA等表观遗传调控及其对肉品质的影响进行了综述。     

肌卫星细胞研究进展

骨骼肌中的卫星细胞,长期以来就被认为是出生后骨骼肌生长、修复和维持的单能成肌干细胞。近年研究发现,卫星细胞与内皮细胞共同起源于胚胎血管祖细胞,且成年骨骼肌中存在多能干细胞,这些肌源多能干细胞在适当的微环境中具有多向分化潜能。这将为治疗包括帕金森病在内的多种临床退行性疾病提供自体干细胞的新来源。本文对肌卫星细胞的起源、增殖和成肌分化的分子调节机制,以及肌卫星细胞的多能干细胞潜能等方面的研究进展进行了综述。     

体细胞起源的人胚胎干细胞

根据治疗性克隆假设,可以通过体细胞核移植技术获得与病人具同样基因型的细胞或组织。这样起源的细胞或组织植回病人将不会引起免疫排斥反应。本研究将5岁、42岁、52岁和60岁4个不同年龄的人体细胞核植入去核的兔卵母细胞中重新启动,发育至囊胚,并分离人胚胎干细胞。研究结果提示,年龄不影响体细胞被重新启动的效率。经过核型分析,同源染色体分析,原位杂交,PCR和免疫组化染色等多种鉴定,ntES细胞具有人染色体。ntES细胞可以长期增殖并保持不分化状态,也可以形成类胚体并分化出包括神经和肌肉在内的多种细胞类型。由类胚体诱导生成的混合细胞群体表达所有三个胚层(外、中、内胚层)细胞类型标记,说明ntES细胞具有分化成所有三个胚层的潜力。因此,从人体细胞核获得的ntES细胞与普通人胚胎干细胞一样具有向多种细胞类型分化的能力。     

成体干细胞向肝细胞分化

成体干细胞跨越胚层限制分化为其他胚层来源的细胞,对揭示不同胚层细胞间相互分化的生物学意义和机制具有重要学术价值,并可以为临床细胞移植治疗开辟新的途径,从而成为当前研究的热点之一。综述了近年来肝源性卵圆细胞、成肝细胞、骨髓源干细胞和其他成体干细胞跨越分化为肝细胞的研究现状与进展,以及卵圆细胞、成肝细胞等的分离鉴定,表面标志、生物学特征和跨越分化机制,并对成体干细胞在肝脏疾病细胞治疗上的应用前景作了展望。     

胚胎干细胞治疗心肌梗死的研究进展

胚胎干细胞 (ES细胞 )是一种多能细胞 ,来源于囊胚期胚胎 ,具有很强的自我更新能力 ,并能分化成很多细胞类型。体外 ,ES细胞能自发聚集形成胚胎体 (EB) ,分化成许多种细胞类型 ;ES细胞注射到免疫缺陷的小鼠体内 ,产生畸胎瘤 ,其中包含有三个胚层的细胞。添加生长因子或与其它细胞共培养等方法可以促进ES细胞体外分化为心肌细胞 ,筛选后移植到梗死的心肌 ,可以提高心脏功能 ,是治疗心肌梗死的一种很有潜力的方法     

骨髓间充质干细胞成肌分化在骨骼肌再生中的应用

骨骼肌良好的再生能力是由于肌卫星细胞的存在,然而肌卫星细胞的数量仅占骨骼肌细胞数量的1%~ 5%,当肌肉损伤时,仅依靠这些卫星细胞还不足以促进骨骼肌修复与再生,并且这种再生能力会随着年龄的增大而衰减,并不能修复损伤严重的骨骼肌。骨髓间充质干细胞（BMSC）因其多向分化潜能,旁分泌潜能,免疫调节能力及容易获取等特点广泛用于损伤骨骼肌的修复与再生。但在某种程度上,仅仅采用BMSC治疗损伤的骨骼肌仍不能达到满意的效果。因此,大量研究采用药物、生物材料、细胞及细胞因子对BMSC进行预处理不仅可改善它的移植率,还可显著促进其向骨骼肌分化,从而最大限度的发掘骨骼肌间充质干细胞的成肌分化潜能以促进骨骼肌的修复。因此,本篇综述旨在概括BMSC成肌分化在骨骼肌再生中的应用。     

诱导小鼠胚胎干细胞在体外分化为骨骼肌细胞的实验研究

小鼠胚胎干细胞是从胚泡未分化的内部细胞团中得到的干细胞,它在体外培养的环境中具有无限增殖、自我更新以及多向分化的特性。将小鼠胚胎干细胞在体外诱导分化为肌肉细胞,并且利用这些分化得来的肌肉细胞治疗肌肉退行性疾病,是干细胞研究领域的热点。该实验的目的在于筛选小鼠胚胎干细胞向骨骼肌细胞定向分化的实验条件,有效地将体外单层贴壁培养的小鼠胚胎干细胞诱导分化成骨骼肌细胞。最终发现,10-8mol/L维甲酸(retinoid acid,RA)+0.5%二甲基亚砜(dimethyl sulfoxide,DMSO)组诱导小鼠胚胎干细胞在体外分化成骨骼肌前体细胞的效率最高,分化得到的骨骼肌前体细胞经进一步纯化,能分化为多核的肌管。该实验为治疗肌肉退行性疾病提供了细胞来源,也为研究小鼠胚胎干细胞分化为骨骼肌细胞的机制提供了有利的条件。     

肌肉卫星细胞被证实是干细胞

肌肉卫星细胞是肌肉纤维与其膜鞘之间的空间中的静止细胞，在那里它们通过形成与肌肉纤维融合的先驱细胞来对损伤作出反应。有研究报告说，它们能充当干细胞，但卫星细胞群的混合性质意味着．它们的干细胞身份难以证明。Saceo等人通过利用克隆分析证实卫星细胞的确是干细胞、能够自我更新，从而澄清了相关问题。     

Muscle-derived stem cells: isolation, characterization, differentiation, and application in cell and gene therapy

Muscle tissue represents an abundant, accessible, and replenishable source of adult stem cells for cell-based tissue and genetic engineering. A population of cells isolated from muscle exhibits both multipotentiality and self-renewal capabilities. Satellite cells, referred to by many investigators as muscle stem cells, are myogenic precursors that are capable of regenerating muscle and that demonstrate self-renewal properties; however, they are considered to be committed to the myogenic lineage. Muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs), which may represent a predecessor of the satellite cell, are considered to possess a higher regeneration capacity and to exhibit better cell survival and a broader range of multilineage capabilities. Remarkably, MDSCs are not only able to differentiate into mesodermal cell types including the myogenic, adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, endothelial, and hematopoietic lineages, but also possess the potential to break germ layer commitment and differentiate into ectodermal lineages including neuron-like cells under certain conditions. This article reviews the current preclinical studies and potential clinical applications of MDSC-mediated gene therapy and tissue-engineering and methods for MDSC isolation, differentiation, and molecular characterization.     

Muscle stem cells differentiate into haematopoietic lineages but retain myogenic potential

Muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) can differentiate into multiple lineages, including haematopoietic lineages. However, it is unknown whether MDSCs preserve their myogenic potential after differentiation into other lineages. To address this issue, we isolated from dystrophic muscle a population of MDSCs that express stem-cell markers and can differentiate into various lineages. After systemic delivery of three MDSC clones into lethally irradiated mice, we found that differentiation of the donor cells into various lineages of the haematopoietic system resulted in repopulation of the recipients' bone marrow. Donor-derived bone-marrow cells, isolated from these recipients by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), also repopulated the bone marrow of secondary, lethally irradiated, recipients and differentiated into myogenic cells both in vitro and in vivo in normal mdx mice. These findings demonstrate that MDSC clones retain their myogenic potential after haematopoietic differentiation.     

Isolation and passage of muscle-derived stem cells from the rat penile corpora cavernosa and induction of differentiation into smooth muscle cells

This study treated the isolation and passage of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) from rat penile corpora cavernosa, detection of stem cell marker expression, observation of their self-renewal and continuous proliferation, and demonstration of their potential to differentiate into smooth muscle cells in co-culture. Muscle-derived stem cells from the rat penile corpora cavernosa were isolated and purified. The expression of stem cell markers Sca-1 and desmin was detected in PP6 cells, thus confirming that the main components of PP6 cells are MDSCs. The expression of Sca-1 and desmin occurred both in PP6 cells and cells at passages 3, 6, and 8, and there was no significant decrease in the expression level with increasing passage number. The growth curves indicated that the cell doubling time was approximately 48 h. The cells entered the stationary phase after approximately 7 days of culture. The proliferative activity of the cells at passage 8 remained unchanged. After 2 days of co-culture with smooth muscle cells, the DAPI-labeled MDSCs tended to exhibit smooth muscle cell morphology and expression of α-SMA was detected. MDSCs exist in the rat penile corpora cavernosa and possess the potential to differentiate into smooth muscle cells. This discovery serves as the basis in view of the potential use of endogenous stem cells for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).     

Tissue engineering with muscle-derived stem cells

Tissue engineering and cell therapy approaches aim to take advantage of the repopulating ability and plasticity of multipotent stem cells to regenerate lost or diseased tissue. Researchers continue to investigate stem cells in mature tissues and demonstrate the potential ability of organ-specific cells to differentiate into multiple lineages. One stem cell that displays such promise is the muscle-derived stem cell (MDSC). Data supporting the existence of MDSCs have emerged as part of investigations to improve myoblast cell transplantation for the treatment of muscular dystrophies. As these efforts continue, the potential for MDSC-based therapy for other musculoskeletal injuries, as well as for cardiac and smooth muscle injuries, is currently being explored.     

CD117+ amniotic fluid stem cells

Broadly multipotent stem cells can be isolated from amniotic fluid by selection for the expression of the membrane stem cell factor receptor c-Kit, a common marker for multipotential stem cells. They have clonogenic capability and can be directed into a wide range of cell types representing the three primary embryonic lineages. Amniotic fluid stem cells maintained for over 250 population doublings retained long telomeres and a normal karyotype. Clonal human lines verified by retroviral marking were induced to differentiate into cell types representing each embryonic germ layer, including cells of adipogenic, osteogenic, myogenic, endothelial, neuronal and hepatic lineages. AFS cells could be differentiate toward cardiomyogenic lineages, when co-cultured with neonatal cardiomyocytes, and have the potential to generate myogenic and hematopoietic lineages both in vitro and in vivo. Very recently first trimester AFS cells could be reprogrammed without any genetic manipulation opening new possibilities in the field of fetal/neonatal therapy and disease modeling. In this review we are aiming to summarize the knowledge on amniotic fluid stem cells and highlight the most promising results.     

CD117+ amniotic fluid stem cells: State of the art and future perspectives

Broadly multipotent stem cells can be isolated from amniotic fluid by selection for the expression of the membrane stem cell factor receptor c-Kit, a common marker for multipotential stem cells. They have clonogenic capability and can be directed into a wide range of cell types representing the three primary embryonic lineages. Amniotic fluid stem cells maintained for over 250 population doublings retained long telomeres and a normal karyotype. Clonal human lines verified by retroviral marking were induced to differentiate into cell types representing each embryonic germ layer, including cells of adipogenic, osteogenic, myogenic, endothelial, neuronal and hepatic lineages. AFS cells could be differentiate toward cardiomyogenic lineages, when co-cultured with neonatal cardiomyocytes, and have the potential to generate myogenic and hematopoietic lineages both in vitro and in vivo. Very recently first trimester AFS cells could be reprogrammed without any genetic manipulation opening new possibilities in the field of fetal/neonatal therapy and disease modeling. In this review we are aiming to summarize the knowledge on amniotic fluid stem cells and highlight the most promising results.     

Muscle-derived stem cells isolated as non-adherent population give rise to cardiac, skeletal muscle and neural lineages

Stem cells with the ability to differentiate in specialized cell types can be extracted from a wide array of adult tissues including skeletal muscle. Here we have analyzed a population of cells isolated from skeletal muscle on the basis of their poor adherence on uncoated or collagen-coated dishes that show multi-lineage differentiation in vitro. When analysed under proliferative conditions, these cells express stem cell surface markers Sca-1 (65%) and Bcrp-1 (80%) but also MyoD (15%), Neuronal beta III-tubulin (25%), GFAP (30%) or Nkx2.5 (1%). Although capable of growing as non-attached spheres for months, when given an appropriate matrix, these cells adhere giving rise to skeletal muscle, neuronal and cardiac muscle cell lineages. A similar cell population could not be isolated from either bone marrow or cardiac tissue suggesting their specificity to skeletal muscle. When injected into damaged muscle, these non-adherent muscle-derived cells are retrieved expressing Pax7, in a sublaminar position characterizing satellite cells and participate in forming new myofibers. These data show that a non-adherent stem cell population can be specifically isolated and expanded from skeletal muscle and upon attachment to a matrix spontaneously differentiate into muscle, cardiac and neuronal lineages in vitro. Although competing with resident satellite cells, these cells are shown to significantly contribute to repair of injured muscle in vivo supporting that a similar muscle-derived non-adherent cell population from human muscle may be useful in treatment of neuromuscular disorders.     

Self-renewal and differentiation capabilities are variable between human embryonic stem cell lines I3, I6 and BG01V

Background  

A unique and essential property of embryonic stem cells is the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell lineages. However, the possible differences in proliferation and differentiation capabilities among independently-derived human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are not well known because of insufficient characterization. To address this question, a side-by-side comparison of 1) the ability to maintain an undifferentiated state and to self-renew under standard conditions; 2) the ability to spontaneously differentiate into three primary embryonic germ lineages in differentiating embryoid bodies; and 3) the responses to directed neural differentiation was made between three NIH registered hES cell lines I3 (TE03), I6 (TE06) and BG01V. Lines I3 and I6 possess normal XX and a normal XY karyotype while BG01V is a variant cell line with an abnormal karyotype derived from the karyotypically normal cell line BG01.