胚胎干细胞的生物学特性及体外诱导分化

来源于早期胚胎的胚胎干细胞 (ES)和胎儿生殖脊干细胞 (EG)可在未分化状态下长期增殖培养 ,并保持其多向分化潜能 .体外培养ES细胞的条件已趋于稳定 ,国内外建立了来自人和多种动物早期胚胎的ES细胞系 .某些细胞因子和化学物质等可定向诱导ES细胞分化为各种不同类型的组织细胞 .ES细胞在胚胎发育、细胞分化、转基因动物、移植治疗、药物开发等领域具有广阔的应用前景 .     

鱼类生殖细胞

鱼类和其他大多数动物一样,胚胎发育产生两大细胞系,一个是生殖细胞系或种质系,另一个是体细胞系.生殖细胞系和体细胞系的分离发生在胚胎发育的早期,其标志是形成生殖细胞系的祖细胞,即原始生殖细胞(primordial germ cells,PGCs).PGC形成后从其"出生地"进行"长途跋涉"迁移到性原基,成为性原细胞,即卵原细胞和精原细胞;随后在经过配子生成的一系列发育过程后,最终产生成熟的配子——卵子和精子.生殖细胞发育的每个步骤都可能都可能影响生物个体的生殖能力或育性.巨大的生物学意义及其令人振奋的研究进展,使"生殖细胞"日益成为科学研究的热点,且作为特别议题出现在Science杂志2007年4月20日第5823期的封面上.近10年见证了对生殖细胞的认知的长足进步,这些都得益于对青鳉和斑马鱼等模式生物的研究.生殖细胞已能被准确地标记且分离以进行体外培养及移植,这为濒临绝种的动物借助近缘物种进行生殖繁衍提供了技术基础,譬如最近就有人成功地"借鲑鱼之腹"获得了虹鳟后代.另外,单倍体细胞体外培养已获成功,如最近有研究人员获得了青鳉鱼单倍体胚胎干细胞,而且把这种细胞的核移植到正常的卵子中,其能像正常精子授精一样发育并产生可育的子代.这种鱼其实最初是由嵌合卵发育而成,也就是由正常减数分裂生成的单倍体卵母细胞核和植入的体外培养的有丝分裂单倍体细胞核组成的卵.这种繁殖技术也被称作半克隆技术.这条首次获得的半克隆青鳉鱼被命名为"霍莉"(Holly).总之,本文将从基础研究和繁殖技术两方面,就生物界对鱼类生殖细胞研究和操作现状及未来研究方向进行小结与探讨.     

我国成功培养鱼体外精原细胞

最近,中国科学院水生生物研究所洪云汉研究员等以青鳉鱼为模式材料,成功地建立了长期培养的正常精原细胞系,并发现该精原细胞系能在培养皿里形成可游动的精子。这项研究成果达到国际领先水平,为鱼类乃至其他动物的基因工程研究开辟了新途径。这项研究证明,精原细胞能在人工培养条件下持续生长扩增并形成精子。由于鱼类和哺乳类的相似性,洪云汉研究小组的发现向人们展现了这样的可能性,即在实验室条件下保存和扩增哺乳动物的精原细胞,从而获得精子,可望治疗男性不育。据该研究的合作者水生生物研究所所长桂建芳研究员介绍,该项成果还为干细胞…     

青鳉干细胞及其应用

干细胞广泛存在于多细胞生物的早期胚胎和成体组织中.干细胞的多能性和易操作性使其在发育生物学和再生医学上具有巨大的研究和应用价值,如细胞发育潜能的调控、细胞命运的决定、细胞治疗等.干细胞培养是研究干细胞研究工作的基础,主要集中在小鼠、人和青鳉这3种脊椎动物上.青鳉是一种小型淡水鱼,常被用作发育生物学和生物医学研究的模式物种.本文将主要介绍青鳉干细胞系及其应用.青鳉的MES1是除小鼠以外的第一个胚干细胞系;SG3是第一个成体精原干细胞系,可以在体外形成具有运动能力的精子;HX1是首个单倍体胚干细胞系,通过核移植技术,将该单倍体细胞的细胞核移植到未受精卵细胞中,得到第一个可育的半克隆动物霍利.这些突破使青鳉毫无疑问地成为干细胞研究的理想模式.     

新物种诱导多能干细胞的研究进展

胚胎干细胞（embryonic stem cells,ESC）在人类遗传病学研究、疾病模型建立、器官再生以及动物物种改良和定向变异等方面的地位是其他类型的细胞不可取代的。但是,由于实验技术和体外培养条件的限制,除了小鼠、恒河猴和人之外,大鼠、猪、牛、羊等其他哺乳动物的ES细胞系被证明很难获得。先后有多个研究小组报道了他们利用新兴的诱导多能干细胞（induced pluripotent stem cells,iPS细胞）技术成功建立大鼠和猪的iPS细胞系的研究成果。迄今为止,这两个物种是在未成功建立ES细胞系之前利用iPS技术建立多能干细胞系的成功范例。这些研究对于那些还未建立ES细胞的物种建立多能干细胞系提供了一种新的方案,也将给这些物种的胚胎干细胞的建立、基因修饰动物的产生以及人类医疗事业的促进和发展带来新的希望。     

干细胞生物学研究进展

自从1981年小鼠胚胎干细胞(Embryonicstemcell,ES细胞)分离培养成功以来,人们又致力于羊、猪、牛等大型动物胚胎干细胞研究,因为ES细胞在培养细胞与个体发育和体细胞与生殖细胞之间架起了桥梁。ES细胞可以作为遗传物质的载体来改造动物和研究基因对胚胎发育的影响。人体胚胎干细胞培养成功是干细胞生物学技术又一重大突破,它与动物体细胞克隆技术相结合,给组织器官工程带来美好前景。1　人体胚胎干细胞Thomson和Gearhart2个研究小组分别采用不同教材成功培养人体ES细胞,如图1示:图1　　根据鼠ES细胞研究结果,推测人体ES细胞基础和临床…     

一种可高效转染的青鳉肌肉细胞系的建立与应用（英文）

在哺乳动物细胞系中转基因的效率相对较高而在鱼类细胞系中相对较低,为了获得鱼类高效转基因细胞系,我们从模式鱼类青鳉(Oryzias latipes)中分离和构建了肌肉细胞系OLM。该细胞系类似于纤维细胞,在28℃DMEM和10%的胚胎牛血清中培养了超过88代。通过染色体分析,它属于两倍体并含有48条染色体。在脂质体介导下,报告基因的转染效率可以达到40%,在测试的其他鱼类细胞中转染效率最高。此外还构建了稳定转染转基因或者非编码RNA的细胞系。OLM细胞对常见的病毒SVCV、GCRV、SGIV等不敏感。综上所述,研究在青鳉中建立了一种能高效转染的肌肉细胞系,它适用于鱼类瞬时和稳定的转基因研究。     

一种可高效转染的青鳉肌肉细胞系的建立与应用

在哺乳动物细胞系中转基因的效率相对较高而在鱼类细胞系中相对较低, 为了获得鱼类高效转基因细胞系, 我们从模式鱼类青鳉(Oryzias latipes)中分离和构建了肌肉细胞系OLM。该细胞系类似于纤维细胞, 在28℃ DMEM和10%的胚胎牛血清中培养了超过88代。通过染色体分析, 它属于两倍体并含有48条染色体。在脂质体介导下, 报告基因的转染效率可以达到40%, 在测试的其他鱼类细胞中转染效率最高。此外还构建了稳定转染转基因或者非编码RNA的细胞系。OLM细胞对常见的病毒SVCV、GCRV、SGIV等不敏感。综上所述, 研究在青鳉中建立了一种能高效转染的肌肉细胞系, 它适用于鱼类瞬时和稳定的转基因研究。     

人的类胚胎干细胞中碱性磷酸酶的检测方法和条件

检测人的类胚胎干细胞 (em bryonic stem cells,ES细胞 )中的碱性磷酸酶活性 ,以判别 ES细胞是否处于未分化状态 ,为分离和培养出高度未分化人的类胚胎干细胞 ,建立人类 ES细胞系 ,从而建立体外研究细胞分化和发育调控机制的模型提供方便。本文对检测 ES细胞中碱性磷酸酶活性的钙钴法和α-奈基磷酸技术方法和条件进行了探讨。结果显示 :检测 ES细胞中的碱性磷酸酶用α-奈基磷酸法较钙钴法为好 ,操作更简单 ,不会出现假阳性。分离和培养出高度未分化人的类胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells,ES细胞 ) ,建立人类 ES细胞系 ,再定向诱导其…     

BALB/c小鼠胚胎干细胞系建立的方法学探讨

以小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞（ME）为饲养层,以大鼠心脏细胞条件下培养基（RH－CM）为ES细胞培养基,全面、详尽地对BALB／c小鼠ES细胞的纱和培养方法进行了探讨,成功地建立了一套建立和培养BALB/c小鼠ES细胞系的新方法。这一培养条件不但有效地维持了ES细胞的未分化状态和正常二倍体核型,而且维持了其作为能性胚胎干细胞的一系列特征。实验设计了两种离散方法和两种浓度的消化兴,用来离散增殖的ICM和ICM离散后出现的ES集落。两种离散方法即“一次离散法”,和“多次离散法”,两种浓度的消化液即0．25％。Trypsin－0．04％。EDTA和．005％。Trypsin-0.888％EDTA;同时对ICM离散时机、RH－CM在BALB／c小鼠ES细胞建系和培养中作用进行了探讨。结果表明：在低浓度消化液作用下,采用“多次离散法”离散增殖4天的ICM和ES集落的方法建立BALC／c小鼠的ES细胞系是理想的;从细胞形态、集落形态、增殖生长能力、核型检测、碱性磷酸酶测定以及体内外分化能力表明,所建立的9个BALB/c小鼠ES细胞系符合小鼠胚胎干细胞的一系列特征。     

Fish stem cell cultures

Stem cells have the potential for self-renewal and differentiation. First stem cell cultures were derived 30 years ago from early developing mouse embryos. These are pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells. Efforts towards ES cell derivation have been attempted in other mammalian and non-mammalian species. Work with stem cell culture in fish started 20 years ago. Laboratory fish species, in particular zebrafish and medaka, have been the focus of research towards stem cell cultures. Medaka is the second organism that generated ES cells and the first that gave rise to a spermatogonial stem cell line capable of test-tube sperm production. Most recently, the first haploid stem cells capable of producing whole animals have also been generated from medaka. ES-like cells have been reported also in zebrafish and several marine species. Attempts for germline transmission of ES cell cultures and gene targeting have been reported in zebrafish. Recent years have witnessed the progress in markers and procedures for ES cell characterization. These include the identification of fish homologs/paralogs of mammalian pluripotency genes and parameters for optimal chimera formation. In addition, fish germ cell cultures and transplantation have attracted considerable interest for germline transmission and surrogate production. Haploid ES cell nuclear transfer has proven in medaka the feasibility of semi-cloning as a novel assisted reproductive technology. In this special issue on "Fish Stem Cells and Nuclear Transfer", we will focus our review on medaka to illustrate the current status and perspective of fish stem cells in research and application. We will also mention semi-cloning as a new development to conventional nuclear transfer.     

Efficiency of cell culture derivation from blastula embryos and of chimera formation in the medaka (Oryzias latipes) depends on donor genotype and passage number

 Embryonic stem (ES) cells from early vertebrate embryos only rarely retain their full developmental potential under in vitro culture conditions, but undergo differentiation and lose their ability for chimeric embryogenesis. This is reflected by the fact that the ES cell technology to date could only be fully developed in mice. In the fish Oryzias latipes, the medaka, one ES-like cell line, MES1, has been established which gives rise to a high frequency of somatic chimeras but a low degree of chimerism. Here we have tested the effect of donor genotype and cultivation time on the efficiency of cell culture derivation and on chimera formation. The HB12A, HB32C and HNI strains of medaka most efficiently and reproducibly give rise to blastula-derived cell cultures that produce pigmented chimeras in albino hosts. Seven chimeras grew to male or female adults with normal fertility, although none of them showed obvious donor germline contribution. During prolonged in vitro propagation the frequency of chimeras and the degree of chimerism dropped to a value retained in the long-term cultured MES1 cells. Obviously, genetic factors in host/donor compatibility and physiological changes during prolonged in vitro culture may compromise, but do not abolish, the developmental potential of medaka ES-like cells. Thus, elucidation of conditions that will expand the developmental potential of medaka blastula cell cultures should lead to a further improvement towards establishment of the ES cell technology in medaka. Received: 5 June 1998 / Accepted: 6 July 1998     

An ES-like cell line from the marine fish Sparus aurata: Characterization and chimaera production

Embryonic stem (ES) cells provide a unique tool for cell-mediated gene transfer and targeted gene mutations due to the possibility of in vitro selection of desired genotypes. When selected cells contribute to the germ line in chimaeric embryos, transgenic animals may be generated with modified genetic traits. Though the ES cell approach has up to now been limited to mice, there is an increasing interest to develop this technology in both model and commercial fish species, with so far promising results in the medaka and zebrafish. In this study, we present evidence regarding a long-term stable cell line (SaBE-1c), derived from embryonic cells of the aquaculture marine fish Sparus aurata which has been characterized for (i) cell proliferation, (ii) chromosome complement, (iii) molecular markers, and (iv) in vitro tests of pluripotency by alkaline phosphatase (AP) staining, telomerase activity, and induced cell differentiation. These cells have proved their pluripotent capacities by in vitro tests. Furthermore, we have demonstrated their ability to produce chimaeras and to contribute to the formation of tissues from all three embryonic germ layers. These features suggest that SaBE-1c cells have the potential for multiple applications for the ES technology in fish, with the added value of originating from an economically important species.     

Fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">ES</Emphasis> Cells and Applications to Biotechnology

ES cells provide a promising tool for the generation of transgenic animals with site-directed mutations. When ES cells colonize germ cells in chimeras, transgenic animals with modified phenotypes are generated and used either for functional genomics studies or for improving productivity in commercial settings. Although the ES cell approach has been limited to mice, there is strong interest for developing the technology in fish. We describe the step-by-step procedure for developing ES cells in fish. Key aspects include avoiding cell differentiation, specific in vitro traits of pluripotency, and, most importantly, testing for production of chimeric animals as the main evidence of pluripotency. The entire process focuses on two model species, zebrafish and medaka, in which most work has been done. The achievements attained in these species, as well as their applicability to other commercial fish, are discussed. Because of the difficulties relating to germ line competence, mostly of long-term fish ES cells, alternative cell-based approaches such as primordial germ cells and nuclear transfer need to be considered. Although progress to date has been slow, there are promising achievements in homologous recombination and alternative avenues yet to be explored that can bring ES technology in fish to fruition.     

Medaka fish stem cells and their applications

Stem cells are present in developing embryos and adult tissues of multicellular organisms. Owing to their unique features, stem cells provide excellent opportunities for experimental analyses of basic developmental processes such as pluripotency control and cell fate decision and for regenerative medicine by stem cell-based therapy. Stem cell cultures have been best studied in 3 vertebrate organisms. These are the mouse, human and a small laboratory fish called medaka. Specifically, medaka has given rise to...     

Conserved roles for Oct4 homologues in maintaining multipotency during early vertebrate development

All vertebrate embryos have multipotent cells until gastrulation but, to date, derivation of embryonic stem (ES) cell lines has been achieved only for mouse and primates. ES cells are derived from mammalian inner cell mass (ICM) tissue that express the Class V POU domain (PouV) protein Oct4. Loss of Oct4 in mice results in a failure to maintain ICM and consequently an inability to derive ES cells. Here, we show that Oct4 homologues also function in early amphibian development where they act as suppressors of commitment during germ layer specification. Antisense morpholino mediated PouV knockdown in Xenopus embryos resulted in severe posterior truncations and anterior neural defects. Gastrulation stage embryos showed reduced expression of genes associated with uncommitted marginal zone cells, while the expression of markers associated with more mature cell states was expanded. Importantly, we have tested PouV proteins from a number of vertebrate species for the ability to substitute Oct4 in mouse ES cells. PouV domain proteins from both Xenopus and axolotl could support murine ES cell self-renewal but the only identified zebrafish protein in this family could not. Moreover, we found that PouV proteins regulated similar genes in ES cells and Xenopus embryos, and that PouV proteins capable of supporting ES cell self-renewal could also rescue the Xenopus PouV knockdown phenotype. We conclude that the unique ability of Oct4 to maintain ES cell pluripotency is derived from an ancestral function of this class of proteins to maintain multipotency.     

Increasing the cell number of host tetraploid embryos can improve the production of mice derived from embryonic stem cells

Tetraploid (4n) embryo complementation assay has shown that embryonic stem (ES) cells alone are capable of supporting embryonic development (ES mouse), allowing the recovery of mouse lines directly from cultured ES cell lines. Although the advantages of this technique are well recognized, it remains inefficient for generating ES mice. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cell number of host 4n embryos on the production of ES mice. Four independent ES cell lines (two general ES cell lines and two nuclear transfer-derived ES cell lines) were used, and each cell line was aggregated with single (1x) to triple (3x) host 4n embryos. We found that birth rate of ES mice using 1x 4n embryos was quite low (0-2%) regardless of cell line, whereas except for one cell line, approximately 6-14% of embryos developed to full term in the case of 3x 4n embryos. Contamination of host 4n cells in ES mice was quite rare, being comparable to that generated using general methods even if they were delivered from 3x 4n host embryos. These results demonstrate that the use of 3x 4n embryos is effective for generating ES mice. Our technique described here will be applicable to any ES cell line, including general ES cell lines used for gene targeting.     

Medaka cleavage embryos are capable of generating ES-like cell cultures

Mammalian embryos at the blastocyst stage have three major lineages, which in culture can give rise to embryonic stem (ES) cells from the inner cell mass or epiblast, trophoblast stem cells from the trophectoderm, and primitive endoderm stem cells. None of these stem cells is totipotent, because they show gene expression profiles characteristic of their sources and usually contribute only to the lineages of their origins in chimeric embryos. It is unknown whether embryos prior to the blastocyst stage can be cultivated towards totipotent stem cell cultures. Medaka is an excellent model for stem cell research. This laboratory fish has generated diploid and even haploid ES cells from the midblastula embryo with ~2000 cells. Here we report in medaka that dispersed cells from earlier embryos can survive, proliferate and attach in culture. We show that even 32-cells embryos can be dissociated into individual cells capable of producing continuously growing ES-like cultures. Our data point to the possibility to derive stable cell culture from cleavage embryos in this organism.     

Fish embryo cell cultures for derivation of stem cells and transgenic chimeras.

It has been demonstrated in mammalian systems that techniques using embryonal stem cells provide advantages over conventional injection of DNA into embryos for generation of transgenic animals. We employed cell culture approaches in an attempt to develop this technology for fish transgenesis. Using a trout embryo-derived mitogenic preparation in a specialized culture medium, we initiated replication of zebrafish blastula-derived cell cultures and expressed marker genes introduced into the cells by plasmid transfection. Reintroduction of cells from the cultures into blastula-stage embryos indicated that the cultured cells survived and may contribute to the developing organism.     

Experimental embryology of mammals at the Jastrzebiec Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding

Our Department of Experimental Embryology originated from The Laboratory of Embryo Biotechnology, which was organized and directed by Dr. Maria Czlonkowska until her premature death in 1991. Proving successful international transfer of frozen equine embryos and generation of an embryonic sheep-goat chimaera surviving ten years were outstanding achievements of her term. In the 1990s, we produced advanced fetuses of mice after reconstructing enucleated oocytes with embryonic stem (ES) cells, as well as mice originating entirely from ES cells by substitution of the inner cell mass with ES cells. Attempts at obtaining ES cells in sheep resulted in the establishment of embryo-derived epithelioid cell lines from Polish Heatherhead and Polish Merino breeds, producing overt chimaeras upon blastocyst injection. Successful re-cloning was achieved from 8-cell rabbit embryos, and healthy animals were born from the third generation of cloned embryos. Recently mice were born after transfer of 8-cell embryonic nuclei into selectively enucleated zygotes, and mouse blastocysts were produced from selectively enucleated germinal vesicle oocytes surrounded by follicular cells, upon their reconstruction with 2-cell nuclei and subsequent activation. Embryonic-somatic chimaeras were born after transfer of foetal fibroblasts into 8-cell embryos (mouse) and into morulae and blastocysts (sheep). We also regularly perform the following applications: in vitro production of bovine embryos from slaughterhouse oocytes or those recovered by ovum pick up; cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos (freezing: mouse, rabbit, sheep, goat; vitrification: rabbit, cow); and banking of somatic cells from endangered wild mammalian species (mainly Cervidae).