人脂肪来源间充质干细胞植入受损耳蜗后定向归巢到并分化为毛细胞样细胞

目的：通过将人脂肪来源间充质干细胞（human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells,hAD-MSCs）移植到受损小鼠,探讨hAD-MSCs替代缺失/受损毛细胞的可行性。方法：将hAD-MSCs经尾静脉移植入药物致聋后的小鼠体内,用免疫染色及RT-PCR等方法检测移植后hAD-MSCs在耳蜗内的归巢和分化。结果：移植的hAD-MSCs能够定向归巢到受损耳蜗内,并至少存活2周,未观察到对移植细胞的免疫排斥反应。有少量细胞定位于耳蜗感觉上皮并表达毛细胞特异性抗体myosin 7a。结论：hAD-MSCs移植入药物性致聋小鼠后,能够定向归巢到耳蜗内,并分化为内耳毛细胞样细胞,是一种针对内耳损伤及退变性疾病治疗的潜在细胞来源。     

内耳毛细胞再生相关的信号通路及信号互作研究进展

内耳毛细胞是一种感受器,负责将机械声能转化为神经脉冲,使机体感知外界声音.毛细胞的功能丧失是永久性感音性神经耳聋的主要原因之一,毛细胞在成体哺乳动物中不会自发再生,研究人员通过模拟哺乳动物内耳损伤,发现Notch信号通路通过侧抑制和侧诱导作用形成新的感觉毛细胞.Notch的下游信号Wnt和上游信号FGF-FGFR是促进...     

胚胎干细胞的心脏应用

心肌梗死期间死亡的心肌细胞将由没有收缩功能的疤痕组织替代,因而极可能引起心力衰竭。对治疗心衰来说,修复死亡或损伤的心肌以及改善心功能仍面临着极大挑战。干细胞移植已在近年来的实验中用于修复损失的心肌。本文总结了近期在心肌损伤动物中实施胚胎干细胞移植的实验结果,并着重介绍对这类特定细胞的研究进展。胚胎干细胞取源于早期哺乳类胚胎的胚芽细胞,属于多功能干细胞。这类细胞具有长期增殖而不分化的能力,或台色够在培养过程中分化成包括心肌细胞在内的所有特殊体细胞。由于胚胎干细胞具有极大的增殖和分化为成熟组织的能力,它们可能成为一种潜在的很有实用价值的细胞来源,可用于对病态心脏的功能心肌再生的细胞治疗。新近的研究表明,在心肌梗死动物模型中,心肌内移植胚胎干细胞或由其分化成的心肌样细胞,能导致已损伤心肌的再生,并改善心脏功能。另外,在病毒性心肌炎小鼠中,静脉输入胚胎干细胞可明显提高生存率和减轻心肌损伤。有关人类胚胎干细胞在体外分化成心肌细胞以及这些细胞的特性,近来已有报道。然而,要在临床能应用人类胚胎干细胞或由其分化成的心肌细胞来治疗晚期心脏疾病,还必须越过大量的伦理、法律和科学上的障碍。     

人脂肪来源间充质干细胞植入受损耳蜗后定向归巢并分化为毛细胞样细胞

目的:通过将人脂肪来源间充质干细胞(human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells,hAD-MSCs)移植到受损小鼠,探讨hAD-MSCs替代缺失/受损毛细胞的可行性。方法:将hAD-MSCs经尾静脉移植入药物致聋后的小鼠体内,用免疫染色及RT-PCR等方法检测移植后hAD-MSCs在耳蜗内的归巢和分化。结果:移植的hAD-MSCs能够定向归巢到受损耳蜗内,并至少存活2周,未观察到对移植细胞的免疫排斥反应。有少量细胞定位于耳蜗感觉上皮并表达毛细胞特异性抗体myosin 7a。结论:hAD-MSCs移植入药物性致聋小鼠后,能够定向归巢到耳蜗内,并分化为内耳毛细胞样细胞,是一种针对内耳损伤及退变性疾病治疗的潜在细胞来源。     

急性机械性脊髓损伤动物模型研究进展

急性脊髓损伤(acute spinal cord injury,ASCI)是一种致残率高、后果严重的中枢神经系统性损伤,给个人、家庭以及社会带来了沉重的负担。目前仍没有治疗脊髓损伤的有效方法,但包括:干细胞、药物、组织工程的不同治疗手段已经在多种动物模型中进行了应用,并取得一定的效果。动物模型的受伤机制、有效性以及完整性是否可以模拟临床所见,类似的问题依然存在。本文通过阐述几种常见的急性机械性脊髓损伤动物模型的应用及其优缺点,同时也包括常用动物种类和损伤节段的选择,旨在为今后选择更为有效的动物模型提供参考。     

人胚胎干细胞建系的研究现状与存在的问题

人胚胎干细胞系的建立,对人类胚胎发生和人类发育生物学研究、人类新基因的发现和功能研究以及基因治疗、细胞和组织的移植治疗等领域的突破性进展具有重大意义;回顾了人胚胎干细胞建系研究的历程,就建系的几种方案、路线、意义和可行性进行了探讨;详细系统地说明了迄今为止建立人胚胎干细胞系所需要的饲养层类型、培养基组成、添加细胞因子种类及其作用;分析了建立和维持人胚胎干细胞系所需消化酶的种类及其作用以及目前常用的几种传代方法;从若干方面总结了人胚胎干细胞系的鉴定方法,并对建立和维持人胚胎干细胞系中存在的若干问题进行了剖析,提出了目前急待解决的问题。     

干细胞与神经退行性疾病

神经退行性疾病是一类以神经元退行性病变或凋亡, 从而导致个体行为异常乃至死亡为主要特征的疾病. 随着社会逐渐步入老龄化, 神经退行性疾病的发病率不断攀升, 而大多这类疾病诊断困难, 目前尚无有效的治疗措施. 干细胞研究的迅速发展, 为这类疾病的治疗提供了新的途径和可能. 目前多种干细胞在神经退行性疾病动物模型上的尝试已取得进展. 本文综述了胚胎干细胞、间充质干细胞、神经干细胞等在神经退行性疾病如帕金森氏病、阿尔茨海默氏病、亨廷顿病、肌萎缩性侧索坏死等的治疗中的应用和进展.     

干细胞在妇产科若干疾病中研究及应用

干细胞是一类具有自我更新和增殖分化能力的细胞,按其发育阶段可分为胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cell,ESC)和成体干细胞(adult stem cell,ASC)。由于干细胞这种特殊的增殖分化潜能,使其具备着多学科临床治疗的可塑性,研究意义巨大。随着子宫内膜干细胞的发现以及对其他类型干细胞提取手段的进步,干细胞为治疗子宫内膜相关性疾病带来了全新的思路。此外,宫内干细胞移植治疗胎儿疾病,干细胞介导损伤后血管内皮的修复以及改善生育功能、治疗不孕症等几个领域的研究也取得了显著的成果。本文参考近7年国内外文献,以干细胞治疗妇产科几种常见疾病的最新研究进展为主要内容进行综述。     

干祖细胞与缺血性心脏病治疗

最近十几年,多种类型的干细胞,包括胚胎干细胞、诱导多能干细胞、骨骼肌干细胞、心脏干细胞和骨髓来源的干祖细胞等,可用于缺血性心脏病诱导的损伤修复和再生医学中,并且逐渐显示出广阔的发展前景。在此本文将介绍几种不同来源的干细胞在治疗缺血性心脏病中的研究概况,为进一步的基础研究和临床试验提供参考。     

干祖细胞与缺血性心脏病治疗北大核心CSCD

最近十几年,多种类型的干细胞,包括胚胎干细胞、诱导多能干细胞、骨骼肌干细胞、心脏干细胞和骨髓来源的干祖细胞等,可用于缺血性心脏病诱导的损伤修复和再生医学中,并且逐渐显示出广阔的发展前景。在此本文将介绍几种不同来源的干细胞在治疗缺血性心脏病中的研究概况,为进一步的基础研究和临床试验提供参考。     

Stem cells as therapy for hearing loss

One of the greatest challenges in the treatment of inner-ear disorders is to find a cure for the hearing loss that is caused by the loss of cochlear hair cells or spiral ganglion neurons. The recent discovery of stem cells in the adult inner ear that are capable of differentiating into hair cells, as well as the finding that embryonic stem cells can be converted into hair cells, raise hope for the future development of stem-cell-based treatment regimens. Here, we propose different approaches for using stem cells to regenerate the damaged inner ear and we describe the potential obstacles that translational approaches must overcome for the development of stem-cell-based cell-replacement therapies for the damaged inner ear.     

Stem cells for the replacement of inner ear neurons and hair cells

Stem cells in the nervous system have some capacity to restore damaged tissue. Proliferation of stem cells endows them with self-renewal ability and accounts for in vitro formation of neurospheres, clonally derived colonies of floating cells. However, damage to the nervous system is not readily repaired, suggesting that the stem cells do not provide an easily recruited source of cells for regeneration. The vestibular and auditory organs, despite their limited ability to replace damaged cells, appear to contain cells with stem cell properties. These inner ear stem cells, identified by neurosphere formation and by their expression of markers of inner ear progenitors, can differentiate to hair cells and neurons. Differentiated cells obtained from inner ear stem cells expressed sensory neuron markers and, after co-culture with the organ of Corti, grew processes that extended to hair cells. The neurons expressed synaptic vesicle markers at points of contact with hair cells. Exogenous stem cells have also been used for hair cell and neuron replacement. Embryonic stem cells are one potential source of both hair cells and sensory neurons. Neural progenitors made from embryonic stem cells, transplanted into the inner ear of gerbils that had been de-afferented by treatment with a toxin, differentiated into cells that expressed neuronal markers and grew processes both peripherally into the organ of Corti and centrally. The regrowth of these neurons suggests that it may be possible to replace auditory neurons that have degenerated with neurons that restore auditory function by regenerating connections to hair cells.     

Building inner ears: recent advances and future challenges for in vitro organoid systems

While inner ear disorders are common, our ability to intervene and recover their sensory function is limited. In vitro models of the inner ear, like the organoid system, could aid in identifying new regenerative drugs and gene therapies. Here, we provide a perspective on the status of in vitro inner ear models and guidance on how to improve their applicability in translational research. We highlight the generation of inner ear cell types from pluripotent stem cells as a particularly promising focus of research. Several exciting recent studies have shown how the developmental signaling cues of embryonic and fetal development can be mimicked to differentiate stem cells into “inner ear organoids” containing otic progenitor cells, hair cells, and neurons. However, current differentiation protocols and our knowledge of embryonic and fetal inner ear development in general, have a bias toward the sensory epithelia of the inner ear. We propose that a more holistic view is needed to better model the inner ear in vitro. Moving forward, attention should be made to the broader diversity of neuroglial and mesenchymal cell types of the inner ear, and how they interact in space or time during development. With improved control of epithelial, neuroglial, and mesenchymal cell fate specification, inner ear organoids would have the ability to truly recapitulate neurosensory function and dysfunction. We conclude by discussing how single-cell atlases of the developing inner ear and technical innovations will be critical tools to advance inner ear organoid platforms for future pre-clinical applications.Subject terms: Cell biology, Somatic system, Stem-cell research     

The molecular basis of neurosensory cell formation in ear development: a blueprint for hair cell and sensory neuron regeneration?

The inner ear of mammals uses neurosensory cells derived from the embryonic ear for mechanoelectric transduction of vestibular and auditory stimuli (the hair cells) and conducts this information to the brain via sensory neurons. As with most other neurons of mammals, lost hair cells and sensory neurons are not spontaneously replaced and result instead in age-dependent progressive hearing loss. We review the molecular basis of neurosensory development in the mouse ear to provide a blueprint for possible enhancement of therapeutically useful transformation of stem cells into lost neurosensory cells. We identify several readily available adult sources of stem cells that express, like the ectoderm-derived ear, genes known to be essential for ear development. Use of these stem cells combined with molecular insights into neurosensory cell specification and proliferation regulation of the ear, might allow for neurosensory regeneration of mammalian ears in the near future.     

Pluripotent stem cells from the adult mouse inner ear

In mammals, the permanence of acquired hearing loss is mostly due to the incapacity of the cochlea to replace lost mechanoreceptor cells, or hair cells. In contrast, damaged vestibular organs can generate new hair cells, albeit in limited numbers. Here we show that the adult utricular sensory epithelium contains cells that display the characteristic features of stem cells. These inner ear stem cells have the capacity for self-renewal, and form spheres that express marker genes of the developing inner ear and the nervous system. Inner ear stem cells are pluripotent and can give rise to a variety of cell types in vitro and in vivo, including cells representative of ectodermal, endodermal and mesodermal lineages. Our observation that these stem cells are capable of differentiating into hair cell-like cells implies a possible use of such cells for the replacement of lost inner-ear sensory cells.     

Identification of stage-specific markers during differentiation of hair cells from mouse inner ear stem cells or progenitor cells in vitro

The induction of inner ear hair cells from stem cells or progenitor cells in the inner ear proceeds through a committed inner ear sensory progenitor cell stage prior to hair cell differentiation. To increase the efficacy of inducing inner ear hair cell differentiation from the stem cells or progenitor cells, it is essential to identify comprehensive markers for the stem cells/progenitor cells from the inner ear, the committed inner ear sensory progenitor cells and the differentiating hair cells to optimize induction conditions. Here, we report that we efficiently isolated and expanded the stem cells or progenitor cells from postnatal mouse cochleae, and induced the generation of inner ear progenitor cells and subsequent differentiation of hair cells. We profiled the gene expression of the stem cells or progenitor cells, the inner ear progenitor cells, and hair cells using aRNA microarray analysis. The pathway and gene ontology (GO) analysis of differentially expressed genes was performed. Analysis of genes exclusively detected in one particular cellular population revealed 30, 38, and 31 genes specific for inner ear stem cells, inner ear progenitor cells, and hair cells, respectively. We further examined the expression of these genes in vivo and determined that Gdf10+Ccdc121, Tmprss9+Orm1, and Chrna9+Espnl are marker genes specific for inner ear stem cells, inner ear progenitor cells, and differentiating hair cells, respectively. The identification of these marker genes will likely help the effort to increase the efficacy of hair cell induction from the stem cells or progenitor cells.     

Celastrol enhances Atoh1 expression in inner ear stem cells and promotes their differentiation into functional auditory neuronal-like cells

We aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of Celastrol on inner ear stem cells and potential therapeutic value for hearing loss. The inner ear stem cells were isolated and characterized from utricular sensory epithelium of adult mice. The stemness was evaluated by sphere formation assay. The relative expressions of Atoh1, MAP-2 and Myosin VI were measured by RT-PCR and immunoblotting. The up-regulation of MAP-2 was also analysed with immunofluorescence. The in vitro neuronal excitability was interrogated by calcium oscillation. The electrophysiological property was determined by inward current recorded on patch clamp. Our results demonstrated that Celastrol treatment significantly improved the viability and proliferation of mouse inner ear stem cells, and facilitated sphere formation. Moreover, Celastrol stimulated differentiation of mouse inner ear stem cells to neuronal-like cells and enhanced neural excitability. Celastrol also enhanced neuronal-like cell identity in the inner ear stem cell derived neurons, as well as their electrophysiological function. Most notably, these effects were apparently associated with the upregulation of Atoh1 in response to Celastrol treatment. Celastrol showed beneficial effect on inner ear stem cells and held therapeutic promise against hearing loss.     

A dermal niche for multipotent adult skin-derived precursor cells

A fundamental question in stem cell research is whether cultured multipotent adult stem cells represent endogenous multipotent precursor cells. Here we address this question, focusing on SKPs, a cultured adult stem cell from the dermis that generates both neural and mesodermal progeny. We show that SKPs derive from endogenous adult dermal precursors that exhibit properties similar to embryonic neural-crest stem cells. We demonstrate that these endogenous SKPs can first be isolated from skin during embryogenesis and that they persist into adulthood, with a niche in the papillae of hair and whisker follicles. Furthermore, lineage analysis indicates that both hair and whisker follicle dermal papillae contain neural-crest-derived cells, and that SKPs from the whisker pad are of neural-crest origin. We propose that SKPs represent an endogenous embryonic precursor cell that arises in peripheral tissues such as skin during development and maintains multipotency into adulthood.