纽蛋白在神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中的表达及其与辅肌动蛋白的关系

目的探讨纽蛋白(vinculin)在新生大鼠大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化神经元过程中的表达变化及其与辅肌动蛋白(α-actinin)的关系.方法将神经干细胞分离、培养、分化及鉴定后,采用免疫组化技术对新生大鼠皮层神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中,纽蛋白的时空表达进行研究,并采用免疫荧光双标技术及共聚焦激光扫描显微术对神经元定向分化过程中,纽蛋白与辅肌动蛋白关系进行探讨,利用图像分析技术对不同时段分化的神经元中vinculin平均积分光密度进行定量测定.结果在神经干细胞定向分化为神经元的过程中,vinculin由核周淡染分布逐渐至在胞体与突起中密集均匀分布,随着突起伸展而不断地延伸.图像分析结果表示,随神经元的分化成熟,vinculin的表达量呈逐渐增加趋势.在共聚焦激光扫描显微镜下观察免疫荧光双标vinculin/α-actinin在分化早期胞体和突起内均有分布,可见核周和突起两者融合两蛋白共存.近成熟期,随突起生长,两蛋白渐伸入突起,直至末端共存.结论本研究揭示大脑皮质神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中,vinculin表达变化与神经元发育成熟呈正相关,并且vinculin与α-actinin共存.     

肌动蛋白与纽蛋白在神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中的表达

目的研究新生大鼠大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中肌动蛋白(actin)的时空表达变化及其与纽蛋白(vinculin)的关系.方法采用神经干细胞培养、免疫细胞化学技术对神经干细胞定向分化为神经元的过程中actin的时空表达进行研究;采用免疫荧光双标术及共聚焦激光扫描显微术对定向分化神经元过程中,actin与vinculin关系进行探讨.结果在神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中, actin在胞体与突起中有表达,且与日渐增,核周表达逐渐增强,分化成熟时胞体与突起中可见丝状细胞骨架随着突起伸展而延伸.免疫荧光双标actin、vinculin在CLSM下观察,分化早期,胞体和突起内均有分布,actin明显强于vinculin,而vinculin于核周及一侧突起较强.分化近成熟期,vinculin反应增强,随着细胞突起生长,在突起中两蛋白共存处可见节段状分布的黄色融合光,直达突起的末端.结论本研究揭示在大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中,actin表达变化与神经元发育成熟呈正相关,且actin与vinculin共存.     

大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中钙调蛋白的表达

目的研究大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中钙调蛋白的表达及意义.方法采用细胞培养、免疫细胞化学方法(SABC法)观察钙调蛋白在神经干细胞定向分化过程中不同时段的表达情况.采用计算机图像分析技术对不同时段分化神经元中钙调蛋白的平均积分光密度进行定量测定.结果在神经干细胞定向分化为神经元的过程中,钙调蛋白于细胞核及核周呈阳性表达,随分化神经元的生长细胞核阳性表达逐渐减弱而胞浆增强,同时可见阳性反应物伸入树突及轴突.结论新生大鼠大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中,钙调蛋白的表达对神经干细胞定向分化的神经元的生长和发育起着重要作用.     

大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中细胞骨架-α辅肌蛋白表达的研究

目的探讨α辅肌蛋白在新生大鼠大脑皮层神经干细胞定向分化神经元过程中的表达变化.方法采用细胞培养、免疫细胞化学方法(SABC法)、免疫电镜技术观察α辅肌蛋白在神经干细胞定向分化神经元过程中不同时段的表达变化.利用图像分析技术对不同时段分化的神经元中α辅肌蛋白平均积分光密度进行定量测定.结果在神经干细胞定向分化神经元过程中,α辅肌蛋白由核周淡染分布逐渐至在胞体与突起中密集均匀分布,随着突起伸展而不断地延伸.免疫电镜可见α辅肌蛋白呈高电子密度球形颗粒.图像分析结果表示,随神经元的分化成熟,α辅肌蛋白的表达量呈逐渐增加趋势.结论大脑皮质神经干细胞定向分化为神经元过程中,α辅肌蛋白表达变化与神经干细胞定向分化的神经元形态变化相关.     

神经干细胞分化过程中微管蛋白表达变化的光电镜观察

目的对神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中微管蛋白的表达变化进行光、电镜观察研究。方法采用细胞培养技术、免疫荧光技术以及免疫电镜技术对神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中微管蛋白的表达变化进行观察。结果在神经干细胞向神经元定向分化的不同时期,存在微管蛋白的表达变化,在分化初期以核周附近分布明显,随神经元的成熟散在分布于胞质中及突起内,形成细网状,构成细胞骨架,维持细胞形态。结论在神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中伴随有微管蛋白的表达变化,随神经元的成熟而构成细胞骨架,维持细胞形态。     

神经干细胞定向分化过程中溶酶体表达变化的研究

目的对神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中溶酶体的表达变化进行观察研究。方法采用细胞培养技术、荧光免疫细胞化学技术以及光电镜酶细胞化学技术对神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中溶酶体的表达变化进行观察。结果在神经干细胞向神经元定向分化的过程中,随着细胞分化的不断成熟,溶酶体的表达亦发生着变化。分化初期主要以核周附近表达明显,至神经元分化成熟则散在分布于胞质中及突起内,且表现有圆形、线状两种形态。结论在神经干细胞向神经元定向分化过程中溶酶体发生表达分布的变化,说明其参与了细胞的代谢和细胞内物质的运输。     

骨髓间充质干细胞向神经细胞分化中Tau蛋白的表达

目的：观察骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）分化为神经细胞过程中,神经元微管相关蛋白Tau及其磷酸化位点pSer202的表达和含量的差异,探讨Tau蛋白在此过程中的作用。方法：使用EGF和bFGF联合诱导第4、第8和第12代的MSCs向神经细胞分化;14d后,免疫细胞化学法检测Tau蛋白和pSer202的表达;ELISA法分析各代细胞Tau蛋白含量。结果：第4、第8和第12代未诱导组Tau蛋白阳性细胞均〈6％;诱导14d后,各代MSCs在形态上均分化为类似神经元样细胞,Tau蛋白阳性细胞率较未诱导组显著升高（P〈0．05）,但各代之间无显著性,而pSer202在各代MSCs未诱导组和诱导组中均未见表达。ELISA法检测发现Tau蛋白含量在诱导过程中呈上升趋势,14d时各代细胞分化后的Tau蛋白升高程度无显著性差异。结论：MSCs向神经细胞分化过程中Tau蛋白表达量增加且可能尚未发生磷酸化,将有助于神经细胞的正常分化和突触形成。     

大鼠皮层神经干细胞分化为胆碱能神经元过程中骨架蛋白的表达

目的对皮层神经干细胞向胆碱能神经元定向分化及骨架蛋白(β-tubulin)进行探讨研究.方法采用细胞培养技术、免疫细胞化学方法观察皮层神经干细胞向胆碱能神经元定向分化及其过程中骨架蛋白表达变化.结果皮层神经干细胞在去除丝裂原后开始进行分化,至第7d可分化为成熟神经元,NSE、Ach E反应明显阳性,随着分化神经元的逐渐成熟,β-tublin在细胞内的分布亦发生变化,由核周集中分布变化为广泛分布于细胞质内,形成细网状,构成细胞骨架.结论皮层神经干细胞定向分化为胆碱能神经元的过程中伴随有骨架蛋白的时空变化,随神经元的成熟而构成细胞骨架.     

脊髓源神经干细胞诱导分化为胆碱能神经元过程中Aldoc和Stmn1表达的研究

目的探讨脊髓源神经干细胞在诱导分化为胆碱能神经元过程中Aldoc和Stmn1的表达变化情况。方法从孕17天Wistar胚胎大鼠取出脊髓组织,制成细胞悬液,采用含EGF和bFGF的无血清限定性培养基培养,然后进行诱导分化,观察脊髓源神经干细胞向胆碱能神经元分化的情况,应用荧光定量PCR方法分析Aldoc和Stmn1基因在脊髓源神经干细胞诱导分化为胆碱能神经元的过程中的表达变化情况。结果神经干细胞在诱导分化为胆碱能神经元后,经免疫荧光检测有ChAT阳性细胞表达;Aldoc基因的表达量在胆碱能神经元较神经干细胞低(P<0.05);Stmn1基因的表达量则在诱导分化后较神经干细胞升高(P<0.05)。结论 Aldoc对神经干细胞的干性维持有重要作用,Stmn1在胆碱能神经元的成熟过程中起作用。     

丹酚酸B促进胎鼠大脑皮质神经干细胞增殖、突起生长和分化

丹参是一种常用于治疗脑卒中的传统中草药,丹酚酸B是其有效成份之一.但人们对丹酚酸B如何影响神经干细胞的生长还了解甚少.本研究用MTT、流式细胞术、免疫荧光和RT-PCR技术检测丹酚酸B对胎鼠大脑皮质神经干细胞增殖、突起生长和分化的作用.结果显示,20和40μg/mL丹酚酸B对促进神经干细胞增殖的作用相似,适量的丹酚酸B可促进神经干细胞增殖并形成较多的神经干细胞球,其促增殖作用通过提高G2/S期细胞的数量而实现.丹酚酸B还可促进神经干细胞球发出较多的突起并分化出较多的成熟神经元.分化开始时,tau,GFAP和nestin mRNA均有表达.但分化后的细胞与对照组比较,tau mRNA表达增多,而GFAP mRNA表达减少.说明外源性的丹酚酸B具有促进神经干细胞增殖并向神经元分化的作用,有望成为一种获取更多神经干细胞和促进神经干细胞分化的药物.     

Proteomic identification of differentially expressed genes in mouse neural stem cells and neurons differentiated from embryonic stem cells in vitro

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent stem cells and give rise to a variety of differentiated cell types including neurons. To study a molecular basis for differentiation from ES cells to neural cells, we searched for proteins involved in mouse neurogenesis from ES cells to neural stem (NS) cells and neurons by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and peptide mass fingerprinting, using highly homogeneous cells differentiated from ES cells in vitro. We newly identified seven proteins with increased expression and one protein with decreased expression from ES cells to NS cells, and eight proteins with decreased expression from NS cells to neurons. Western blot analysis confirmed that a tumor-specific transplantation antigen, HS90B, decreased, and an extracellular matrix and membrane glycoprotein (such as laminin)-binding protein, galectin 1 (LEG1), increased in NS cells, and LEG1 and a cell adhesion receptor, laminin receptor (RSSA), decreased in neurons. The results of RT-PCR showed that mRNA of LEG1 was also up-regulated in NS cells and down-regulated in neurons, implying an important role of LEG1 in regulating the differentiation. The differentially expressed proteins identified here provide insight into the molecular basis of neurogenesis from ES cells to NS cells and neurons.     

Proteomic analysis of neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) can differentiate into different types of cells, and serve as a good model system to study human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We showed that mESCs differentiated into two types of neurons with different time courses. To determine the global protein expression changes after neural differentiation, we employed a proteomic strategy to analyze the differences between the proteomes of ES cells (E14) and neurons. Using 2-DE plus LC/MS/MS, we have generated proteome reference maps of E14 cells and derived dopaminergic neurons. Around 23 proteins with an increase or decrease in expression or phosphorylation after differentiation have been identified. We confirmed the downregulation of translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) and upregulation of alpha-tubulin by Western blotting. We also showed that TCTP was further downregulated in derived motor neurons than in dopaminergic neurons, and its expression level was independent of extracellular Ca(2+) concentration during neural differentiation. Potential roles of TCTP in modulating neural differentiation through binding to Ca(2+), tubulin and Na,K-ATPase, as well as the functional significance of regulation of other proteins such as actin-related protein 3 (Arp3) and Ran GTPase are discussed. This study demonstrates that proteomic tools are valuable in studying stem cell differentiation and elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms.     

Green fluorescent protein-labeled mapping of neural stem cells migrating towards damaged areas in the adult central nervous system

Neural stem cells, which are clonogenic cells with multilineage differentiation properties from regions of the fetal brain, cortex and hippocampus, are currently considered as powerful candidates for cell replacement therapy in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. A key issue is whether stem cells can survive, migrate and differentiate following transplantation into the adult CNS. Here, enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid electroporation-transfected neural stem cells from the fetal cortex were grafted into the striatum of a rat model of Parkinson's disease. We found most of the grafted cells could survive in the adult parkinsonian rat brain and migrated towards damaged areas, while they moved randomly in the normal brain. Several grafted cells differentiated into neurons.     

Onset of rosette formation during spontaneous neural differentiation of hESC and hiPSC colonies

In vitro neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is an advantageous system for studying early neural development. The process of early neural differentiation in hESCs begins by initiation of primitive neuroectoderm, which is manifested by rosette formation, with consecutive differentiation into neural progenitors and early glial-like cells. In this study, we examined the involvement of early neural markers – OTX2, PAX6, Sox1, Nestin, NR2F1, NR2F2, and IRX2 – in the onset of rosette formation, during spontaneous neural differentiation of hESC and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) colonies. This is in contrast to the conventional way of studying rosette formation, which involves induction of neuronal differentiation and the utilization of embryoid bodies. Here we show that OTX2 is highly expressed at the onset of rosette formation, when rosettes comprise no more than 3–5 cells, and that its expression precedes that of established markers of early neuronal differentiation. Importantly, the rise of OTX2 expression in these cells coincides with the down-regulation of the pluripotency marker OCT4. Lastly, we show that cells derived from rosettes that emerge during spontaneous differentiation of hESCs or hiPSCs are capable of differentiating into dopaminergic neurons in vitro, and into mature-appearing pyramidal and serotonergic neurons weeks after being injected into the motor cortex of NOD-SCID mice.     

Expression of polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecules on adult stem cells after neuronal differentiation of inner ear spiral ganglion neurons

During brain development, polysialylated (polySia) neural cell adhesion molecules (polySia–NCAMs) modulate cell–cell adhesive interactions involved in synaptogenesis, neural plasticity, myelination, and neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and differentiation. Our findings show that polySia–NCAM is expressed on NSC isolated from adult guinea pig spiral ganglion (GPSG), and in neurons and Schwann cells after differentiation of the NSC with epidermal, glia, fibroblast growth factors (GFs) and neurotrophins. These differentiated cells were immunoreactive with mAb’s to polySia, NCAM, β-III tubulin, nestin, S-100 and stained with BrdU. NSC could regenerate and be differentiated into neurons and Schwann cells. We conclude: (1) polySia is expressed on NSC isolated from adult GPSG and on neurons and Schwann cells differentiated from these NSC; (2) polySia is expressed on neurons primarily during the early stage of neuronal development and is expressed on Schwann cells at points of cell–cell contact; (3) polySia is a functional biomarker that modulates neuronal differentiation in inner ear stem cells. These new findings suggest that replacement of defective cells in the inner ear of hearing impaired patients using adult spiral ganglion neurons may offer potential hope to improve the quality of life for patients with auditory dysfunction and impaired hearing disorders.     

Differentiation of embryonic stem cell to astrocytes visualized by green fluorescent protein

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was transfected and expressed in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells under the control of the astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. Stably transfected cells were characterized by immunohistochemistry and by fluorescence microscopy. Cells containing GFP were differentiated to Type I and Type II astrocytes after induction by all-trans retinoic acid. Differentiated cells were expressed GFP and visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Differentiated cells expressed GFP were correlated with the expression of GFAP and morphological change. It demonstrates that the cell line expressed GFP can be used to trace the morphological changes of astrocytes during differentiation, and further for the isolation of astrocytes from the mixed cells differentiated from ES cell.