Cell Therapy as a Way to Correct Impaired Neurogenesis in the Adult Brain in a Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology - This work is based on the hypothesis of an impairment in neurogenesis during aging, which may be one of the causes of neurodegenerative...     

Distribution and Cytogenetic Features of Triploid Males of Crucian Carp in Azov Basin

When studying uni-bisexual crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) populations in the Azov basin in 1995–2000, we found triploid males, which constituted 2.5%, on average, of the total numbers of studied samples. The areas of nuclei of erythrocytes of triploid males were, on average, 1.35 times those in diploid males. At the same optical density of DNA, the sizes of mature spermatozoon heads in triploid males were, on average, 1.8 times smaller than in diploid males, as follows from the data obtained in summer 1996. The results of similar studies carried out during the period of natural spawning activity in 1997–1999 suggest that the sizes of spermatozoon heads in triploid males were, on the contrary, 1.5 those in diploid males. Triploid males were characterized by mosaicism of spermatozoon sizes and chromosome mosaicism in somatic cells. Electrophoretic analysis for the locus of transferrin confirmed the triploid status of this genetic group. The results of comparative crosses of crucian carps with different ploidy suggest a high fertilizing capacity of triploid males, as well as normal viability of their progenies. A distinct positive correlation (r = 0.73) was found between the numbers of triploid females and triploid males in mixed di-triploid populations. No significant correlation was found between males and females within di- and triploid forms.     

Transplantation of Stem/Progenitor Cells of Human Brain into Adult Rat Brain

We studied the development of stem/progenitor cells of the human brain transplanted in the adult rat brain after expansion in an in vitrotissue culture. It was preliminarily shown by the immunological methods that the stem cells grown in a medium with growth factors formed neurospheres, which were heterogenous and contained both stem and progenitor cells of the human brain. The cells were implanted in the hippocampus, striatum, or lateral ventricle of the rat brain as a suspension or aggregates (neurospheres) and their behavior and differentiation were studies within 10, 20, and 30 days using the morphological and immunochemical methods. The cultured cells of the human brain continued their development in the rat brain, migrated, and formed neurons and astrocytes. The white mater fibers, lateral ventricle wall, and perivascular spaces served as the main pathways of migration. The neuronal differentiation was shown by staining with antibodies to -tubulin III, neurofilaments-70, and calbindin. Some growing nerve cells had long processes with growth cones. At the same time, some transplanted cells retained the undifferentiated state within one month after the implantation, as shown by the vimentin expression.     

Transplantation of stem/progenitor cells of human brain into the brain of adult rats

We studied the development of stem/progenitor cells of the human brain transplanted in the adult rat brain after reproduction in an in vitro tissue culture. It was preliminarily shown by the immunological methods that the stem cells grown in a medium with growth factors formed neurospheres, which were heterogenous and contained both stem and progenitor cells of the human brain. The cells were implanted in the hippocampus, striatum, or lateral ventricle of the rat brain as a suspension or aggregates (neurospheres) and their behavior and differentiation were studies within 10, 20, and 30 days using the morphological and immunochemical methods. The cultured cells of the human brain continued their development in the rat brain, migrated, and formed neurons and astrocytes. The white mater fibers, lateral ventricle wall, and perivascular spaces served as the main pathways of migration. The neuronal differentiation was shown by staining with antibodies to beta-tubulin III, neurofilaments-70, and calbindin. Some growing nerve cells had long processes with growth cones. At the same time, some transplanted cells retained the undifferentiated state within one month after the implantation, as shown by the vimentin expression.     

The postradiation use of vitamin-containing complexes and a phycocyanin extract in a radiation lesion in rats

Wistar rats have been exposed to X-rays with a dose of 5 Gy. Significant decrease in dehydrogenase activity, energy-rich phosphate level and efficiency of antioxidant defence and significant increase in pyruvate amount were observed within 4 weeks. It was also found that the feeding of exposed rats with phycocyanin extract from blue-green algae Spirulina platensis lead to correcting effect. The same result was observed after injections of tocopherol or complex of six water-soluble vitamins. The combination of above mentioned compounds had more marked effect, especially at the presence unitiole and Na2Se.     

Effects of human cultural neuronal and mesenchymal stem cells on the rat learning and brain state after acute hypoxia

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of neurotransplantation of cultural neural stem cells (NSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the rat behaviour and brain state after acute hypoxia. It was shown that development of two-way avoidance defensive conditioning in a shuttle box improved in rats-recipients with NSC, but not MSC as compared to control. Both the transplants of NSC and transplants of MSC exert neuroprotective influence on the rat brain. NSC both in vitro (before transplantation) and in vivo (on day 27 after transplantation) gave rise to all neural cell types: stem/progenitor cells, precursors of neurons and glia, neurons and glial cells. MSC population in vitro and in vivo (on day 10 after transplantation) consisted of fibroblast-like cells which were eliminated by day 20 after transplantation and were surrounded by reactive glia. We suggest that effects of NSC may be connected with their good survival and potential to differentiate into neurons and with trophic influence on the brain of recipient, whereas MSC only have possible positive trophic effect at early stages after transplantation.     

Expression of Toll-Like Receptors in the Early Prenatal Development of the Human Retina

Russian Journal of Developmental Biology - The expression of Toll-like receptors TLR2 and TLR4 in the human retina during early prenatal development is shown for the first time. It was found that...     

Use of a cyanine dye as a probe for albumin and collagen in the extracellular matrix

The aim of this work was to develop a quick method for analysis of macromolecules of the extracellular matrix. Of great interest are soluble components of the extracellular matrix, in particular, carrier proteins, whose variation dynamics can characterize the studied tissue in its development, adult stage, and aging. We suggest the method of analysis of the extracellular matrix to reveal the presence of albumin and collagen by using an anionic cyanine dye as a spectral and fluorescence probe. The method was applied for the analysis of the human vitreous body in the course of its development. Albumin was detected by the appearance of the trans monomer absorption and fluorescence bands in the dye spectra, and collagen was detected by the absorption and fluorescence bands of J aggregates. Hyaluronic acid present in the vitreous body does not interfere with the results of the analysis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of albumin in the vitreous body. We suppose that albumin as a protein carrying biologically active macromolecules plays an important role in the processes of differentiation and functional establishment of ocular tissues in the course of their prenatal development.     

Effect of GABA ascorbinate on epileptiform reactions of cortical neurons and some metabolic consequences of hypoxia in the rat brain

In the first series of experiments on immobilized anesthetized rats we studied the effects of GABA ascorbinate (A-GABA) in combination with sodium thiopental on the epileptiform reactions of cortical neurons. It is demonstrated that when combined with a classic anticonvulsant, barbiturate, A-GABA effectively suppressed neuronal epileptiform reactions. This makes it possible to considerably decrease the dose of inected barbiturate. In the second experimental series, we studied the effects of acute cerebral hypoxia on the content of overall macroergic phosphates (MP) and Na, K-ATPase activity in the cortex. We also tested the possibility of corecting the hypoxia-related shifts of the above indices by treatment with GABA, A-GABA, or their combination with a vitamin complex (VC). A successive increase in the efficacy of the above agents from GABA to A-GABA+ VC was observed with respect to the above two indices. The mechanisms of the A-GABA effects on GABA receptor-channel complexes and the prospects for using A-GABA in combination with barbiturates and VC for treatment of various brain pathologies are discussed.