人胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经前体细胞

采用单层贴壁分化的方法在无血清条件下诱导同源饲养层培养的人胚胎干细胞定向分化,得到了高比例的神经前体细胞(97.5±0.83)%(P<0.05)。这些神经前体细胞具有分化为神经元、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的能力。在长期的传代培养中发现,随着培养时间的延长,nestin阳性的神经前体细胞比例下降,同时发育能力也发生了变化。在传代培养的早期,神经前体细胞发育为神经元的比例很高,几乎没有胶质细胞分化出来。随着培养时间的延长,胶质细胞的比例逐渐上升。这与体内神经系统的发育过程非常相似。进一步研究发现具有bHLH(basic helix-loop-helix)结构域的转录因子neurogenein2(Ngn2)和Olig2可能在这一变化中起重要作用。因此,人胚胎干细胞来源的神经前体细胞能够模拟体内神经发育的模式,为在体外研究人的神经发育和再生医学奠定了基础。     

免疫磁珠分选人角朊干细胞的实验研究

目的:探索人角朊干细胞(keratinocyte stem cells,KSCs)的免疫磁珠分选(Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting,MACS)的方法。方法:从人包皮组织获得角朊细胞悬液,然后利用人角朊干细胞表面CD49f(整合素α6)和CD71的表达情况(CD49fbriCD71dim)通过MACS法将KSCs分选出来,在荧光显微镜下观察其荧光标记情况,同时将分选所得的CD49fbriCD71dim细胞进行体外无血清培养,观察其形态及克隆形成。结果:人角朊细胞经MACS法分选后所得的CD49fbriCD71dim细胞比率可达12．02(±6．92)%。CD49fbriCD71dim细胞经培养可见细胞为典型的上皮样特征,呈铺路石样形态,高核浆比例,细胞紧密排列,轮廓清楚,折光性好,并可在5-7天左右形成全克隆,符合KSCs的特点。结论:研究表明MACS分选法可以得到较高比例的人角朊干细胞,并能进行后续培养研究,其不失为一种较理想的人角朊干细胞的分选方法。     

人胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经前体细胞

采用单层贴壁分化的方法在无血清条件下诱导同源饲养层培养的人胚胎干细胞定向分化，得到了高比例的神经前体细胞（97.5±0.83)%（P＜0.05)。这些神经前体细胞具有分化为神经元、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的能力。在长期的传代培养中发现，随着培养时间的延长，nestin阳性的神经前体细胞比例下降，同时发育能力也发生了变化。在传代培养的早期，神经前体细胞发育为神经元的比例很高，几乎没有胶质细胞分化出来。随着培养时间的延长，胶质细胞的比例逐渐上升。这与体内神经系统的发育过程非常相似。进一步研究发现具有bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) 结构域的转录因子neurogenein2(Ngn2) 和Olig2可能在这一变化中起重要作用。因此，人胚胎干细胞来源的神经前体细胞能够模拟体内神经发育的模式，为在体外研究人的神经发育和再生医学奠定了基础。     

人类胚胎干细胞体外诱导分化为神经干细胞

人类胚胎干细胞是替代治疗充满希望的细胞来源. 描述了从人胚胎干细胞诱导分化出神经干细胞的方法. 将人胚胎干细胞系PKU1, PKU2在细菌培养皿中悬浮培养, 分化形成囊性拟胚体. 拟胚体接种至组织培养皿, 加入N2培养液和生长因子bFGF培养2周, 拟胚体贴壁、展开,中心出现灶状增生, 有突起的小细胞. 用机械方法取下此种细胞, 重新接种, 则细胞团悬浮生长,形成神经球. 培养10天后, 将神经球打散成单细胞接种, 该细胞贴壁生长旺盛. 免疫荧光检测显示为几乎100% 纯净的nestin阳性细胞. 将培养液中的生长因子撤除, 继续培养7~10天, 细胞分化为神经元, 该细胞呈现β-tubulin isotype_Ⅲ 阳性、GABA阳性、serotonin阳性、synaptophysin阳性. 在生长因子PDGF-AA诱导下, 细胞分化为星形胶质细胞, 其GFAP阳性; 或少突胶质细胞, 其O4阳性. 可见, 人类胚胎干细胞经上述方法培养可分化为典型神经干细胞, 表达神经干细胞特异的标志分子nestin、能自我更新、具有分化为神经系统三类主要细胞的能力.     

小鼠胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经干细胞过程中microRNA的变化

目的用生物芯片技术分析胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经干细胞过程中microRNA(miRNA)的表达变化,筛选调控的分化的miRNA,研究分化调控机制。方法胚胎干细胞在含LIF培养基中培养3d后,采用经典5步培养方法定向诱导向神经干细胞分化,采用nestin作为神经干细胞标记进行鉴定,送检胚胎干细胞及神经干细胞,提取总RNA以及小分子RNA,经荧光标记后与miRNA基因芯片杂交,获得胚胎干细胞诱导前后miRNA表达谱。结果1)胚胎干细胞在含LIF培养过程中保持未分化状态,Oct-4、碱性磷酸酶表达阳性;2)经典五步法诱导胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经干细胞,nestin阳性细胞为85%;3)通过基因微阵列分析,有90个miRNA的改变显著,其中68个表达上调,22个表达下调。结论miRNA可能对胚胎干细胞定向分化为神经干细胞过程起到关键作用。     

肝细胞生长因子促进猕猴胚胎干细胞来源的神经前体细胞的增殖

肝细胞牛长因子(hepatoeyte growth factor,HGF)足一个多效应因子,在神经系统中具有重要作用.早前的研究发现采用HGF和G5 supplement结合EB(embryoid body)法可诱导猕猴胍胎干细胞(rhesus embryonic stem cells,rESCs)定向分化成高纯度的可移植的神经前体细胞(neural progenitors),但对于HGF在整个诱导分化过程中的具体作用及机制还不清楚.本研究改进先前研究体系,采用单层培养法,同时添加HGF和bFGF(basic fibroblast growth factor,碱性成纤维细胞生长因子)诱导rESCs在两周内定向分化为高纯度[(81.66±4.37)%]的神经前体细胞,并且单独添加HGF或bFGF以及两者都没有添加的条件下也得到了相似比例的神经前体细胞,表明外源性的HGF在诱导rESCs向神经前体细胞转变的过程中对十神经细胞命运的决定并不起作用;进一步研究发现HGF能有效地促进神经前体细胞的增殖,并且与bFGF具有协同作用.总之,本研究建立了一种更为简单的诱导rESCs分化成神经细胞的方法,发现外源性的HGF在rESCs向神经前体细胞分化的过程中并没有神经诱导的作用,但能与bFGF协同作用促进rESCs来源的神经前体细胞的增殖.     

胚胎干细胞体外分化为造血干细胞

造血干细胞移植已成为治疗白血病、再生障碍性贫血、重症免疫缺陷征、地中海贫血、急性放射病、某些恶性实体瘤和淋巴瘤等造血及免疫系统功能障碍性疾病的成熟技术和重要手段,另外这一技术还被尝试用于治疗艾滋病,已取得积极的效果。但是由于移植需要配型相同的供体,并且过程复杂,使得造血干细胞移植因缺少配型相同的供体来源以及费用昂贵而不能被广泛应用。胚胎干细胞是一种能够在体外保持未分化状态并且能进行无限增殖的细胞,在适合条件下能够分化为体内各种类型的细胞,研究胚胎干细胞分化为造血干细胞,不仅可作为研究动物的早期造血发生的模型,而且可以增加造血干细胞的来源,还可以通过基因剔除、治疗性克隆等方法来解决移植排斥的问题,从而为造血干细胞移植的发展扫除了障碍,因此有着重要的研究价值和应用前景。现对胚胎干细胞体外分化为造血干细胞的诱导方法,诱导过程中的调控机制,并对胚胎干细胞分化为造血干细胞的存在问题和发展前景进行讨论。     

小鼠胚胎干细胞分化扩增期连续低密度传代对原始细胞中Oct-4阳性细胞比例及神经分化能力的影响

目的：探讨在分化扩增期采用连续低密度传代的方法是否能降低小鼠胚胎干细胞向神经细胞分化的前体细胞中Oct-4阳性细胞的比例,以及对神经分化能力的影响。方法：采用“五步法”将小鼠胚胎干细胞向神经元分化,进入扩增期后采用连续低密度传代的方法连续传10代。然后应用细胞免疫组化鉴定Oct-4阳性细胞、神经元与胶质细胞、流式细胞仪检测Oct-4阳性细胞比例、凋亡试剂盒测定细胞凋亡。结果：流式细胞仪检测出扩增期连续低密度传代得到的前体细胞中Oct-4阳性细胞的比例由16.17±4.8％降至4.33±1.63％,扩增期低密度传代细胞和正常高密度传代细胞的细胞凋亡率鉴定分别为15.16±3.64% 和11.88±2.63%,步骤5诱导分化后的细胞GFAP和Tuj-1免疫组化染色呈阴性。结论：低密度传代培养可以减少分化后Oct-4阳性细胞的比例,且该比例下降不是由Oct-4阳性细胞的凋亡引起的。同时可能是因为低密度传代培养和高密度相比引起了细胞的质变、或者改变了前体细胞向神经元分化的某种微环境,导致了前体细胞不能分化为神经细胞。提示高密度培养在前体细胞向神经元分化过程中具有重要作用,高密度和低密度培养的比较,提供了研究ES细胞向神经元分化机制的新平台和研究方向。     

胚胎干细胞的诱导分化研究

胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cell, ES细胞)是指由胚胎内细胞团(inner cell mass, ICM)细胞经体外抑制培养而筛选得到的细胞, 具有发育上的全能性. 近两年在ES细胞诱导分化方面的研究取得了一些突破性的进展, 其中, ES细胞向生殖细胞分化(2003年)以及首次克隆成功人ES细胞(2004年)先后被评为《科学》杂志当年度十大科学进展之一; 另外, 维持ES细胞不分化状态的关键基因(Nanog)及相关化合物(BIO)的发现, 其自身分化状态调控机理的深入研究, 以及向不同方向诱导分化和应用等的研究成果, 同样受人关注.     

胚胎干细胞体外分化的研究进展

从一个受精卵发育为完整机体的过程中,具有相同基因的未分化干细胞如何产生形态和 功能各异的许多细胞?这是数十年来生物学家所一直关注的细胞分化问题。随着生命科学研究的发展,现在普遍认为细胞分化是基因差异性表达的结果,完全取决于哪些基因被激活,在什么时间和空间被激活。哺乳动物胚胎体积小,又在子宫内发育,实验研究较困难。在八十年代初,从小鼠早期胚胎的内细胞团(inner cellmass)或桑椹胚分离建立了具发育全能性的胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cell,简称ES细     

Reconstitution of Mammary Epithelial Morphogenesis by Murine Embryonic Stem Cells Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation

Background

Mammary stem cells are maintained within specific microenvironments and recruited throughout lifetime to reconstitute de novo the mammary gland. Mammary stem cells have been isolated through the identification of specific cell surface markers and in vivo transplantation into cleared mammary fat pads. Accumulating evidence showed that during the reformation of mammary stem cell niches by dispersed epithelial cells in the context of the intact epithelium-free mammary stroma, non-mammary epithelial cells may be sequestered and reprogrammed to perform mammary epithelial cell functions and to adopt mammary epithelial characteristics during reconstruction of mammary epithelium in regenerating mammary tissue in vivo.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To examine whether other types of progenitor cells are able to contribute to mammary branching morphogenesis, we examined the potential of murine embryonic stem (mES) cells, undergoing hematopoietic differentiation, to support mammary reconstitution in vivo. We observed that cells from day 14 embryoid bodies (EBs) under hematopoietic differentiation condition, but not supernatants derived from these cells, when transplanted into denuded mammary fat pads, were able to contribute to both the luminal and myoepithelial lineages in branching ductal structures resembling the ductal-alveolar architecture of the mammary tree. No teratomas were observed when these cells were transplanted in vivo.

Conclusions/Significance

Our data provide evidence for the dominance of the tissue-specific mammary stem cell niche and its role in directing mES cells, undergoing hematopoietic differentiation, to reprogram into mammary epithelial cells and to promote mammary epithelial morphogenesis. These studies should also provide insights into regeneration of damaged mammary gland and the role of the mammary microenvironment in reprogramming cell fate.     

Generation of iPSCs as a Pooled Culture Using Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting of Newly Reprogrammed Cells

Although significant advancement has been made in the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) field, current methods for iPSC derivation are labor intensive and costly. These methods involve manual selection, expansion, and characterization of multiple clones for each reprogrammed cell sample and therefore significantly hampers the feasibility of studies where a large number of iPSCs need to be derived. To develop higher throughput iPSC reprogramming methods, we generated iPSCs as a pooled culture using rigorous cell surface pluripotent marker selection with TRA-1-60 or SSEA4 antibodies followed by Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting (MACS). We observed that pool-selected cells are similar or identical to clonally derived iPSC lines from the same donor by all criteria examined, including stable expression of endogenous pluripotency genes, normal karyotype, loss of exogenous reprogramming factors, and in vitro spontaneous and lineage directed differentiation potential. This strategy can be generalized for iPSC generation using both integrating and non-integrating reprogramming methods. Our studies provide an attractive alternative to clonal derivation of iPSCs using rigorously selected cell pools and is amenable to automation.     

Primordial Germ Cell Specification from Embryonic Stem Cells

Background

Primordial germ cell (PGC) specification is the first crucial step in germ line development. However, owing to significant challenges regarding the in vivo system, such as the complex cellular environment and potential problems with embryo manipulation, it is desirable to generate embryonic stem (ES) cells that are capable of overcoming these aforementioned limitations in order to provide a potential in vitro model to recapitulate the developmental processes in vivo.

Methodology and Principal Findings

Here, we studied the detailed process of PGC specification from stella-GFP ES cells. We first observed the heterogeneous expression of stella in ES cells. However, neither Stella-positive ES cells nor Stella-negative ES cells shared a similar gene expression pattern with either PGCs or PGC precursors. Second, we derived PGCs from ES cells using two differentiation methods, namely the attachment culture technique and the embryoid body (EB) method. Compared with PGCs derived via the attachment culture technique, PGCs derived via the EB method that had undergone the sequential erasure of Peg3 followed by Igf2r resulted in a cell line in which the expression dynamics of T, Fgf8 and Sox17, in addition to the expression of the epiblast markers, were more similar to the in vivo expression, thus demonstrating that the process of PGC derivation was more faithfully recapitulated using the EB method. Furthermore, we developed an in vitro model of PGC specification in a completely chemically defined medium (CDM) that indicated that BMP4 and Wnt3a promoted PGC derivation, whereas BMP8b and activinA had no observable effect on PGC derivation.

Conclusions and Significance

The in vitro model we have established can recapitulate the developmental processes in vivo and provides new insights into the mechanism of PGC specification.     

Rapid Fibroblast Removal from High Density Human Embryonic Stem Cell Cultures

Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were used to establish human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) cultures after blastocyst isolation¹. This feeder system maintains hESCs from undergoing spontaneous differentiation during cell expansion. However, this co-culture method is labor intensive, requires highly trained personnel, and yields low hESC purity⁴. Many laboratories have attempted to minimize the number of feeder cells in hESC cultures (i.e. incorporating matrix-coated dishes or other feeder cell types^5-8). These modified culture systems have shown some promise, but have not supplanted the standard method for culturing hESCs with mitomycin C-treated mouse embyronic fibroblasts in order to retard unwanted spontaneous differentiation of the hESC cultures. Therefore, the feeder cells used in hESC expansion should be removed during differentiation experiments. Although several techniques are available for purifying the hESC colonies (FACS, MACS, or use of drug resistant vectors) from feeders, these techniques are labor intensive, costly and/or destructive to the hESC. The aim of this project was to invent a method of purification that enables the harvesting of a purer population of hESCs. We have observed that in a confluent hESC culture, the MEF population can be removed using a simple and rapid aspiration of the MEF sheet. This removal is dependent on several factors, including lateral cell-to-cell binding of MEFs that have a lower binding affinity to the styrene culture dish, and the ability of the stem cell colonies to push the fibroblasts outward during the generation of their own "niche". The hESC were then examined for SSEA-4, Oct3/4 and Tra 1-81 expression up to 10 days after MEF removal to ensure maintenance of pluripotency. Moreover, hESC colonies were able to continue growing from into larger formations after MEF removal, providing an additional level of hESC expansion.     

两种免疫磁珠分离法分选小鼠骨髓粒-单核祖细胞的效率比较

摘要 目的：提取小鼠骨髓细胞（bone marrow cell, BMC）,用两种不同的免疫磁珠分离（magnetic activated cell sorting, MACS）试剂盒从小鼠BMC中分选提纯粒-单核祖细胞（granulocyte-monocyte progenitor, GMP）,比较这两种免疫磁珠的分选效率。方法：从小鼠股骨和胫骨中提取BMC,通过两种不同的MACS试剂盒,即Lineage阳性细胞清除试剂盒和CD117阳性细胞分选试剂盒,分别得到Lineage-细胞群和CD117⁺细胞群,用代表GMP细胞表面标志物的荧光抗体标记,孵育后通过流式细胞荧光分选技术得到GMP细胞,并且对比得到GMP细胞的效率。结果：每2只野生型C57BL/6J小鼠可共收集骨髓细胞（7.02±1.24）×10⁷个,细胞活力为（91.86±5.24）%。经过Lineage阳性细胞清除试剂盒得到的细胞数量为（5.71±2.86）×10⁶个;经过CD117阳性细胞分选试剂盒得到的细胞数量为（2.70±0.56）×10⁶个。Lineage磁珠分选纯化得到的GMP细胞数占总细胞数的比例为（10.90±1.37）%,CD117磁珠分选纯化得到的GMP细胞数占总细胞数的比例为（4.83±2.08）%。结论：Lineage阳性细胞清除试剂盒能更有效分选小鼠骨髓细胞中的粒-单核祖细胞。