Micrometer-scale oxygen delivery rearranges cells and prevents necrosis in tumor tissue in vitro

Oxygen availability plays a critical role in cancer progression and is correlated with poor prognosis. Despite this connection, the independent effects of oxygen gradients on tumor tissues have not been measured. To address this, we developed an oxygen delivery device that uses microelectrodes to generate oxygen directly underneath three-dimensional tumor cylindroids composed of colon carcinoma cells. The extent of cell death was measured using fluorescence staining. Supplying oxygen for 60 h eliminated the necrotic region typically found in the center of cylindroids despite the continued presence of other nutrient gradients. A mathematical model of cylindroid growth showed that the rate of cell death was more sensitive to oxygen than the growth rate. After oxygenation, a ring of dead cells was observed at the outside edge of cylindroids, and dead cells were observed moving outward from cylindroid centers. This movement suggests that dead cells were pushed by viable cells migrating in response to oxygen gradients, a mechanism that may connect transient oxygen gradients to metastasis formation. These measurements show that oxygen gradients are a primary factor governing cell viability and rearrange cells in tumors.     

Confocal microscopy: a tool to visualise differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes

Confocal microscopy offers important advantages compared to conventional epifluorescence microscopy. It works as an "optical microtome" leading to a accurate image resolution of a defined focal plane. Furthermore, the addition of a Nipkow disk on the confocal microscope greatly accelerates the image acquisition, up to 30 frames per second. Nevertheless, the software-assisted mathematical restoration of images acquired using a wide-field microscope allows to get images with a resolution similar to the one obtained in confocal microscopy. These imaging technologies allowed us to monitor on line cardiac differentiation of murine embryonic stem (ES) cells within 3D structures called embryoid bodies. The high rate acquisition of images using the confocal microscope equipped with a Nipkow disk allows to monitor calcium spiking in differentiating cardiomyocytes within embryoid bodies.     

3D culture of osteoblast‐like cells by unidirectional or oscillatory flow for bone tissue engineering

A medium perfusion system is expected to be beneficial for three‐dimensional (3D) culture of engineered bone, not only by chemotransport enhancement but also by mechanical stimulation. In this study, perfusion systems with either unidirectional or oscillatory medium flow were developed, and the effects of the different flow profiles on 3D culturing of engineered bone were studied. Mouse osteoblast‐like MC 3T3‐E1 cells were 3D‐cultured with porous ceramic scaffolds in vitro for 6 days under static and hydrodynamic conditions with either a unidirectional or oscillatory flow. We found that, in the static culture, the cells proliferated only on the scaffold surfaces. In perfusion culture with the unidirectional flow, the proliferation was significantly higher than in the other groups but was very inhomogeneous, which made the construct unsuitable for transplantation. Only the oscillatory flow allowed osteogenic cells to proliferate uniformly throughout the scaffolds, and also increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). These results suggested that oscillatory flow might be better than unidirectional flow for 3D construction of cell‐seeded artificial bone. The oscillatory perfusion system could be a compact, safe, and efficient bioreactor for bone tissue engineering. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1670–1678. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Lung tissue engineering: An update

Pulmonary disease is a worldwide public health problem that reduces the life quality and increases the need for hospital admissions as well as the risk of premature death. A common problem is the significant shortage of lungs for transplantation as well as patients must also take immunosuppressive drugs for the rest of their lives to keep the immune system from attacking transplanted organs. Recently, a new strategy has been proposed in the cellular engineering of lung tissue as decellularization approaches. The main components for the lung tissue engineering are: (1) A suitable biological or synthetic three-dimensional (3D) scaffold, (2) source of stem cells or cells, (3) growth factors required to drive cell differentiation and proliferation, and (4) bioreactor, a system that supports a 3D composite biologically active. Although a number of synthetic as well biological 3D scaffold suggested for lung tissue engineering, the current favorite scaffold is decellularized extracellular matrix scaffold. There are a large number of commercial and academic made bioreactors, the favor has been, the one easy to sterilize, physiologically stimuli and support active cell growth as well as clinically translational. The challenges would be to develop a functional lung will depend on the endothelialized microvascular network and alveolar–capillary surface area to exchange gas. A critical review of the each components of lung tissue engineering is presented, following an appraisal of the literature in the last 5 years. This is a multibillion dollar industry and consider unmet clinical need.     

干细胞参与组织再生的一种机制:细胞融合

干细胞的研究开创了生命科学革命性的进程,人们将通过这一研究找到攻克诸如心血管疾病、神经退行性疾病、癌症、糖尿病等顽症的方法,因而这一工程又被称之为治疗人类疾病的“希望工程”。然而,人们对干细胞在组织修复和再生过程中的作用机制还知之甚少,目前认为干细胞横向分化能力及干细胞的融合是其主要的,也是最有争议的两种可能的机制。细胞融合在发育过程中是不可或缺的,如果人体内不能进行正常的细胞融合,将产生因精卵不融合造成的不孕、骨骼石化症、肌营养不良等疾病,而将干细胞融合应用于临床治疗的研究也日渐兴起。本文对干细胞参与组织再生和修复过程中与细胞融合相关的研究进展进行了综述,概述了干细胞融合的机制,分析了体内融合产生的原因及条件,以期为今后这方面的研究提供理论基础。     

组织因子对肝癌细胞侵袭能力的影响

组织因子（Tissue Factor,TF）是机体外源性凝血途径的启动因子,发挥生理性止血的重要作用.近来研究表明,TF除凝血功能外尚与多种恶性肿瘤的血管生成,侵袭转移及预后密切相关.为了探讨TF对人类肝癌细胞的影响,将成功构建带有正义/反义TF cDNA的真核细胞表达质粒pcDNA3.1-TF(+)/(-)转染人肝癌细胞系HepG2,经药物筛选后获得稳定细胞克隆;应用RT-PCR和Western blot检测内源性TF mRNA及蛋白质表达水平的变化;通过体外侵袭实验进一步分析对细胞侵袭能力所造成的影响.结果显示,转染pcDNA3.1-TF(+)质粒的细胞TF表达水平明显升高,相应的其侵袭能力明显增强,而转染pcDNA3.1-TF(-)质粒的细胞TF表达水平,及体外侵袭能力显著下降.研究结果表明,TF可以增强人类肝癌细胞体外侵袭和转移能力,与肝癌的进展相关,可作为原发性肝癌治疗的一个新靶点进行研究.     

Effect of bioadctive glass templates on osteoblast proliferation and in vitro synthesis of bone-like tissue

Using in vitro synthesifzed bone tissue with cells aspirated fpom the patient's marrow is an appealing idea to avoid the profound limitations of biological of biologiaal and synthetic grafts. Procedures to synthesize bone tiqsue on vitro primapily relied on seeding various subqtpates with cellq that have osteogenia capacity in culture. It should be noted that in an in vitro system, msteoppogenitor cells, as well as bone themselves an papidiy change their phenotype, hence the substrate needs to promote the expression or the bone cell Phenotype. Furthermore, it needs to provide a template for bone deposition while gradually resorbing once bone tissue has been laid down. This paper presents initial evidence that optimally combines the requirements of the ideal template for in vitro synthesis of bone tissue. When made in popous dorm, and conditioned to detelop a bone-like surface prior to being seeded with pluripoteltial cells capable of expressing the osteoblastic phenotype, these templates lead to expeditious and a undalt in vitro synthesis of extracellular matrix with most important characteristics of bone tissue.     

Differentiation of human adipose tissue SVF cells into cardiomyocytes

Progenitor cells have been extensively studied and therapeutically applied in tissue reconstructive therapy. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells, which are derived from adipose tissue, may represent a potential source of the cells which undergo phenotypical differentiation into many lineages both in vitro as well as in vivo. The goal of this study was to check whether human SVF cells may differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like entities. Human SVF cells were induced to differentiate by their incubation in Methocult medium in the presence of SCF, IL-3 and IL-6. Morphological transformation of the cells was monitored using optical light microscope, whereas changes in expression of the genes typical for cardiac phenotype were measured by qRT-PCR. Incubation of the human SVF cells in the medium that promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation in vitro resulted in formation of myotubule-like structures accompanied by up-regulation of the myocardium-characteristic genes, such as GATA, MEF2C, MYOD1, but not ANP. Human SVF cells differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in the presence of the certain set of myogenesis promoting cytokines.     

Chromium content of normal and pathologically altered lung tissue

Flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to determine the chromium (Cr) content of samples taken at autopsy from the lungs, bronchi, and regional hilar lymph nodes of 50 randomly selected patients from urban and rural areas; these patients were not known to have been excessively exposed to Cr. On the average, the Cr concentration in the lungs of patients younger than 40 yr of age was approximately 2 μg/g; for patients over 40, the average Cr values were between 5 and 15 μg/g dry wt. The highest values were found in samples from the apex of the lung. The Cr concentration in lung and lymph nodes increased in proportion to age and the degree of anthracosis. Chromium content in the bronchial wall was very low in all cases. Chromium values up to ten times greater as compared to age-matched average values were found in scarred lung tissue, probably caused by a postinflammatory lymph vessel blockade. Slightly elevated Cr values were found in smokers' lungs. Chromium values in tissue from primary lung carcinomas (n=9) were lower than those in neighboring lung tissue. Based on the results of this study the amount of Cr of lung and bronchial tissue does not appear to be associated with the induction of bronchial carcinoma.     

Proliferating cells in suborbital tissue drive eye migration in flatfish

The left/right asymmetry of adult flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) is remarkable given the external body symmetry of the larval fish. The best-known change is the migration of their eyes: one eye migrates from one side to the other. Two extinct primitive pleuronectiformes with incomplete orbital migration have again attracted public attention to the mechanism of eye migration, a subject of speculation and research for over a century. Cranial asymmetry is currently believed to be responsible for eye migration. Contrary to that hypothesis, we show here that the initial migration of the eye is caused by cell proliferation in the suborbital tissue of the blind side and that the twist of frontal bone is dependent on eye migration. The inhibition of cell proliferation in the suborbital area of the blind side by microinjected colchicine was able to prevent eye migration and, thereafter, cranial asymmetry in juvenile Solea senegalensis (right sideness, Soleidae), Cynoglossus semilaevis (left sideness, Cynoglossidae), and Paralichthys olivaceus (left sideness, Paralichthyidae) with a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. Our results correct the current misunderstanding that eye migration is driven by the cranial asymmetry and simplify the explanation for broken left/right eye-symmetry. Our findings should help to focus the search on eye migration-related genes associated with cell proliferation. Finally, a novel model is proposed in this research which provides a reasonable explanation for differences in the migrating eye between, and sometimes within, different species of flatfish and which should aid in our overall understanding of eye migration in the ontogenesis and evolution of Pleuronectiformes.     

Mixed effects of long-term frozen storage on cord tissue stem cells

Background aimsCord tissue (CT) storage is promoted as an opportunity to preserve a source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for future use. We analyzed maximal MSC yields from fresh and frozen CT including functional capacity after long-term cryopreservation as a means of assessing potential utility.MethodsCT was evaluated immediately upon harvest or frozen and banked for 5 years before analysis. Upon thawing, cell viability and yield were determined, as were growth characteristics and the ability to differentiate into various tissues. After thawing, enzymatic digestion of CT to release MSCs resulted in poor cell recoveries and few viable cells, requiring explant cultures to recover sufficient cell numbers for analysis. Upon expansion of surviving cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis showed the cells to be MSCs based on phenotype (CD34–, 45–, 44+, 90+, 105+) and function (ability to form adipocytes and osteoblasts). Frozen CT, however, exhibited decreased plating efficiency, increased doubling times but near equivalent maximum cell expansion, compared with fresh CT.ConclusionsPoor cell yields and recoveries, along with slower growth characteristics, make frozen CT a less-than-optimal choice for MSC banking, despite good functional recovery. In addition, because the amount of fresh CT available at birth is limited and total MSC yields are low, even fresh CT-MSC requires extensive in vitro expansion before clinical use, which limits it application.     

Spontaneous acquisition of tumorigenicity and invasiveness by mouse lens explant cells during culture in vitro

Summary The lens of the eye is one of the rare organs in which tumors do not occur spontaneously. It therefore appeared to us that lens cells would not present the background of spontaneous transformation toward malignancy found with many other cell cultures. We have cultured C3H/HeA mouse lens explant (MLE) cells for 70 wk an analyzed changes in malignancy-related phenotypes in function of the number of passages. In vitro, we studied morphology, colony forming efficiency on tissue culture plastic substrate (CFEtc) and in soft agar, population doubling time, saturation density, and invasiveness into precultured chick heart fragments. In vivo, tumorigenicity, invasion, and metastasis were analyzed after injection of cell suspensions subcutaneously and intraperitoneally, after implantation of cells aggregated to collagen sponges under the renal capsule and after implantation of cell aggregates subcutaneously into the tail and into the pinna. The CFEtc, population doubling time, and saturation density increased as the number of passages of culture in vitro increased, but colony formation in soft agar was never observed. MLE cells till passage 16 were not invasive in vitro, but hereafter consistently were found to be invasive. After about 17 passages, corresponding to 25 wk of culture, MLE cells acquired the capacity to form tumors in syngeneic mice. These tumors were invasive but metastases were not observed, We concluded that MLE cells acquired in an apparently spontaneous way a number of malignancy-related phenotypes, without, however, reaching the stage of metastasis. L. M. is a recipient of a fellowship from the IWONL, Belgium. This work was supported by the Belgisch Werk Tegen Kanker and the Internationale Stichting Jacques Brel.     

Dissociation of single cells from lung or kidney tissue with elastase

Summary Experiments were conducted to determine the capacity of various enzyme preparations to dissociate single cells from guinea pig lung tissue. The number of cells separated from tissue progressively increased as the concentration of crude trypsin was increased from 25 to 250 mg per 100 ml. This action could be inhibited by soy bean trypsin inhibitor. Elastase, but not ethylenediaminetetraacetate (disodium salt), crystalline trypsin, nor chymotrypsin, dissociated cells from lung tissues. Crude trypsin (Trypsin 1∶300) was found to contain 3.0 Sachar units of elastase per mg. Elastase was also inhibited by soy bean trypsin inhibitor. Only some collagenase preparations dissociated cells from lung tissue. Impure bacterial proteases dissociated lung cells. Our data suggest that the term “trypsinization” to denote dissociation of cells from tissue with crude preparations of trypsin is misleading and should be discontinued. Partially supported bv Armour-Baldwin Laboratories and the National Institute of Health, Grant, AM 12919.     

Bio-electrospraying primary cardiac cells: in vitro tissue creation and functional study

Manifestations of myocardial infarctions have been recognized as one of the major killers in the Western world. Therefore, advancing and developing novel cardiac tissue repair and replacement therapeutics have great implications to our health sciences and well-being. There are several approaches for forming cardiac tissues, non-jet-based and jet-based methodologies. A unique advantage of jet-based approaches is the possibility to handle living cells with a matrix for cell distribution and deposition in suspension, either as single or heterogeneous cell populations. Our previous studies on bio-electrospraying of cardiac cells have shown great promise. Here, we show for the first time the ability to bio-electrospray the three major cell types of the myocardium, both independently and simultaneously, for forming a fully functional cardiac tissue. Several samples are characterized in vitro and found to be indistinguishable in comparison to controls. Thus, we are describing a swiftly emerging novel biotechnique for direct cardiac tissue generation. Moreover, the present investigations pave the way for the development and optimization of a bio-patterning approach for the fabrication of biologically viable cardiac tissue grafts for the potential treatment of severe heart failure after myocardial infarction.     

Scanning electron microscopy of differentiated liver cells transformed in vitro by chemical carcinogens

A scanning electron microscopy study was carried out on differentiated liver cells transformed in vitro by three chemical carcinogens into cells that give rise to carcinomas. The results indicate that the transformed cells grow as a rule in tightly adherent monolayers but differ in topography. There is a tendency toward heterogeneity in cell shape compared to the normal and on the whole toward a larger number of surface microvilli in the malignant cell population. However, both in sparse and confluent cultures the topographic differences are often not striking enough to unequivocally distinguish single neoplastic cells from the normal.     

转hGM-CSF基因HepG2细胞疫苗侵袭性和生长活性初步检测

目的：探讨经60Co处理的转hGM-CSF基因的HepG2肝癌疫苗的侵袭性和生长活性变化。方法：体外培养三种肝癌细胞（①野生型HepG2肝癌细胞②转染hGM-CSF基因的HepG2肝癌细胞③60Co射线处理的转hGM-CSF基因的HepG2肝癌疫苗）采用MTT方法检测三种细胞在24h、48h、72h的OD值并绘出生长曲线;利用transwell小室进行体外侵袭实验来观察上述三种细胞侵袭性;用RT-PCR技术检测上述三种细胞基质金属蛋白酶2（MMP-2）在mRNA水平上表达的变化;结果：经60Co照射处理的转hGM-CSF基因的HepG2肝癌疫苗组OD值在相同培养时间点较其他两组明显变小且差异有显著性（P〈0.05）。三种细胞（上述①②③种细胞）transwell侵袭试验显示：③组穿过人造基底膜的细胞数量明显少于前两组;PT-PCR示：③组细胞的MMP-2的mRNA的表达明显低于①②。结论：经过60Co处理过的转hGM-CSF基因的HepG2肝癌疫苗的侵袭性和生长活性均明显降低。