生长分化因子-9对牛卵丘细胞增殖的影响

研究生长分化因子-9（growth differentiation factor-9,GDF-9）对牛卵丘细胞增殖的影响。采用MTT法检测不同浓度GDF-9对卵丘细胞增殖的影响,结果表明,GDF-9能促进卵丘细胞的增殖,且GDF-9与卵丘细胞增殖效应存在浓度梯度关系;在卵丘细胞增殖过程中,FSH在一定程度上与GDF-9发挥协同作用。在GDF-9和FSH的作用下,去除卵母细胞的卵丘细胞复合体（oocytectomized cumulus cell complexes,OOX）也可以保持较好的发育形态。实时定量PCR结果表明,随着GDF-9浓度的增加,卵丘细胞扩展相关基因PTX3、HAS2及PTGS2的表达量也增加。总之,以上的研究结果表明,GDF-9可以促进卵丘细胞的增殖,对卵丘细胞功能的发挥起着重要的作用。     

猪卵丘细胞对卵母细胞膜电位影响的研究

本文应用细胞内微电极技术,测试分析了猪卵丘细胞对卵母细胞膜电位的影响。结果表明,卵母细胞周围卵丘细胞的数量和形态特点的差异对卵母细胞膜电位有显著影响,Ａ、Ｂ、Ｃ三类卵母细胞的膜电位有极显著差异。Ａ类和部分Ｂ类母细胞的膜电位为负值,Ｃ类和另一部分Ｂ类卵母细胞的膜电位为正值。     

FSH诱导卵丘细胞分泌一种促减数分裂物质

本实验利用卵母细胞的体外培养模型,将小鼠卵丘－卵母细胞复合体（CEO）和去卵丘卵母细胞（DO）在体外培养,系统研究了促性腺激素（FSH、hCG）诱导小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂的机制。结果显示,FSH能剂量依赖性地诱导CEO恢复减数分裂（Fig.1),但对DO无影响;hCG对CEO、DO皆无效果（Fig.2);用FSH预处理CEO时间达到1小时后,就能显著诱导卵母细胞成熟,2小时后作用达到最大,不再增强（Fig.3);用FSH处理CEO2小时及24小时的培养液,能诱导DO恢复减数分裂,但预处理卵丘细胞24小时的培养液,并不能诱导DO恢复减数分裂（Fig.4A);这种培养液在70℃下30分钟后,仍能刺激DO成熟（Fig.4B);甾醇类物质合成抑制剂酮康唑,可剂量依赖性地抑制FSH的促减数分裂恢复作用（Fig.5)。这些结果说明,FSH可能诱导卵丘－卵母细胞复合体中的卵丘细胞分泌一种促减数分裂恢复物质;该物质用于卵母细胞,诱导其恢复减数分裂而成熟;这种物质可能是一种甾醇类物质。     

卵丘细胞核移植技术生产克隆牛犊

分别以短期培养的5头牛卵丘细胞(1~5 BCC)为细胞核供体, 共用1188枚体外成熟的去核卵母细胞构建了931枚重构胚(78.4%).体外培养后,763枚(82%)发育至2-细胞期,627枚(67.3%)发育至8-细胞期,最后获得囊胚275枚(29.5%).囊胚的平均细胞数为124±24.5 (n = 20).分析不同个体来源的卵丘细胞,同一个体卵丘细胞饥饿与否以及饥饿时间的长短、融合后核/质相容时间(融合到激活的时间长短)等因素对核移植效率的影响发现,5个个体的体细胞核移植囊胚率(14.1%,45.2%,27.3%,34.3% vs 1.5%)有显著差异(P<0.05).同一供体细胞饥饿与否(47.1% vs 44.4%)、饥饿11~12 d (52.5%)和18~19 d (41.6%)均不影响核移植囊胚率(P≥0.05).核/质相容2~3 h的囊胚率(20.3%)显著低于3~6 h组(31.0%,P<0.05). 3~6 h范围内,囊胚率无差异(P≥0.05).其中63枚冷冻的核移植囊胚解冻后移植给31头受体牛,妊娠4例,最后顺利获得2头克隆牛犊.结果表明,牛卵丘细胞饥饿不是核移植成功的关键因素,核质相容程度和供体细胞的个体差异对核移植效率有一定影响.卵丘细胞能够获得全程发育的克隆牛犊.     

促性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞-卵母细胞复合体体外减数分裂恢复作用的研究

本实验利用猪卵母细胞体外无血清培养技术,选用猪卵泡液中自然存在的次黄嘌呤（ＨＸ）作为卵母细胞自发成熟的抑制剂,研究了促性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞－卵母细胞复合体（ＣＥＯ）减数分裂恢复的具体作用。ＣＥＯ在含有不同浓度的促性腺激素（ＦＳＨ,ｈＣＧ,ＦＳＨ＋ｈＣＧ）的培养液中培养２４ｈ,观察卵母细胞减数分裂恢复（ＧＶＢＤ）情况。实验结果如下：１．ＦＳＨ（１－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）能够明显刺激ＣＥＯ克服ＨＸ的抑制作用而恢复减数分裂（Ｐ＜０．０５）,该作用具有剂量依赖性;２．ｈＣＧ（１－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）对ＣＥＯ减数分裂的恢复无明显作用;３．ｈＣＧ（１０－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）与ＦＳＨ（１０,１００ＩＵ／Ｌ）无协同作用。上述结果表明,猪ＣＥＯ减数分裂的恢复可能主要依赖于ＦＳＨ的作用,该作用能使猪卵丘细胞产生一种或几种阳性因子,作用于卵母细胞,从而克服ＨＸ的抑制作用而恢复减数分裂。ｈＣＧ无明显作用,可能是因为卵丘细胞上没有ＬＨ受体或ＬＨ受体的数量不足     

人肾细胞癌细胞阳离子脂质体的转染效率

以ＭＴＳ染色法测定实验剂量的Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ对细胞的毒性作用,以β－半乳糖苷酶基因为报告基因,通过Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ而转染,用Ｘ－ｇａｌ染色法,测定转染效率,结果表明实验剂量（１０μｇ／ｍｌ）的Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ对细胞生长无明显毒性。Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ对多数肾细胞癌细胞的转染是有效的,且转染效率随Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ 度的增高（２．５－１０μｇ／ｍｌ）而增高,说明Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ可安     

用于液质联用分析的少量卵丘颗粒细胞蛋白提取方法的比较

本研究通过对比三种常用的蛋白提取裂解液,建立适合少量卵丘颗粒细胞液质联用分析的蛋白提取方法.收集的卵细胞质内精子注入术患者的卵丘颗粒细胞,分别采用SDT、UED、RIPA裂解液提取卵丘颗粒细胞总蛋白,通过蛋白浓度测定检测蛋白提取效率,SDS-PAGE检测蛋白提取质量,并对酶解后的蛋白进行单针液质联用分析其表达谱,进而对蛋白的检测效果进行评估.蛋白浓度检测表明RIPA裂解液提取的卵丘颗粒细胞蛋白得率较UED裂解液高,蛋白凝胶条带则最为清晰,条带数量最多.液质联用检测发现UED裂解液提取的蛋白鉴定效率最高,RIPA裂解液提取的蛋白质谱峰图质量最佳,通过对鉴定蛋白亚细胞定位分析,发现RIPA裂解液对于膜蛋白鉴定效率上有明显优势,而UED裂解液可能有利于细胞核蛋白的检测.该研究表明三种方法中UED提取法更适合卵丘颗粒细胞的液质联用分析,为临床少量卵丘颗粒细胞的蛋白提取与液质联用分析提供方法依据,并为其他不易获得的少量样本的蛋白质组学提供参考.     

小鼠年龄及卵丘—卵母细胞间联接的解离对卵母细胞体外成熟的影响

实验研究了小鼠卵母细胞体外过程中卵丘－卵母细胞间的相互作用。实验小鼠为雌性Ｂ６Ｄ２杂交一代。激素处理４８小时后分离出卵后天和卵母细胞复合体,并培养在含有次黄嘌呤的培养液中。２４小时后检查卵母细胞核成熟情况。     

Single in vitro bovine embryo production: coculture with autologous cumulus cells, developmental competence, embryo quality and gene expression profiles

Studies concerning oocyte quality markers, oocyte/embryo metabolism or commercial OPU settings treating donors with low oocyte yields, indicate a need for optimization of IVP protocols to culture single oocytes to the blastocyst stage. However, culture conditions for single oocyte usually impair development, although previous research showed that single oocyte culture on a monolayer of cumulus cells can lead to similar developmental competence than group oocyte culture. Aiming to develop a fully single IVP procedure, Experiment 1 and 2 revealed that individual maturation, fertilization and culture in 20 μL droplets, using a monolayer of heterologous (SSSm, Exp 1) or autologous cumulus cells in coculture (SSSa, Exp 2), resulted in 23.9% and 15.1% of blastocysts 8 days p.i., respectively, which is significantly less compared to regular group IVP (GGGc, 33.5% (Exp 1) and 26.2% (Exp 2), respectively). In a third Experiment, day 7 p.i. blastocyst quality was analyzed in four treatment groups: regular group IVP (GGGc), group IVP with coculture (GGGm), in group produced zygotes, singly cultured on a heterologous cumulus cell monolayer (GGSm) and individually matured and fertilized zygotes, singly cultured on a monolayer (SSSm). Mean cell number and apoptotic cell index, were similar for all treatment groups. Moreover, mRNA abundance relative to H2AFZ was equal for 9 qualitatively linked genes (TP53, BAX, SHC1 SHC, IGF2R, PTGS2, AKR1B1, PLAC8, SLC2A1, and MNSOD). Only GPX1, involved in detoxification and mtDNA protection to oxidative stress, was significantly downregulated (ANOVA, P < 0.05) in singly produced blastocysts (SSSm), compared to the other treatments. In conclusion, a valuable individual IVP system was established and autologous cumulus cells in coculture showed to partly neutralize hampered individual culture conditions. Additionally, to our knowledge this is the first report in which blastocyst quality, in terms of cell number, apoptosis and gene expression, of singly produced embryos was investigated and shown to be similar to in group produced embryos, implicating that the single IVP system can be applied as a tool in oocyte and embryo quality studies.     

The potential role of gap junction communication between cumulus cells and bovine oocytes during in vitro maturation

Preliminary studies in our laboratory have indicated that modulating cumulus expansion early or late during culture has a profound influence on the subsequent development of cumulus-enclosed oocytes. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of short term exposure to recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) during in vitro maturation (IVM) on cumulus expansion and developmental competence of bovine oocytes. A highly significant (P < 0.0001) improvement in blastocyst development rate as a proportion of cleaved oocytes after IVM of oocytes was observed in the presence of r-hFSH for the first 6 hr of culture. To demonstrate the importance of the functional coupling between the oocyte and the cumulus compartment during that period of 6 hr, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured with r-hFSH for the first 6 hr followed by 18 hr in presence of 1-heptanol or 1-octanol (gap junction inhibitors) to block the communication between the two. With the coupling inhibitors, the blastocyst yield was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). A brief treatment (30 min) with the weak base methylamine, known to reverse the gap junction inhibitors effect, significantly (P < 0.05) reversed the inhibitory action of these agents on the blastocyst rate. Gap junction communication between the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells was further studied using microinjection of the fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow. Morphological evidences (dye transfer) were obtained that support the presence of functional coupling for a longer period with the FSH short exposure. In conclusion, high developmental rates of bovine oocytes can be achieved with a short exposure to r-hFSH. This effect is believed to be mediated through gap junctions as developmental competence of oocytes is compromised by the inhibition of their function.     

Role of cumulus cells for rat oocyte maturation and metabolism

Oocytes collected from immature PMSG-treated rats on the morning of proestrus were allowed to mature in culture either surrounded by their cumulus cells or after denudation. It was found that the time course of oocyte nuclear maturation was similar whether the cumulus cells were present or not. The oxygen consumption of noncultured oocytes was 0.12 nl/hr/oocyte and increased by 40% after four to eight hours in culture with intact cumulus. Respiration of oocytes cultured without cumulus remained constant throughout the culture, except for a transient decrease after four hours. It is concluted that the cumulus cells do not affect the spontaneous nuclear maturation in vitro, but that the metabolism in oocytes cultured with intact cumulus is different from that of cultured denuded oocytes. Furthermore, it appears that the rise in oocyte oxygen consumption is not a prerequisite for nucler maturation.     

Analysis of apoptosis and DNA damage in bovine cumulus cells after exposure in vitro to different zinc concentrations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Zn (zinc) concentration on CCs (cumulus cells) during in vitro maturation. For this purpose, DNA integrity of CCs by addition of different Zn concentrations [0 (control); 0.7 μg/ml (Zn1); 1.1 μg/ml (Zn2) and 1.5 μg/ml (Zn3)] to the culture medium was evaluated by comet assay. In addition, early apoptosis was analysed by annexin staining assay. CCs treated with Zn showed a significant decrease in the DNA damage in a dose‐dependent manner. Comet assay analysed for TM (tail moment) was significantly higher in cells cultured without Zn (control, P<0.01) with respect to cells treated with Zn (control: 5.24±16.05; Zn1: 1.13±5.31; Zn2: 0.10±0.36; Zn3: 0.017±0.06). All treatments were statistically different from the control (P=0.014 for Zn1; P<0.01 for Zn2 and Zn3). The frequency of apoptotic cells was higher in the control group (control: 0.142±0.07; Zn1: 0.109±0.0328; Zn2:0.102±0.013; Zn3: 0.0577±0.019). Statistical differences were found between control and Zn1 (P=0.0308), control and Zn2 (P=0.0077), control and Zn3 (P<0.0001), Zn1 and Zn3 (P<0.001) and Zn2 and Zn3 (P=0.0004). No differences were found between Zn1 and Zn2. In conclusion, low Zn concentrations increase DNA damage and apoptosis in CCs cultured in vitro. However, adequate Zn concentrations ‘protect’ the integrity of DNA molecule and diminish the percentage of apoptotic CC.     

Culture of bovine hepatocytes: a non-perfusion technique for cell isolation

In this work we have studied the isolation and culture of mature bovine hepatocytes on plastic dishes without exogenous matrix. The liver has been disaggregated in a collagenase solution instead of undergoing a perfusion step. After a few days in culture, the plates showed several clusters of different cell types. Although the average yield was 1.60±0.57×10⁸ viable liver cells per gram of tissue, these cultures were formed by non-parenchymal cells and only very few or none by parenchymal cells. In these cultures, actin structures used as a marker for Stellate (Ito) cells have been visualized by immunocytochemical techniques. In order to increase the proportion of parenchymal cells a centrifugation on Percoll, which separates cell sub-populations, has been introduced. Though the yield was lower than in the previous method, these pre-purified cultures were only composed of hepatocytes. It has been shown that these cells exhibited albumin synthesis, which is a specific hepatocytes function. In addition, these cultures were capable of producing metabolites of 7-ethoxycoumarin at a higher rate than non purified cell cultures. Therefore this simplified procedure for the isolation and culture of functional and viable hepatocytes may be applied for in vitro studies in bovine.     

Factors affecting the in vitro action of cumulus cells on the maturing mouse oocytes

The removal of cumulus cells (CCs) from oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage still represents a major limitation in such embryo techniques as GV transfer, somatic cell haploidization, and oocyte cryopreservation. However, no efficient in vitro maturation (IVM) system for CC-denuded oocytes (DOs) has been established in mammalian species. Although follicular cells are considered to play an important role in oocyte maturation, the specific role and mechanisms of action of different cell types are poorly understood. Reports on whether junctional association between CCs and the oocyte is essential for the beneficial effect of CC co-culture on oocyte maturation are in conflict. Our objective was to try to address these issues using the mouse oocyte model. The results indicated that while co-culture with the CC monolayer could only partially restore the developmental potential of DOs without corona cells, it restored the competence of corona-enclosed DOs completely. Culture in medium conditioned with CC monolayer also promoted maturation of DOs. However, co-culture with the monolayer of mural granulosa cells had no effect. The efficiency of CC co-culture was affected by various factors such as density and age of the CCs, the presence of gonadotropin in the maturation medium and the duration for in vivo (IVO) gonadotropin priming. It is concluded that mouse CCs produce a diffusible factor(s) that support DO maturation in a CC-oocyte junctional communication dependent manner. The data will contribute to our understanding the mechanisms by which CCs promote oocyte maturation and to the establishment of an efficient DO IVM system.     

Theileria parva: Effects of irradiation on a culture of parasitized bovine lymphoid cells

Aliquots of a culture of Theileria parva-infected bovine lymphoid cells were irradiated at 0, 300, 600, 900, and 1200 rads. The short-term effects of irradiation were evaluated on examination of Giemsa-stained smears and on autoradiography of cells labeled with [³H]thymidine. Irradiation inhibited cell division but parasite division did not appear to be inhibited and macroschizont nuclear particles increased in number, frequently to several hundred per schizont. There was no evidence of an increased percentage switch from macro- to microschizont. Apparently viable cells were still present in all cultures 4 days after irradiation.     

Remodeling of donor nuclei, DNA-synthesis, and ploidy of bovine cumulus cell nuclear transfer embryos: effect of activation protocol

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two activation protocols on nuclear remodeling, DNA synthesis during the first cell cycle, chromosome segregation after first mitosis and development to blastocyst of embryos produced by somatic nuclear transfer. Pronuclear formation was significantly higher when activation lasted 5 hr compared to 3 hr for both ethanol-cycloheximide and ionomycin-bohemine treatment. However, the presence of a single nucleus was significantly higher in embryos activated for 3 hr in bohemine. Initiation of DNA synthesis was delayed in ethanol-cycloheximide group, however, after 12 hr labeling 100% of embryos synthesized DNA in both groups. Embryos activated with ethanol-cycloheximide developed to blastocysts at a significantly higher rate than those activated with ionomycin-bohemine. Analysis of 2-cell embryos with DNA probes for chromosome 6, 7, and 15 by fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that at least 50% of NT embryos were of normal ploidy independent of the activation stimulus. The results presented in this study show differences between the protocols compared on the nuclear events during the first cell cycle and on the development to blastocyst. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 59: 371-379, 2001.