微流控芯片对乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231的捕获及再培养研究

目的:利用实验室构建的微流控芯片对乳腺癌细胞(MDA-MB-231)进行捕获,提高捕获率并保证细胞活性,实现再培养。抗肿瘤药物阿霉素处理正常培养和再培养的细胞,分析细胞内的基因表达变化。方法:对微流控芯片进行基底修饰,利用MUC1抗原与抗体特异性结合捕获肿瘤细胞,优化捕获条件提高捕获率。对微流控芯片捕获的细胞进行分离、收集和再培养。用1μmol/L阿霉素对正常培养和再培养的细胞分别孵育24h,然后提取RNA并逆转录合成c DNA。选择乳腺癌细胞中高表达及与肿瘤转移相关的基因FN1、ITGA6和LAMB3设计引物,以c DNA为模板分别进行RT-PCR扩增,对琼脂糖凝胶电泳结果进行灰度分析。结果:经MUC1抗体修饰的微流控芯片能有效地捕获肿瘤细胞,捕获率达80%±3%,释放率约98%,细胞释放后存活率高实现再培养。阿霉素对正常培养和再培养的乳腺癌细胞中FN1、ITGA6和LAMB3的基因表达均有抑制作用。结论:MUC1抗体修饰的微流控芯片能有效捕获乳腺癌细胞并实现再培养,捕获前后细胞内基因表达无显著差异,均能产生药物敏感性。     

微流控芯片在植物细胞研究中的应用进展

植物细胞的传统分析方法是将植物细胞在土壤或者琼脂平板上生长,然后在温室或植物生长室内观察植物的表型。这种方法耗时耗力,且结果分辨率比较低。微流控芯片具有微型化、体积小和高通量等特点,且可在微米水平精确控制植物细胞生长的微环境。因此,能够降低实验成本,缩短实验时间,并且可以达到单细胞水平的分析和鉴定。首先介绍了微流控芯片的加工材料和制备方法,总结了用于植物细胞研究的微流控芯片,重点阐述了近年来微流控芯片在植物根、花粉管、原生质体和细胞壁动力学等植物细胞研究中的应用进展,并展望了微流控芯片在植物细胞研究的应用前景。     

果蝇共生菌降低有害真菌的毒性

【背景】目前对于如何解决有害真菌对黑腹果蝇的致死性病理研究较少,对共生菌抑制有害真菌的研究引起普遍关注。【目的】检测黑腹果蝇共生菌对病原性真菌的拮抗作用,揭示共生菌提高果蝇的适合度。【方法】利用PDA培养基分离黑腹果蝇食物中真菌;利用形态和rDNAITS基因序列比对进行真菌的鉴定;通过测量菌落直径、孢子数量以及菌丝分枝数量以评定真菌的生长;利用存活率评估病原真菌的毒性;建立无菌和悉生模型,通过发育历期验证其共生菌与病原性真菌的竞争作用;利用双向选择食物装置检测共生菌抑制病原真菌的效果。【结果】从果蝇食物中分离出的真菌经鉴定为拟茎点霉(Phomopsis),可显著地降低成年果蝇的存活率和延缓果蝇发育。东方醋酸杆菌在体外可明显抑制拟茎点霉的生长,有效地减轻拟茎点霉对果蝇的致死作用,挽救了拟茎点霉导致的果蝇发育延滞,改善了果蝇产卵对拟茎点霉的趋避作用。【结论】拟茎点霉是果蝇的一株条件性病原真菌,而东方醋酸杆菌可以有效地减轻拟茎点霉对果蝇生长发育和存活率的损害,从而提高果蝇适合度。     

出芽短梗霉细胞多形性及影响细胞分化因素探索

【背景】出芽短梗霉(Aureobasidium pullulans)是在生活史中有酵母状细胞生长阶段,并合成黑色素的一种黑酵母(Black yeast),具有典型的细胞多形性,可分化形成酵母状细胞(Yeast-like cell,YL)、膨大细胞(Swollen cell,SC)、厚垣孢子(Chlamydospore,CH)、菌丝(Hyphae,HY)、念珠状菌丝(Monilioid hyphae,MH)、有隔膜膨大细胞(Septate swollen cell,SSC)、分生组织状结构(Meristematic structure,MS),其中膨大细胞既可以作为生长的细胞类型,也可分化为其他的细胞类型。出芽短梗霉的形态分化是可调控的,调控因子有pH、温度、营养条件等。【目的】探究不同的氧气浓度、温度、盐浓度、营养水平对出芽短梗霉细胞形态的影响。【方法】利用显微镜、美兰染色等技术观察不同条件对出芽短梗霉细胞形态的影响。【结果】在完全无氧的试管底部菌体不能生长;在高层半固体表层(高氧气浓度),酵母状细胞(YL)在营养丰富的生长初期出芽繁殖,在养分匮乏的培养后期诱导酵母状细胞(YL)经过膨大细胞(SC)形成厚垣孢子(CH)并合成黑色素;在营养丰富的生长初期,半固体试管浅表层和中间层(微好氧)低浓度氧气诱导YL经过SC形成HY侵入性生长。养分差异对菌体细胞多形性分化影响显著,环境适宜养分丰富(Yeast extract peptone dextrose medium,YPD),以YL生长,不需要分化成HY;环境适宜养分不丰富(Potato dextrose agar,PDA),分化成SC或HY以适应或逃离环境;环境不适宜养分匮乏时(Malt extract agar,MEA),SC或HY分化成CH或MH进入休眠阶段。10%NaCl胁迫降低菌体生长速度,抑制色素合成、HY和MH的形成,并且细胞主要以YL生长繁殖。在相同质量浓度(10%)的KCl或Na2SO4渗透胁迫条件下,细胞多形性表型均为YL发达,HY及MH被抑制,说明高渗胁迫阻止了酵母状细胞向菌丝和厚垣孢子的分化。温度实验中,SC比YL耐高温,MS比SC耐高温。【结论】营养状态对出芽短梗霉细胞分化影响最大。     

临床常见酵母菌的特征和鉴定

自然界酵母有500多种,但能致病的只有20多种,主要见于念珠菌属、隐球菌属、球拟酵母、丝孢酵母属和地霉属。酵母的特性：以芽殖为主的单细胞真菌,菌落呈乳酪样,无毛样气生菌丝（见图1）。对人类有致病性的酵母可依菌落形态分为两类：一类是酵母菌：单细胞,呈圆形或卵圆形,以母细胞产生芽胞而繁殖,不形成有性孢子。当酵母菌生长于固体培养基时,其形成的菌落与细菌菌落较为类似,不同于霉菌的粉状菌落,如隐球菌即属于此类。另一类是类酵母样真菌：圆形或卵圆形细胞,以出芽生殖而繁殖,有芽生孢子、菌丝,无子囊。     

家蝇抗菌肽AMP-17对白色念珠菌菌丝的抑制作用

【背景】AMP-17是从微生物诱导的家蝇转录组数据库筛选到的一条特异性高表达基因,采用原核表达体系获得其重组蛋白并证实了具有显著的抗菌效果,特别是对白色念珠菌具有较强的抗菌活性。【目的】研究抗菌肽AMP-17对白色念珠菌菌丝的抑制作用。【方法】采用微量液体稀释法测定AMP-17对11株白色念珠菌的最小抑菌浓度(minimal inhibitory concentration,MIC);根据对AMP-17的敏感程度选取3株绘制生长曲线;通过光学显微镜观察并计数经AMP-17作用后白色念珠菌芽生孢子生成率及芽管形成率;倒置荧光显微镜观察白色念珠菌酵母相向菌丝相转化及以菌丝相为起点AMP-17促进菌丝相转化为酵母相的情况。【结果】AMP-17对支气管肺泡灌洗液分离株16105的MIC为10μg/mL,对粪便分离株16214的MIC为40μg/mL,对其余9株白色念珠菌的MIC均为20μg/mL;白色念珠菌经不同浓度的AMP-17作用后,各时间点的芽生孢子生成率均显著低于对照组,尤其是40μg/mL的AMP-17组,芽生孢子生成率仅15%,显著低于阳性药物氟康唑;各实验组芽管形成率显著低于对照组,且芽管形成缓慢,培养6 h后芽管形成率仅为6%,形成的芽管长度较短,仅为菌体的1-2倍。镜下观察低浓度的AMP-17即可以完全抑制白色念珠菌菌丝的生长,并且对已经形成的菌丝有一定的生长抑制作用,高浓度的AMP-17则可使已形成的部分菌丝向酵母相转化。【结论】家蝇抗菌肽AMP-17可抑制白色念珠菌菌丝生长。     

环境pH诱导出芽短梗霉细胞多形化

出芽短梗霉具有酵母状细胞、膨大细胞、菌丝、厚垣孢子、念珠状菌丝和分生组织状结构。在最适pH条件下,出芽短梗霉生长繁殖以酵母状细胞（CBS100225等4菌株）或膨大细胞（CBS249.65等4菌株）为主。pH 2.2或pH 7.0诱导全部8株出芽短梗霉形成分生组织状结构。酵母状细胞转变成膨大细胞受低pH值诱导的占75%,还受高pH诱导的占50%。膨大细胞是多形性细胞转变的中心环节,可以转变成菌丝、厚垣孢子或分生组织状结构。     

微生物流式分选的单细胞样品制备及存活率提高的方法优化

【背景】以流式细胞技术为代表的高通量筛选技术能够高效筛选具有目标性状的微生物工程菌株。在流式分选中微生物的粘连会造成分析数据不准确，分选纯度降低，因此快速简便的单细胞样品制备是流式检测的关键。优势菌大多是通过筛选偶联荧光蛋白的随机突变库获得，阳性率低，杂质和死细胞的自发荧光较强，容易混入分选门内造成存活率降低，亟须提高分选存活率的方法。【目的】建立一种简便的微生物流式分选的单细胞样品制备方法，并通过碘化丙啶(propidium iodide, PI)染色提高分选样品存活率。【方法】分别在大肠杆菌、枯草芽孢杆菌、谷氨酸棒状杆菌和酵母菌4种底盘细胞中探索超声波、消化酶、表面活性剂及超声-表面活性剂联合作用4种方式对单细胞制备效率的影响。提高微生物流式分选存活率，用常压室温等离子诱变(atmospheric and room temperature plasma, ARTP)技术处理含有绿色荧光蛋白(green fluorescent protein, GFP)的酿酒酵母HZ848 (简称HZ848-GFP)，形成不同强度GFP文库后，按照GFP强度分选全细胞和PI染色阴性细胞的前0.5%，统计单细胞存活率。【结果】酵母细胞分散条件为：0.01% Tween-80联合超声1 min，单细胞率达到88%以上，PI染色细胞破损率＜1.4%。谷氨酸棒状杆菌单细胞分散条件为：0.01% Tween-80联合超声5 min，单细胞率达到97%以上，PI染色细胞破损率＜1%。分选存活率结果表明，未用PI染色的酿酒酵母分选后单细胞存活率是4.3%，用PI染色去除死细胞后再分选单细胞存活率是18.3%，后者是前者的4.3倍，且具有显著性差异。【结论】本研究为微生物流式分选建立了一套简单快捷的单细胞样品制备方法，证实了PI染色法能够显著提高分选样品存活率。     

贝莱斯芽孢杆菌GDND-2对烟草镰孢根腐病菌生长发育的影响

【背景】尖孢镰孢(Fusariumoxysporum)引起的烟草根腐病在世界烟区普遍发生,严重影响烟草产量和质量,化学农药无法有效防治病害,利用生防菌防治该病成为研究热点。【目的】明确贝莱斯芽孢杆菌(Bacillusvelenzensis)GDND-2对尖孢镰孢生长发育的抑制作用。【方法】制备含10%和20%GDND-2发酵滤液的PDA培养基,涂在玻片上,接种尖孢镰孢分生孢子,观察滤液对尖孢镰孢孢子萌发、菌丝生长、孢子形成和色素产生的影响,应用扫描和透射电镜观察菌体超微结构的变化。【结果】贝莱斯芽孢杆菌GDND-2发酵滤液延迟孢子萌发2h以上,造成芽管膨大畸形,促使菌丝提早分枝,抑制菌丝延伸,使菌丝产生畸形球状结构,10%和20%发酵滤液对菌丝生长抑制率达53.41%和61.58%。滤液延迟病菌产孢,显著抑制产孢量,影响孢子形态,刺激病菌产生色素。10%和20%发酵滤液延迟产孢20h和28h,对产孢量的抑制率为52.11%和78.85%,滤液促使病菌形成小型分生孢子。观察尖孢镰孢的超微结构,部分菌丝膨大、畸形,细胞壁变薄,细胞膜消失,细胞质渗出,胞内呈空腔结构;部分菌丝严重皱缩、扭曲、...     

微流控芯片技术在细胞生物学研究中的应用进展

20世纪90年代以来,微流控芯片技术得到了快速发展。由于具有小型化、集成化、高通量、低消耗、分析快速等特点,微流控芯片作为一种新型的生物学研究平台,能够提供传统方法不具备的精细和可控制的细胞研究条件,在细胞生物学研究领域中得到了广泛关注。该文主要介绍其在细胞培养、分选、裂解、计数、凋亡检测、迁移、单细胞捕获、细胞间作用等方面的研究进展。     

Micromechanical cantilever array sensors for selective fungal immobilization and fast growth detection

We demonstrate the use of micromechanical cantilever arrays for selective immobilization and fast quantitative detection of vital fungal spores. Micro-fabricated uncoated as well as gold-coated silicon cantilevers were functionalized with concanavalin A, fibronectin or immunoglobulin G. In our experiments two major morphological fungal forms were used--the mycelial form Aspergillus niger and the unicellular yeast form Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as models to explore a new method for growth detection of eukaryotic organisms using cantilever arrays. We exploited the specific biomolecular interactions of surface grafted proteins with the molecular structures on the fungal cell surface. It was found that these proteins have different affinities and efficiencies to bind the spores. Maximum spore immobilization, germination and mycelium growth was observed on the immunoglobulin G functionalized cantilever surfaces. We show that spore immobilization and germination of the mycelial fungus A. niger and yeast S. cerevisiae led to shifts in resonance frequency within a few hours as measured by dynamically operated cantilever arrays, whereas conventional techniques would require several days. The biosensor could detect the target fungi in a range of 10(3) - 10(6) CFUml(-1). The measured shift is proportional to the mass of single fungal spores and can be used to evaluate spore contamination levels. Applications lie in the field of medical and agricultural diagnostics, food- and water-quality monitoring.     

CTBT (7-chlorotetrazolo[5,1-c]benzo[1,2,4]triazine) producing ROS affects growth and viability of filamentous fungi

CTBT (7-chlorotetrazolo[5,1-c]benzo[1,2,4]triazine) causes intracellular superoxide production and oxidative stress and enhances the susceptibility of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and C.?glabrata cells to cycloheximide, 5-fluorocytosine, and azole antimycotic drugs. Here, we demonstrate the antifungal activity of CTBT against 14 tested filamentous fungi. CTBT prevented spore germination and mycelial proliferation of Aspergillus niger and the pathogenic Aspergillus fumigatus. The action of CTBT is fungicidal. CTBT increased the formation of reactive oxygen species in fungal mycelium as detected by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and reduced the radial growth of colonies in a dose-dependent manner. Co-application of CTBT and itraconazole led to complete inhibition of fungal growth at dosages lower than the chemicals alone. Antifungal and chemosensitizing activities of CTBT in filamentous fungi may be useful in combination treatments of infections caused by drug-resistant fungal pathogens.     

Single-cell analysis of yeast, mammalian cells, and fungal spores with a microfluidic pressure-driven chip-based system.

BACKGROUND: Cytomics aims at understanding the function of cellular systems by analysis of single cells. Recently, there has been a growing interest in single cell measurements being performed in microfluidic systems. These systems promise to integrate staining, measurement, and analysis in a single system. One important aspect is the limitation of allowable cell sizes due to microfluidic channel dimensions. Here we want to demonstrate the broad applicability of microfluidic chip technology for the analysis of many different cell types. METHODS: We have developed a microfluidic chip and measurement system that allows flow cytometric analysis of fluorescently stained cells from different organisms. In this setup, the cells are moved by pressure-driven flow inside a network of microfluidic channels and are analyzed individually by fluorescence detection. RESULTS: We have successfully applied the system to develop a methodology to detect viable and dead cells in yeast cell populations. Also, we have measured short interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated silencing of protein expression in mammalian cells. In addition, we have characterized the infection state of Magnaportae grisea fungal spores. CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained with the microfluidic system demonstrate a broad applicability of microfluidic flow cytometry to measurement of various cell types.     

Senescence in fungi: the view from Neurospora

Some naturally occurring strains of fungi cease growing through successive subculturing, i.e., they senesce. In Neurospora, senescing strains usually contain intramitochondrial linear or circular plasmids. An entire plasmid or its part(s) integrates into the mtDNA, causing insertional mutagenesis. The functionally defective mitochondria replicate faster than the wild-type mitochondria and spread through interconnected hyphal cells. Senescence could also be due to spontaneous lethal nuclear gene mutations arising in the multinucleated mycelium. However, their phenotypic effects remain masked until the nuclei segregate into a homokaryotic spore, and the spore germinates to form a mycelium that is incapable of extended culturing. Ultimately the growth of a fungal colony ceases due to dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation. Results with senescing nuclear mutants or growth-impaired cytoplasmic mutants suggest that mtDNA is inherently unstable, requiring protection by as yet unidentified nuclear-gene-encoded factors for normal functioning. Interestingly, these results are in accord with the endosymbiotic theory of origin of eukaryotic cells.     

Impedimetric and optical interrogation of single cells in a microfluidic device for real-time viability and chemical response assessment

We report here a non-invasive, reversible method for interrogating single cells in a microfluidic flow-through system. Impedance spectroscopy of cells held at a micron-sized pore under negative pressure is demonstrated and used to determine the presence and viability of the captured cell. The cell capture pore is optimized for electrical response and mechanical interfacing to a cell using a deposited layer of parylene. Changes in the mechanical interface between the cell and the chip due to chemical exposure or environmental changes can also be assessed. Here, we monitored the change in adhesion/spreading of RAW264.7 macrophages in response to the immune stimulant lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This method enables selective, reversible, and quantitative long-term impedance measurements on single cells. The fully sealed electrofluidic assembly is compatible with long-term cell culturing, and could be modified to incorporate single cell lysis and subsequent intracellular separation and analysis.     

Regulation of hyphal morphogenesis by Ras and Rho small GTPases

The fungal kingdom is extremely diverse – comprised of over 1.5 million species including yeasts, molds and mushrooms. Essentially, all fungi have cell walls that contain chitin and the cells of most fungi grow as tube-like filaments called hyphae. These filamentous fungi, such as the mold Neurospora crassa, develop branched radial networks of hyphae referred to as mycelium. In contrast, non-filamentous fungi do not form radial mycelia, but grow as single cells, which reproduce by either budding or fission such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Schizosaccharomyces pombe, respectively. Finally, there are fungi that are capable of switching between single cell, yeast form growth and filamentous growth such as Candida albicans. The switch from yeast to filamentous growth in these so-called dimorphic fungi is a virulence trait in many human and plant pathogens. Highly conserved master regulators of all three fungal growth modes – filamentous, non-filamentous and dimorphic – are the Ras and Rho small GTPases, which spatially and temporally control cell polarity establishment and maintenance. This review summarizes the key roles of the Ras and Rho GTPases during hyphal morphogenesis in a range of fungi.     

Transparent polymeric cell culture chip with integrated temperature control and uniform media perfusion

Modern microfabrication and microfluidic technologies offer new opportunities in the design and fabrication of miniaturized cell culture systems for online monitoring of living cells. We used laser micromachining and thermal bonding to fabricate an optically transparent, low-cost polymeric chip for long-term online cell culture observation under controlled conditions. The chip incorporated a microfluidic flow equalization system, assuring uniform perfusion of the cell culture media throughout the cell culture chamber. The integrated indium-tin-oxide heater and miniature temperature probe linked to an electronic feedback system created steady and spatially uniform thermal conditions with minimal interference to the optical transparency of the chip. The fluidic and thermal performance of the chip was verified by finite element modeling and by operation tests under fluctuating ambient temperature conditions. HeLa cells were cultured for up to 2 weeks within the cell culture chip and monitored using a time-lapse video recording microscopy setup. Cell attachment and spreading was observed during the first 10-20 h (lag phase). After approximately 20 h, cell growth gained exponential character with an estimated doubling time of about 32 h, which is identical to the observed doubling time of cells grown in standard cell culture flasks in a CO2 incubator.     

Hepatogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells using microfluidic chips

Directional induction and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is very important to clinical therapy, but the mechanisms that govern differentiation are not well understood. However, traditional plate culture cannot precisely control cellular behavior because cells take up substances while secreting cytokines and wastes. Here, we used a microfluidic device to culture MSCs inside a microchamber. Hepatic differentiation medium was perfused to evaluate the ability of MSCs to differentiate toward hepatic cells on the chip. Parallel differentiation on 96-well plates was used to provide a detailed comparison of the differences between the two culturing methods. After treatment for 4 weeks, differentiated cells from both groups could express hepatocyte-specific markers, including alpha-fetoprotein, tyrosine aminotransferase, and albumin. The bioactivity assays revealed that these hepatocyte-like cells could uptake lipoprotein, but cells that differentiated on the chip showed more positive signals than the cells cultured on plates. Our results indicated that a microfluidic platform might be a potential tool for cost-effective and automated cell culture, and have potential applications in reliable cell-based screens and assays.     

Ergosterol Content in Various Fungal Species and Biocontaminated Building Materials

This paper reports the ergosterol content for microbial cultures of six filamentous fungi, three yeast species, and one actinomycete and the ergosterol levels in 40 samples of building materials (wood chip, gypsum board, and glass wool) contaminated by microorganisms. The samples were hydrolyzed in alkaline methanol, and sterols were silylated and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The average ergosterol content varied widely among the fungal species over the range of 2.6 to 42 μg/ml of dry mass or 0.00011 to 17 pg/spore or cell. Ergosterol could not be detected in the actinomycete culture. The results for both the fungal cultures and building material samples supported the idea that the ergosterol content reflects the concentration of filamentous fungi but it underestimates the occurrence of yeast cells. The ergosterol content in building material samples ranged from 0.017 to 68 μg/g of dry mass of material. A good agreement between the ergosterol concentration and viable fungal concentrations was detected in the wood chip (r > 0.66, P ≤ 0.009) and gypsum board samples (r > 0.48, P ≤ 0.059), whereas no relationship between these factors was observed in the glass wool samples. For the pooled data of the building materials, the ergosterol content correlated significantly with the viable fungal levels (r > 0.63, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the ergosterol concentration could be a suitable marker for estimation of fungal concentrations in contaminated building materials with certain reservations, including the underestimation of yeast concentrations.     

Continuous High-resolution Microscopic Observation of Replicative Aging in Budding Yeast

We demonstrate the use of a simple microfluidic setup, in which single budding yeast cells can be tracked throughout their entire lifespan. The microfluidic chip exploits the size difference between mother and daughter cells using an array of micropads. Upon loading, cells are trapped underneath these micropads, because the distance between the micropad and cover glass is similar to the diameter of a yeast cell (3-4 μm). After the loading procedure, culture medium is continuously flushed through the chip, which not only creates a constant and defined environment throughout the entire experiment, but also flushes out the emerging daughter cells, which are not retained underneath the pads due to their smaller size. The setup retains mother cells so efficiently that in a single experiment up to 50 individual cells can be monitored in a fully automated manner for 5 days or, if necessary, longer. In addition, the excellent optical properties of the chip allow high-resolution imaging of cells during the entire aging process.