Early Cell Fate Decisions of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Mouse Epiblast Stem Cells Are Controlled by the Same Signalling Pathways

Human embryonic stem cells have unique value for regenerative medicine, as they are capable of differentiating into a broad variety of cell types. Therefore, defining the signalling pathways that control early cell fate decisions of pluripotent stem cells represents a major task. Moreover, modelling the early steps of embryonic development in vitro may provide the best approach to produce cell types with native properties. Here, we analysed the function of key developmental growth factors such as Activin, FGF and BMP in the control of early cell fate decisions of human pluripotent stem cells. This analysis resulted in the development and validation of chemically defined culture conditions for achieving specification of human embryonic stem cells into neuroectoderm, mesendoderm and into extra-embryonic tissues. Importantly, these defined culture conditions are devoid of factors that could obscure analysis of developmental mechanisms or render the resulting tissues incompatible with future clinical applications. Importantly, the growth factor roles defined using these culture conditions similarly drove differentiation of mouse epiblast stem cells derived from post implantation embryos, thereby reinforcing the hypothesis that epiblast stem cells share a common embryonic identity with human pluripotent stem cells. Therefore the defined growth factor conditions described here represent an essential step toward the production of mature cell types from pluripotent stem cells in conditions fully compatible with clinical use ant also provide a general approach for modelling the early steps of mammalian embryonic development.     

Live Imaging of Whole Mouse Embryos during Gastrulation: Migration Analyses of Epiblast and Mesodermal Cells

During gastrulation in the mouse embryo, dynamic cell movements including epiblast invagination and mesodermal layer expansion lead to the establishment of the three-layered body plan. The precise details of these movements, however, are sometimes elusive, because of the limitations in live imaging. To overcome this problem, we developed techniques to enable observation of living mouse embryos with digital scanned light sheet microscope (DSLM). The achieved deep and high time-resolution images of GFP-expressing nuclei and following 3D tracking analysis revealed the following findings: (i) Interkinetic nuclear migration (INM) occurs in the epiblast at embryonic day (E)6 and 6.5. (ii) INM-like migration occurs in the E5.5 embryo, when the epiblast is a monolayer and not yet pseudostratified. (iii) Primary driving force for INM at E6.5 is not pressure from neighboring nuclei. (iv) Mesodermal cells migrate not as a sheet but as individual cells without coordination.     

Activin Regulates Self-renewal and Differentiation of Trophoblast Stem Cells by Down-regulating the X Chromosome Gene Bcor

The development of a functional placenta is largely dependent upon proper proliferation and differentiation of trophoblast stem cells (TSCs). Activin signaling has long been regarded to play important roles during this process, but the exact mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the X chromosome gene BCL-6 corepressor (Bcor) is a critical downstream effector of activin to fine-tune mouse TSC fate decision. Bcor was specifically down-regulated by activin A in TSCs in a dose-dependent manner, and immediately up-regulated upon TSC differentiation. Knockdown of Bcor partially compensated for the absence of activin A in maintaining the self-renewal of TSCs together with FGF4, while promoting syncytiotrophoblast differentiation in the absence of FGF4. Moreover, the impaired trophoblast giant cell and spongiotrophoblast differentiation upon Bcor knockdown also resembled the function of activin. Reporter analysis showed that BCOR inhibited the expression of the key trophoblast regulator genes Eomes and Cebpa by binding to their promoter regions. Our findings provide us with a better understanding of placental development and placenta-related diseases.     

Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond

Autophagy is a cellular response triggered by the lack of nutrients, especially the absence of amino acids. Autophagy is defined by the formation of double membrane structures, called autophagosomes, that sequester cytoplasm, long-lived proteins and protein aggregates, defective organelles, and even viruses or bacteria. Autophagosomes eventually fuse with lysosomes leading to bulk degradation of their content, with the produced nutrients being recycled back to the cytoplasm. Therefore, autophagy is crucial for cell homeostasis, and dysregulation of autophagy can lead to disease, most notably neurodegeneration, ageing and cancer.Autophagosome formation is a very elaborate process, for which cells have allocated a specific group of proteins, called the core autophagy machinery. The core autophagy machinery is functionally complemented by additional proteins involved in diverse cellular processes, e.g. in membrane trafficking, in mitochondrial and lysosomal biology. Coordination of these proteins for the formation and degradation of autophagosomes constitutes the highly dynamic and sophisticated response of autophagy. Live cell imaging allows one to follow the molecular contribution of each autophagy-related protein down to the level of a single autophagosome formation event and in real time, therefore this technique offers a high temporal and spatial resolution.Here we use a cell line stably expressing GFP-DFCP1, to establish a spatial and temporal context for our analysis. DFCP1 marks omegasomes, which are precursor structures leading to autophagosomes formation. A protein of interest (POI) can be marked with either a red or cyan fluorescent tag. Different organelles, like the ER, mitochondria and lysosomes, are all involved in different steps of autophagosome formation, and can be marked using a specific tracker dye. Time-lapse microscopy of autophagy in this experimental set up, allows information to be extracted about the fourth dimension, i.e. time. Hence we can follow the contribution of the POI to autophagy in space and time.     

mTORC1 Is Essential for Early Steps during Schwann Cell Differentiation of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells and Regulates Lipogenic Gene Expression

Schwann cell development is hallmarked by the induction of a lipogenic profile. Here we used amniotic fluid stem (AFS) cells and focused on the mechanisms occurring during early steps of differentiation along the Schwann cell lineage. Therefore, we initiated Schwann cell differentiation in AFS cells and monitored as well as modulated the activity of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, the major regulator of anabolic processes. Our results show that mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) activity is essential for glial marker expression and expression of Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein (SREBP) target genes. Moreover, SREBP target gene activation by statin treatment promoted lipogenic gene expression, induced mTORC1 activation and stimulated Schwann cell differentiation. To investigate mTORC1 downstream signaling we expressed a mutant S6K1, which subsequently induced the expression of the Schwann cell marker S100b, but did not affect lipogenic gene expression. This suggests that S6K1 dependent and independent pathways downstream of mTORC1 drive AFS cells to early Schwann cell differentiation and lipogenic gene expression. In conclusion our results propose that future strategies for peripheral nervous system regeneration will depend on ways to efficiently induce the mTORC1 pathway.     

Collagen Type I Improves the Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells towards Definitive Endoderm

Human embryonic stem cells have the ability to generate all cell types in the body and can potentially provide an unlimited source of cells for cell replacement therapy to treat degenerative diseases such as diabetes. Current differentiation protocols of human embryonic stem cells towards insulin producing beta cells focus on soluble molecules whereas the impact of cell-matrix interactions has been mainly unattended. In this study almost 500 different extracellular matrix protein combinations were screened to systemically identify extracellular matrix proteins that influence differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to the definitive endoderm lineage. The percentage of definitive endoderm cells after differentiation on collagen I and fibronectin was >85% and 65%, respectively. The cells on collagen I substrates displayed different morphology and gene expression during differentiation as assessed by time lapse studies compared to cells on the other tested substrates. Global gene expression analysis showed that cells differentiated on collagen I were largely similar to cells on fibronectin after completed differentiation. Collectively, the data suggest that collagen I induces a more rapid and consistent differentiation of stem cells to definitive endoderm. The results shed light on the importance of extracellular matrix proteins for differentiation and also points to a cost effective and easy method to improve differentiation.     

间充质干细胞的细胞成像技术比较与应用

间充质干细胞是一类具有强大增殖、多向分化潜能和免疫调节能力的多功能细胞,研究显示间充质干细胞移植可能治疗多种难治性疾病,例如帕金森病、脊髓损伤以及肿瘤等。但是,人们对移植后的细胞在宿主内的存活、分布、增殖、分化、免疫排斥反应以及成瘤特性等问题尚不清楚,所以许多疾病经过细胞移植治疗后的进展及转归情况仍难以获得确切的科学证据。而细胞成像技术(包括放射性核素成像、超声成像、磁共振成像以及光学成像)可以在体外或者体内实现对间充质干细胞实时、无创的示踪,在以间充质干细胞为研究基础的细胞移植治疗和细胞组织再生的医学领域里有着巨大的应用潜力。该文综述近十年来细胞成像技术应用于示踪间充质干细胞移植疗法的研究进展,旨在比较当下多种热门细胞成像技术的优劣,进而找寻更合适的干细胞示踪策略,为干细胞移植治疗的基础和临床研究提供进一步的理论证据支持和研究思路。     

胚胎干细胞在体外模拟心肌生长环境中向心肌分化

目的:探讨获得大量成熟同质有功能的心肌细胞(cardiomyocytes,CMs)的方法.方法:胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells,ESCs)经悬滴培养法形成拟胚体(embryoid bodies,EBs),将EBs用抗坏血酸处理后与天然心肌细胞共培养诱导ESCs的分化,采用免疫组化、流式细胞技术、RT-PCR、超微分析等方法分析分化细胞(ESC-derived CMs,ESCMs)的结构和功能.结果:共培养组,常规组和对照组中有(90.1±3.40)%,(29.6±6.03)%和(20.1±3.82)%的EBs表现节律性收缩,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).在体外模拟的心脏微环境中,不但跳动EBs的数目明显增加,且单个跳动EBs中含有功能CMs的百分比也明显增加.兴奋收缩的自律性能维持更长时间,在后期分化得到的有功能ESCMs在细胞形态上接近于天然的心肌细胞.结论:心脏微环境是促使ESCs特定地分化为CMs的关键因素,抗坏血酸处理和共培养诱导策略可使ESCs定向分化为CMs.     

Imaging of Nucleolar Dynamics During the Cell Cycle of Cancer Cells in Live Mice

The synthesis and assembly of ribosomal subunits take place in the nucleolus. The nucleolus forms in the nucleus around the repeated ribosomal gene clusters and undergoes cyclic changes during the cell cycle. Although the nucleolus is easily visualized by light microscopy of cells in vitro, the nucleolus has not been imaged in cells in vivo. We report here development of a mouse model to visualize the nucleolus cycle of cancer cells in live mice. HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells were labeled in the nucleus with histone H2B-GFP and with retroviral RFP in the cytoplasm. The nucleolus was visualized by contrast to the fluorescence of GFP expressed in the nucleus. HT-1080 dual-color cells were seeded on the surface of a skin-flap of nude mice. The inside surface of the skin-flap was directly imaged with a laser scanning microscope 24 hours after seeding. The nucleoli of the cancer cells were clearly imaged in real-time. The appearance of the nucleoli changed dramatically during the cell cycle. During mitosis, the nucleolus disappeared. After mitosis, the nucleoli decreased in number and increased in size. The nucleolus appears to have a major role in cell cycle regulation effected at least in part by sequestering proteins which affect cell cycle progression. Nucleolar imaging could be used for more precise determination of cancer-cell position in the cell cycle in vivo.     

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.     

Induction of Cancerous Stem Cells during Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Stem cell maintenance depends on their surrounding microenvironment, and aberrancies in the environment have been associated with tumorigenesis. However, it remains to be elucidated whether an environmental aberrancy can act as a carcinogenic stress for cellular transformation of differentiating stem cells into cancer stem cells. Here, utilizing mouse embryonic stem cells as a model, it was illustrated that environmental aberrancy during differentiation leads to the emergence of pluripotent cells showing cancerous characteristics. Analogous to precancerous stages, DNA lesions were spontaneously accumulated during embryonic stem cell differentiation under aberrational environments, which activates barrier responses such as senescence and apoptosis. However, overwhelming such barrier responses, piled-up spheres were subsequently induced from the previously senescent cells. The sphere cells exhibit aneuploidy and dysfunction of the Arf-p53 module as well as enhanced tumorigenicity and a strong self-renewal capacity, suggesting development of cancerous stem cells. Our current study suggests that stem cells differentiating in an aberrational environment are at risk of cellular transformation into malignant counterparts.     

齐墩果酸诱导多种小鼠胚胎干细胞向生殖细胞方向分化研究

目的：寻找一种能诱导多种胚胎干细胞向生殖细胞方向分化的化合物,并以常用的诱导物维甲酸（Retinoic Acid, RA）作为阳性参照物。方法：分别培养小鼠胚胎干细胞1 B10、D3、R1／E,诱导它们形成拟胚体,让拟胚体贴壁生长,加入特定化合物诱导贴壁细胞分化,诱导72 h后,提取被诱导细胞的RNA,再合成cDNA,最后利用实时荧光定量PCR检测各被诱导细胞中与生殖分化相关的基因的表达水平的变化。结果：发现齐墩果酸（Oleanolic Acid,OA）显著上调了所有被研究的小鼠胚胎干细胞的生殖分化关键基因的表达水平,同时发现阳性参照物RA仅能诱导1 B10、R1／E ,而不能诱导D3向生殖细胞方向分化。结论：OA能诱导多种胚胎干细胞向生殖细胞方向分化,诱导能力方面具有比常用诱导物维甲酸更广泛的普遍性。     

应用微重力旋转生物反应器培养小鼠脂肪干细胞的初步实验研究

目的:观察微重力旋转培养系统(Rotary Cell Culture System,RCCS),对小鼠脂肪干细胞增殖的影响,以寻求一种更有效的促进干细胞扩增的方法.方法:从小鼠的脂肪组织中提取分离、培养脂肪干细胞(ADSCs),并对脂肪干细胞进行流式鉴定后,利用活细胞观察法、Dil免疫荧光标记法、扫描电镜法观察微重力旋转三维培养系统对脂肪干细胞增殖的影响;通过与平面二维培养作对比,血小板计数法记录细胞的增殖情况,并绘制生长曲线.结果:两组的细胞倍增时间具有统计学意义(P＜0.05),模拟微重力旋转三维培养系统较传统平面二维培养系统,脂肪干细胞增殖更明显,生长速度更快.结论:模拟微重力旋转三维培养系统更有利于脂肪干细胞的增殖生长,为后期利用脂肪干细胞修复受损涎腺提供一种更快捷有效的扩增方法.