Influence of fibroblasts on epidermization by keratinocytes cultured on synthetic porous membrane (insert) at the air-liquid interface

Culture of keratinocytes on a noncoated porous synthetic membrane maintained at the air-liquid interface allows the establishment of a fibroblast/keratinocyte co-culture, without direct cell-cell contant between the two cellular layers. The influence of fibroblasts (proliferating, confluent or blocked by mitomycin C) on epidermization (i.e., expression of integrins and markers of epidermal differentiation) was studied by immunohistochemistry in two culture media. In the medium supplemented with VCS or Ultroser G and in the absence of fibroblasts, 2, 3, 5 and 6 subunits of integrins are expressed by the basal keratinocytes, except 5 which does not appear with the medium supplemented with Ultroser G. During stratification, the 3 subunit is the only one to persist on suprabasal cells and all the markers of epidermal differentiation studied (filaggrin, involucrin, transglutaminase, keratins K1/K10) are expressed at the 14th day of emerged culture. The presence of fibroblasts modifies the expression profile of integrins: when they are proliferative, the expression of 2 and 6 chains is delayed in the medium supplemented with FCS, and the 6 chain is absent in the medium supplemented with Ultroser G; when they are confluent or blocked by mitomycin C, greater changes are observed only in the medium supplemented with Ultroser G and lead to inhibition or delay of the expression of 2 and 6. In the presence of fibroblasts, only the expression of filaggrin (marker of terminal differentiation) is affected; it is delayed in the medium supplemented with FCS whatever the state of fibroblasts, and is inhibited in the medium supplemented with Ultroser G in the presence of proliferating and confluent fibroblasts.Abbreviations DMEM Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium - EGF epidermal growth factor - K-SMM keratinocyte-serum free medium - PBS phosphate-buffered saline Ca²⁺- and Mg²-free     

Electrofusion of dissimilar membrane fusion partners depends on additive contributions from each of the two different membranes

Rabbit erythrocyte ghost (REG) membranes and human erythrocyte ghosts (HEG) were aligned into contact by dielectrophoresis and fused with an electric pulse in REG + REG, HEG + HEG, and REG + HEG combinations. REG + HEG fusion yields were approximately midway between fusion yields for REG + REG and HEG + HEG over a wide range of pulse characteristics.     

Electrofusion: a biophysical modification of cell membrane and a mechanism in exocytosis

The molecular bases of the exocytosis process remain poorly known. Many proteins have been recognized to play key roles in the machinery. Their functions are well characterized in the specificity of the docking processes. Forces involved in the merging of the two partners must take into account the physics of membrane interfaces. The target membrane and the vesicle are both electrically charged interfaces. Strong electrostatic fields are triggered when they are brought in close neighborhood. These fields are high enough to induce an electropermeabilisation process. It is now well known that when applied on a cell, an external field induces a modulation of the transmembrane potential difference. When high enough the transmembrane potential may induce a membrane destabilisation. This results in a free exchange of polar molecules across well defined parts of the cell surface. Furthermore, when permeabilization is present on two cells, if those parts of the cell surfaces are brought in close contact, membrane merging occurs spontaneously. Cell fusion results from this membrane coalescence. The similarity with what is taking place in exocytosis is striking. The present review describes the state-of-the-art in the knowledge on electrofusion. It is emphasized that it results from electropermeabilisation and not from a direct effect of the external field. A local destabilisation of the vesicle membrane results from electrostatic interactions while keeping unaffected its viability. Such processes appear relevant for what takes place during exocytosis.     

Culture of asparagus protoplasts on porous polypropylene membrane

A method of using a buoyant porous polypropylene membrane floated on liquid medium to culture protoplasts of Asparagus officinalis L. is described. This method supports very good growth and eliminates the need to periodically replenish culture medium lost to evaporation.Abbreviations BAP 6-Benzyl aminopurine - 2, 4-D, 2, 4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - 2iP N-(3-Methyl-2-butenyl)-1H-purin-6-amine - NAA Naphthaleneacetic acid     

Electrofusion of mouse blastomeres

Fusion of blastomeres of 2-cell mouse embryos with an intact zona pellucida can be induced with electric pulses. Fusion was most frequent with the field strength of 1 kV/cm and direct current pulses of 100-250 microsec duration. An electrolyte solution (PBS) can be used instead of a non-electrolyte solution (0.3 M mannitol). The viability of blastomeres fused in these two types of solution is similar. Fused 2-cell blastomeres develop into tetraploid blastocysts but die after implantation. Embryos in which blastomeres failed to fuse despite the treatment (diploid controls) can develop till term. The technique can also be applied to 3- and 4-cell embryos and to zona-free oocytes and blastomeres.     

植物细胞电融合技术在空间实验中的应用

细胞电融合是实用性很强的生物技术,然而在地面上由于重力沉降和热对流的影响,杂种细胞融合得率较低,使得这项技术在生产上的应用潜力难以发挥。大量的实验表明,空间微重力环境是实现细胞电融合的重要途径。今后有望利用空间微重力条件获得有价值的杂合细胞,培育作物新品种,为开展空间生物加工和空间制药提供良好基础。     

Electrofusion of Mucor circinelloides protoplasts

Summary Electrical parameters were optimized for induction of the fusion of protoplasts formed from two auxotrophic (leu^–, ade^–) Mucor circinelloides strains. These proved to be a pulse voltage of 66 V, a pulse duration of 66 us and six pulses at intervals of 1.0 s. Nutritionally complementing colonies were obtained at an average frequency up to 12.4%, which is substantially higher than achieved earlier with the PEG-Ca²⁺ method.     

Electrofusion of Trichoderma reesei protoplasts

Protoplasts of Trichoderma reesei were fused according to the method of Zimmermann. For optimizing the fusion parameters the central composite design was used. Genetic evidence for fusion has been obtained by segregation of the auxotrophic markers in the haploid conidia. The parameters which were optimized were: pulse voltage, pulse duration and number of pulses. The optimal parameters for the fusion of T. reesei protoplasts are 90 V pulse voltage, 37 μS pulse duration and six pulses at intervals of 1-0 s.     

Phagosomal membrane lipids of LM fibroblasts

Summary Murine fibroblasts, LM cells, were cultured in suspension or monolayer in a chemically defined medium without serum and exposed to polystyrene beads. The LM cells endocytized the beads in direct proportion to the bead/cell ratio and the bead surface area. However, equal volumes of beads irrespective of size or surface area were internalized. The lipid composition of the phagosome membrane differed significantly from the parent primary membrane in having higher contents of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, and sterol but lower contents of sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine. When phagosomes isolated from suspension-cultured LM fibroblasts were exposed to trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid at 4°C, 55±1.6% of the phagosomal membrane phosphatidylethanolamine was trinitrophenylated. The asymmetric distribution of phosphatidylethanolamine across the phagosomal membrane was not affected by the bead/cell ratio, bead diameter, or exposure time of LM fibroblasts to the beads. When cells were reacted with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid at 4°C prior to phagocytosis, the amount of trinitrophenylphosphatidylethanolamine was greater in the isolated phagosomes than in the parent primary plasma membrane. Culturing LM fibroblasts in suspension or monolayer had no effect on the asymmetric distribution of phosphatidylethanolamine across primary plasma membrane bilayers. The data are consistent with the observation that LM fibroblasts grown either in suspension or monolayer internalize polystyrene beads at selective sites in the surface membrane.     

Electrofusion and electroporation of plants

The utilization of electrofusion and electroporation techniques has had a major impact on the genetic manipulation of plants within the last decade. This review of the development of electrofusion and electroporation, as it applies to plants, highlights major developmental aspects of this technology. These include mechanisms for cell fusion, molecular exchange, and parameters that affect the efficiency of fusion and electroporation.     

Electrofusion for the pronuclear transplantation of mouse eggs

The present study was undertaken to determine the efficiency of HVJ treatment and electrofusion for pronuclear transplantation in the mouse. The output voltage and duration of the pulses were fixed to 200 μsec at 10 V or to 150 μsec at 15 V for electrofusion, because the maximum rates of blastomere fusion of 2-cell embryos and development of fused embryos in vitro were obtained under these conditions. Although the proportion of eggs with fused karyoplast (78%) and the fused eggs developed to morulae or blastocysts (67%) was significantly lower than those obtained after HVJ treatment (94% and 94%), the proportion of pregnant recipients and young obtained after treatment of fused eggs was not significantly different between these two procedures. It is advised that electrofusion can be used as a fusogenic procedure for pronuclear transplantation in the mouse in some cases where HVJ cannot be applied.     

Effects of Microgravitation on Electrofusion of Plant Cell Protoplasts

Electrofusion of evacuolated with vacuolated mesophyll protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum was performed as part of the German Sounding Rocket Program (TEXUS 17, 1988). The results indicate a significant increase not only in the yield of 1:1 hybrids, but also in homo- and multifusion products. Hybrids obtained under microgravity have been shown to be viable to a higher degree with respect to their ability for light-dependent O₂-evolution (independent of other substrates than bicarbonate). This finding is of interest for fusion experiments were only limited numbers of fusion partners are available (e.g. protoplasts from embryogenic tissues) or where fusion yields are extemely low under 1 × gravity (e.g. protoplasts of different specific density).     

离子浓度对小鼠2-细胞胚胎电融合的影响

四倍体胚胎的制备已经成为生物学家研究小鼠以及其它哺乳动物发育生物学的有力工具。目前,制备小鼠四倍体胚胎最常用的方法是电融合法,其中电融合液中的离了种类和离子浓度是影响胚胎电融合成败的关键因素。本文比较了Ca^2＋、Mg^2＋、Sr^＋、Na^＋、K^＋、Li^＋等阳离子对小鼠2-细胞胚胎电融合的影响。结果发现,在100V／mm电场强度、50μsec脉冲时程和2次脉冲的电融合条件下,少量二价阳离子的存在是胚胎融合所必须的,当Ca^2＋为0．1mM时,可使全部胚胎发生电融合,而一价阳离子的存在不利于胚胎的电融合。随着各种离子浓度的大幅升高,胚胎的融合率急剧下降、胚胎死亡数量增加以及死亡程度加剧。     

Electrofusion of Neurospora crassa slime cells

Abstract Optimal conditions were established for cell growth, dielectrophoresis and electrofusion of Neurospora crassa slime mutants. It was concluded that these methods could be applied to genetic manipulations (i.e. transformation and construction of diploid slime variants) of N. crassa protoplasts.     

Mechanical control of the activity of glucose oxidase immobilized on porous polyvinylchloride membrane

Glucose Oxidase was immobilized on a porous polyvinylchloride (PVC) membrane. The activity of the glucose oxidase-PVC membrane decreased when the membrane was mechanically stretch. A linear relationship was observed between the stress and the relative logarithmic activity of the glucose oxidase-PVC membrane. Apparent Michaelis constant (K_m′) and maximum velocity (V_m′) of the glucose oxidase-PVC membrane under stretched conditions were 1.4 and 0.71 times those without stretching, respectively. The decrease of the membrane activity with stress was reproducible. Therefore, the glucose oxidase activity of the membrane can be controlled with stress.     

Electrofusion of protoplasts from Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract Electrical parameters were determined and quantified for the stimulation of the optimum alignment and fusion of Aspergillus nidulans protoplasts. In a non-homogeneous alternating electrical field A. nidulans protoplasts aligned to form pearl chains associated with the electrodes of the fusion chamber. Most protoplasts were in pearl chains in an alignment field frequency of 3.0 MHz but maximum pair formation occurred at 1.0 MHz. At a field strength between 100 and 1000 V · cm⁻¹ pearl chain formation occurred with minimal protoplast rotation or lysis. The application of DC pulses resulted in protoplast fusion. Most fusion events were observed after two 500 V · cm⁻¹ DC pulses with a 0.5 s interpulse period. Using 1 × 10³ protoplasts · cm⁻³ in a 7 μm fusion chamber a maximum of 17.2 ± 2.0% fusion events were achieved.     

Effect of ionophore A23187 on the membrane permeability in mouse fibroblasts.

Addition of the divalent cation ionophore A23187 to transformed mouse fibroblasts (3T6) resulted in an increase in the cell membrane permeability to normally impermeant solutes (e.g., nucleotides). The membrane permeability was assessed by following the efflux of prelabeled adenine nucleotides, the influx of p-nitrophenyl phosphate in cells attached to plastic dishes and reconstitution of intracellular protein synthesis in the presence of exogenously added normally impermeant factors required for macromolecular synthesis. The permeability change of 3T6 cells was found to be dependent on the specific presence of external calcium ion. The permeabilization was found to occur preferably in alkaline pH and specific to certain transformed cells. It is preceded by rapid efflux of K+, influx of Na+ and partial hydrolysis of cellular nucleotides in 3T6 cells. Similar ion fluxes were previously found to precede cell permeabilization by electrogenic ionophores for monovalent ions and by exogenous ATP. Our data suggest that a calcium dependent process caused the K+ release and excess Na+ entry, causing dissipation of the membrane potential and subsequent formation of aqueous channels.     

Cell membrane polarity in primary human fibroblasts

The topologies of bindings of cationized CF and native ferritin (NF) on plasma membranes of primary human fibroblasts were examined by transmission electronmicroscopy. Both ligands bound mainly to apical surfaces and less abundantly to lateral regions. At basal localization they were observed only at cell-to-cell connections. The polarity of negatively charged binding sites was not altered by glutaraldehyde fixation. The definite polarity of plasma membranes of cultured cells express alternating surface areas charged negatively or positively.