Separation of osteoblast-like cells from bone marrow by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

The purification of the osteoblast-like cells (2-3%) among the bone marrow cells (BMC) of C57BL/6 mice using a specific anti-osteoblast serum and a fluorescence-activated cell sorter is described. The antiserum was raised against osteoblast cells isolated from calvaria from neonatal mice. The majority of the cells of the osteoblast-enriched fraction from bone marrow showed a parathormone-induced increase in cyclic adenine monophosphate but no response to calcitonin. This is similar to the response of osteoblast cells obtained from the calvaria. Electron microscopic studies of the extracellular matrix of cultured osteoblast-like cells purified from bone marrow showed the deposition of apatite crystals within and in close apposition to the vesicles. These findings suggest that the isolated cell population was enriched in osteoblasts. Such a cell system from bone marrow might provide an experimental system for investigating the mechanism of bone formation.     

Clonal characterization of mouse mammary luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells separated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

Summary Lineage analysis in vitro of heterogeneous tissues such as mammary epithelium requires the separation of constituent cell types and their growth as clones. The separation of virgin mouse mammary luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells by fluorescence-activated cell-sorting, their growth at clonal density, and the phenotyping of the clones obtained with cell-type specific markers are described in this paper. Epithelial cells were isolated by collagenase digestion followed by trypsinization, and the luminal and myoepithelial cells were flow-sorted with the rat monoclonal antibodies 33A10 and JB6, respectively. Sorted cells were cloned under, using low oxygen conditions (<5% vol/vol), in medium containing cholera toxin and insulin, with an irradiated feeder layer of 3T3-L1 cells. Clones were characterized morphologically, and antigenically by multiple immunofluorescence with a panel of antibodies to cytoskeletal antigens specific to either luminal epithelial or myoepithelial cells in situ. Whereas sorted myoepithelial cells gave a single clone type, sorted luminal cells gave three morphological clone types, two of which grew rapidly. All myoepithelially derived clones showed a limited proliferative capacity in vitro, in contrast to their rat and human counterparts, as shown in previous studies. The present results with sorted mouse cells have also allowed the stability of the differentiated phenotype in mouse, rat, and human mammary luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells in primary clonal culture to be compared. They show that the mouse mammary cells are the least stable in terms of expression of differentiation-specific cytoskeletal markers in vitro.     

Development of T cells in vitro from precursors in mouse bone marrow

Bone marrow cells from 6- to 8-week-old athymic nude mice were depleted of nylon-wool adherent cells and cultured in vitro at low cell numbers (300 cells/well) in medium supplemented with a supernatant from a thymoma cell line. About 1% of cultured cells grew. Pooled cultures contained cells expressing CD3 (52%), CD4 (37%), CD8 (11%), Thy 1.2 (72%), MAC-1 (43%) and J11d (86%) but no cells expressing sIg. They also contained cells expressing mRNA for the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta chains of the T cell receptor as assessed with C region probes using a sensitive dot blot assay. These cells appear to develop from progenitors which are CD3-. When pooled Day 10 cultures were depleted of nylon-wool adherent cells, the remaining cells were nearly all J11d+, Thy 1.2+, MAC-1-, CD3+, and either CD4+CD8+; CD4+CD8-; CD4-CD8+, or CD4-CD8-; i.e., their surface marker patterns were reminiscent of those of thymocytes. We conclude that our culture system is enabling bone marrow precursors to commence differentiation down the T cell lineage in the absence of a thymic environment.     

Functional maturation of murine B lymphocyte precursors. II. Analysis of cells required from the bone marrow microenvironment

The development of mature B cells in cultures of early B cell precursors depends on the presence of a confluent adherent bone marrow (aBM) cell layer. Adherent and sIgM+ cell-depleted bone marrow (BM) from untreated or 5-fluorouracil-pretreated donors or day 12 fetal liver cells were used as precursor cell populations. When adherent cells from thymus or highly enriched BM-derived macrophages were co-cultured with precursor cells, mature B cells were not developed. Similarly, aBM cell layers generated in the presence of hydrocortisone and horse serum were unable to support aBM cell-dependent precursor differentiation, even though cortisone was removed before the addition of precursor cells. In contrast, this type of microenvironment promoted the differentiation of precursor of myeloid cell lineages. Repeated treatment of established aBM cell populations with a monoclonal anti-macrophage antibody (31.3, known to recognize a surface marker on a subset of BM macrophages) and complement abolished the capacity of otherwise functional aBM cells to sustain the development of B cell precursors. Macrophage-depleted aBM cells regained their function after supplementation with highly enriched BM-derived macrophages grown in vitro. Limiting dilution analysis of aBM cells in microcultures containing saturating numbers of early B cell progenitors also suggests the participation of more than one cell type in the BM cell population. In conclusion, differentiation of early B cell progenitors requires macrophages in addition to at least one additional cell type contained in the aBM cell population.     

Functional maturation of murine B lymphocyte precursors. I. Selection of adherent cell-dependent precursors from bone marrow and fetal liver

A cell culture assay is described which is suitable to explore interactions between cells of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment on one side and B lymphocyte progenitors on the other. First, a heterogeneous adherent BM (aBM) cell population was established on Cytodex 1 microcarriers. Then, adherent cell and surface IgM+(sIgM+) cell-depleted BM precursors or adherent cell-depleted day 12 fetal liver cells were added. The generation of B cells in these cultures was monitored by staining with fluorochrome-labeled anti-mu-chain antibody and by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction of protein A plaque-forming cells at limiting dilution. In the absence of aBM cells, some B cells arose after 24 hr from BM precursors but not from day 12 fetal liver cells. With aBM cells, BM precursors gave rise to a distinct second wave of B cells starting after 5 days of culture. When fetal liver cells were cultured on aBM cells, B cells appeared after a delay of 4 to 5 days. By using Ig allotype-congenic mouse strains (C.AL 20, BALB/c) and an allotype-specific plaque assay, we established that mature B cells originate from the putative progenitors and not from the aBM cell population. In an attempt to eliminate the aBM cell-independent progenitor subset, mice were pretreated with 5-fluorouracil 5 days before BM cells were collected. The remaining cells still contained B cells, but the frequency of c mu+ sIgM- pre-B cells was less than 10(-5). Remaining B cells were removed by anti-mu panning. In cultures of this precursor cell population, LPS-responsive B cells appeared after a delay of about 1 wk, and their generation was totally aBM cell-dependent and was maintained for more than 2 wk.     

Isolation of glucocorticoid-unresponsive rat hepatoma cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

We have used a mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-infected rat hepatoma cell line as a model system for studying glucocorticoid action. These cells induce tyrosine aminotransferase and MMTV in response to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone. The major viral antigen, a glycoprotein of 52,000 daltons (gp52), appears on the surface of infected cells in amounts which reflect the cytoplasmic content of viral RNA. Using an anti-gp52 antiserum and a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), we have selected variants which display low levels of pg52 in the presence of the hormone. Multiple cycles of enrichment for cells that fluoresce weakly in the presence of hormone have generated a population which fails to produce a detectable increase in cell surface gp52 in response to dexamethasone. This population of nonresponders and a number of independent clones derived from this population were analyzed for their ability to induce gp52 and TAT and for these presence of glucocorticoid receptors. All nonresponder clones exhibited little or no induction of either glucocorticoid-inducible marker. Two of the clones contained reduced levels of glucocrticoid receptor, while the remainder of the clones showed no detectable specific hormone binding. These results provide genetic evidence that a single class of glucocorticoid receptors is involved in the induction of both MMTV and TAT in HTC cells.     

Isolation of planarian X-ray-sensitive stem cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

The remarkable capability of planarian regeneration is mediated by a group of adult stem cells referred to as neoblasts. Although these cells possess many unique cytological characteristics (e.g. they are X-ray sensitive and contain chromatoid bodies), it has been difficult to isolate them after cell dissociation. This is one of the major reasons why planarian regenerative mechanisms have remained elusive for a long time. Here, we describe a new method to isolate the planarian adult stem cells as X-ray-sensitive cell populations by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Dissociated cells from whole planarians were labeled with fluorescent dyes prior to fractionation by FACS. We compared the FACS profiles from X-ray-irradiated and non-irradiated planarians, and thereby found two cell fractions which contained X-ray-sensitive cells. These fractions, designated X1 and X2, were subjected to electron microscopic morphological analysis. We concluded that X-ray-sensitive cells in both fractions possessed typical stem cell morphology: an ovoid shape with a large nucleus and scant cytoplasm, and chromatoid bodies in the cytoplasm. This method of isolating X-ray-sensitive cells using FACS may provide a key tool for advancing our understanding of the stem cell system in planarians.     

Purification of interstitial cells of Cajal by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the gastrointestinal tract generate and propagate slow waves and mediate neuromuscular neurotransmission. Although damages to ICC have been described in several gastrointestinal motor disorders, analysis of their gene expression in health and disease has been problematic because of the difficulties in isolating these cells. Our goal was to develop techniques for large-scale purification of ICC. Murine ICC were identified in live gastrointestinal muscles with fluorescent Kit antibodies. Because this technique also labels resident macrophages nonspecifically, we attempted to separate ICC from these cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting with or without immunomagnetic presorting. Efficacy and specificity of ICC purification were tested by quantitative RT-PCR of cell-specific markers. Fluorescence-based separation of small intestinal ICC from unlabeled cells and macrophages tagged with F4/80 antibodies yielded 30,000–40,000 cells and 60-fold enrichment of c-kit mRNA. However, the macrophage marker CD68 was also enriched 6-fold. Magnetic presorting of ICC did not significantly improve selectivity. After labeling contaminating cells with additional paramagnetic (anti-CD11b, -CD11c) and fluorescent antibodies (anti-CD11b) and depleting them by magnetic presorting, we harvested 2,000–4,000 cells from single gastric corpus-antrum muscles and detected an 30-fold increase in c-kit mRNA, no enrichment of mast cells, and an 4-fold reduction of CD68 expression. Adding labeled anti-CD45 antibody to our cocktail further increased c-kit enrichment and eliminated mast cells and macrophages. Smooth muscle cells and myenteric neurons were also depleted. We conclude that immunofluorescence-based sorting can yield ICC in sufficiently high numbers and purity to permit detailed molecular analyses. mouse; c-kit; macrophage; dendritic cell; mast cell     

Pre-B cell generation potentiated by soluble factors from a bone marrow stromal cell line

Two bone marrow stromal cell lines isolated from the adherent layer of a Dexter-type long term bone marrow culture differ markedly in their hemopoietic support capacity. S17 supports myelopoiesis and the differentiation of early B cell precursors into B lymphocytes while S10 supports myeloid cell differentiation and not B lymphopoiesis. The identification of a stromal cell line with B cell support capacity prompted an investigation of whether the effects of S17 were mediated via soluble factors. Results presented herein indicate that medium conditioned by S17 but not S10 contains an activity that can induce the expression of the 220,000 m.w. 14.8 antigen and cytoplasmic mu H chain of Ig in B lymphocyte progenitors that have not yet expressed these markers. Bone marrow cells were depleted of 14.8+, cytoplasmic mu+ pre-B cells on antibody-coated petri dishes. After 24-h liquid culture newly generated pre-B cells were enumerated as cells that expressed cytoplasmic mu H chain of Ig but not Ig L chains by immunofluorescence. Expression of Ly5(220) was monitored by 14.8 antibody binding. This pre-B cell differentiation activity was abrogated by digestion with pronase, aminopeptidase, or carboxypeptidase. Isoelectric focusing data revealed the activity to have isoelectric point of 5.9 to 6.2. S17-conditioned medium was fractionated using HPLC and each fraction tested for pre-B cell-generating activity. Fractions collected from a Superose 12 gel filtration column were found to have two peaks of activity associated with molecules of apparent m.w. of approximately 60,000 and 10,000. Virtually identical peaks of activity were observed when medium conditioned by heterogeneous stromal cell cultures was fractionated. Separation of S10-conditioned medium revealed no cryptic activity. S17-conditioned medium was further characterized by anion exchange chromatography and the majority of the pre-B cell generating activity shown to be associated with the void volume that eluted from a MonoQ column. These fractions were rechromatographed on Superose and the activity again found to be associated with two fractions corresponding to apparent m.w. of 60,000 and 10,000. The S17 pre-B cell differentiation activity appears to result from the presence of a novel molecule because other well characterized mediators had no activity in this short-term liquid culture system. No pre-B cell-generating activity was observed when IL-1 or conditioned medium containing IL-2, IL-3, or IL-4 (B cell stimulatory factor 1) were added to cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Transfer of mouse IgG2 production by IgM-bearing spleen cells separated by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether at least some splenic B lymphocytes can switch from the synthesis of one isotype of immunoglobulin to another during B cell differentiation. The experimental system invovled the transfer of characterized cell suspensions between allotype congenic strains of mice followed by analysis in the recipient for donor type immunoglobulin production. Donor splenic lymphocytes were incubated with specific fluorescent labelled anti-mu antiserum and passed through the Los Alamos fluorescence-activated cell sorter; mu-depleted cell suspensions were transferred into sublethally irradiated congenic recipients and the amount of donor type immunoglobulin of IgG2 type was measured at weekly intervals. The results demonstrated taht at least some cell bearing membrane bound IgM can differentiate in vivo into IgG2-secreting cells, although not all IgG2-secreting cells have been recently derived from IgM positive precursors.     

Characterization of early B lymphocyte precursors present in long-term bone marrow cultures

Lymphoid precursor cells are present in long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC), but their differentiation into mature lymphocytes is blocked. A quantitative assay for B cell precursors in LTBMC, which gives a linear relationship between the number of grafted LTBMC cells and the frequency of B cell colony forming units (CFU-B) in the spleen and bone marrow of immunodeficient CBA/N mice 19 days after reconstitution, is described. Characterization of the B cell precursor indicates that this assay is detecting a very early precursor and not a B lymphocyte or a late pre-B cell. This conclusion is based on the observations that a) pre-B cells transformable by Abelson murine leukemia virus are not present in LTBMC by 3 days postrecharge and CFU-B are absent by 6 days postrecharge; b) late B cell progenitors capable of rapid repopulation of irradiated CBA/N mice are not present in LTBMC, since a lag in the kinetics of B cell reconstitution in animals grafted with LTBMC cells is observed compared with fresh bone marrow cells; c) the B cell precursors in LTBMC have high proliferative potential, since they can stably repopulate recipient mice for at least 8 wk postreconstitution and through two serial passages in irradiated CBA/N recipients; and d) the B cell precursors are large, rapidly sedimenting cells as determined by velocity sedimentation. The serial transplantation experiment further shows that a split is often observed between lymphoid and myeloid reconstituting ability of LTBMC cells. The LTBMC B cell precursor may be a pluripotent stem cell or a lymphoid stem cell, although its differentiative potential remains to be determined.     

A VCAM-like adhesion molecule on murine bone marrow stromal cells mediates binding of lymphocyte precursors in culture

Two new mAbs (M/K-1 and M/K-2) define an adhesion molecule expressed on stromal cell clones derived from murine bone marrow. The protein is similar in size to a human endothelial cell adhesion molecule known as VCAM-1 or INCAM110. VCAM-1 is expressed on endothelial cells in inflammatory sites and recognized by the integrin VLA-4 expressed on lymphocytes and monocytes. The new stromal cell molecule is a candidate ligand for the VLA-4 expressed on immature B lineage lymphocytes and a possible homologue of human VCAM-1. We now report additional similarities in the distribution, structure, and function of these proteins. The M/K antibodies detected large cells in normal bone marrow, as well as rare cells in other tissues. The antigen was constitutively expressed and functioned as a cell adhesion molecule on cultured murine endothelial cells. It correlated with the presence of mRNA which hybridized to a human VCAM-1 cDNA probe. Partial NH2 terminal amino acid sequencing of the murine protein revealed similarities to VCAM-1 and attachment of human lymphoma cells to murine endothelial cell lines was inhibited by the M/K antibodies. All of these observations suggest that the murine and human cell adhesion proteins may be related. The antibodies selectively interfered with B lymphocyte formation when included in long term bone marrow cultures. Moreover, they caused rapid detachment of lymphocytes from the adherent layer when added to preestablished cultures. The VCAM-like cell adhesion molecule on stromal cells and VLA-4 on lymphocyte precursors may both be important for B lymphocyte formation.     

Formation of eosinophilic-like granulocytic colonies by mouse bone marrow cells in vitro

Formation of granulocytic and macrophage colonies in agar cultures of mouse marrow or spleen cells was stimulated by the addition of medium from pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cultures of mouse spleen cells (PKW-CM). Approximately 5% of the colonies developing were large, dispersed granulocytic colonies (DG-colonies) composed of cells with eosinophilic cytoplasmic granules. The capacity to stimulate DG-colonies was shown by media conditioned by PKW-treated lymphoid and peritoneal cells but not by other cells or organ fragments. Velocity sedimentation studies indicated that cells generating DG-colonies were separable from cells generating regular granulocytic or macrophage colonies. DG-colonies did not survive if transfered to cultures containing other forms of CSF. The active colony stimulating factor in pokeweed mitogen-conditioned medium which stimulates DG-colony formation was antigenically distinct from the factor stimulating granulocytic and macrophage colony formation, was separable electrophoretically from the latter factor and on gel filtration had an apparent molecular weight of 50,000. Although the cells in DG-colonies have not been established to be eosinophils, DG-colonies represent an interesting new system for analysing further aspects of the control of growth and differentiation in hemopoietic populations.     

In vitro generation of natural killer cells from SJL/J bone marrow precursors

The development of natural killer (NK) cells from undifferentiated bone marrow (BM) precursors of low-NK-reactive SJL/J mice was studied. Results indicate that BM cells of untreated mice are not able to generate NK effector cells in cultures supplemented with recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2). On the other hand in the presence of IL-2, NK cells are generated in cultures of BM from mice pretreated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 150 mg/kg iv 4 days before harvesting), a treatment which has been shown to eliminate more differentiated but spare less differentiated BM precursors. The 5-FU resistant BM progenitor is asialoGM1-, Thy.1+, Lyt.1- and Lyt.2-. The cells generated by culturing with IL-2 are asialoGM1+, Thy.1+, Lyt.5+, Lyt.1-, Lyt.2- and lyse only NK-susceptible targets. Generation of NK cells is blocked by addition of anti-IL-2 receptor (IL-2/r) antibodies. These studies demonstrate that it is possible to generate NK effectors from SJL/J BM cells by in vitro culturing with IL-2.     

Culture of myeloid dendritic cells from bone marrow precursors

Myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) are frequently used to study the interactions between innate and adaptive immune mechanisms and the early response to infection. Because these are the most potent antigen presenting cells, DCs are being increasingly used as a vaccine vector to study the induction of antigen-specific immune responses. In this video, we demonstrate the procedure for harvesting tibias and femurs from a donor mouse, processing the bone marrow and differentiating DCs in vitro. The properties of DCs change following stimulation: immature dendritic cells are potent phagocytes, whereas mature DCs are capable of antigen presentation and interaction with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. This change in functional activity corresponds with the upregulation of cell surface markers and cytokine production. Many agents can be used to mature DCs, including cytokines and toll-like receptor ligands. In this video, we demonstrate flow cytometric comparisons of expression of two co-stimulatory molecules, CD86 and CD40, and the cytokine, IL-12, following overnight stimulation with CpG or mock treatment. After differentiation, DCs can be further manipulated for use as a vaccine vector or to generate antigen-specific immune responses by in vitro pulsing using peptides or proteins, or transduced using recombinant viral vectors. Download video file.^{(65M, mp4)}