神经干细胞迁移浅识

神经干细胞的迁移是近年来神经科学领域研究的热点之一.神经干细胞的增殖、迁移、分化和网络重建的特性为研究中枢神经系统退行性疾病及损伤后功能的恢复奠定了基础,其中神经干细胞的迁移发挥了重要作用.目前已经有大量研究探索神经干细胞的迁移,本文将分别从神经干细胞的迁移现象、神经干细胞迁移的影响因素及其应用意义等方面做一综述.     

人尿源性干细胞的分离培养及应用研究新进展

人尿源性干细胞(human urine-derived stem cells,hUSCs)是从人尿液中通过常温离心分离培养出来的具有良好增殖活性和多向分化能力的成体干细胞,具有间充质干细胞的生物学特性,其在组织器官修复、疾病治疗、药物活性及毒性替代筛选等领域均有重要的应用前景,且已能实现多种途径向尿源性多潜能干细胞(urine-induced pluripotent stem cells,u-iPSCs)转化,但在研究过程中发现仍然存在一些值得深入研究的问题,如人尿液源性干细胞的来源尚不明确,定向诱导多潜能干细胞分化的条件选择及如何提高重编程效率等.本文对hUSCs的来源、分离培养方法、生物学特性及其应用研究最新进展进行综述,总结了由hUSCs向u-iPSCc诱导的方法及其应用前景,为hUSCs的研究和应用提供参考.     

神经干细胞的研究现状及运用前景

近年来的研究表明胚胎期和成年期动物的神经组织及人脑中可以分离出神经干细胞.神经干细胞能不断增殖并且具有分化成神经元、星型胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的能力.神经干细胞的这种特性为中枢神经系统退行性病变和损伤的治疗打下了基础.对神经干细胞的分布、生物学特性、鉴定、增殖与分化及其治疗中枢神经系统疾病中的应用前景进行了综述.     

模拟微重力条件下对WB-F344肝干细胞表征分子表达的影响

研究大鼠WB-F344肝干细胞在旋转式细胞培养系统（RCCS）中培养进行细胞大规模扩增并保持干细胞的特性的可能性,为干细胞治疗疾病及肝组织工程提供理想的细胞来源。以WB-F344肝干细胞在RCCS中培养,以平面单层培养为对照,在培养后不同时间分别进行形态观察、流式细胞仪测细胞周期、逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测肝干细胞特异性基因甲胎蛋白（AFP）和白蛋白（ALB）的表达, 免疫荧光染色检测 AFP、ALB蛋白的表达。结果表明,RCCS培养的WB-F344细胞粘附在Cytodex-3微载体上状态生长良好,细胞增殖较平面培养有明显增加;RT-PCR和免疫荧光染色检测结果一致：模拟微重力培养组AFP的mRNA表达强度及AFP阳性细胞均显著高于平面培养组,而ALB mRNA表达强度和ALB阳性细胞均低于对照组。说明模拟微重力 培养条件下,能较好的维持肝干细胞特性,进一步证明我们建立的这种培养体系是成功的,是一种理想的肝干细胞培养模式。     

化学分子在干细胞生物学研究中的应用

随着干细胞生物学的发展,细胞替代治疗已成为治疗人类疾病的新途径。目前,许多天然和合成的小分子化合物可以用来有针对性的诱导干细胞增殖和分化。这些小分子化合物将为研究干细胞生物学特性提供新的思路,并且可能会解决干细胞在组织修复和再生医学中的关键问题。该文介绍小分子化合物在体外诱导干细胞定向分化及其在疾病治疗中的应用。     

成体干细胞及其在再生医学中的应用

成体干细胞研究的最主要目的就是有朝一日将其应用于临床疾病的治疗。随着对成体干细胞可塑性研究的不断深入和临床应用研究的不断扩展,人们对成体干细胞最终走向临床应用抱有越来越大的希望。本文就成体干细胞的可塑性及其在四种疾病中应用的基础研究进行探讨。     

干细胞对肝脏疾病的治疗现状及前景

一、国内外干细胞研究与应用现状干细胞生物学兴起为包括终末期肝病在内的多种难治性人类疾病治疗带来新的希望。干细胞具有高度的自我更新及多向分化潜能。自我更新特性使得干细胞可以成为一个源源不竭的细胞库,克服了肝细胞增殖能力有限的问题;多向分化潜能赋予干细胞一定的可塑性,分化为具有功能的肝细胞。在体外,将干细胞诱导分化为肝细胞,可以解决生物人工肝种子细胞来源困难的问题。在体内,将干细胞经肝动静脉回输入肝脏,从一定程度上提高终末     

骨髓源性肝干细胞的研究

近年来全球掀起了有关干细胞的研究热潮 ,除血液干细胞、胚胎干细胞和神经干细胞外 ,肝干细胞也是引人注目的内容之一。肝干细胞的存在与否曾是一个争议性问题 ,目前已趋于肯定。自从Ｐｅ ｔｅｒｓｅｎｅｔａｌ[1] 有关骨髓细胞能分化为肝上皮细胞系的论文发表后 ,关于血源性干细胞能转化为肝实质细胞的事实引起了广泛的关注[2～ 4 ] ,本文就有关研究进展综述如下。1.肝内干细胞成体动物肝脏内有干细胞吗 ?这个问题已经争论了半个多世纪 ,目前通过体内、外实验证实了肝干细胞的存在 ,肝的卵圆细胞和小肝细胞作为肝干细胞或肝前体细胞的观点…     

胚胎肝干细胞的研究进展

近年来的研究表明在胚胎肝脏中存在大量的肝干细胞,它们在肝脏的发育中起着重要作用,并且受到各种时序性表达基因的调控。几个研究组采用不同的方法,分别从小鼠、大鼠和灵长类动物的胚胎肝脏分离并鉴定了具有双潜能的肝干细胞。就胚胎肝脏的发育、调控机制以及胚胎肝干细胞的分离、鉴定等方面的研究进展作一综述,并对胚胎肝干细胞的应用前景和今后的研究方向作了展望。     

应用牙源干细胞进行组织损伤修复的研究进展

牙源干细胞是由人类牙齿及其周围相关组织中分离出的间充质干细胞。自2000年从牙髓组织中发现和分离出牙髓干细胞以来,已有7种牙源干细胞被分离和鉴定。近年来,学者不但对这些干细胞的分离、鉴定、生物学特征和功能进行了大量基础方面的研究,而且对其临床应用也作了广泛的探讨。该文对牙源干细胞在口腔科学领域的应用,如牙体、牙髓和牙周组织的修复和再造的最新研究进行综述,并对它们在全身疾病的治疗潜能方面作概括的介绍,如在治疗脑血管意外损伤、脊髓神经损伤、帕金森氏病、心肌梗死、糖尿病和免疫缺陷性疾病等方面的研究,以促进牙源干细胞在基础与临床应用方面的深入研究。     

Bone marrow microenvironment: The guardian of leukemia stem cells

Bone marrow microenvironment(BMM) is the main sanctuary of leukemic stem cells(LSCs) and protects these cells against conventional therapies. However, it may open up an opportunity to target LSCs by breaking the close connection between LSCs and the BMM. The elimination of LSCs is of high importance, since they follow cancer stem cell theory as a part of this population. Based on cancer stem cell theory, a cell with stem cell-like features stands at the apex of the hierarchy and produces a heterogeneous population and governs the disease.Secretion of cytokines, chemokines, and extracellular vesicles, whether through autocrine or paracrine mechanisms by activation of downstream signaling pathways in LSCs, favors their persistence and makes the BMM less hospitable for normal stem cells. While all details about the interactions of the BMM and LSCs remain to be elucidated, some clinical trials have been designed to limit these reciprocal interactions to cure leukemia more effectively. In this review, we focus on chronic myeloid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia LSCs and their milieu in the bone marrow, how to segregate them from the normal compartment, and finally the possible ways to eliminate these cells.     

Update on acute myeloid leukemia stem cells:New discoveries and therapeutic opportunities

The existence of cancer stem cells has been wellestablished in acute myeloid leukemia. Initial proof of the existence of leukemia stem cells(LSCs) was accomplished by functional studies in xenograft models making use of the key features shared with normal hematopoietic stem cells(HSCs) such as the capacity of self-renewal and the ability to initiate and sustain growth of progenitors in vivo. Significant progress has also been made in identifying the phenotype and signaling pathways specific for LSCs. Therapeutically, a multitude of drugs targeting LSCs are in different phases of preclinical and clinical development. This review focuses on recent discoveries which have advanced our understanding of LSC biology and provided rational targets for development of novel therapeutic agents. One of the major challenges is how to target the selfrenewal pathways of LSCs without affecting normal HSCs significantly therefore providing an acceptable therapeutic window. Important issues pertinent to the successful design and conduct of clinical trials evaluating drugs targeting LSCs will be discussed as well.     

Molecular mechanisms for survival regulation of chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells

Studies on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have served as a paradigm for cancer research and therapy. These studies involve the identifi cation of the fi rst cancer-associated chromosomal abnormality and the subsequent development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that inhibit BCR-ABL kinase activity in CML. It becomes clear that leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in CML which are resistant to TKIs, and eradication of LSCs appears to be extremely diffi cult. Therefore, one of the major issues in current CML biology is to understand the biology of LSCs and to investigate why LSCs are insensitive to TKI monotherapy for developing curative therapeutic strategies. Studies from our group and others have revealed that CML LSCs form a hierarchy similar to that seen in normal hematopoiesis, in which a rare stem cell population with limitless selfrenewal potential gives rise to progenies that lack such potential. LSCs also possess biological features that are different from those of normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and are critical for their malignant characteristics. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in CML field, and attempt to understand the molecular mechanisms of survival regulation of LSCs.     

Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia stem cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy

Leukemia stem cells(LSCs),which constitute a minority of the tumor bulk,are functionally defined on the basis of their ability to transfer leukemia into an immunodeficient recipient animal.The presence of LSCs has been demonstrated in acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),of which ALL with Philadelphia chromosome-positive(Ph+).The use of imatinib,a tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI),as part of front-line treatment and in combination with cytotoxic agents,has greatly improved the proportions of complete response and molecular remission and the overall outcome in adults with newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL.New challenges have emerged with respect to induction of resistance to imatinib via Abelson tyrosine kinase mutations.An important recent addition to the arsenal against Ph+ leukemias in general was the development of novel TKIs,such as nilotinib and dasatinib.However,in vitro experiments have suggested that TKIs have an antiproliferative but not an antiapoptotic or cytotoxic effect on the most primitive ALL stem cells.None of the TKIs in clinical use target the LSC.Second generation TKI dasatinib has been shown to have a more profound effect on the stem cell compartment but the drug was still unable to kill the most primitive LSCs.Allogeneic stem cell transplantation(SCT) remains the only curative treatment available for these patients.Several mechanisms were proposed to explain the resistance of LSCs to TKIs in addition to mutations.Hence,TKIs may be used as a bridge to SCT rather than monotherapy or combination with standard chemotherapy.Better understanding the biology of Ph+ ALL will open new avenues for effective management.In this review,we highlight recent findings relating to the question of LSCs in Ph+ ALL.     

Single-cell RNA sequencing in cornea research: Insights into limbal stem cells and their niche regulation

The corneal epithelium is composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells on the outer surface of the eye, which acts as a protective barrier and is critical for clear and stable vision. Its continuous renewal or wound healing depends on the proliferation and differentiation of limbal stem cells (LSCs), a cell population that resides at the limbus in a highly regulated niche. Dysfunction of LSCs or their niche can cause limbal stem cell deficiency, a disease that is manifested by failed epithelial wound healing or even blindness. Nevertheless, compared to stem cells in other tissues, little is known about the LSCs and their niche. With the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing, our understanding of LSC characteristics and their microenvironment has grown considerably. In this review, we summarized the current findings from single-cell studies in the field of cornea research and focused on important advancements driven by this technology, including the heterogeneity of the LSC population, novel LSC markers and regulation of the LSC niche, which will provide a reference for clinical issues such as corneal epithelial wound healing, ocular surface reconstruction and interventions for related diseases.     

Leukemia stem cell immunophenotyping tool for diagnostic,prognosis, and therapeutics

The existence of cancer stem cells is debatable in numerous solid tumors, yet in leukemia, there is compelling evidence of this cell population. Leukemic stem cells (LSCs) are altered cells in which accumulating genetic and/or epigenetic alterations occur, resulting in the transition between the normal, preleukemic, and leukemic status. These cells do not follow the normal differentiation program; they are arrested in a primitive state but with high proliferation potential, generating undifferentiated blast accumulation and a lack of a mature cell population. The identification of LSCs might guide stem cell biology research and provide key points of distinction between these cells and their normal counterparts. The identification and characterization of the main features of LSCs can be useful as tools for diagnosis and treatment. In this context, the aim of the present review was to connect immunophenotype data in the main types of leukemia to further guide technical improvements.     

Defining the optimal cryoprotectant and concentration for cryopreservation of limbal stem cells

Limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency causes progressive loss of vision but may be treated by transplant of autologous LSCs. Cryopreservation has the potential to indefinitely extend the lifespan of LSCs allowing re-transplant in case of graft failure. In this study, we aimed to identify the optimal cryoprotectant and cryoprotectant concentration for LSC cultures. Suspension cultures derived from cadaveric corneoscleral rims were cooled to 4 °C with Me₂SO, propylene glycol or ethylene glycol at a concentration of 5%, 10% or 15%. Cell tolerance was measured in terms of membrane integrity, colony-forming efficiency and alamarBlue^® reduction. Increasing cryoprotectant concentration above 5% reduced membrane integrity, metabolism and colony-forming efficiency. Cryoprotectant choice did not significantly influence these characteristics. Cells demonstrating Side Population were maintained after cryopreservation with 5% propylene glycol in vapour phase liquid nitrogen for 1 week, indicating that cryopreservation of LSCs with relatively low cryoprotectant concentration (5%) has promise in low-temperature eye banking.     

Reconstruction of corneal epithelium with cryopreserved corneal limbal stem cells in a goat model

We describe a procedure to construct an artificial corneal epithelium from cryopreserved limbal stem cells (LSCs) for corneal transplantation. The LSCs were separated from limbal tissue of male goats. The primary LSCs were identified by flow cytometry and were expanded. They were examined for stem cell-relevant properties and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. Cryopreserved LSCs were thawed and then transplanted onto human amniotic membrane, framed on a nitrocellulose sheet, to construct corneal epithelium sheets. The artificial corneal epithelium was transplanted into the right eye of pathological models of total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Then, the effects of reconstruction were evaluated by clinical observation and histological examination. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to detect the SRY gene. The data showed that transplantation of cryopreserved LSCs, like fresh LSCs, successfully reconstructed damaged goat corneal surface gradually, but the SRY gene expression from male goat cells could only be detected in the first 2 months after transplantation. The therapeutic effect of the transplantation may be associated with the inhibition of inflammation-related angiogenesis after transplantation of cryopreserved LSCs. This study provides the first line of evidence that cryopreserved LSCs can be used for reconstruction of damaged corneas, presenting a remarkable potential source for transplantation in the treatment of corneal disorders.     

Pigment epithelium‐derived factor peptide promotes limbal stem cell proliferation through hedgehog pathway

Expansion of limbal epithelial stem cells (LSCs) is crucial for the success of limbal transplantation. Previous studies showed that pigment epithelium‐derived peptide (PEDF) short peptide 44‐mer could effectively expand LSCs and maintain them in a stem‐cell state, but the mechanism remained unclear. In the current study, we found that pharmacological inhibition of Sonic Hedgehog (SHh) activity reduced the LSC holoclone number and suppressed LSC proliferation in response to 44‐mer. In mice subjected to focal limbal injury, 44‐mer facilitated the restoration of the LSC population in damaged limbus, and such effect was impeded by the SHh or ATGL (a PEDF receptor) inhibitor. Furthermore, we showed that 44‐mer increased nuclear translocation of Gli1 and Gli3 in LSCs. Knockdown of Gli1 or Gli3 suppressed the ability of 44‐mer to induce cyclin D1 expression and LSC proliferation. In addition, ATGL inhibitor suppressed the 44‐mer‐induced phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr705 in LSC. Both inhibitors for ATGL and STAT3 attenuated 44‐mer‐induced SHh activation and LSC proliferation. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that SHh‐Gli pathway driven by ATGL/STAT3 signalling accounts for the 44‐mer‐mediated LSC proliferation.