Paracrine factors of vascular endothelial cells facilitate cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells

For myocardial regeneration therapy, the low differentiation capability of functional cardiomyocytes sufficient to replace the damaged myocardial tissue is one of the major difficulties. Using Nkx2.5-GFP knock-in ES cells, we show a new efficient method to obtain cardiomyocytes from embryonic stem (ES) cells. The proportion of GFP-positive cells was significantly increased when ES cells were cultured with a conditioned medium from aortic endothelial cells (ECs), accompanied by upregulation of cardiac-specific genes as well as other mesodermal genes. The promotion was more prominent when EC-conditioned medium was added at an early stage of ES cell differentiation culture (Day 0-3). Inhibitors of bone morphogenic protein (BMP), cyclooxygenase (COX), and nitric oxide synthetase (NO) prevented the promotion of cardiomyogenesis by EC-conditioned medium. These results suggest that supplementation of EC-conditioned medium enables cardiomyocytes to be obtained efficiently through promotion of mesoderm induction, which is regulated by BMP, COX, and NOS.     

三疣梭子蟹胚胎发育过程中肝胰腺的发生与卵黄物质利用的关系

通过对三疣梭子蟹胚胎进行连续采样和组织切片,系统研究了三疣梭子蟹胚胎发育过程中卵黄囊和肝胰腺的发生与卵黄物质利用的关系。结果表明:(1)三疣梭子蟹胚胎的卵黄岛和卵黄囊结构分别出现在原肠期和无节幼体期,胚胎从原肠期至卵内第一期溞状幼体期,始终存在卵黄岛结构,且卵黄岛中的卵黄物质不断被分解和利用. (2)卵内第二期溞状幼体后,卵黄囊分为两个区域,卵黄囊壁中出现肝胰腺细胞(柱状上皮细胞),此时肝胰腺前体已开始形成,卵黄岛开始融合. (3)卵内第三期溞状幼体阶段,卵黄囊发育成一双肝胰腺,由于肝胰腺中的卵黄物质互相融合,卵黄岛结构消失。此阶段胚胎对卵黄物质的利用加快, 卵黄物质中存在许多空泡状结构;(4)胚胎发育进入孵化前期后,肝胰腺腔内的卵黄物质极少,而初孵溞状幼体肝胰腺腔内卵黄物质已完全消失,肝胰腺为一对囊状结构。这些结果表明在三疣梭子蟹胚胎发育从原肠期到孵化前的过程中,卵黄岛和肝胰腺细胞对于卵黄物质分解和利用起着十分重要的作用。     

Canine embryonic stem cells: State of the art

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are permanent cell lines that can be maintained in a pluripotent, undifferentiated state. Appropriate environmental stimuli can cause them to differentiate into cell types of all three germ layers both in vitro and in vivo. Embryonic stem cells bear many opportunities for clinical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Whereas most of our knowledge on the biology and technology of ESCs is derived from studies with mouse cells, large animal models mimicking important aspects of human anatomy, physiology, and pathology more closely than mouse models are urgently needed for studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of cell therapies. The dog is an excellent model for studying human diseases, and the availability of canine ESCs would open new possibilities for this model in biomedical research. In addition, canine ESCs could be useful for the development of cell-based approaches for the treatment of dogs. Here, we discuss the features of recently reported canine embryo-derived cells and their potential applications in basic and translational biomedical research.     

Contributions to the tooth morphology in early embryos of three species of hammerhead sharks (Elasmobranchii: Sphyrnidae) and their evolutionary implications

The tooth types in the embryos of the hammerhead sharks Sphyrna tiburo, Sphyrna tudes and Eusphyra blochii are here described in labial and lingual views, and, in some cases, in additional views. The presence of cusplets was observed in the anterior teeth of S. tiburo and S. tudes, which is secondarily lost after early embryonic stages. Many aligned root foramina were detected in the sphyrnids, which, as the cusplets, are shared by many phylogenetic-related carcharhinids. Other anatomic features, related to the root and central cusp, are presented for the first time. Such characters represent the first step to compare the teeth of extant and fossil species.     

Neuronal expression of fibroblast growth factor receptors in zebrafish

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is important for a host of developmental processes such as proliferation, differentiation, tissue patterning, and morphogenesis. In vertebrates, FGFs signal through a family of four fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR 1-4), one of which is duplicated in zebrafish (FGFR1). Here we report the mRNA expression of the five known zebrafish fibroblast growth factor receptors at five developmental time points (24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h postfertilization), focusing on expression within the central nervous system. We show that the receptors have distinct and dynamic expression in the developing zebrafish brain, eye, inner ear, lateral line, and pharynx. In many cases, the expression patterns are similar to those of homologous FGFRs in mouse, chicken, amphibians, and other teleosts.     

Histochemical 1,2-Glycol Cleavage with Acetates of Manganese

Both manganic triacetate and tetraacetate will act to split the 1,2-glycol linkage to produce aldehyde radicals which may be demonstrated with either leucofushsin or hydrazine compounds. Thirty to sixty minutes oxidation in a saturated glacial acetic acid solution of either acetate will usually be sufficient to produce satisfactory histochemical localization of the 1,2-glycol linkage. The tetraacetate is the more reliable of the two compounds, giving good localizations more constantly than the triacetate. Present studies indicate that the histological picture after such staining is identical with the localizations given by lead tetraacetate. The principle value of these reagents in glycol cleavage is essentially academic although, since their mechanism of cleavage is believed to differ from the established periodic acid and lead tetraacetate technics, there is the probability that they may be of value in comparisons between the two types of reaction.     

Acute manipulation and real-time visualization of membrane trafficking and exocytosis in Drosophila

1. Download : Download high-res image (197KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Deletion of the Basigin gene results in reduced mitochondria in the neural retina

Basigin-null mice are characterized as blind from the time of eye opening, with degeneration of the retina beginning at 8 weeks of age, and progressing until the entire photoreceptor cell layer is destroyed. It is likely that a metabolic deficiency underlies the blindness and degeneration phenotypes, as it has been determined that Basigin-null mice do not express the transporter protein monocarboxylate transporter one on the membrane of photoreceptor cells and inner segments, nor Müller cells of the neural retina, as is observed in normal mice. The purpose of the present study was to assess the health of mitochondria in normal and Basigin-null mice, specifically to determine if mitochondria within the Basigin-null mouse neural retina are metabolically active. This was achieved via a measurement of cytochrome C concentration and the expression of autophagy-specific proteins via ELISA analyses. Additionally, Mitotracker dyes were used to assess the number and relative activity of mitochondria. It was determined that cytochrome C concentrations and expression of autophagy-specific proteins were not increased in Basigin-null animals, as compared to control animals. Also, while Basigin-null mice do have metabolically active mitochondria, the amount of mitochondria was greatly reduced, when compared to control animals. The results suggest that a reduction in mitochondria is a result, rather than the cause, of the metabolic deficiency observed in Basigin-null mice, and likely occurs because of reduced metabolic activity in the absence of MCT1 expression.