Ectopic activation of Dpp signalling in the male Drosophila germline inhibits germ cell differentiation

The mechanisms that control differentiation of stem cells to specialised cell types probably include factors intrinsic to stem cells as well as extrinsic factors produced by the microenvironment of the stem cell niche. The Drosophila male germline is renewed from a population of stem cells located in the apical tip of the adult testis. The morphological relationship between germline stem cells and their surrounding somatic cells is well understood but the factors that regulate stem cell proliferation and differentiation are still being uncovered. This study examined the effect of stimulating Dpp signalling directly in male germ cells. Ectopic Dpp or Activin signalling resulted in overproliferation of both stem cell-like and spermatogonial-like cells in the apical region of the testis. A third cell population that expressed stem cell markers was seen to proliferate in the distal testis when Dpp signalling was either stimulated or repressed in germline stem cells.     

小鼠胚胎干细胞建系技术研究进展

目前,对小鼠胚胎干细胞的研究较为深入,并已成为研究细胞分化及信号转导、新基因发现及功能鉴定、器官发生、人类疾病和药物开发等的有效手段。胚胎干细胞建系是一项基础性工作。虽然技术日趋成熟,有些品系小鼠的胚胎干细胞建系已是常规技术,但不同品系小鼠胚胎干细胞的建系效率仍有很大差异,建系途径和方法各有特点,一个品系胚胎干细胞的建系方法不一定都适用于其他品系。本文从小鼠胚胎干细胞建系的途径、分离操作技术、培养体系等方面进行综述,并就与之相关的有些问题提出思考和对策。     

Phosphorylation of the amino-terminal region of X11L regulates its interaction with APP

X11-like (X11L) is neuronal adaptor protein that interacts with the amyloid β-protein precursor (APP) and regulates its metabolism. The phosphotyrosine interaction/binding (PI/PTB) domain of X11L interacts with the cytoplasmic region of APP695. We found that X11L–APP interaction is enhanced in osmotically stressed cells and X11L modification is required for the enhancement. Amino acids 221–250 (X11L^221–250) are required for the enhanced association with APP in osmotically stressed cells; this motif is 118 amino acids closer to the amino-terminal end of the protein than the PI/PTB domain (amino acids 368–555). We identified two phosphorylatable seryl residues, Ser236 and Ser238, in X11L^221–250 and alanyl substitution of either seryl residue diminished the enhanced association with APP. In brain Ser238 was found to be phosphorylated and phosphorylation of X11L was required for the interaction of X11L and APP. Both seryl residues in X11L^221–250 are conserved in neuronal X11, but not in X11L2, a non-neuronal X11 family member that did not exhibit enhanced APP association in osmotically stressed cells. These findings indicate that the region of X11L that regulates association with APP is located outside of, and amino-terminal to, the PI/PTB domain. Modification of this regulatory region may alter the conformation of the PI/PTB domain to modulate APP binding.     

Cell Patterning on Photolithographically Defined Parylene-C: SiO2 Substrates

Cell patterning platforms support broad research goals, such as construction of predefined in vitro neuronal networks and the exploration of certain central aspects of cellular physiology. To easily combine cell patterning with Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs) and silicon-based ‘lab on a chip’ technologies, a microfabrication-compatible protocol is required. We describe a method that utilizes deposition of the polymer parylene-C on SiO₂ wafers. Photolithography enables accurate and reliable patterning of parylene-C at micron-level resolution. Subsequent activation by immersion in fetal bovine serum (or another specific activation solution) results in a substrate in which cultured cells adhere to, or are repulsed by, parylene or SiO₂ regions respectively. This technique has allowed patterning of a broad range of cell types (including primary murine hippocampal cells, HEK 293 cell line, human neuron-like teratocarcinoma cell line, primary murine cerebellar granule cells, and primary human glioma-derived stem-like cells). Interestingly, however, the platform is not universal; reflecting the importance of cell-specific adhesion molecules. This cell patterning process is cost effective, reliable, and importantly can be incorporated into standard microfabrication (chip manufacturing) protocols, paving the way for integration of microelectronic technology.     

仿刺参多糖抗肿瘤及对荷瘤小鼠免疫调节作用

目的 观察仿刺参多糖(AJPS)抗肿瘤及免疫调节作用.方法 采用MTT法检测AJPS对人肝癌HepG-2细胞抑制率;以Hca-F肝癌小鼠为模型,采用MTT法、放免法测定荷瘤小鼠细胞免疫指标.结果 AJPS抑制HepG-2细胞生长,抑制小鼠移植瘤生长;增强脾淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞活性,促进TNF-α和IL-2的产生.结论 AJPS具有对HepG-2细胞的直接杀伤作用;AJPS对荷瘤小鼠有免疫调节活性,在肿瘤的免疫治疗中发挥作用.     

Fine-mapping of an Arabidopsis cell death mutation locus

An Arabidopsis cell death mutation locus was mapped to chromosome 2 between lGS1 and mi421. The YAC clone ends, CIC9A3R, CIC11C7L, CIC2G5R and RFLP marker CDs3 within this interval, were used to probe TAMU BAC library and 31 BAC clones were obtained. A BAC contig encompassing the mutation locus, which consists of T6P5, T7M23, T12A21, T8L6 and T18A18, was identified by Southern hybridization with the BAC ends as probes. 11 CAPS and 12 STS markers were developed in this region. These results will facilitate map-based cloning of the genes and sequencing of the genomic DNA in this region.     

The role of vacuole in plant cell death

Almost all plant cells have large vacuoles that contain both hydrolytic enzymes and a variety of defense proteins. Plants use vacuoles and vacuolar contents for programmed cell death (PCD) in two different ways: for a destructive way and for a non-destructive way. Destruction is caused by vacuolar membrane collapse, followed by the release of vacuolar hydrolytic enzymes into the cytosol, resulting in rapid and direct cell death. The destructive way is effective in the digestion of viruses proliferating in the cytosol, in susceptible cell death induced by fungal toxins, and in developmental cell death to generate integuments (seed coats) and tracheary elements. On the other hand, the non-destructive way involves fusion of the vacuolar and the plasma membrane, which allows vacuolar defense proteins to be discharged into the extracellular space where the bacteria proliferate. Membrane fusion, which is normally suppressed, was triggered in a proteasome-dependent manner. Intriguingly, both ways use enzymes with caspase-like activity; the membrane-fusion system uses proteasome subunit PBA1 with caspase-3-like activity, and the vacuolar-collapse system uses vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) with caspase-1-like activity. This review summarizes two different ways of vacuole-mediated PCD and discusses how plants use them to attack pathogens that invade unexpectedly.     

1,25二羟基维生素D_3对兔角膜碱烧伤朗格罕氏细胞影响

目的：研究1,25二羟基维生素D3（骨化三醇）对兔角膜碱烧伤后角膜朗格罕氏细胞分布的影响,并初步探讨其作用机制。方法：在兔角膜制作碱烧伤模型,然后实验组局部和全身给予1,25二羟基维生素D3,分别在第3,7,21天时对正常组,实验组和对照组家兔行角膜共聚焦显微镜,HE染色观察角膜病理改变。结果：正常组角膜中央在三个时间点均未检测出朗格罕氏细胞。实验组和对照组碱烧伤后3、7天角膜中央出现朗格罕氏细胞,对照组密度高于实验组（p〈0.05）;碱烧伤后21天两组朗格罕氏细胞密度相近（p〉0.05）。实验组炎性反应程度在第7,21天时轻于对照组。结论：1,25二羟基维生素D3能够在兔角膜碱烧伤早期抑制朗格罕氏细胞的向心性迁移,并且能在一定程度上抑制炎性反应。     

瑞舒伐他汀对载脂蛋白E基因敲除小鼠动脉粥样硬化中调节性T细胞的影响

目的：探讨瑞舒伐他汀对载脂蛋白E基因敲除（ApoEKO）小鼠动脉粥样硬化中调节性T细胞的影响。方法：首先将30只ApoEKO小鼠建立动脉粥样硬化模型,随机分为高胆固醇饮食组（对照组）、瑞舒伐他汀低剂量组和瑞舒伐他汀高剂量组,各组分别给予蒸馏水或瑞舒伐他汀进行干预8周;将主动脉根部行冰冻切片油红染色,评估粥样硬化斑块面积大小;免疫组织化学法检测主动脉根部粥样硬化斑块处调节性T细胞（Treg）的表达。结果：各组小鼠均有动脉粥样硬化斑块形成,采用瑞舒伐他汀治疗的小鼠动脉粥样硬化斑块的面积明显小于未经治疗的小鼠（P〈0.01）,同时瑞舒伐他汀能明显增加粥样硬化病变处调节性T细胞的表达,且呈现剂效关系。结论：本实验观察到瑞舒伐他汀不仅能减小ApoEKO小鼠的主动脉粥样硬化斑块,且能使调节性T细胞的表达增多,推测瑞舒伐他汀可以通过促进调节性T细胞的生成而起到抑制动脉粥样硬化的作用。