Intrinsic regulation of enteroendocrine fate by Numb

How terminal cell fates are specified in dynamically renewing adult tissues is not well understood. Here we explore terminal cell fate establishment during homeostasis using the enteroendocrine cells (EEs) of the adult Drosophila midgut as a paradigm. Our data argue against the existence of local feedback signals, and we identify Numb as an intrinsic regulator of EE fate. Our data further indicate that Numb, with alpha‐adaptin, acts upstream or in parallel of known regulators of EE fate to limit Notch signaling, thereby facilitating EE fate acquisition. We find that Numb is regulated in part through its asymmetric and symmetric distribution during stem cell divisions; however, its de novo synthesis is also required during the differentiation of the EE cell. Thus, this work identifies Numb as a crucial factor for cell fate choice in the adult Drosophila intestine. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that cell‐intrinsic control mechanisms of terminal cell fate acquisition can result in a balanced tissue‐wide production of terminally differentiated cell types.     

时间生物学—2017年诺贝尔生理或医学奖解读

时间生物学主要研究生物节律的产生及生物钟的运行机制,2017年诺贝尔生理或医学奖的颁布再次引发人们对该领域诸多科学问题的高度关注。生物钟与日月运行引起的环境信号周期性保持同步,有利于生物节律的相位和组织稳态的精确维持。本文介绍了生物节律现象的早期研究及随后生物钟理论体系建立的发展简史,并结合2017年诺贝尔生理或医学奖的解读阐述了果蝇生物钟基因的发现与分子调控机理,进而简单归纳当前时间生物学领域的前沿科学问题,阐明生物钟研究的意义。     

DNA甲基化修饰对血管疾病稳态失衡的影响

自稳态平衡是机体生命活动的重要基础,在维持机体的正常生理功能中发挥重要作用。血管疾病中的稳态失衡受物理、化学、生物等内外环境改变及致病因素的影响,其中氧稳态、血流稳态、糖脂代谢稳态在内环境的影响中较为突出,由此引起的一系列表观遗传修饰将导致血管结构和功能的异常。表观遗传学中的DNA甲基化与血管疾病的发生发展密不可分。此外,5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5hmC)及N6-甲基腺嘌呤(N⁶-methyladenine, m⁶A)作为新的修饰碱基,将为表观遗传学研究提供新的思路。文章主要对DNA甲基化修饰变异在血管疾病稳态失衡方面的研究进展进行了阐述。     

搅拌式光生物反应器培养海带配子体细胞：不同脉冲补料方式的研究

本文以批次培养为对照,研究了七种脉冲补料方式对搅拌式光生物反应器中培养大型褐藻海带配子体细胞生长和培养液内氮磷营养盐消耗的影响,并首次探讨了脉冲补料方式下不同补料时间点和补料量的影响作用。培养条件设定为50 mg DCW (细胞干重) L-1接种密度、培养液为改良的APSW人工海水、光强60 µE m-2 s-1、光周期16/8 h L/D、通气速率和搅拌速率分别为50 mL min-1和100 rpm。结果表明少量补料利于细胞对氮磷的协同吸收,进而利于生物量扩增。当培养液内氮磷富足或耗尽时补料对于生物量大量生产效果甚微,可能由于氮磷吸收变缓、其储存现象显著,或是其吸收协同性降低。文中当细胞生长至对数中期开始频繁补加少量氮磷营养盐,即维持培养液内氮磷浓度在各自起始浓度的1/3至1/2之间,对生物量生产最有效,生物量增长倍数高达12.270倍。     

离子平衡及其相关信号传导在细胞耐盐中的作用

盐胁迫所造成的毒害作用皆源自细胞中水平衡和离子平衡的破坏,因此可以推断对耐盐起关键作用的基因能恢复细胞内水和离子平衡。鉴于调渗物质的积累对提高细胞耐盐性所起作用有很大差异,其中一些在某些情况下甚至与耐盐无关,本文集中讨论与恢复细胞内离子平衡相关的基因调控及其信号级联系统。盐胁迫时,这些基因产物在相关信号级联系统的协调下,通过有效地降低细胞内Ｎａ＋ 的浓度,增加Ｋ＋ 的吸收,恢复Ｎａ＋ ／Ｋ＋ 比,使细胞获得相当的耐盐性 。     

睡眠稳态的电生理机制

大脑需要稳态系统来维持神经元的正常活动。睡眠不足会影响到有机体的生理功能,因此清醒时不断累积的睡眠压力会迫使哺乳动物进入睡眠状态,长时间清醒（睡眠剥夺）则会延长或加深随后的睡眠,这一现象被称为睡眠稳态（sleep homeostasis）。探明睡眠稳态的电生理机制有利于改善睡眠,治疗相关疾病,但目前仍存在许多问题。鉴于此,本文围绕睡眠稳态的电生理机制,首先关注睡眠稳态公认的电生理标志物——慢波活动,接下来介绍神经元放电率的相关研究,最后从脑区差异、睡眠阶段、学习记忆和物种差异几个方面进行展望。     

Depletion of intracellular Ca2+ store itself may be a major factor in thapsigargin-induced ER stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells

The mechanisms of intracellular calcium store depletion and store-related Ca²⁺ dysregulation in relation to apoptotic cell death in PC12 cells were investigated at physiological temperatures with a leak-resistant fluorescent indicator dye Fura-PE3/AM by a cooled CCD imaging analysis system. Electron microscopic observations have shown thapsigargin (TG; 100 nM)-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. Thorough starvation of stored Ca²⁺ by BAPTA/AM (50 μM), or La³⁺ (100 μM) enhanced while dantrolene (100 μM) attenuated the TG-induced apoptosis by preventing a calcium release from internal stores. An immunoblotting analysis revealed an enhanced expression of GRP78, the hallmark of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress when cells were treated by TG along with BAPTA/AM. These results indicate that the depletion of the intracellular Ca²⁺ stores itself induces the ER stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells without any involvement of the capacitative calcium entry (CCE) or a sustained elevation of intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations ([Ca²⁺]_i).     

肠道淋巴组织与共生细菌对肠道环境稳态的共同维持

肠道环境的稳态不仅是正常消化功能的基础,还是抵御病原体入侵的重要防线。定居于肠道内的细菌与肠道免疫系统间存在着广泛的相互影响和相互补充,在维持稳态过程中发挥协同作用。本综述结合国内外相关研究进展,简要阐述肠道正常菌群对肠道淋巴组织发育的影响和对局部乃至全身免疫反应的调节机制,进而说明菌群如何与机体共同维持肠道稳态。 更多还原