Impact of Sr2+ and hypoxia on 3D triple cultures of primary human osteoblasts,osteocytes and osteoclasts

An in vitro bone triple culture involving human primary osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts enables the investigation of bone healing factors, drugs or biomaterials in a model system for native bone tissue. The present study analyses the impact of Sr²⁺ as well as hypoxic cultivation (5% O₂ content or chemically induced by Co²⁺) on bone cells. The three cell types were cultivated together in the presence of 100 µM Sr²⁺, hypoxic conditions or in the presence of 75 µM Co²⁺. After cultivation the cell types were separated and analysed on mRNA and protein level individually. In response to Sr²⁺ osteoblasts showed a downregulation of IBSP expression and a stimulation of ALP activity. Osteocyte gene marker expression of PDPN, MEPE, RANKL, OPG, osteocalcin and likewise the amount of secreted osteocalcin was reduced in the presence of Sr²⁺. Activity of osteoclast-specific enzymes TRAP and CAII was enhanced compared to the Sr²⁺ free control. Hypoxic conditions induced by both 5% O₂ or a Co²⁺ treatment led to decreased DNA content of all bone cells and downregulated expression of osteoblast markers ALPL and IBSP as well as osteocyte markers PDPN, RANKL and OPG. In addition, Co²⁺ induced hypoxia decreased gene and protein expression of osteocalcin in osteocytes. In response to the Co²⁺ treatment, the TRAP gene expression and activity was increased. This study is the first to analyse the effects of Sr²⁺ or hypoxia on triple cultures with primary human bone cells. The investigated in vitro bone model might be suitable to reduce animal experiments in early stages of biomaterial and drug development.     

Specific adhesion between pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and adrenal medullary endothelial cells in co-culture

Summary Chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla are found in close proximity to capillary endothelial cells, thereby forming the classical endocrine complex. To examine the possible chemical basis of their interaction in more detail, we have grown bovine adrenal medullary endothelial (BAME) cells in monolayer cultures and added to them pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, a chromaffin tumor cell line of rats. The PC12 cells were chosen because of the similarities they share with adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. PC12 cells rapidly attached to BAME cells cultures, their rate of adhesion being significantly enhanced over binding of PC12 cells to either uncoated plates or to monolayers of unrelated cell cultures. Consistent with this observation, we noted that the extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from the BAME cells did not enhance PC12 cell adhesion and did not promote neurite sprouting as previously described for ECM derived from corneal endothelial cells. The specific adhesion between PC12 and BAME cells could be abolished by cell surface extracts derived from these two cells but not by extracts derived from unrelated cell types. This activity was heat-labile, sensitive to trypsin and, to a lesser extent, to neuraminidase. We therefore conclude that PC12 cells may interact with BAME cells by specific proteinaceous adhesive factors associated with their plasma membranes. These interactions might represent the formative role of cell-cell contacts in the organization of the developing adrenal gland.Abbreviations BAME bovine adrenal medullary endothelial cells - DMEM Dulbecco's modified essential medium - ECM extracellular matrix - EMEM Eagle's modified essential medium - FCS fetal calf serum - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells     

小鼠胚胎与子宫单层上皮细胞共培养的研究

本文报道建立了小鼠胚胎与小鼠子宫单层上皮细胞体外共培养系统。结果揭示;小鼠胚胎与 子宫单层上皮细胞共培养可以促进胚胎的发育、粘附和扩展;如果培养液中加入 ３、６７ × １０－６ｍｏｌ／Ｌ １７β－雌二醇,可以显著提高胚胎在共培养系统中的发育率、粘附率和扩展率。以上结果表明：小鼠 胚胎与小鼠子宫单层上皮细胞共培养系统是研究胚泡着床机理较理想的研究手段。     

Community structure,spatial distribution,diversity and functional characterization of culturable endophytic fungi associated with Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

A total of 266 endophytic fungal isolates were recovered from 1019 tissue segments of Glycyrrhiza glabra collected from four different locations in the North-Western Himalayas. The endophytes grouped into 21 genera and 38 different taxa. The host had strong affinity for the genus Phoma, followed by Fusarium. The species richness was highest at the sub-tropical location, followed by the sub-temperate location and the temperate locations, respectively. The tissue specificity of endophytes was also evident. Some endophytes showed potential antimicrobial activity against phyto-pathogens indicating that they may be helpful to the host in evading pathogens. All the endophytic taxa produced the plant growth promoting hormone, indole acetic acid (IAA), though in varying concentrations. None of these endophytes caused any symptoms of disease in co-cultivation with the tissue cultured plants. Further, all the endophytes had a positive influence on the phenolic and flavonoid content of the host. Three endophytes, Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum, Bionectria sp. and Aspergillus terreus also increased the host root (rhizome) and shoot growth visibly. Such endophytes are potential candidates for developing endophyte-based technologies for sustainable cultivation and enhanced productivity of G. glabra. This is the first report of community structure and biological properties of fungal endophytes associated with G. glabra.     

Implantation in vitro: co-culture of rat blastocyst and epithelial cell vesicles

Implantation of blastocysts involves conversion of maternal and embryonic cell surfaces from a nonadhesive to an adhesive state in response to the internally driven developmental program or to externally generated factors. However, the intricacies of the cellular and subcellular changes that promote the attachment are not known, because these changes are difficult to determine in situ because of the nonaccessibility of the site. To overcome this, an in vitro model of implantation was developed by co-culturing rat blastocysts and uterine epithelial cells of the same gestational age (day 5 postcoitum; plug day as day 1) in drops hanging from the lid of a Petri dish. The system was used to study the changes on the surface membranes of the cells of the trophectoderm and uterine epithelium and to evaluate the antiadhesive activity of the newly designed test substances. The isolated epithelial cell vesicles were co-cultured with zona-free blastocysts in the microdrops (40–50 µl) hanging from the lid of a 60-mm Petri dish. The lid was placed over the lower dish, which was presaturated with the medium. The culture was examined 48 h later to determine the site of adhesion of epithelial cell vesicles with the trophoblasts lining the blastocyst. The cell-cell adhesion was monitored on a computerized image analyzer. To validate the adhesion of blastocysts and epithelial cell vesicles in co-culture, the expression of a cell adhesion molecule, uvomorulin, was studied using immunocytochemical technique after incubating with antiuvomorulin antibody. Intense staining was noted on the membrane surfaces at the site of attachment of the blastocyst and cell vesicles.The authors express their sincere thanks to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for their financial support     

Mineralization of diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethylurea] by co-immobilized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arthrobacter</Emphasis> sp. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Delftia acidovorans</Emphasis>

Mineralization of diuron has not been previously demonstrated despite the availability of some bacteria to degrade diuron into 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) and others that can mineralize 3,4-DCA. A bacterial co-culture of Arthrobacter sp. N4 and Delftia acidovorans W34, which respectively degraded diuron (20 mg l⁻¹) to 3,4-DCA and mineralized 3,4-DCA, were able to mineralize diuron. Total diuron mineralization (20 mg l⁻¹) was achieved with free cells in co-culture. When the bacteria were immobilized (either one bacteria or both), the degradation rate was higher. Best results were obtained with free Arthrobacter sp. N4 cells co-cultivated with immobilized cells of D. acidovorans W34 (mineralization of diuron in 96 h, i.e., 0.21 mg l⁻¹ h⁻¹ vs. 0.06 mg l⁻¹ h⁻¹ with free cells in co-culture).     

Co-culture of human CD34+ cells with mesenchymal stem cells increases the survival of CD34+ cells against the 5-aza-deoxycytidine- or trichostatin A-induced cell death

It has been suggested that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in maintaining the stemness and lineage differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), 5-aza-deoxycytidine (aza-D) and Trichostatin A (TSA) being candidate additives for HSC ex vivo expansion. Although they have potent activity to maintain the stemness, they can also cause serious cell death. This study examined the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the maintenance of CD34+ cells driven by aza-D and TSA in culture with the combined cytokines of thrombopoietin, flt-3 ligand, stem cell factor, interleukin-3, and interleukin-6. In cultures without MSCs, although aza-D and TSA retained the CD34 frequency 4 to 8 times more than in the cytokines alone, a large portion of cells underwent apoptotic cell death. Consequently, CD34+ cell expansion could not be achieved in any condition without MSCs. In cultures with MSCs, the total cell number was higher in aza-D or TSA than in any conditions in the cultures without MSCs. The CD34 frequency was also similar to the level in the cultures in aza-D or TSA without the MSCs. These results suggest that a co-culture of CD34+ cells with the MSCs might not simply deliver the proliferation signals but also stemness and survival signals, and overlap the action of epigenetic regulators.     

"两步法"体外培养山羊卵母细胞的超微结构观察

有假说认为,卵母细胞在体外培养过程中,如果延长GV期,可促进卵母细胞进一步成熟,因而提高发育潜能。采用山羊半卵泡和卵母细胞共培养,抑制卵母细胞GVBD发生,从而延长GV期。比较了共培养前后和恢复成熟培养后卵母细胞的超微结构变化,其目的从亚细胞水平寻找卵母细胞进一步成熟的证据。研究发现,常规成熟培养:有卵周隙存在,但不贯通,局部区域卵膜与透明带结合紧密;部分皮质区尚有细胞器存在;微绒毛大部分从透明带中撤出,倒伏于质膜表面,数量较多,形态较为粗大;皮层颗粒质膜下部分单层分布,部分散布于皮质区;线粒体均匀散布于卵质中央区。共培养前:卵母细胞的卵周隙尚未形成,微绒毛没有从透明带中撤出;线粒体等细胞器分布于皮质区,皮层颗粒成簇状分布,皮质区富含细胞器。共培养后:局部形成卵周隙,微绒毛已自透明带中撤出,数量较多,垂直或倒伏于卵膜表面;线粒体以簇状分批开始内移,皮层颗粒已部分单层分布于质膜下,部分皮质区缺乏细胞器。恢复成熟培养后:卵周隙进一步扩大并且贯通,微绒毛数量减少并且绝大多数垂直于卵膜;线粒体在卵质中央区均匀分布,皮层颗粒卵膜下单层分布,大部分皮质区无细胞器存在。利用“两步法”培养得到的卵母细胞与体外常规成熟培养的卵母细胞相比,更有利于皮层颗粒的质膜下单层分布,卵母细胞卵周隙的形成与贯通,微绒毛数量减少和垂直于卵膜表面,无细胞器皮层区的进一步形成。因此,更有利于卵母细胞胞质的进一步成熟。