Derivation of pluripotent epiblast stem cells from mammalian embryos

Although the first mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines were derived 25 years ago using feeder-layer-based blastocyst cultures, subsequent efforts to extend the approach to other mammals, including both laboratory and domestic species, have been relatively unsuccessful. The most notable exceptions were the derivation of non-human primate ES cell lines followed shortly thereafter by their derivation of human ES cells. Despite the apparent common origin and the similar pluripotency of mouse and human embryonic stem cells, recent studies have revealed that they use different signalling pathways to maintain their pluripotent status. Mouse ES cells depend on leukaemia inhibitory factor and bone morphogenetic protein, whereas their human counterparts rely on activin (INHBA)/nodal (NODAL) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Here we show that pluripotent stem cells can be derived from the late epiblast layer of post-implantation mouse and rat embryos using chemically defined, activin-containing culture medium that is sufficient for long-term maintenance of human embryonic stem cells. Our results demonstrate that activin/Nodal signalling has an evolutionarily conserved role in the derivation and the maintenance of pluripotency in these novel stem cells. Epiblast stem cells provide a valuable experimental system for determining whether distinctions between mouse and human embryonic stem cells reflect species differences or diverse temporal origins.     

Nanog promotes transfer of pluripotency after cell fusion

Through cell fusion, embryonic stem (ES) cells can erase the developmental programming of differentiated cell nuclei and impose pluripotency. Molecules that mediate this conversion should be identifiable in ES cells. One candidate is the variant homeodomain protein Nanog, which has the capacity to entrain undifferentiated ES cell propagation. Here we report that in fusions between ES cells and neural stem (NS) cells, increased levels of Nanog stimulate pluripotent gene activation from the somatic cell genome and enable an up to 200-fold increase in the recovery of hybrid colonies, all of which show ES cell characteristics. Nanog also improves hybrid yield when thymocytes or fibroblasts are fused to ES cells; however, fewer colonies are obtained than from ES x NS cell fusions, consistent with a hierarchical susceptibility to reprogramming among somatic cell types. Notably, for NS x ES cell fusions elevated Nanog enables primary hybrids to develop into ES cell colonies with identical frequency to homotypic ES x ES fusion products. This means that in hybrids, increased Nanog is sufficient for the NS cell epigenome to be reset completely to a state of pluripotency. We conclude that Nanog can orchestrate ES cell machinery to instate pluripotency with an efficiency of up to 100% depending on the differentiation status of the somatic cell.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> induction of mouse meningeal-derived ips cells into neural-like cells

Previous research has shown that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced to form neural cells in adherent monocultures. In this study, pluripotent stem (iPS) C5 cells derived from meningeal membranes were converted successfully into neural-like cells using the same protocol generally used for ES cells. Meningeal-iPS C5 cells were induced to express neural markers Sox1, Sox3, Pax6, Nestin and Tuj1 and to reduce the expression of ES markers Oct4 and Nanog during neural differentiation, and can be differentiated into Pax6 and Nestin positive neural progenitors, and further into neuronal, astrocytic, and oligodendrocytic cells. In vitro differentiation of iPS cells into patient-specific neural cells could serve as a model to study mechanisms of genetic diseases and develop promising candidates for therapeutic applications in dysfunctional or aging neural tissues. Meningeal cells express a high level of the embryonic master regulator Sox2, allowing them to be reprogrammed into iPS cells more easily than other somatic cells.     

体细胞核移植技术和诱导多功能干细胞技术的研究比较

本文主要对体细胞核移植技术和诱导多功能干细胞技术的具体操作过程、两种技术当前面临的问题以及他们的应用前景进行了简要说明.     

Derivation of androgenetic embryonic stem cells from m-carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide (CBHA) treated androgenetic embryos

The androgenetic embyronic stem (aES) cells are useful models in studying the effects of imprinted genes on pluripotency maintaining and embryo development. The expression patterns of imprinted genes are significantly different between uniparental derived aES cells and zygote-derived embryonic stem (ES) cells, therefore, the imprinting related cell pluripotency needs further exploitation. Several approaches have been applied in generation of androgenetic embryos and derivation of aES cell lines. Here, we describe a method to generate androgenetic embryos by injecting two mature sperms into one enucleated oocyte. Then these androgenetic embryos were treated with a histone deacetylase inhibitor: m-carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide (CBHA). Further, aES cell lines were successfully derived from these treated androgenetic embryos at blastocyst stage. The CBHA could improve not only the quality of androgenetic embryos, but also the efficiencies of aES (CaES) cells derivation and chimeric mice generation. The imprinted gene expression pattern in the CBHA treated embryo-derived aES (CaES) cells was also highly similar to that of zygote-derived ES cells.     

Inhibition of pluripotential embryonic stem cell differentiation by purified polypeptides

Murine embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cell lines established directly from the early embryo which can contribute differentiated progeny to all adult tissues, including the germ-cell lineage, after re-incorporation into the normal embryo. They provide both a cellular vector for the generation of transgenic animals and a useful system for the identification of polypeptide factors controlling differentiation processes in early development. In particular, medium conditioned by Buffalo rat liver cells contains a polypeptide factor, ES cell differentiation inhibitory activity (DIA), which specifically suppresses the spontaneous differentiation of ES cells in vitro, thereby permitting their growth as homogeneous stem cell populations in the absence of heterologous feeder cells. ES cell pluripotentiality, including the ability to give rise to functional gametes, is preserved after prolonged culture in Buffalo rat liver media as a source of DIA. Here, we report that purified DIA is related in structure and function to the recently identified hematopoietic regulatory factors human interleukin for DA cells and leukaemia inhibitory factor. DIA and human interleukin DA/leukaemia inhibitory factor have thus been identified as related multifunctional regulatory factors with distinct biological activities in both early embryonic and hematopoietic stem cell systems.     

Properties and applications of embryonic stem cells

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells derived from the early embryo and can be propagated stably in undifferentiated state in vitro. They retain the ability to differentiate into all cell types found in the embryonic and adult body in vivo, and can be induced to differentiate into many cell types under appropriate culture conditions in vitro. Using these properties, people have set up various differentiated systems of many cell types and tissues in vitro. Through analysis of these systems, one can identify novel bioactive factors and reveal mechanisms of cell differentiation and organogenesis. ES cell-derived differentiated cells can also be applied to cell transplantation therapy. In addition, we summarized the features and potential applications of human ES cells.     

兔ES样细胞系的建立及其特性分析

报道从２３７枚家兔胚胎中建成７个可连续传代的ＥＳ样细胞系。建系条件为，使用小鼠原始胚胎成纤维细胞（ＭＥ）作饲养层，以含１０％胎年血清和１０％兔血清的ＤＭＥＭ／Ｆ１２为培养基，添加白血病抑制因子（ＬＩＦ）或上皮生长因子（ＥＧＦ），胚龄为９０，９６ｈ。该细胞系的细胞。在许多方面类似于小鼠ＥＳ细胞，具干细胞的形态特征，呈集落型生长，可连续传代并保持其形态特征，具有一定的自发分化和诱导分化的能力，悬浮培养     

Static three-dimensional culture of human hepatocarcinoma cell with microcarriers

Traditional monolayer culture is still the common method used in hepatocarcinoma cell culturein vitro. For lack of the structure similar to thatin vivo, it is disadvantageous in the research of the relation between structure and function. We established a three-dimensional (3-D) culture model of human hepatocarcinoma cell (BEL-7402)in vitro by using microcarrier cytodex-3 in static condition. The results of SEM, TEM, enzyme activity and flow cytometry indicated that the cells were polygonal-shaped and arranged in multilayers. Intercellular space was 0.5–2.0 μm wide where lots of microvilli could be seen. Adjacent cells were connected with desmosomes and localized membrane projects. More than 90% of the cells were viable and maintained the consumption of glucose and the expression of EGF receptor. The intracellular ALT, AST and LDH-L activities were higher in 3-D culture than those of monolayer culture. Compared with monolayer culture, this 3-D culture with the structure similar to trabecular hepatocarcinomain vivo is much more suitable for the research of the interactions of cell-cell and cell-microenvironment, and might be useful in the investigation of the mechanisms of invasion, metastasis, and multicellular drug resistance of tumor cells.     

中药诱导小鼠胚胎干细胞分化为心肌细胞的研究进展

指出了胚胎干细胞(ES细胞)是一类可进行自我复制和更新并向骨骼、软骨、脂肪、神经、肌肉等多个胚层的组织分化的细胞.研究表明:ES细胞移植入缺血心脏后可以分化形成新生心肌细胞,血管内皮细胞等,还可以通过分泌多种生长因子,促进微循环的建立,提高梗死后心脏功能.综述了中药如黄芩苷、葛根素、淫羊藿苷、黄芪、丹参、皂苷、双龙方等诱导小鼠干细胞分化为心肌细胞的研究进展.