Differentiation of a bipotential glial progenitor cell in a single cell microculture

Although it is known that most cells of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) are derived from the neuroepithelial cells of the neural tube, the factors determining whether an individual neuroepithelial cell develops into a particular type of neurone or glial cell remain unknown. A promising model for studying this problem is the bipotential glial progenitor cell in the developing rat optic nerve; this cell differentiates into a particular type of astrocyte (a type-2 astrocyte) if cultured in 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and into an oligodendrocyte if cultured in serum-free medium. As the oligodendrocyte-type-2 astrocyte (0-2A) progenitor cell can differentiate along either glial pathway in neurone-free cultures, living axons clearly are not required for its differentiation, at least in vitro. However, the studies on 0-2A progenitor cells were carried out in bulk cultures of optic nerve, and so it was possible that other cell-cell interactions were required for differentiation in culture. We show here that 0-2A progenitor cells can differentiate into type-2 astrocytes or oligodendrocytes when grown as isolated cells in microculture, indicating that differentiation along either glial pathway in vitro does not require signals from other CNS cells, apart from the signals provided by components of the culture medium. We also show that single 0-2A progenitor cells can differentiate along either pathway without dividing, supporting our previous studies using 3H-thymidine and suggesting that DNA replication is not required for these cells to choose between the two differentiation programmes.     

Retinoblastoma--origin from a primitive neuroectodermal cell?

The histogenesis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular neoplasm of childhood, remains controversial. Previous studies have attributed the origin of the tumour to neuronal, glial or primitive stem cells of retina. In the study described here we have used immunofluorescence to search for the presence of a neuronal marker, neurone-specific enolase (NSE) and a glial marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), in the cells of the human retinoblastoma line Y-79 (ref. 4), before and after successful differentiation into neuronal and glial-like cells. We found that all undifferentiated cells contain both NSE and GFAP, whereas the differentiating neuronal and glial-like cells gradually lose one marker and selectively express the marker that correlates with their morphology. Our results support the notion that retinoblastoma originates from a primitive bipotential (or multipotential) neuroectodermal cell.     

Generation of a prostate from a single adult stem cell

The existence of prostate stem cells (PSCs) was first postulated from the observation that normal prostate regeneration can occur after repeated cycles of androgen deprivation and replacement in rodents. Given the critical role of PSCs in maintaining prostate tissue integrity and their potential involvement in prostate tumorigenesis, it is important to define specific markers for normal PSCs. Several cell-surface markers have been reported to identify candidate PSCs, including stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1, also known as Ly6a), CD133 (Prom1) and CD44 (refs 3-10). However, many non-PSCs in the mouse prostate also express these markers and thus identification of a more defined PSC population remains elusive. Here we identify CD117 (c-kit, stem cell factor receptor) as a new marker of a rare adult mouse PSC population, and demonstrate that a single stem cell defined by the phenotype Lin(-)Sca-1(+)CD133(+)CD44(+)CD117(+) can generate a prostate after transplantation in vivo. CD117 expression is predominantly localized to the region of the mouse prostate proximal to the urethra and is upregulated after castration-induced prostate involution-two characteristics consistent with that of a PSC marker. CD117(+) PSCs can generate functional, secretion-producing prostates when transplanted in vivo. Moreover, CD117(+) PSCs have long-term self-renewal capacity, as evidenced by serial isolation and transplantation in vivo. Our data establish that single cells in the adult mouse prostate with multipotent, self-renewal capacity are defined by a Lin(-)Sca-1(+)CD133(+)CD44(+)CD117(+) phenotype.     

Activin is a nerve cell survival molecule

The structures of five neurotrophic molecules have so far been published. Nerve growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and purpurin, have been identified as nerve-cell survival molecules. More recently, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor have been cloned and sequenced. As all these proteins stimulate the survival of ciliary or sensory neurons, a new cell survival assay is required if novel neurotrophic molecules are to be discovered. P19 teratoma cells differentiate to nerve-like cells in the presence of 5 x 10(-7) M retinoic acid (RA). But when P19 cells are plated in N2 synthetic medium without being exposed to RA, they die within 48 h. In an attempt to identify a molecule(s) that can substitute for RA in promoting P19 survival, we assayed serum-free growth-conditioned media for their ability to promote P19 survival. One cell line from the rat eye secreted a molecule that promoted the survival of P19 cells and some types of nerve cell. We identified this molecule as activin, better known for its role in hormone secretion.     

Generation of a functional mammary gland from a single stem cell

The existence of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) has been postulated from evidence that the mammary gland can be regenerated by transplantation of epithelial fragments in mice. Interest in MaSCs has been further stimulated by their potential role in breast tumorigenesis. However, the identity and purification of MaSCs has proved elusive owing to the lack of defined markers. We isolated discrete populations of mouse mammary cells on the basis of cell-surface markers and identified a subpopulation (Lin-CD29hiCD24+) that is highly enriched for MaSCs by transplantation. Here we show that a single cell, marked with a LacZ transgene, can reconstitute a complete mammary gland in vivo. The transplanted cell contributed to both the luminal and myoepithelial lineages and generated functional lobuloalveolar units during pregnancy. The self-renewing capacity of these cells was demonstrated by serial transplantation of clonal outgrowths. In support of a potential role for MaSCs in breast cancer, the stem-cell-enriched subpopulation was expanded in premalignant mammary tissue from MMTV-wnt-1 mice and contained a higher number of MaSCs. Our data establish that single cells within the Lin-CD29hiCD24+ population are multipotent and self-renewing, properties that define them as MaSCs.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of a single cell

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging is now an established tool in clinical imaging and competes favourably with conventional X-ray computerized tomography (CT) scanning. The drive behind NMR imaging has primarily been in the area of whole-body imaging, which has been limited clinically to fields of up to 1.5 T (60 MHz). It is recognized that there may be substantial advantages in obtaining images with sub-millimetre spatial resolution. Also, there may be benefits to imaging at higher fields, since the signal increases as the square of the magnetic field. Using a modified 9.5 T 89-mm-bore high-resolution NMR spectrometer, we have now obtained the first NMR images of a single cell, demonstrating the advent of the NMR imaging microscope. The NMR microscope is expected to have considerable impact in the areas of biology, medicine and materials science, and may serve as a precursor to obtaining such resolutions on human subjects.     

直接甲醇燃料电池电化学性能

以Pt-Ru/C和Pt/C分别为阳极、阴极催化剂,自制了膜电极,并组装了直接甲醇燃料电池(DMFC)以及测试系统.通过稳态电流-电压极化曲线法,研究了甲醇流量、甲醇浓度、甲醇温度以及空气增湿温度对DMFC电化学性能的影响.研究结果表明,在电池温度为25 ℃以及阴极为自然空气的条件下,当DMFC输出电压为0.22 V时,其输出电流密度和峰值功率密度分别可以达到68 Ma·cm-2和14.8 Mw·cm-2,且各因素对电池性能存在着明显的影响.实验的最佳运行工艺参数:甲醇流量为2 Ml·min-1,甲醇浓度为2 mol·L-1,甲醇温度为30 ℃,空气增湿温度为40～60 ℃.     

倒易晶格原胞与基底变换

通过对正格子与倒格子原胞基矢的分析,指出两种基矢实际上构成三维线性空间的两个基底,并给出了基底变换矩阵以及任意矢量在两基底下的坐标联系.