Culture in low levels of oxygen enhances in vitro proliferation potential of satellite cells from old skeletal muscles

The proliferation ability of satellite cells (considered the 'stem cells' of mature myofibers) declines with increasing age when cultured under standard cell culture conditions of 21% oxygen. However, actual oxygen levels in the intact myofiber in vivo are an order of magnitude lower. No studies to date have addressed the issue of whether culturing satellite cells from old muscles under more 'physiologic' conditions would enhance their proliferation and/or differentiation ability. Therefore, we analyzed satellite cells derived from 31-month-old rats in standard cultures with 21% O₂ and in lowered (∼3%) O₂. Under the lowered O₂ conditions, we noted a remarkable increase in the percentage of large-sized colonies, activation of cell cycle progression factors, phosphorylation of Akt, and downregulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p27^Kip1. These data suggest that lower O₂ levels provide a milieu that stimulates proliferation by allowing continued cell cycle progression, to result ultimately in the enhanced in vitro replicative life span of the old satellite cells. Such a method therefore provides an improved means for the ex vivo generation of progenitor satellite cell populations for potential therapeutic stem cell transplantation. Received 20 April 2001; received after revision 28 May 2001; accepted 31 May 2001     

The neurotrophic factors in non-neuronal tissues

Although neurotrophic factors are defined as molecules that maintain neuronal cells, they possess a range of functions outside the nervous system. For example, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is essential for ureteric branching in kidney morphogenesis and for regulating the fate of stem cells during spermatogenesis. Leukemia inhibitory factor, a member of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) ciliary neurotrophic factor family, inhibits differentiation of embryonic stem cells, induces tubulogenesis in the embryonic kidney, and regulates sperm differentiation. Other IL-6 family members are important in cardiac differentiation and they have pleiotropic functions in the hematopoietic and immune systems. Although neurotrophin receptors have been found on a number of non-neuronal tissues, they represent mostly truncated receptor isoforms that are incapable of signal transduction and may have scavenger or dominant negative functions. However, several examples can be presented of essential non-neuronal functions played by neurotrophins in e.g., cardiac, hair follicle, and vascular differentiation, and the maintenance of immune cells.     

MDR1, cholesterol certification and cell growth: a comparative study in normal and multidrug-resistant KB cell lines

The product of the MDR1 gene (P-gp) has been implicated in the transport of cholesterol from plasma membrane to endoplasmic reticulum for esterification. In previous studies on leukemia cell lines, we suggested that cholesterol esterification may regulate the rate of cell growth and that the MDR1 gene might be involved in this process by modulating intracellular cholesterol esters levels. To further investigate this matter, the rate of cell growth, cholesterol metabolism, expression of the MDR1 gene, and P-gp activity were compared in KB cell lines displaying differences in expression and function of P-gp (drug-sensitive phenotype versus MDR phenotype). The rate of cell growth correlated with cholesterol esterification in all KB cell lines, whereas the over-expression of MDR1 observed in the MDR cell lines was not always associated with an increased capacity of cells to esterify cholesterol. Two known inhibitors of P-gp activity, progesterone and verapamil, strongly inhibited both cholesterol esterification and cell proliferation in all KB cell lines, but they affected intracellular accumulation of labeled vinblastine only in MDR cell lines. These results further support a role for cholesterol esters in the regulation of cell growth and suggest that the P-gp expressed in MDR KB cells is not involved in the general process leading to cholesterol esterification. Received 14 February 2000; received after revision 10 April 2000; accepted 8 May 2000     

黄麻和红麻单纤维的形态及特征

用化学方法把黄、红麻单纤维从工艺纤维中分离出来,应用计算机图像采集系统,对黄、红麻单细胞纤维的形态进行观察;描述单细胞躯干上的中腔、节点、单细胞直径及长度特征,并通过对截面的观察和截面细胞个数的统计,计算出胞间层的体积含量,推测出单细胞在工艺纤维中的粘结方式,提出黄、红麻工艺纤维细化的有效途径.     

PdCo／C氧还原催化剂及其抗甲醇性能

以柠檬酸钠为络合剂，在乙二醇体系中采用有机溶胶法制备出了PdCo／C催化剂，XRD研究结果表明催化剂具有面心立方结构，粒度小，分散性好，同时元素钴的加入使催化剂的Pd-Pd间距缩小。采用电化学方法评价了催化剂对于氧气还原反应的活性，结果表明：PdCo／C催化剂具有比Pd／C要好的氧还原活性，同时具有Pt／C催化剂无法比拟的抗甲醇中毒能力。     

一种新型电池的开发和研究

本文从燃料电池在国内发展的技术状况,各类型燃料电池特性对比,结合我国国情,提出了我国应研究开发熔融碳酸盐燃料电池的建议和设想。     

脂肪细胞分化: 一个故事、两个章节

细胞分化是多细胞个体发育和干细胞实现功能活动的基本过程. 作为诱导白色脂肪细胞分化的体外模型, 小鼠3T3-L1前脂肪细胞系的定向分化过程由依赖于细胞周期特定时相(接触抑制期)的许可阶段和独立于细胞周期的执行阶段所组成. 在接触抑制期, 通过细胞代谢方式、细胞周期调控因子和细胞信号转导通路之间的相互作用, 决定了各种染色质表观遗传修饰因子的活动, 从而导致具备脂肪细胞分化潜能的染色质表观遗传修饰模式的形成. 在随后的执行阶段, 这种分化潜能被激素诱发, 通过复杂的基因调控网络的动态活动, 使各种控制脂肪细胞分化基因表达的转录因子按既定的分化时间表打开或者关闭, 并决定相关的靶基因的表达, 最终导致了脂肪细胞的形成.     

刷轮式苗盘精播装置排种板型孔直径的设计

为使种子在活动型孔板移动过程中，能够依靠自重顺利排出。固定排种板必须具有台理的直径，利用活动型孔板回移复位的结构特点，理论分析了种子顺利排出而不被回位型孔板干涉所需最少时间的条件，在此基础上优化设计排种板型孔直径。     

黄鳝成体性腺组织生殖干细胞的体外培养及鉴定

通过黄鳝成体性腺组织的体外培养,探讨黄鳝成体性腺生殖干细胞体外分离培养与鉴定的方法.分离黄鳝性腺组织进行植块培养,倒置相差显微镜下观察细胞生长状况.利用H.E、油红O染色、碱性磷酸酶(AP)细胞化学染色等方法对培养细胞进行鉴定.黄鳝成体性腺组织原代培养3～5 d,可见组织周围有细胞迁出,并形成生长晕.15 d左右,生长晕直径可达3～3.2 mm,生长晕中的细胞主要包括:成纤维细胞、神经样细胞、类生殖干细胞三种类型.成纤维细胞呈不对称的长梭形,突起短而多,细胞核较浅,核仁明显,有2～3个核仁,是生长晕的主要细胞成分.神经样细胞具有放射丝状细胞突起,油红O染色呈阳性反应.类生殖干细胞呈圆形,单核或多核,核质比大,AP染色呈现出阳性反应.探索了适于黄鳝成体性腺组织体外培养的条件和方法,并对原代培养的细胞进行了初步鉴定,为进一步利用体外培养的黄鳝成体性腺生殖干细胞开展黄鳝性逆转分子机制研究奠定了基础.     

On the mechanism of inhibition of p27 degradation by 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J 2 in lymphoblasts of Alzheimer’s disease patients

It has been proposed that neuroinflammation, among other factors, may trigger an aberrant neuronal cell cycle re-entry leading to neuronal death. Cell cycle disturbances are also detectable in peripheral cells from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. We previously reported that the anti-inflammatory 15- deoxy-Δ^12,14-prostaglandin J ₂ (15d-PGJ ₂) increased the cellular content of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27, in lymphoblasts from AD patients. This work aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of 15d-PGJ ₂-induced p27 accumulation. Phosphorylation, half-life, and the nucleo-cytoplasmic traffic of p27 protein were altered by 15d-PGJ2 by mechanisms dependent on PI3K/Akt activity. 15d-PGJ ₂ prevents the calmodulin-dependent Akt overactivation in AD lymphoblasts by blocking its binding to the 85-kDa regulatory subunit of PI3K. These effects of 15d-PGJ ₂ were not mimicked by 9,10-dihydro-15-deoxy-Δ^12,14- prostaglandin J ₂, suggesting that 15d-PGJ ₂ acts independently of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ activation and that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group in the cyclopentenone ring of 15d-PGJ ₂ is a requisite for the observed effects. Received 14 July 2008; received after revision 2 September 2008; accepted 12 September 2008