Cardiovascular development: towards biomedical applicability

Advances in our understanding of cardiac development have fuelled research into cellular approaches to myocardial repair of the damaged heart. In this collection of reviews we present recent advances into the basic mechanisms of heart development and the resident and non-resident progenitor cell populations that are currently being investigated as potential mediators of cardiac repair. Together these reviews illustrate that despite our current knowledge about how the heart is constructed, caution and much more research in this exciting field is essential. The current momentum to evaluate the potential for cardiac repair will in turn accelerate research into fundamental aspects of myocardial biology.     

Surface molecules regulating rolling and adhesion to endothelium of neutrophil granulocytes and MDA-MB-468 breast carcinoma cells and their interaction

The extravasation of leukocytes and tumor cells is a multi-step process with the involvement of various adhesion molecules depending on the three steps rolling, adhesion, and diapedesis. We have developed an in vitro model, by which we investigated the rolling and adhesion of neutrophil granulocytes and MDA-MB-468 human breast carcinoma cells to lung endothelial cells under physiological flow-conditions. We found that norepinephrine had an inhibitory function on the fMLP-promoted adhesion of neutrophil granulocytes due to a down-regulation of β2-integrin. Furthermore, neutrophil granulocytes serve as linking cells for the interaction of the MDA-MB-468 cells with the endothelium, which are both β2-integrin negative, but express the β2-integrin ligand ICAM-1. In addition, we show here that N-cadherin is up-regulated on the endothelial cells and on neutrophil granulocytes in response to fMLP. This up-regulation resulted in a significant increase of adherent MDA-MB-468 cells, which are also N-cadherin positive. Received 3 September 2007; received after revision 17 October 2007; accepted 22 October 2007     

From endoderm to pancreas: a multistep journey

The formation of the vertebrate pancreas is a complex process that typifies the basic steps of embryonic development. It involves the establishment of competence, specification, signaling from neighboring tissues, morphogenesis, and the elaboration of tissue-specific genetic networks. A full analysis of this multistep process will help us to understand classic principles of embryonic development. Furthermore, this will provide the blueprint for experimental programming of pancreas formation from embryonic stem cells in the context of diabetes cell-therapy. Although in the past decade many studies have contributed to a solid foundation for understanding pancreatogenesis, important gaps persist in our knowledge of early pancreas formation. This review will summarize the current understanding of the early mechanisms coming into play to pattern the "pre-pancreatic" region within the endoderm and, gradually, specify the pancreatic tissue.     

激光治疗肿瘤的计算研究

根据激光治疗肿瘤的机理建立了激光治疗肿瘤的理论计算模型,并应用有限元计算方法对双光纤照射椭球形肿瘤组织的模型进行了定量计算研究;研究结果表明,对于长轴为2.0 cm、短轴为1.2 cm的实心椭球形肿瘤体,将2个直径为0.4 mm的球状光纤对称放置在主轴上相距0.8~1.0 cm的范围内,可以使光动力学的效果和热疗的效果同时达到最佳值。     

包囊游仆虫细胞的类中间纤维细胞骨架体系

应用生化分级抽提,并结合DGD包埋 去包埋透射电镜样品制备方法显示,包囊游仆虫营养细胞和休眠细胞中,均存在由直径10 nm左右的单根纤维及单根纤维聚集成的纤维束为结构单元形成的类中间纤维细胞骨架体系.其中,营养细胞的类中间纤维构成的细胞质三维网架,在细胞膜内缘以较密集的纤维网占有了整个表质层,在表质层内缘的细胞质深部纤维形成较松散的网络,网内常见附着有细胞器及一些电子密度颗粒;核纤层位于大核核膜内缘,纤维紧密聚集成网;核骨架纤维网分布比较致密,未见有电子密度颗粒附着.休眠细胞中含有与营养细胞相似的纤维网架结构,但位于细胞内不同层次的纤维网比营养细胞中的同种结构要致密得多,这可能与纤毛虫形成包囊时细胞大范围的收缩有关.并且值得注意的是,在休眠细胞包囊壁的内层壁中也观察到相似于中间纤维的纤维网络,其纤维网均匀和致密地分布在整个包囊壁层中.电泳图谱显示,纤毛虫形成包囊后,保留了营养细胞中的部分蛋白条带,失去了部分条带,新产生了一些特异的条带.结果表明,包囊游仆虫的类中间纤维 核骨架体系,是细胞在营养条件下和休眠状态下都稳定存在的结构,它可能起到比微管类骨架更重要的作用.并且休眠细胞中该体系产生的一些特异蛋白条带,可能是纤毛虫休眠生命活动中的重要蛋白.     

几种诱导昆虫细胞RNA干扰质粒的构建和效果比较

构建了四种可以在昆虫细胞中表达形成dsRNA的质粒,比较了其诱导RNA干扰,抑制目标基因———绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因表达的效果.四种质粒都不同程度地抑制了质粒介导的GFP表达,其中尤以单个果蝇hsp70启动子表达反向重复序列,并带有杆状病毒AcMNPV增强子hr5的质粒效果最佳,使GFP表达量下降到原来的3.9%.当用于抑制由杆状病毒介导的GFP表达时,以两个相向排列的AcMNPV ie1基因启动子的构造有明显的抑制效果.这些结果对于在昆虫细胞中有效地利用RNA i研究基因功能有参考意义.     

骨桥蛋白在卵巢肿瘤组织的表达及其与恶性肿瘤侵袭转移的关系

目的:探讨骨桥蛋白(OPN)在卵巢肿瘤组织的表达及其与恶性肿瘤侵袭转移的关系。方法:采用免疫组织化学方法测定OPN在48例卵巢恶性肿瘤组织、8例卵巢临界恶性肿瘤组织、20例卵巢良性肿瘤组织及10例卵巢正常组织中的表达。结果:OPN在卵巢恶性肿瘤组织表达强度为0.485±0.134,显著高于卵巢正常组织及卵巢临界恶性及良性肿瘤组织表达强度(0.122±0.023,0.243±0.076及0.168±0.045,P<0.01);OPN的表达与恶性肿瘤的临床期别及分化程度相关,而与细胞组织学类型无关。结论:OPN在卵巢肿瘤的发生发展中起重要作用,并与卵巢恶性肿瘤的侵袭转移相关。     

接种密度对Vero细胞在微载体表面生长的影响

研究了接种密度对Ｖｅｒｏ细胞在微载体表面生长行为的影响,发现培养过程中所获得的细胞最高密度随接种密度的增加而有所提高,当细胞的表面接种密度高于１．０×１０＾５ｃｅｌｌｓ／ｍｇＭＣ时,因贴壁后细胞扩展受到限制而不利于进入对数生长期。就整个Ｖｅｒｏ细胞培养过程,适宜的表面接种密度为３×１０＾－４－７×１０＾４ｃｅｌｌｓ／ｍｇＭＣ,此时可以获得较高的比生长速率和细胞增殖倍数。     

外源性H2S通过调节β-位淀粉样前体蛋白裂解酶1表达对PC12细胞APP／Aβ代谢的影响

目的观察外源性硫化氢对嗜铬细胞瘤细胞β-位淀粉样前体蛋白裂解酶1（BACE1）的调节作用,进而探讨其对淀粉样前体蛋白／β-位淀粉样蛋白代谢途径的影响。方法用硫氢化钠作外源性H2s供体,实验设空白对照组、NaHs50μmol／L组、NaHS100μmol／L组和NariS200μmol／L组,按分组浓度处理PC12细胞24h后,RT-PCR和Western blot法检测细胞内BACE1 mRNA及蛋白表达,并用Western blot法继而检测APP代谢过程中关键蛋白APP、C99、C83表达变化,EusA法检测细胞培养液中AB40和AB42水平。结果NaHS在实验浓度范围内从基因与蛋白两个水平上呈剂量依赖性下调BACE1表达,并下调C99、Ap40和Ap42蛋白表达,上调C83蛋白,各NaHS组分别与对照组比较,差别均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）,而对APP蛋白表达没有影响,各组间比较差别无显著性（P〉0．05）。结论外源性H2s具有通过调节PC12细胞BACE1表达下调APP／Aβ代谢的作用。