OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristic and phenotype of ectomesenchymal stem cells of human fetal facial processes and the procedure of spontaneous differentiation to smooth muscle cells. METHODS: The primary ectomesenchymal cells of E 50 human fetal facial processes were isolated by 2.5 g/L trypsin and cultured with DMEM/F 12 with 10(-6) U/L leukemia inhibitor factor(LIF). The morphology and growth rate were observed by inverted microscop. After being withdrawn LIF, the characteristic of cells were identified by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: The cultured cells displayed monolayer growth and were fibroblast-like with 2-4 processes. The cells were stainely positived for anti-human natural killer cell marker-1, Vimentin, S-100, neuron specific enolase, myoglobin and VIII factor, but negatively for glial fibrillary acidic protein, neural fiblament, alpha-SMA and cytokeratin in immunohistochemistry. Two days after being withdrawn the LIF, cells expressed alpha-SMA in protein and mRNA levels. The cells were rich in muscular filament-like structure and dense bodies under transmission electron microscope. CONCLUSION: Cultured cells are undifferentiated ectomesenchymal stem cells. The cells have the potential for differentiating spontaneously to smooth muscle cell.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dexamethasone on the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells(MSC). METHODS: MSC were isolated and cultured in vitro. After treatment with different concentrations of dexamethasone (0, 10-10, 10-9, 10-8, 10-7 and 10-6 mol/L), the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MSC were measured to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone on the biological characteristics of MSC. RESULTS: Dexamethasone inhibited cell proliferation. With the increase of concentration of dexamethasone, the effect was enhanced, which was more significant when the concentration of dexamethasone was over 10-8 mol/L. At the same time, dexamethasone promoted the activity of ALP. This effect was enhanced with the increase of concentration of dexamethasone, but the alteration was small when the concentration of dexamethasone was over 10-8 mol/L. The effects increased with the time. The activity of ALP was enhanced 2 to 4 times with the dexamethasone for 6 days. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone inhabit the proliferation of MSC, while induce them to differentiate into osteoblasts. The appropriate concentration of dexamethasone was 10-8 mol/L.
Objective To investigate the possibility of ectomesenchymal stem cell of human embryo facial process in differentiating into osteoblasts.Methods Ectomesenchymal stem cells of human embryo facial process were isolated and cultured in mineralized promoting solution containing 10 mmol/L β-glycerophosphate, 100 μg/ml ascorbic acid and 10 nmol/L dexamethasone supplemented with 15% FBS. The morphological change was observed by phase contrast microscopy. The characteristics of cells was identified by immunohistochemistry assay. Alkaline phosphatase activity was tested and the form of mineralized nodules was tested with Von Kossa staining. The expression of osteocalcin was identified by RT-PCR.Results There were significant changes in the shape of the cells after 3 days cultured in mineralized promoting solution. The cells became larger and the shape changed from fibroblast-like to multilateral. The result for anticollogen typeⅠstaining was positive. The alkaline phosphatase activity increased. Mineralized nodules were formed aftercultured 25 days by Von Kossa staining. RT-PCR assay showed induced cells expressed osteocalcin.Conclusion Ectomesenchymal stem cells of humanembryo facial process can be induced to differentiate into osteoblasts by mineralized promoting solution.
Objective To explore the in vitrodifferentiation of the rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs ) into the skeletal muscle cells induced by the myoblast differentiation factor (MyoD) and 5-azacytidine. Methods The MSCs were taken from the rat bone marrow and the suspension of MSCs was made and cultured in the homeothermia incubator which contained 5% CO2at 37℃. The cells were observed under the inverted phase contrast microscope daily. The cells spreading all the bottom of the culture bottle were defined as onepassage. The differentiation of the 3rd passage of MSCs was induced by the combination of 5-azacytidine, MyoD, transforming growth factor β1, and the insulin like growth factor 1. Nine days after the induction, the induced MSCs were collected, which were analyzed with the MTT chromatometry, theflow cytometry, and the immunohistochemistry. Results The primarily cultured MSCs grew as a colony on the walls of the culture bottle; after the culture for 5-7 days, the cells were shaped like the fibroblasts, the big flat polygonal cells, the medium sized polygonal cells, and the small triangle cells; after the culture for 12 days, the cells were found to be fused, spreadingall over the bottle bottom, but MSCs were unchanged too much in shape. After the induction by 5-azacytidine, some of the cells died, and the cells grew slowly. However, after the culture for 7 days, the cells grew remarkably, the cell volume increased gradually in a form of ellipse, fusiform or irregularity. After theculture for 14 days, the proliferated fusiform cells began to increase in a great amount. After the culture for 18-22 days, the myotubes increased in number and volume, with the nucleus increased in number, and the newly formed myotubes and the fusiform myoblst grew parallelly and separately. The immunohistochemistry for MSCs revealed that CD44 was positive in reaction, with the cytoplasm ina form of brown granules. And the nucleus had an obvious border，and CD34 was negative. The induced MSCs were found to be positive for desmin and specific myoglobulin of the skeletal muscle. The flow cytometry showed that most of the MSCs and the induced MSCs were in the stages of G0/G1，accounting for 79.4％ and 62.9％，respectively; however, the cells in the stages of G2/S accounted for 20.6％ and 36.1％. The growth curve was drawn based on MTT，which showed that MSCs weregreater in the growth speed than the induced MSCs. The two kinds of cells did not reach the platform stage，having a tendency to continuously proliferate.ConclusionIn vitro,the rat MSCs can be differentiated into the skeletal muscle cells with an induction by MyoD and 5-azacytidine, with a positive reaction for the desmin and the myoglobulin of the skeletal muscle. After the induction, the proliferation stage of MSCs can be increased, with a higher degree of the differentiation into the skeletal muscle.
ObjectiveTo study the effect of transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), and dexamethasone (DEX) on the chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit synovial mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs). MethodsSMSCs were isolated from the knee joints of 5 rabbits (weighing, 1.8-2.5 kg), and were identified by morphogenetic observation, flow cytometry detection for cell surface antigen, and adipogenic and osteogenic differentiations. The SMSCs were cultured in the PELLET system for chondrogenic differentiation. The cell pellets were divided into 8 groups: TGF-β3 was added in group A, BMP-2 in group B, DEX in group C, TGF-β3+BMP-2 in group C, TGF-β3+DEX in group E, BMP-2+DEX in group F, and TGF-β3+BMP-2+DEX in group G; group H served as control group. The diameter, weight, collagen type II (immuohistochemistry staining), proteoglycan (toluidine blue staining), and expression of cartilage related genes [real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) technique] were compared to evaluate the effect of cytokines on the chondrogenic differentiation of SMSCs. Meanwhile, the DNA content of cell pellets was tested to assess the relationship between the increase weight of cell pellets and the cell proliferation. ResultsSMSCs were isolated from the knee joints of rabbits successfully and the findings indicated that the rabbit synovium-derived cells had characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells. The diameter, weight, collagen type II, proteoglycan, and expression of cartilage related genes of pellets in groups A-F were significantly lower than those of group G (P<0.05). RT-qPCR detection results showed that the relative expressions of cartilage related genes (SOX-9, Aggrecan, collagen type II, collagen type X, and BMP receptor II) in group G were significantly higher than those in the other groups (P<0.01). Meanwhile, with the increase of the volume of pellet, the DNA content reduced about 70% at 7 days, about 80% at 14 days, and about 88% at 21 days. ConclusionThe combination of TGF-β3, BMP-2, and DEX can make the capacity of chondrogenesis of SMSCs maximized. The increase of the pellet volume is caused by the extracellular matrix rather than by cell proliferation.
Objective To review research progress of adipose tissuederived stromal cells (ADSCs).Methods The recent articles on ADSCs were extensively reviewed, and the culture and differentiation ability of ADSCs were investigated.Results A population of stem cells could be isolated from adult adipose tissue, they were processed to obtain a fibroblast-like population of cells and could be maintained in vitro for extended periods with stable population doubling. The majority of the isolated cells were mesenchymal origin, with a few pericytes,endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. ADSCs could be induced to differentiate intomultiple mesenchymal cell types, including osteogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic and adipogenic cells, they could also differentiate into nerve cells.Conclusion ADSCs can substitute mesenchymal stem cells and become an alternative stem cells source for tissue engineering.
Objective To probe the relationship of differentiation degree with spread or survival prognosis in retinoblastoma (RB). Methods Clinical data, follow up status and eyeball specimens in 156 RB cases were investigated retrospectively. The tumors were divided into differentiated and undifferentiated groups. Conditions of the tumor invasion of ocular or surrounding tissues were reviewed. The fatality rate was obtained from the follow-up materials of 82 cases of RB. The fatality rate and the invasion rate between the two types were compared statistically by Chi-square test. In addition, the relation between the tumor invasion and death ,and the average survival time for dead people after surgery were explored. Results Local invasion of tumor cell was found in 8 eyes among 17 eyes with differentiated RB (47.06%),and in 66 eyes among 139 eyes with undifferentiated RB (47.48%).There was no significant difference with regards to the local invasion between the two types ( The fatality rate of cases of differentiated RB was 27.27%,and 22.54% in undifferent iated RB, and there was no statistical difference between the two types .The fat ality rate for patients with orbital and scleral extension was 100%, optic nerve invasion (grade Ⅳ) was 62.50%,and uveal invasion was 22.22%.The survival time for the dead victims were from 5 months to 41 months and averaged to 21.92 months. Conclusion There was no significant differ ence both in survival prognosis and local invasion between the two types. The survival prognosis of metastatic RB was dependent on the degree of spread and the efforts of treatment and regardless of the types of differentiation of RB cells. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001,17:18-20)
Objective To review researches of the role of inhibitorof differentiation 2(Id2) in skeletal muscle regeneration. Methods The latest original literature concerning Id2 and its role in skeletal muscle regeneration was extensively reviewed. Results Id2 could form heterodimers by combining with E protein to prevent myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) forming heterodimers by combining with E protein, to inhibit the transcription activity of MRFs anddifferentiation of skeletal muscle cell. Conclusion Id2 plays an important role in skeletal muscle regeneration.