Hepatocyte growth factor promotes neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells derived from embryonic stem cells

We previously reported that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) promoted proliferation of neurospheres and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from mouse embryonic brain. In this study, spheres from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were generated by floating culture following co-culture on PA6 stromal cells. In contrast to the behavior of the neurospheres derived from embryonic brain, addition of HGF to the growth medium of the floating cultures decreased the number of spheres derived from ES cells. When spheres were stained using a MAP-2 antibody, more MAP-2-positive cells were observed in spheres cultured with HGF. When HGF was added to the growth and/or differentiation medium, more MAP-2-positive cells were also obtained. These results suggest that HGF promotes neuronal differentiation of NSCs derived from ES cells.     

不同促细胞分裂因子对人神经干细胞定向分化的影响

目的观察不同促细胞分裂因子对人神经干细胞(NSCs)增殖及定向分化的影响。方法对人NSCs用无血清DMEM培养基行原代培养的同时,分别加入表皮生长因子(EGF)、碱性成纤维生长因子(bFGF)、神经生长因子(NGF)、维甲酸(RA)等因子,观察其对NSCs定向分化的作用。结果EGF培养的NSCs,克隆球形成慢且较松散,经血清诱导分化后,主要为星形胶质细胞,仅有少数神经元。而bFGF培养的NSCs则生长良好。在加血清诱导分化后,不同浓度bFGF培养的NSCs分化的细胞不同。bFGF与EGF共同培养的NSCs,其生长及神经球形成良好。在加血清诱导分化后,分化的神经细胞比例更接近脑内神经细胞的组分。NGF对神经球的形成无明显影响,但可促使其向神经元分化。RA使神经克隆球形成,可使NSCs直接分化为神经元细胞的比例明显增加。结论不同促细胞分裂因子对人NSCs的增殖及定向分化均有一定影响。     

Effects of lead exposure on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells derived from different regions of embryonic rat brain

Lead is a potent neurotoxin, causing brain damage and cognitive deficits in children even at low exposure levels. Although lead neurotoxicity can occur after prenatal or postnatal exposure, little is known of the effects of lead on embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) or the extent to which NSCs originating in different brain regions may be differentially sensitive to the effects of lead exposure. The present study examined the effects of lead on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) originating from E15 rat cortex (CX), striatum (ST) or ventral mesencephalon (VM). Free-floating neurospheres were grown under standard conditions or in lead (0.01-100 microM)-containing conditioned media for 5 days and proliferation assessed by 3H-thymidine uptake. In other studies, control and lead-exposed neurospheres were collected, dissociated and re-plated in control or lead-containing differentiation media for 7 days. Cells were immunostained for visualization of mature neural and glial markers and counted. Lead exposure (0.01-10 microM) had no effect on neurosphere viability but caused a significant dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in VM and ST but not CX neurospheres. The number of MAP2 positive neurons differentiated from lead-exposed neurospheres of VM and ST origin (but not CX) was significantly decreased from control as were the number of oligodendrocytes obtained, regardless of their region of origin. In contrast, lead exposure significantly increased the number of astrocytes obtained regardless of site of origin. These data suggest that even low levels of lead can differentially affect proliferation and differentiation of embryonic NSCs originating from different brain regions and supports the need for prevention of prenatal lead exposure.     

嗅鞘细胞对原代培养神经干细胞增殖、分化的影响

目的 观察嗅鞘细胞(OECs)对神经干细胞(NSCs)增殖、分化的影响.方法 新生大鼠脑OECs和NSCs原代培养,采用免疫荧光及免疫细胞化学方法鉴定相关细胞.取原代OECs分为2组,实验组去除培养孔的间隔,使OECs和NSCs共用一培养液体系;对照组不破坏培养孔的间隔,单独培养NSCs,其余同实验组.观察2组细胞增殖、分化情况.结果 原代培养的OECs表达神经生长因子受体(P75NGFR);原代培养的神经球表达巢蛋白(nestin),神经球分化的细胞表达神经丝200(NF200)和胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP).增殖实验中,实验组NSCs数量较对照组明显增多,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).诱导分化实验中,实验组4d、7d时NF200阳性细胞率较对照组明显升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),说明2种细胞共液培养时,OECs提高了NSCs向NF200阳性细胞分化率.结论 OECs可促进NSCs增殖,并提高了NSCs向神经元分化的效率.     

神经干细胞原代培养方法的优化

目的 探讨低浓度胰酶不同消化分离时间对体外培养新生大鼠海马NSCs增殖与凋亡的影响.方法 取出生24 h内SD大鼠海马组织,以1.25 g/L胰酶37℃分别消化5、10、15、20和25min(依次为A～E组),获得单细胞悬液后进行培养.通过台盼蓝染色计数、细胞形态观察和神经球数目比较不同消化时间对NSCs活力和生长的影响;用5-溴-2脱氧尿嘧啶核苷(BrdU)标记法检测NSCs的增殖能力;用免疫荧光细胞化学法检测BrdU、nestin的表达:用Annexin V-FITC/PI染色和流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率.结果 原代和传代培养的NSCs都能快速增殖并形成神经球;免疫荧光染色结果显示神经球细胞均表达NSCs特异性标志物nestin;所获得的细胞能将BrdU结合到细胞核中;各组培养3、5、7 d后,C组(消化15 min)NSCs成球数最多,BrdU标记克隆率最高,细胞凋亡率最低,与其他组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 体外分离培养的新生大鼠海马NSCs具有增殖能力,1.25 g/L胰酶在不同消化时间对NSCs增殖能力和凋亡率的影响有所不同,消化时间过长或过短都会抑制NSCs增殖,诱导NSCs凋亡,且消化时间越长NSCs的凋亡率越高.

Abstract：

Objective To study the influence of digestion times of low concentration trypsin on the proliferation and apoptosis of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the hippocampus of neonate rats.Methods Hippocampus of neonatal rats (within 24 h) were taken out, and treated with trypsin at 1.25g/L concentration and 37 ℃ for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 minutes; unicellular suspension was then successfully got and primary culture and subculture were performed. Effects of trypsinization on cell viability and growth of NSCs were compared by observing the cell morphology and Trypan blue staining.The 5-bromodeoxyuridine labeling was performed to assess the self-renewing and proliferative activities of NSCs. Fluorescence immunocytochemistry was carried out to examine the expressions of BrdU and nestin. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay and flow cytometry. Results Primary and passage culture of NSCs enjoyed rapid proliferation and formation of neurospheres. The neurosphere cells expressed NSCs specific marker nestin by immunofluorescence; all the neurosphere cells could incorporate BrdU into the nucleus; of the neurospheres obtained from the 3rd, 5th and 7th d, those digested for 15 rain enjoyed the highest level of NSCs neurospheres, the highest BrdU labeled clone and the lowest cell apoptosis as compared with those digested for 5, 10, 20 and 25 min (P<0.05). Conclusion The NSCs isolated from the hippocampus of neonatal rats have the ability of proliferation in vitro. And 1.25 g/L concentration of trypsin with digestion times could positively change the proliferative and apoptosis capacity of NSCs: too short or long digestion times can inhibit the proliferation of NSCs and induce the apoptosis of NSCs; the longer the digestion time, the higher the apoptosis of NSCs.     

海马神经干细胞不同传代方法的比较

背景：体外培养神经干细胞,在悬浮培养时由于自身增殖特性会形成球,传代时将会面临如何将细胞球分离成单细胞的问题。 目的：寻求理想的大鼠海马神经干细胞传代方法,以获得大量可增生的神经干细胞以供研究。 方法：分离新生1 d SD大鼠海马神经干细胞,原代培养至五六天时,分别用机械吹打法、胰蛋白酶、TrypLE和Accutase消化法分离神经干细胞球。之后每7 d传代1次,连续传代3次。分别于每次传代后第1天和传代后第4天计数活细胞比例和细胞球数目,实验重复3次。 结果与结论：神经干细胞球经3种酶消化后获得的均是单细胞;经机械吹打后既有单个细胞,也有小细胞球分布于培养液中。在酶消化法中,Accutase消化法传代后神经干细胞的活细胞比例明显高于胰蛋白酶消化(P < 0.01)和TrypLE消化法 (P < 0.05)。同时,Accutase消化法传代后新形成的细胞球数目也较其余各组多(P < 0.01)。提示在实验条件下,Accutase消化法能够较好地将神经干细胞球分离成存活率较高、能快速形成新的克隆球的单个细胞,是较为理想的神经干细胞分离传代方法。     

Prospective characterization of neural stem cells by flow cytometry analysis using a combination of surface markers

Neural stem cells (NSCs) with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation properties can potentially repair degenerating or damaged neural tissue. Here, we have enriched NSCs from neurospheres, which make up a heterogeneous population, by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) with antibodies against syndecan-1, Notch-1, and integrin-beta1, which were chosen as candidates for hematopoietic cell-or somatic stem cell-markers. Antigen-positive cells readily initiated neurosphere formation, but cells lacking these markers did so less readily. Doubly positive cells expressing both syndecan-1 and Notch-1 underwent neurosphere formation more efficiently than did singly positive cells. The progeny of sorted cells could differentiate into neurons and glial cells both in vitro and in vivo. These antibodies were also useful for isolating cells from the murine embryonic day 14.5 brain that efficiently formed neurospheres. In contrast, there was no distinct difference in neurosphere formation efficiency between Hoechst 33342-stained side population cells and main population cells, although the former are known to have a stem cell phenotype in various tissues. These results indicate the usefulness of syndecan-1, Notch-1, and integrin-beta1 as NSC markers.     

Nestin‐expressing cells in the gut give rise to enteric neurons and glial cells

Background Neuronal stem cells (NSCs) are promising for neurointestinal disease therapy. Although NSCs have been isolated from intestinal musclularis, their presence in mucosa has not been well described. Mucosa‐derived NSCs are accessible endoscopically and could be used autologously. Brain‐derived Nestin‐positive NSCs are important in endogenous repair and plasticity. The aim was to isolate and characterize mucosa‐derived NSCs, determine their relationship to Nestin‐expressing cells and to demonstrate their capacity to produce neuroglial networks in vitro and in vivo. Methods Neurospheres were generated from periventricular brain, colonic muscularis (Musc), and mucosa–submucosa (MSM) of mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) controlled by the Nestin promoter (Nestin‐GFP). Neuronal stem cells were also grown as adherent colonies from intestinal mucosal organoids. Their differentiation potential was assessed using immunohistochemistry using glial and neuronal markers. Brain and gut‐derived neurospheres were transplanted into explants of chick embryonic aneural hindgut to determine their fate. Key Results Musc‐ and MSM‐derived neurospheres expressed Nestin and gave rise to cells of neuronal, glial, and mesenchymal lineage. Although Nestin expression in tissue was mostly limited to glia co‐labelled with glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), neurosphere‐derived neurons and glia both expressed Nestin in vitro, suggesting that Nestin+/GFAP+ glial cells may give rise to new neurons. Moreover, following transplantation into aneural colon, brain‐ and gut‐derived NSCs were able to differentiate into neurons. Conclusions & Inferences Nestin‐expressing intestinal NSCs cells give rise to neurospheres, differentiate into neuronal, glial, and mesenchymal lineages in vitro, generate neurons in vivo and can be isolated from mucosa. Further studies are needed for exploring their potential for treating neuropathies.     

Human neurospheres derived from the fetal central nervous system are regionally and temporally specified but are not committed

Proliferating single cells were isolated from various CNS regions (telencephalon, diencephalon, midbrain, cerebellum, pons and medulla, and spinal cord) of human fetal cadavers at 13 weeks of gestation and grown as neurospheres in long-term cultures. We investigated whether neural stem cells (NSCs) or progenitors within spheres have specific regional or temporal characteristics with regard to growth, differentiation, and region-specific gene expression, and whether these molecular specifications are reversible. Regardless of regional origin, all of the neurospheres were found to contain cells of different subtypes, which suggests that multipotent NSCs, progenitors or radial glial cells co-exist with restricted neuronal or glial progenitors within the neurospheres. Neurospheres from the forebrain grew faster and gave rise to significantly more neurons than did those from either the midbrain or hindbrain, and regional differences in neuronal differentiation appeared to be sustained during long-term passage of neurospheres in culture. There was also a trend towards a reduction in neuronal emergence from the respective neurospheres over time in culture, although the percentages of neurons generated from cerebellum-derived neurospheres increased dramatically. These results suggest that differences in neuronal differentiation for the various neurospheres are spatially and temporally determined. In addition, the properties of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-, glutamate-, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-expressing cells derived from neurospheres of the respective CNS regions appear to be regionally and temporally different. Isolated human neurospheres from different CNS compartments expressed distinctive molecular markers of regional identity and maintained these patterns of region-specific gene expression during long-term passage in vitro. To determine the potential of human neurospheres for regional fate plasticity, single spheres from the respective regions were co-cultured with embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5 d) mouse brain slices. Specific cues from the developing mouse brain tissues induced the human neurospheres to express different marker genes of regional identity and to suppress the expression of their original marker genes. Thus, even the early regional identities of human neurospheres may not be irreversible and may be altered by local inductive cues. These findings have important implications for understanding the characteristics of growth, differentiation, and molecular specification of human neurospheres derived from the developing CNS, as well as the therapeutic potential for neural repair.     

Effects of Epimedium flavonoids on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Epimedium flavonoids (EF), which is extracted from a traditional Chinese Epimedium herb, and its effect on the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in vitro.

Methods: The single cells isolated from the hippocampi of 1 day old neonatal rats were cultured in a serum-free condition medium DMEM/F12 (1 : 1) with different concentrations of EF or 20 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF) and 10 ng/ml basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). After 7 and 28 days, the neurospheres' diameters were measured. The formed neurospheres were cultured in the differentiation medium containing EF or 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). After 12 hours and 7 days, immunofluorescent studies for nestin, Musashi-1, BrdU, β-III-tubulin, NF-200 and GFAP were performed. The number and lengths of 10–15 axons of NF-200 immunopositive cells were measured.

Results: The results showed that the isolated cells had the ability to propagate as neurospheres in the medium with 200 and 400 m g/ml EF, but without any EGF or bFGF, and the volume of neurospheres increase gradually from 7 to 28 days. In comparison with FBS control, the number of NF-200 positive neurons had significantly increased in the EF groups where the newborn neurons were morphologically more mature and able to migrate farther away from neurospheres than in the FBS control.

Discussion: The results demonstrate that EF effectively promotes the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs in vitro, suggesting that EF may have new properties of regulating central nervous system function by neurogenesis.     

Acute hepatocyte growth factor treatment induces long-term neuroprotection and stroke recovery via mechanisms involving neural precursor cell proliferation and differentiation

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an interesting candidate for acute stroke treatment as shown by continuous infusion or gene delivery protocols. However, little is known about HGF-mediated long-term effects. The present study therefore analyzed long-term effects of an acute intrastriatal HGF treatment (5 μg) after a 45-minute stroke, with regard to brain injury and neurologic recovery. Hepatocyte growth factor induced long-term neuroprotection as assessed by infarct volume and neuronal cell death analysis for as long as 4 weeks after stroke, which was associated with sustained neurologic recovery as evidenced by corner-turn and tight-rope tests. Analyzing underlying mechanisms of HGF-induced sustained neuroprotection, enhanced cell proliferation followed by increased neuronal differentiation of neural precursor cells (NPCs) was observed in the ischemic striatum of HGF-treated mice, which persisted for up to 4 weeks. In line with this, HGF promoted neurosphere formation as well as proliferation of NPC and decreased caspase-3-dependent hypoxic injury in vitro. Preservation of blood–brain barrier integrity 24 hours after stroke was furthermore noticed in animals receiving HGF, which was associated with the inhibition of matrix metalloproteases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 at 4 and 24 hours, respectively. We suggest that sustained recruitment of proliferating cells together with improved neurovascular remodeling provides an explanation for HGF-induced long-term neuroprotection.     

Behavior of hippocampal stem/progenitor cells following grafting into the injured aged hippocampus

Multipotent neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) from the embryonic hippocampus are potentially useful as donor cells to repopulate the degenerated regions of the aged hippocampus after stroke, epilepsy, or Alzheimer's disease. However, the efficacy of the NSC grafting strategy for repairing the injured aged hippocampus is unknown. To address this issue, we expanded FGF-2-responsive NSCs from the hippocampus of embryonic day 14 green fluorescent protein-expressing transgenic mice as neurospheres in vitro and grafted them into the hippocampus of 24-month-old F344 rats 4 days after CA3 region injury. Engraftment, migration, and neuronal/glial differentiation of cells derived from NSCs were analyzed 1 month after grafting. Differentiation of neurospheres in culture dishes or after placement on organotypic hippocampal slice cultures demonstrated that these cells had the ability to generate considerable numbers of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Following grafting into the injured aged hippocampus, cells derived from neurospheres survived and dispersed, but exhibited no directed migration into degenerated or intact hippocampal cell layers. Phenotypic analyses of graft-derived cells revealed neuronal differentiation in 3%-5% of cells, astrocytic differentiation in 28% of cells, and oligodendrocytic differentiation in 6%-10% cells. The results demonstrate for the first time that NSCs derived from the fetal hippocampus survive and give rise to all three CNS phenotypes following transplantation into the injured aged hippocampus. However, grafted NSCs do not exhibit directed migration into lesioned areas or widespread neuronal differentiation, suggesting that direct grafting of primitive NSCs is not adequate for repair of the injured aged brain without priming the microenvironment.     

Fibroblast growth factor‐9 inhibits astrocyte differentiation of adult mouse neural progenitor cells

Fibroblast growth factor‐9 (FGF9) is expressed in the CNS and is reported to be a mitogen for glial cells, to promote neuronal survival, and to retard oligodendrocyte differentiation. Here we examined the effects of FGF9 on the differentiation, survival, and proliferation of adult neural progenitor cells derived from the adult mouse subventricular zone. FGF9 by itself induced neurosphere proliferation, but its effects were modest compared with those of epidermal growth factor and FGF2. When neurospheres were dissociated and plated for differentiation, FGF9 increased total cell number over time in a dose‐dependent manner. Ki67 immunostaining and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation indicated that this was at least partially due to the continued presence of proliferative nestin‐positive neural progenitor cells and βIII tubulin‐positive neuronal precursors. FGF9 also promoted cell survival as indicated by a decreased number of TUNEL‐positive cells over time. Assessment of differentiation showed that FGF9 increased neuron generation that reflected the increase in total cell number; however, the percentage of progenitor cells differentiating into neurons was slightly decreased. FGF9 had a modest effect on oligodendrocyte generation, although it appeared to slow the maturation of oligodenrocytes at higher concentrations. The most marked effect on differentiation was an almost total lack of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)‐positive astrocytes up to 7 days following FGF9 addition, indicating that astrocyte differentiation was strongly inhibited. Total inhibition required prolonged treatment, although a 1‐hr pulse was sufficient for partial inhibition, and bone morphogenic protein‐4 could partially overcome the FGF9 inhibition of astrocyte differentiation. FGF9 therefore has multiple effects on adult neural precursor cell function, enhancing neuronal precursor proliferation and specifically inhibiting GFAP expression. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

胚胎大鼠嗅神经干细胞的培养及分化特性

目的建立胚胎大鼠嗅神经干细胞(NSCs)体外培养方法,研究其增殖和分化特性.方法采用添加丝裂原的无血清培养基分离、培养胚胎14 d(E14)大鼠嗅球NSCs,应用免疫细胞化学方法鉴定培养的NSCs及自然分化为特异性神经细胞的类型,测定NSCs的生长曲线.结果从E14大鼠嗅球分离、培养出表达nestin,并能分化为神经元、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的NSCs.嗅NSCs的增殖依赖表皮生长因子(EGF)和碱性成纤维细胞生长因子(bFGF),其中EGF的促分裂增殖作用明显优于bFGF.结论从E14大鼠嗅球培养出具有自我增殖和多向分化潜能的NSCs.     

Microglia instruct subventricular zone neurogenesis

Microglia are increasingly implicated as a source of non-neural regulation of postnatal neurogenesis and neuronal development. To evaluate better the contributions of microglia to neural stem cells (NSCs) of the subventricular neuraxis, we employed an adherent culture system that models the continuing proliferation and differentiation of the dissociated neuropoietic subventricular tissues. In this model, neuropoietic cells retain the ability to self-renew and form multipotent neurospheres, but progressively lose the ability to generate committed neuroblasts with continued culture. Neurogenesis in highly expanded NSCs can be rescued by coculture with microglial cells or microglia-conditioned medium, indicating that microglia provide secreted factor(s) essential for neurogenesis, but not NSC maintenance, self-renewal, or propagation. Our findings suggest an instructive role for microglial cells in contributing to postnatal neurogenesis in the largest neurogenic niche of the mammalian brain.     

Novel culture strategy for human stem cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation

Embryonal carcinoma (EC) stem cells derived from germ cell tumors closely resemble embryonic stem (ES) cells and are valuable tools for the study of embryogenesis. Human pluripotent NT2 cell line, derived from a teratocarcinoma, can be induced to differentiate into neurons (NT2-N) after retinoic acid treatment. To realize the full potential of stem cells, developing in vitro methods for stem cell proliferation and differentiation is a key challenge. Herein, a novel culture strategy for NT2 neuronal differentiation was developed to expand NT2-N neurons, reduce the time required for the differentiation process, and increase the final yields of NT2-N neurons. NT2 cells were cultured as 3D cell aggregates ("neurospheres") in the presence of retinoic acid, using small-scale stirred bioreactors; it was possible to obtain a homogeneous neurosphere population, which can be transferred for further neuronal selection onto coated surfaces. This culturing strategy yields higher amounts of NT2-N neurons with increased purity compared with the amounts routinely obtained with static cultures. Moreover, mechanical and enzymatic methods for neurosphere dissociation were evaluated for their ability to recover neurons, trypsin digestion yielding the best results. Nevertheless, the highest recoveries were obtained when neurospheres were collected directly to treated surfaces without dissociation steps. This novel culture strategy allows drastic improvement in the neuronal differentiation efficiency of NT2 cells, insofar as a fourfold increase was obtained, reducing simultaneously the time needed for the differentiation process. The culture method described herein ensures efficient, reproducible, and scaleable ES cell proliferation and differentiation, contributing to the usefulness of stem cell bioengineering.     

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor stimulates proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells,possibly by triggering the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has critical functions in promoting survival, expansion, and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs), but its downstream regulation mechanism is still not fully understood. The role of BDNF in proliferation and differentiation of NSCs through Wnt/β‐catenin signaling was studied via cell culture of cortical NSCs, Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, and TOPgal (Wnt reporter) analysis in mice. First, BDNF stimulated NSC proliferation dose dependently in cultured neurospheres that exhibited BrdU incorporation and neuronal and glial differentiation abilities. Second, BDNF effectively enhanced cell commitment to neuronal and oligodendrocytic fates, as indicated by increased differentiation marker Tuj‐1 (neuronal marker), CNPase (oligodendrocyte marker), and neuronal process extension. Third, BDNF upregulated expression of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling (Wnt1 and free β‐catenin) molecules. Moreover, these promoting effects were significantly inhibited by application of IWR1, a Wnt signaling‐specific blocker in culture. The TOPgal mouse experiment further confirmed BDNF‐triggered Wnt signaling activation by β‐gal labeling. Finally, an MEK inhibition experiment showed a mediating role of the microtubule‐associated protein kinase pathway in BDNF‐triggered Wnt/β‐catenin signaling cascades. This study overall has revealed that BDNF might contribute to proliferation and neuronal and oligodendrocytic differentiation of NSCs in vitro, most possibly by triggering the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Nevertheless, determining the exact cross‐talk points at which BDNF might stimulate Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway in NSC activity requires further investigation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

体外神经干细胞培养特性观察

目的 探讨神经干细胞(NSCs)体外分离培养和增殖的特性.方法 从新生24h内的SD大鼠脑组织分离NSCs,采用无血清悬浮培养法进行NSCs体外扩增培养.倒置相差显微镜观察细胞形态,通过绘制细胞生长曲线观察NSCs的自我更新和增殖能力,采用免疫细胞化学法检测NSCs标志物神经上皮干细胞蛋白(Nestin)的表达及分化后细胞神经元特异性烯醇化酶(NSE)、胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)和2,3-环核甘酸磷酸二脂酶(CNP)的表达.结果 从新生SD大鼠脑组织分离的细胞在无血清的培养基中形成悬浮的神经球.神经球具有自我更新和表达Nestin的能力,分化后的细胞能表达神经元、星型胶质细胞及少突胶质细胞的特异性抗原.结论 从新生大鼠的脑组织中成功分离出NSCs,其具有在体外自我更新和增殖、多向分化潜能及表达Nestin的能力.