神经黏连因子在小鼠视交叉发育过程中的表达变化

目的探讨神经粘连因子neuropilin(NP)在小鼠视交叉发育的主要阶段,即胚胎(E13～E15),在视网膜和间脑中的表达变化。方法将E13～E15的小鼠胚胎的头部以震荡切片机制备为横切片或纵切片,以荧光免疫组织化学方法染色,最后以激光扫描共聚焦显微镜观察。结果在E13至E15,NP表达在视盘和刚移行出视盘的视神经纤维中。在E13,NP表达在视神经和视交叉中。但在E14至E15时,NP在视交叉中的表达消失,只表达在视神经和视束中。结论NP在视交叉发育过程表达的变化,提示NP在引导视神经移出视盘和神经集结方面有着一定的作用。     

音猬因子与胰岛素增强子结合蛋白在小鼠胚胎呼吸系统的早期表达

目的 探讨音猬因子信号通路成员与胰岛素增强子结合蛋白在呼吸系统的早期表达与其发育的联系。方法 胚龄9.0～13d小鼠胚胎呼吸系统各年龄段不小于3个,连续石蜡切片,用抗音猬因子(Shh)、抗patched1(Ptcl)、抗smoothened(Smo)、抗胰岛素增强子结合蛋白(ISL1)和抗α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)抗体进行免疫组织化学染色。结果 胚龄10d,Shh表达在前肠内胚层腹侧壁。胚龄11～12d,Ptc1表达在气管、支气管和肺内分支上皮。胚龄13d,Ptc1只表达在肺内分支上皮。胚龄9d,ISL1表达在前肠内胚层腹侧壁。胚龄10～12d,ISL1表达在前肠（气管）腹侧壁和支气管侧壁上皮及邻近的间充质内。胚龄13d,ISL1表达减弱,始终未见在肺内有阳性表达。胎龄12～13d,与气管后壁、支气管内侧壁上皮Ptc1表达减弱处相邻的间充质出现α-SMA阳性平滑肌细胞,其与对侧间充质ISL1阳性细胞的分布呈背-腹侧或内-外侧模式。气管腹侧及肺芽外侧间充质中可见ISL1与Smo共表达细胞。 结论 ISL1在气管及肺芽的发育中可能与Shh信号系统协同发挥作用。     

Semaphorin 3a对小鼠胚胎视交叉发育的作用

目的:探讨细胞因子Semaphorin 3a(Sema 3a)在小鼠胚胎视交叉发育过程中发挥的作用。方法:E13至E15小鼠胚胎的眼球至视束部分制备成脑厚片,置于含10%的小牛血清的DMEM/F12的培养液中,在37℃的恒温的滚动培养箱中培养5h。实验组中将Sema 3a抗体加入培养液中。培养结束后,将脑厚片以4%多聚甲醛固定,将DiI颗粒置于一侧视盘。7d后,在手术显微镜下,暴露被标记的视神经纤维,在激光扫描共聚焦显微镜下观察。结果:用Sema 3a抗体阻抑Sema 3a的功能,可引起E13跨越中线的视神经纤维减少以及神经纤维走行错误。结论:在视交叉形成的早期,Sema 3a可能吸引视神经纤维跨过中线,并且这个过程可能是短暂的。     

小鼠胚胎呼吸内胚层形态发生与咽前间充质发育及流出道分隔的关系

目的 探讨呼吸内胚层与咽前间充质细胞发育的关系及对小鼠胚胎心流出道分隔的影响。方法 45只胚龄8~13d小鼠胚胎心连续石蜡切片,用抗胰岛因子1（ISL-1）、抗α-平滑肌肌动蛋白（α-SMA）、抗音猬因子（音速波状蛋白, Shh）、抗patched（Ptc1）、抗patched 2（Ptc2）、抗smoothened（Smo）及抗心肌肌球蛋白重链（MHC）抗体进行免疫组织化学及免疫荧光染色。 结果 胚龄8～9d,ISL-1阳性细胞分布在心包腔背侧壁及前肠两侧间充质,并延伸至原始心管动脉端,心管心肌显较强的Ptc1和Ptc2阳性表达。胚龄10~13d,呼吸内胚层向腹侧延伸,Ptc1和Ptc2呈较强表达,ISL-1阳性咽前间充质细胞围绕呼吸内胚层形成对称的特征性锥体形结构,经动脉囊背侧壁伸入动脉囊腔,形成主肺动脉隔。胚龄12d,主肺动脉隔ISL-1阳性表达基本消失,大部分细胞转变为α-SMA阳性细胞。 结论 呼吸内胚层的分化发育与咽前ISL-1阳性间充质细胞的发育聚集密切耦联。发育中的呼吸内胚层可能作为组织中心,通过Shh信号通路对ISL-1阳性细胞的聚集提供位置信息。呼吸内胚层的正常腹侧延伸不但可诱导ISL 1阳性细胞的正常迁移和流出道的正常分隔,对流出道的正常形态发生及有效的肺循环建立起重要作用。     

Nogo-A在小鼠胚胎新生视网膜节细胞及其轴突的表达

目的 研究小鼠胚胎阶段Nogo-A在视网膜节细胞(RGCs)及其轴突上的表达及时程变化. 方法 取不同发育阶段的小鼠胚胎,采用免疫荧光染色,以激光扫描共焦显微镜观察Nogo-A在视觉传导通路中的表达.并采用免疫双标染色确定视网膜中表达Nogo-A蛋白的细胞类型. 结果 在视网膜发育的早期阶段(E12),Nogo-A密集表达于具有放射状形态的细胞上,Nogo-A免疫阳性产物出现在胞质、胞膜以及轴突上.Nogo-A与Tuj-1双标染色显示,此阶段的视网膜中几乎所有RGCs及其轴突都表达有Nogo-A;在稍晚的发育阶段(E13),视网膜中表达Nogo-A的RGCs数量明显减少,且仅出现在节细胞层以外的室周带和睫状体边缘区.在视网膜的神经纤维层,大部分RGCs轴突不再表达Nogo-A,仅有少量视觉纤维为Nogo-A免疫阳性;RGCs的神经发生基本完成后(E15), 视网膜中几乎检测不到Nogo-A免疫阳性的细胞,但视网膜纤维层仍有少量表达Nogo-A的节细胞轴突.与之类似,视神经盘、视茎、视交叉和视束都观察到少量Nogo-A免疫阳性的轴突.值得注意的是,视束中表达Nogo-A的纤维集中位于表浅部位,而此处恰为新近到达轴突的通过部位. 结论 Nogo-A在视网膜RGCs以及轴突上表达的时程变化和位置特点提示,新生RGCs及其轴突表达Nogo-A,成熟后RGCs内Nogo-A的表达则下调.推测新生RGCs及其轴突中表达的Nogo-A可能与减少轴突分叉等细胞的内在功能有关.     

视神经切断诱导金黄地鼠脑内视觉通路小热休克蛋白27的表达

目的 观察成年金黄地鼠左侧视神经眶内切断术后，视交叉、视束、外侧膝状体以及上丘内小热休克蛋白27(small heat shock protein，HSP27)表达的变化。方法 免疫组织化学染色法及光密度测定。结果 在正常对照和手术对照组，双侧视交叉、视束、外侧膝状体和上丘未见明显免疫反应物，光密度值之间亦无显著差异。而在实验组，与左侧相比，右侧视交叉、视束、外侧膝状体和上丘免疫组织化学染色明显增强。术后1周，右侧脑内视觉通路可见免疫反应物明显沉着的阳性细胞，形态类似星形胶质细胞。统计学分析显示，视交叉、外侧膝状体和上丘左、右两侧的光密度差值在术后1周时最大，至术后第2周迅速降低，以后下降趋势减缓，到术后8周仍可见右侧光密度值高于左侧。结论 一侧视神经切断后，对侧视交叉、视束、外侧膝状体和上丘等区域均有HSP27表达的增强，并可持续至术后8周之久。提示上述区域HSP27表达增强与视觉通路的损伤有关，但其发生机理及生物学意义尚待进一步研究。     

Sonic hedgehog促1型糖尿病小鼠的伤口愈合

目的：研究sonic hedgehog（Shh）及其受体Ptc1在糖尿病小鼠伤口愈合中的作用。方法：分别在正常和链脲佐菌素（STZ）诱导的糖尿病小鼠建立皮肤损伤模型,Western印迹检测Shh和Ptc1的蛋白水平;观察外源性Shh或Ptc1抑制剂cyclopamine对伤口愈合的影响。结果：（1）正常小鼠损伤后皮肤组织中的Shh和Ptcl蛋白质表达明显升高;外源性Shh对伤口愈合无明显促进作用,但cyclopamine可以明显地抑制伤口愈合;（2）STZ诱导的糖尿病小鼠,其皮肤组织中内源性的Shh和Ptcl蛋白水平明显下调;（3）外源性Shh可显著促进糖尿病小鼠伤口的愈合,且呈浓度依赖性;Cyclopamine则明显地抑制糖尿病小鼠的伤口愈合。结论：Shh-Ptc1通路参与了皮肤伤口愈合,糖尿病伤口愈合延迟与Shh-Ptc1表达下调有关。     

小鼠早期牙齿发育过程中成纤维细胞生长因子信号下游EM>Fin/EM>15的表达

目的 探讨成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF）信号Fin15在小鼠牙齿发育中的作用。 方法 采用RT-PCR方法筛查Fin基因在牙胚组织中的表达情况,利用原位杂交技术检查该基因在牙齿早期发育过程中的表达模式,并通过整体原位杂交技术检测了阻断FGF信号传导后该基因在小鼠下颌的表达变化。 结果 实验结果显示,E11-5,E13-5和E14-5的小鼠牙胚均表达Fin15基因,Fin15基因从牙齿发育的起始时期到形态发生时期都在牙上皮和牙间充质中表达,在培养的胚胎下颌中阻断FGF信号能抑制Fin15在包括牙齿发生部位在内的下颌中的表达。 结论 在牙齿发育过程中,Fin15是FGF信号通路的下游靶标,在介导FGF信号的功能中发挥作用。     

鸡胚发育过程中音猬因子超表达对Pax家族基因表达的影响

目的 探讨鸡胚发育过程中,音猬因子（Shh）基因在脊髓中超表达后对配对框（Pax）基因家族Pax3、Pax6以及Pax7蛋白表达的影响。 方法 在鸡胚龄2.5～3.0d（E2.5～E3）时,实验组利用鸡胚脊髓活体电转基因技术将携带Shh基因的质粒和携带有绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）报告基因的质粒共转入鸡胚脊髓,对照组则只转入报告基因质粒。E4时取材,每组至少取3例,冷冻切片后采用原位杂交技术检测Shh基因的mRNA表达水平,利用荧光免疫技术检测Shh在鸡胚脊髓中超表达后对Pax3,Pax6以及Pax7蛋白表达水平的影响,并将对照组及实验组中3种基因在脊髓两侧的表达量进行统计学分析。 结果 原位杂交结果表明,E4时Shh的mRNA主要表达在脊髓底板和脊索,实验组结果显示,利用鸡胚脊髓活体电转技术成功建立了Shh超表达模型。对照组中荧光免疫结果表明,Pax3主要表达于脊髓翼板、生肌节、背根以及背根神经节;Pax6主要表达于跨越翼板和基板的脊髓中间部位;Pax7则主要均匀表达于翼板、顶板和生肌节。Shh超表达后,脊髓转染侧与未转染侧相比Pax3、Pax6以及Pax7的表达量差异极显著（P<0.01）,这3种基因在脊髓中的表达均被抑制。 结论 在鸡胚发育过程中,Pax家族Pax3、Pax6以及Pax7 3种基因在鸡胚脊髓中具有不同的表达模式,Shh超表达后对其均具有明显的抑制作用,显示这3种Pax基因受Shh信号通路调控。     

鸡胚发育过程中Shh超表达对脊髓神经纤维投射的抑制作用

目的探讨鸡胚发育过程中,sonic hedgehog(Shh)在脊髓中超表达后对神经纤维投射的影响。方法在鸡胚龄2.5~3d(E2.5~E3)时,利用鸡胚活体原位电转基因技术将Shh表达质粒和携带有报告基因绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的质粒共转入鸡胚脊髓,E6时取材切片,至少取3个材料,免疫荧光技术检验Shh的超表达,利用Open Book技术研究Shh在鸡胚脊髓中超表达后对神经纤维投射的影响。结果在脊髓组织切片水平上,免疫荧光结果表明,Shh在鸡胚脊髓中成功超表达,无论在组织切片上还是通过Open Book技术进行观察,与对照组相比,超表达后转染侧神经纤维都无法正常通过底板投射到对侧,表明Shh在鸡胚脊髓神经纤维投射方面具有重要作用。结论在鸡胚发育过程中,脊髓中Shh超表达后对神经纤维投射具有抑制作用。     

Segregated hemispheric pathways through the optic chiasm distinguish primates from rodents

At the optic chiasm retinal fibers either cross the midline, or remain uncrossed. Here we trace hemispheric pathways through the marmoset chiasm and show that fibers from the lateral optic nerve pass directly toward the ipsilateral optic tract without any significant change in fiber order and without approaching the midline, while those from medial regions of the nerve decussate directly. Anterograde labeling from one eye shows that the two hemispheric pathways remain segregated through the proximal nerve and chiasm with the uncrossed confined laterally. Retrograde labeling from the optic tract confirms this. This clearly demonstrates that hemispheric pathways are segregated through the primate chiasm. Previous chiasmatic studies have been undertaken mainly on rodents and ferrets. In these species there is a major change in fiber order pre-chiasmatically, where crossed and uncrossed fibers mix, reflecting their embryological history when all fibers approach the midline prior to their commitment to innervate either hemisphere. This pattern was thought to be common to placental mammals. In marsupials there is no change in fiber order and uncrossed fibers remain confined laterally through nerve and chiasm, again, reflecting their developmental history when all uncrossed fibers avoid the midline. Recently it has been shown that this distinction is not a true dichotomy between placental mammals and marsupials, as fiber order in tree shrews and humans mirrors the marsupial pattern. Architectural differences in the mature chiasm probably reflect different developmental mechanisms regulating pathway choice. Our results therefore suggest that both the organization and development of the primate optic chiasm differ markedly from that revealed in rodents and carnivores.     

Molecular and cellular analysis of embryonic avian tongue development.

Signalling cascades first described in Drosophila have been found to regulate patterning and outgrowth in a number of structures in higher vertebrates. We sought to determine whether the evolutionarily conserved genes were important during the development of the tongue. In situ hybridisation was used to determine the temporo-spatial expression of a panel of conserved genes. Histological examination and incorporation of BrdU were used to determine the mechanism by which the tongue develops. We show that evolutionarily conserved genes were expressed in distinct dynamic patterns during tongue development. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and Patched (Ptc) were found only in the dorsal tongue epithelium. Shh expression was only observed in the suprabasal layers, whereas Ptc was observed in both basal and suprabasal layers. Cell division in the epithelium was concentrated in regions devoid of Shh. Expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP) was identical to that of Shh. Shh and Ptc expression were never detected in the mesenchyme. Ectopic expression of Noggin (a potent antagonist of the BMPs) caused severe abnormalities in tongue morphology, including swelling of the mesenchymal component and a thickening of the epithelial layer. Data from this study suggests that the epithelium and mesenchyme express quite different genes during development. However BMP activity acts to inhibit growth in both tissues.     

小鼠胚胎呼吸内胚层相关第二生心区的发育

目的探讨小鼠胚胎心流出道分隔过程中,前肠呼吸内胚层与咽前第二生心区细胞发育的形态学关系及机制。方法胚龄9~13d小鼠胚胎标本各6例,连续石蜡切片,用抗转录因子叉头框蛋白A2(Foxa2)、抗胰岛因子1(ISL-1)、抗patched1(Ptc1)、抗patched 2(Ptc2)、抗α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)及抗心肌肌球蛋白重链(MHC)抗体进行免疫组织化学及免疫荧光染色。结果胚龄9~9.5d,前肠腹侧壁ISL-1阳性内胚层局部增厚,呼吸内胚层开始发育,ISL-1阳性间充质细胞紧随其后开始出现在呼吸内胚层周围的基质中。胚龄10~11.5d,呼吸内胚层向动脉囊方向生长延伸向喉-气管沟演变,ISL-1阳性咽前间充质细胞围绕呼吸内胚层呈对称的特征性锥体形结构分布,锥体顶端突入动脉囊腔向主-肺动脉隔发育。在喉-气管沟发育过程中,总能观察到1条实心内胚层细胞索位于其腹侧顶端,Ptc1和Ptc2主要局限于发育中的喉-气管沟及实心细胞索表达,喉-气管沟及实心细胞索的内胚层则位于锥体结构的中心。胚龄12~13d,在流出道水平前肠分隔形成气管,内胚层细胞索逐渐消失,气管上皮逐渐失去Ptc1和Ptc2表达,气管腹侧的ISL-1阳性间充质细胞密度明显减低,并逐渐停止向流出道添加,动脉囊分隔完成。结论呼吸内胚层的分化发育与咽前ISL-1阳性第二生心区细胞的发育聚集密切耦联。音猬因子(SHH)信号系统在呼吸内胚层发育过程中活跃程度较高,发育中的呼吸内胚层可能作为组织中心,通过SHH信号通路诱导ISL-1阳性细胞的聚集,并通过内胚层生长延伸造成的机械牵拉力驱动ISL-1阳性细胞迁移,参与流出道正常形态发生。     

Coordinate expression of Fgf8, Otx2, Bmp4, and Shh in the rostral prosencephalon during development of the telencephalic and optic vesicles.

Previous studies suggest that Fgf8 has a key role in regulating vertebrate development. In the rostral head of the embryonic chicken, there are increasing numbers of separate Fgf8 domains; these are present in tissues that appear to have previously expressed Otx2. As Fgf8 expression becomes established, Otx2 expression weakens, but remains in cells abutting the Fgf8 expression domain. These Fgf8 expression domains are closely associated with tissues expressing Bmp4 and Shh. Based on analogy with the embryonic limb, we suggest that Fgf8, Bmp4 and Shh function together in patterning regions of the embryonic head. Gene expression changes are particularly prominent in 14-21 somite stage embryos in the rostral forebrain, during early morphogenesis of the telencephalic and optic vesicles, when several new interfaces of Fgf8, Bmp4 and Shh are generated. To gain insights into the functions of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) in the embryonic forebrain, we studied the effects of implanting beads containing this protein in the dorsal prosencephalon of embryonic day 2 chicken embryos. Ectopic FGF8 had profound effects on morphogenesis of the telencephalic and optic vesicles. It disrupted formation of the optic stalk and caused a transformation of the pigment epithelium into neural retina. Within the telencephalon, FGF8 beads frequently induced a sulcus that had features of an ectopic rostral midline. The sulcus separated the telencephalon into rostral and caudal vesicles. Furthermore, we present evidence that FGF8 can regulate regionalization of the prosencephalon through inhibition of Otx2 and Emx2 expression. Thus, these experiments provide evidence that FGF8 can regulate both morphogenesis and patterning of the rostral prosencephalon (telencephalic and optic vesicles). FGF8 beads can induce midline properties (e.g. a sulcus) and can modulate the specification and differentiation of adjacent tissues. We suggest that some of these effects are through regulating the expression of homeobox genes (Otx2 and Emx2) that are known to participate in forebrain patterning.