The derivation and potential use of human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells lines can be derived from human blastocysts at high efficiency (>50%) by immunosurgical isolation of the inner cell mass and culture on embryonic fibroblast cell lines. These cells will spontaneously differentiate into all the primary embryonic lineages in vitro and in vivo, but they are unable to form an integrated embryo or body plan by themselves or when combined with trophectoderm cells. They may be directed into a number of specific cell types and this enrichment process requires specific growth factors, cell-surface molecules, matrix molecules and secreted products of other cell types. Embryonic stem (ES) cells are immortal and represent a major potential for cell therapies for regenerative medicine. Their use in transplantation may depend on the formation of a large bank of suitable human leucocyte antigen (HLA) types or the genetic erasure of their HLA expression. Successful transplantation may also require induction of tolerance in recipients and ongoing immune suppression. Although it is possible to customize ES cells by therapeutic cloning or cytoplasmic transfer, it would appear unlikely that these strategies will be used extensively for producing ES cells compatible for transplantation. Embryonic stem cell research may deliver a new pathway for regenerative medicine.     

Human embryonic stem cells: challenges and opportunities

Human and non-human primate embryonic stem (ES) cells are invaluable resources for developmental studies, pharmaceutical research and a better understanding of human disease and replacement therapies. In 1998, subsequent to the establishment of the first monkey ES cell line in 1995, the first human ES cell line was developed. Later, three of the National Institute of Health (NIH) lines (BG01, BG02 and BG03) were derived from embryos that would have been discarded because of their poor quality. A major challenge to research in this area is maintaining the unique characteristics and a normal karyotype in the NIH-registered human ES cell lines. A normal karyotype can be maintained under certain culture conditions. In addition, a major goal in stem cell research is to direct ES cells towards a limited cell fate, with research progressing towards the derivation of a variety of cell types. We and others have built on findings in vertebrate (frog, chicken and mouse) neural development and from mouse ES cell research to derive neural stem cells from human ES cells. We have directed these derived human neural stem cells to differentiate into motoneurons using a combination of developmental cues (growth factors) that are spatially and temporally defined. These and other human ES cell derivatives will be used to screen new compounds and develop innovative cell therapies for degenerative diseases.     

体外诱导兔胚胎干细胞分化为神经细胞

目的:探讨体外诱导兔胚胎干细胞(ESCs)分化为神经细胞的方法。方法:应用多种诱导剂联合诱导兔ESCs,免疫荧光和流式细胞仪检测巢蛋白(Nestin)的表达。结果:诱导后兔ESCs能分化为具有典型神经元形态的细胞,Nestin阳性表达。结论:在体外采用定向分化诱导,兔ESCs可直接定向分化为神经干细胞。     

LIF: a molecule with divergent actions on myeloid leukaemic cells and embryonic stem cells

We have previously characterized, purified and cloned a novel murine and human regulator [leukaemia inhibitory factor, LIF] which induces the differentiation of certain murine and human myeloid leukaemic cells. Recently we have shown that there are specific LIF receptors on murine embryonic stem [ES] and embryonal carcinoma [EC] cells and that purified recombinant LIF can substitute for feeder cells and crude sources of differentiation inhibiting activity [DIA] [such as BRL-cell-conditioned medium] in the maintenance of ES cells in a pluripotential state in vitro. Furthermore, ES cells maintained in culture in recombinant LIF for a prolonged period can give rise to germline chimaeric mice. Thus, based on a number of biochemical and biological similarities, it is likely that LIF and DIA are the same molecule. The identification of LIF as a molecule, necessary and sufficient for the maintenance of ES cells in culture, should have a profound impact on the use of these cells for genetic manipulations.     

Maintenance of pluripotential embryonic stem cells by stem cell selection

As gastrulation proceeds, pluripotential stem cells with the capacity to contribute to all primary germ layers disappear from the mammalian embryo. The extinction of pluripotency also occurs during the formation of embryoid bodies from embryonic stem (ES) cells. In this report we show that if the initial differentiated progeny are removed from ES cell aggregates, further differentiation does not proceed and the stem cell population persists and expands. Significantly, the presence of even minor populations of differentiated cells lead to the complete loss of stem cells from the cultures. This finding implies that the normal elimination of pluripotent cells is dictated by inductive signals provided by differentiated progeny. We have exploited this observation to develop a strategy for the isolation of pluripotential cells. This approach, termed stem cell selection, may have widespread applicability to the derivation and propagation of stem cells.     

Tissue stem cells and cancer stem cells: potential implications for gastric cancer

Gastric cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the world today, making the search for its molecular and cellular basis an important priority. Though recognition of the tight link between inflammation and tumorigenesis is centuries old, only recently are the pieces of the etiological puzzle beginning to fall together. Recent advances in gastric stem cell biology appear to be central to this slowly resolving puzzle. At least two types of stem cells may be important. Resident adult or tissue stem cells may, in a chronically inflamed environment, slowly acquire a series of genetic and epigenetic changes that lead to their emergence as 'cancer stem cells'. This scenario has not yet been proven experimentally, although the first step, prospective recognition of a gastric stem cell has recently been conquered. Alternatively, the setting of chronic inflammatory stress and injury may lead to loss of the indigenous gastric stem cells from their niches; bone marrow derived stem cells may then be recruited to and engraft into the gastric epithelium. Such recruited cells have the potential to contribute to the tumor mass. Indeed, evidence supporting this scenario has been published. Here, we review these recent findings and discuss implications for the future.     

Inositol transport in mouse embryonic stem cells

The uptake of myo-inositol by mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells was measured using [2-(3)H]myo-inositol. Uptake of myo-inositol by ES cells occurred in a mainly saturable, sodium-, time- and temperature-dependent manner, which was inhibited by glucose, phloridzin and ouabain. Self inhibition by inositol was much greater than inhibition by glucose indicating that transport was not occurring via a sodium-dependent glucose transporter. Uptake rate was much greater than efflux rate indicating a mainly unidirectional transport mechanism. Estimated kinetics parameters for sodium-dependent inositol uptake were a K m of 65.1 +/- 11.8 micromol L(-1) and a V max of 5.0 +/- 0.59 pmol microg protein(-1) h(-1). Inositol uptake was also sensitive to osmolality; uptake increased in response to incubation in hypertonic medium indicating a possible role for inositol as an osmolyte in ES cells. These characteristics indicate that myo-inositol transport in mouse ES cells occurs by a sodium-dependent myo-inositol transporter protein.     

胚胎干细胞向肝细胞的诱导分化研究

胚胎干细胞在体外一定条件下能够分化为与原代培养肝细胞表型相似,并表达部分成熟肝细胞功能的类肝细胞.尽管目前在诱导条件的优化、分化过程的调控及临床应用的安全性等方面仍面临一系列问题,但研究胚胎干细胞向肝系的诱导分化及纯化,为终末期肝病的细胞移植治疗、生物人工肝及药物代谢和毒理研究提供了丰富的细胞来源.     

Regenerating movements: embryonic stem cells and the politics of potentiality

This paper develops a theoretical frame for analysing social movements in/and biomedicine. Drawing from work in social movement theory and science and technology studies, the paper describes the field of biotechnology as the material/imagined space of contemporary biopolitics in the contemporary United States. Interviews with activists from four social movements, websites and written material are examined, and two processes of knowledge construction were found to be central in constituting the field of biotechnology. These processes open up multiple sites for citizen participation in the construction of scientific knowledge.     

胚胎干细胞在心肌样环境中向心肌样细胞的分化情况

目的探讨心肌细胞促进胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells,ESCs)分化为心肌样细胞的诱导作用。方法收集小鼠3.5d胚龄的囊胚,将其培养在小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞饲养层上,4～5d后取内细胞团接种在饲养层上分离培养出ESCs。取3～5代ESCs,先将ESCs悬浮培养形成2～3d的拟胚体(embryoid bodies,EBs),再与新生大鼠心肌细胞共培养诱导向心肌细胞分化,相差显微镜下观察分化细胞的形态学变化,免疫细胞荧光技术检测心肌细胞特异性肌钙蛋白T(TnT)、а-肌动蛋白(а-Actin)的表达。结果诱导d3起可见自发性、有节律跳动的拟胚体出现,12d时共培养组约有93%的拟胚体出现节律性收缩,显著高于对照组,均表达心肌细胞特异性蛋白cTnT、а-actin,心肌细胞直接接触诱导组其分化比率达56.5%,分化的细胞形态较单一。结论心肌细胞与胚胎干细胞直接接触能促进胚胎干细胞向心肌细胞分化。     

Differentiation of embryonic and adult stem cells into insulin producing cells

Replacement of insulin producing cells represents an almost ideal treatment for patients with diabetes mellitus type 1. Transplantation of pancreatic islets of Langerhans is successful in experienced centers. The wider application of this therapy, however, is limited by the lack of donor organs. Insulin producing cells generated from stem cells represent an attractive alternative. Stem cells with the potential to differentiate into insulin producing cells include embryonic stem cells (ESC) as well as adult stem cells from various tissues including the pancreas, liver, bone marrow and adipose tissue. The use of human ESC is hampered by ethical concerns but research with human ESC may help us to decipher important steps in the differentiation process in vitro since almost all information available on pancreas development are based on animal studies. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the development of insulin producing cells from embryonic and adult stem cells with special emphasis on pancreatic, hepatic and human mesenchymal stem cells.     

Enrichment of blood from embryonic stem cells in vitro

Murine embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent. When injected into blastocysts they can give rise to every cell type of a derived chimeric mouse including germ cells. Embryonic stem cells also possess remarkable in vitro differentiation potential. When removed from stromal support and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), ES cells differentiate into structures known as embryoid bodies (EBs), in which all three germ layers develop and interact. As ES cells from humans become available there is increasing interest in the potential for EBs to provide an unlimited supply of stem cells for somatic transplantation therapies. Realisation of this potential will require greater understanding of the molecular determinants of cell fate within EBs. Also, culture techniques for selective expansion of cell lineages of interest will reduce the risks associated with transplantation of EB-derived cells. In this paper the kinetics of expression of mRNA and protein for early mesoderm markers within EBs is reported. In addition, a three-step culture system incorporating co-cultivation on the bone marrow derived stromal cell line, MC3T3-G2/PA6 (PA6), is explored as a way to select for haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and against undifferentiated ES cells. A system like this could enhance purification of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from ES cells for bone marrow transplantation.     

胚胎干细胞的研究及其应用前景

胚胎干细胞是来源于早期胚胎内细胞团或着床后胚原始生殖细胞的一类未分化的全能性(多能性)干细胞,具有无限增殖和全向分化能力.胚胎干细胞在动物克隆、发育生物学、器官移植等方面起着重要作用,具有十分诱人的前景.     

孤雌生殖和孤雌胚胎干细胞研究进展

孤雌生殖是没有精子参与的卵母细胞激活分裂和发育过程.孤雌生殖技术是获得组织相容性胚胎干细胞系的一项重要技术.孤雌胚胎干细胞既具有与正常胚胎干细胞相同的自我更新和多向分化潜能,又规避了人胚胎干细胞面临的伦理问题,日益受到重视.但孤雌胚胎干细胞系存在建系率低、分化能力有限和异常基因印迹等诸多问题,原因可能与缺乏父本基因有关.目前已经建立了小鼠、猴和人类的孤雌胚胎干细胞系.就近年孤雌生殖和孤雌胚胎干细胞的研究进展综述.     

胚胎干细胞向生殖细胞分化的研究进展

<正>近年来,不断有研究证明人胚胎干细胞(hESC)的多能性,以及小鼠胚胎干细胞(mESC)能够分化为早期配子并形成囊胚样结构。2003年5月,Hbner等研究发现,小鼠胚胎干细胞在体外可分化为卵母细胞。Nayernia等研究发现,mESC可于体外分化为未成熟的精子,并且成功获得了存活的后代。这些研究对发展新的生殖工程学提供了开创性思     

Genomic imprinting in primate embryos and embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells hold promise for cell and tissue replacement approaches to treating human diseases. However, long-term in vitro culture and manipulations of ES cells may adversely affect their epigenetic integrity including imprinting. Disruption or inappropriate expression of imprinted genes is associated with several clinically significant syndromes and tumorigenesis in humans. We demonstrated aberrant biallelic expression of IGF2 and H19 in several rhesus monkey ES cell lines while SNRPN and NDN were normally imprinted and expressed from the paternal allele. In contrast, expanded blastocyst-stage embryos, from which these ES cells were derived, exhibited normal paternal expression of IGF2 and maternal expression of H19. To test the possibility that aberrant methylation at an imprinting centre (IC) upstream of H19 accounts for the relaxed imprinting of IGF2 and H19, we performed comprehensive methylation analysis by investigating methylation profiles of CpG sites within the IGF2/H19 IC. Our results demonstrate abnormal hypermethylation within the IGF2/H19 IC in all analysed ES cell lines consistent with biallelic expression of these genes. Cellular overproliferation and tumour formation resulting from tissue or cell transplantation are potential problems that must be addressed before clinical trials of ES cell-based therapy are initiated.     

Nontraditional sources of pluripotent stem cells: a new chapter in the debate about embryonic stem cell research

Recent efforts to resolve the political impasse over human embryonic stem cells (ESC) have generated proposals for obtaining ESC while avoiding the destruction of human embryos. This new chapter in the scientific and ethical debate provides an important opportunity to introduce additional ethical considerations to enhance public discourse.     

尼古丁对小鼠胚胎干细胞特异基因Oct-4转录的影响

目的　通过尼古丁对小鼠胚胎干细胞 (EmbryonicStem ,ES)特异基因Oct 4转录的影响来探讨尼古丁是否影响早期胚胎发育。方法　ES细胞选用饲养层培养法 ,尼古丁 (1～ 10 0 0nmol L)和 或 10 μmol L筒箭毒 (尼古丁乙酰胆碱受体阻断剂 )作用 2 4h后 ,纯化ES细胞 ,提取总RNA。首先扩增Fgf 5以观察纯化后ES细胞的纯度 ;同时用半定量RT PCR法观察尼古丁对Oct 4和 β actin表达的影响 ,及筒箭毒对尼古丁作用的影响。结果　尼古丁对β actin转录没有明显的影响 ,而可明显的增强Oct 4的转录 ;筒箭毒单独作用ES细胞可提高Oct 4的转录 ,而在尼古丁同时存在的情况下 ,筒箭毒对Oct 4的作用将随着尼古丁浓度的增加而减弱 ,当尼古丁的浓度为 10 0～ 10 0 0nmol L时 ,筒箭毒可明显抑制尼古丁诱导的Oct 4的表达。结论　研究表明 ,Oct 4的转录水平和胚胎干细胞的命运密切相关 ,维持胚胎干细胞的未分化状态需要Oct 4保持相对恒定的转录水平。因而 ,尼古丁对Oct 4转录的影响可能会影响胚胎干细胞的发育和分化 ,从而影响胚胎的早期发育     

Mesenchymal stem cells as potential source cartilage repair

Articular cartilage damaged by disease or trauma has a limited capacity for regeneration. The end stage of cartilage loss frequently leads to osteoarthritis resulting in a significantly decreased quality of life in millions of people. The surgical treatment of articular cartilage injury has always posed difficult problems for orthopedic surgeons and regarding long-term outcomes the currently available methods are unsatisfactory. The main lack of the applied methods is the appearance of the mechanically inadequate resident fibrocartilage instead of hyalin cartilage in the place of the cartilage defect. To find reliable methods for early repair of cartilage injuries seems of huge importance. Using techniques of tissue engineering, artificial cartilage fabricated in vitro has been applied for the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells provide a source of cells for the repair of musculoskeletal tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent cells that are capable of differentiating into cartilage, tendon, muscle, cartilage or hematopoiesis supporting marrow stroma. To ensure the successful durable integration and function of the engineered tissue requires suitable biomechanical and biochemical circumstances, and poses the challenge of handling in vitro culture of human cells, cell biology and molecular biology.