In order to study the implantation mechanism various methods for culture of endometrial cells in vitro have been attempted. However, a disadvantage is that primary cultures of stromal and epithelial cells do not have the ability to differentiate, and therefore cannot be reproduced in the same manner as in vivo endometrium. The object of this study is to establish a three dimensional culture of endometrial cells which are both morphologically and functionally identical to in vivo endometrium. Endometrial tissues obtained after hysterectomies were cut into thin slices and treated with collagenase and trypsin-EDTA. The stromal cells and the epithelial cells were separated by centrifugation and cultured for 24 hours in DMEM media containing 10% FCS, 100 nM progesterone, and 1 nM estradiol. The cultured stromal cells were mixed with collagen gel and solidified, after which it was covered with matrigel. Epithelial cells were inoculated on the top and then cultured for 3 days. The three dimensionally cultured endometrial cells were stained for integrin alphal, alpha4, beta3, and cyclooxygenase-1, -2 by immunohistochemistry, which all showed strong expression. The cultured epithelial cells showed the formation of microvilli, tight junctions and pinopodes by electron microscopy. Studies are currently under way utilizing this three dimensional culture model to ascertain the interaction between the embryo and human endometrial cells at the time of implantation, and it is thought that further studied into a new culture environment which would allow longer periods of culture will be necessary.
Antigens, CD11a ; Centrifugation ; Collagen ; Collagenases ; Cyclooxygenase 1 ; Embryonic Structures ; Endometrium ; Epithelial Cells ; Estradiol ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microvilli ; Progesterone ; Stromal Cells ; Tight Junctions

OBJECTIVETo compare the expression profiles of a set of homing-related molecules (HRM) repertoire expressed on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HS/PC) from different sources.

METHODThe expression levels of HRM on HS/PC from umbilical cord blood (UCB), mobilized peripheral blood (mPB) and bone marrow (BM) were assessed using a highly sensitive 4-color flow cytometric analysis.

RESULTSUCB-derived CD34(bright) cells, as well as mPB- and BM-derived CD34(bright) cells strongly expressed CD44, CD11a, CD18, CD62L, CD31 and CD49d. On the other hand, significantly lower expressions of CD49e, CD49f, CXCR-4 and CD54 on UCB-derived CD34(bright) and CD34(bright)CD38(-) cells, compared with those on mPB- and BM-derived CD34(bright) and CD34(bright)CD38(-) cells, were observed. None of UCB-, mPB- and BM-derived CD34(bright) cells expressed other chemokine receptors, including CCR-1, CCR-2, CCR-3, CCR-5, CXCR-1, CXCR-2, CXCR-3 and CXCR-5. Another striking finding was that only mPB-derived CD34(bright) cells expressed significant levels of both the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 \[(11.4 +/- 4.9)%\] and MMP-9 \[(27.6 +/- 7.8)%\].

CONCLUSIONHS/PC from UCB have some defects of expression of HRM repertoire, which might partly explain the cause(s) of delayed hematopoietic reconstitution after UCB transplant.

Antigens, CD34 ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; CD11a Antigen ; immunology ; CD18 Antigens ; immunology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; immunology ; Infant, Newborn ; Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted ; metabolism ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; immunology ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism

TGF-beta, as an inhibitor of hemopoiesis, excreted by hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, down-regulates the expression of cytokines such as Flt-3 ligand, SCF, IL-3 etc on the stem and progenitor cells. The effect of anti-TGF-beta antibody on ex vivo expansion and expression of adhesive molecules on cord blood CD34(+) cells was studied in this research. The CD34(+) cells from six units of fresh umbilical cord blood were enriched by density gradient sedimentation and purified by miniMACS cell isolation system, and plated them into the SFEM serum free culture system which containing SCF, Flt-3L, TPO and IL-3 in the condition of 37 degrees C, 5% CO2, and saturated moisture. There were three groups in this experiment: (1) blank group: same as the culture system described above; (2) control group: added with normal rabbit IgG into the mentioned culture system; (3) test group: the same culture system with anti-TGF-beta1 antibo-dy. Cultured for 6 days, the number of mononuclear cells (MNC) was counted, the expression of CD34 antigen, CD117 (c-kit) antigen, CD11a antigen, CD49d antigen and CD33 antigen was tested with FCM. Meanwhile, cells of the three groups were plated in the methylcellulose culture system for 14 days, the number of CFU-GEMM, BFU-E, CFU-GM was counted. The results indicated that the expansion multiples of MNC, CD34(+) cells, CD34(+)c-kit(+) cells, CFU-GEMM in the test group (41.82 +/- 13.49, 15.62 +/- 6.95, 13.36 +/- 6.12, 11.07 +/- 4.05) were significantly higher than in the control group (28.86 +/- 9.03, 10.40 +/- 4.98, 9.04 +/- 4.40, 6.36 +/- 2.37) (P = 0.001, 0.002, 0.003, 0.002) respectively. The expansion multiple of more primitive CD34(+)c-kit(-) subpopulation in the test group (69.10 +/- 41.06) was even higher than in the control group (27.29 +/- 10.40) (P = 0.024). Adhesion molecule expression on the CD34(+) cells after short-term expansion: the expression of CD11a on the CD34(+) cells of the original cord blood was (61.73 +/- 4.13)%, and CD49d was (55.12 +/- 5.22)%. After expansion in each group the expression of CD11a on the CD34(+) cells did not change with statistical significance (P > 0.05), the expression of CD49d increased (P < 0.05). Compared with blank group and control group, anti-TGF-beta antibody did not impact on the expression of CD11a and CD49d (P > 0.05). It is concluded that anti-TGF-beta antibody can synergize other cytokines to effectively enhance the proliferation of cord blood NC, CD34(+) cells, progenitor subpopulation of CD34(+)c-kit(-) cells, and increase the output of more primitive progenitor colony, CFU-GEMM and BFU-E. At the same time, anti-TGF-beta antibody did not depresss the expression of adhesion molecules on CD34(+) cells.
Antibodies ; pharmacology ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; CD11a Antigen ; analysis ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; analysis ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Integrin alpha4 ; analysis ; Pregnancy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; analysis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; immunology

The objective of this study was to explore the effect of culture system from embryonic fibroblasts and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on expansion of mouse bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells ex vivo, and to observe its effect on the expression of homing-related cell adhesion molecules among VLA-4 (CD49e), VLA-5 (CD49e), LFA-1 (CD11a), HCAM (CD44) and L-selectin (CD62L). The culture system from the mouse embryonic fibroblasts inactivatd by mitomycin C and contained LIF was used to culture with mouse BMMNC for 7 days. The total number of BMMNC, CFC, Sca-1(+) cells, cell apoptosis rate and the expression of above cell adhesion molecules were counted. The results showed that culture system consisted of embryonic fibroblasts and LIF significantly enhanced the total number of BMMNC, CFC, Sca-1(+) cells, suppressed cell apoptosis (P < 0.05). In control without MEF and LIF, the total number of BMMNC was reduced remarkedly, CFC and Sca-1(+) cells were completely dead, the majority of cells produced apoptosis (P < 0.01). The expression of CD49d, Cd44 and CD61L on Sca-1(+) cells were similar to that befor expression (P < 0.05), but the expression of CD49e and CD11a on Sca-1(+) cells were remarkably increased (P < 0.05). It is concluded that culture system from embryonic fibroblasts and LIF can only significantly expand mouse bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells ex vivo, but the expanded hematopoietic progenitor may well sustain the expression of homing-related adhesion molecules. The homing functions of these expanded hematopoietic progenitors kept no change.
Animals ; Antigens, Ly ; analysis ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; CD11a Antigen ; analysis ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Culture Media ; pharmacology ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; analysis ; Integrin alpha4 ; analysis ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; pharmacology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; analysis ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pregnancy