This study examined the biological characteristics of normal and degenerated rabbit nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in vitro in order to provide seed cells for intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue engineering. A total of 8 adult New Zealand white rabbits underwent annulus puncture to establish models of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Four weeks later, normal and degenerated NP cells were obtained. Cell morphology was observed by light and electron microscopy. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Cell cycle and expression of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes (aggrecan and type II collagen) were determined by using flow cytometry and RT-PCR respectively. The growth curve of normal NP cells showed that the cells at passage 4 tended to slowly grow on the fifth day of culture. The density of normal NP cells at passages 5 to 7 was significantly less than that of the first-passage cells 2 or 3 days after seeding (P<0.05). The degenerated NP cells at passage 3 showed slow growth at 4th day. After 5 passages, the degenerated NP cells assumed stagnant growth and the growth seemed to stop at passage 7. The MTT assay revealed that for both normal and degenerated NP cells, the absorbance (A) value at passages 4-7 was obviously decreased as compared with that at passage 1 (P<0.05). Cell cycle analysis showed that the proportion of normal NP cells at Gl phase was 65.4%±3.5%, significantly lower than that of degenerated NP cells at the same cell cycle phase with the value being 77.6%±4.8%. The degenerated NP cells were predominantly arrested at G1 phase and failed to enter S phase. The expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was significantly decreased with passaging. It was concluded that normal NP cells possessed good viability and proliferative capacity by the third passage, and they could secrete large amounts of ECM within this period. The normal NP cells may serve as seed cells for IVD tissue engineering.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Size ; Cell Survival ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Intervertebral Disc ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rabbits ; Reference Values

Shear stresses acting on vascular endothelial cells due to blood fluid flow play an vital role in regulating their morphology, structure, growth rate and functions. The change in morphology is an instinctive response to biomechanical environment and is an indicator for the functional changes in the cells. In this paper, the morphological research literatures of endothelial cells in the recent years are reviewed and the common morphological parameters are described in detail. At the end, the difficulties of quantitative study of endothelial cell morphology and the future direction of morphological parameters research are also discussed.
Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cell Size ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Stress, Mechanical

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of skeletal muscle satellite cells implanted into infarcted myocardium on the volume of remnant myocytes.

METHODSThirty-six adult mongrel canines were divided randomly into implantation group and control group. In the implantation group, skeletal muscle satellite cells taken from the gluteus maximus muscles of the dogs were cultured, proliferated and labeled with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindone (DAPI) in vitro. In both groups, a model of acute myocardial infarction was established in every dog. In the implantation group, each dog was injected with M199 solution containing autologous skeletal muscle satellite cells. The dogs in the control group received M199 solution without skeletal muscle satellite cells. The dogs of both groups were killed 2, 4 and 8 weeks after implantation (six dogs in a separate group each time). Both infarcted myocardium and normal myocytes distal from the infracted regions isolated were observed under optical and fluorescent microscope. Their volumes were determined using a confocal microscopy image analysis system and analyzed using SAS. A P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTSA portion of the implanted cells differentiated into muscle fiber with striations and were connected with intercalated discs. Cross-sectional area and cell volume were increased in normal myocardium. Hypertrophy of remnant myocytes in the infarcted site after skeletal muscle cell implantation was much more evident than in the control group. Cross-sectional area, cell area and cell volume differed significantly from those of the control group (P < 0.05). Hypertrophy of the cells occurred predominantly in terms of width and thickness, whereas cell length remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONSkeletal muscle satellite cells implanted into infarct myocardium, could induce the hypertrophy of remnant myocyte cells in the infarcted site and could also aid in the recovery of the contractile force of the infarcted myocardium.

Animals ; Cell Size ; Dogs ; Myocardial Infarction ; pathology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Random Allocation ; Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle ; cytology ; physiology

Whole-cell patch clamp and cell volume measurement techniques were used to investigate the ATP-activated chloride current and the ATP effect on cell volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Extracellular application of ATP in micromolar concentrations activated a current with the properties of modest outward rectification and negligible time-dependent inactivation in a dose-dependent manner. The current reversed at a potential [(-0.05+/-0.03) mV] close to the Cl- equilibrium potential (-0.9 mV). Substitution of Cl- with gluconate in the extracellular solution decreased the ATP-activated current and shifted the reversal potential positively. NPPB, one of the chloride channel blockers, inhibited the current by (81.03+/-9.36)%. The current was also depressed by the P2Y purinoceptor antagonist, reactive blue 2, by (67.39+/-5.06)%. ATP (50 micromol/L) decreased the cell volume under the isotonic condition. Depletion of extracellular and intracellular Cl- abolished the ATP effect on cell volume. The results suggest that extracellular ATP of micromolar scales can induce a chloride current associated with cell volume regulation by activation of chloride channel through binding to purinoceptor P2Y.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; physiology ; Cell Size ; drug effects ; Chloride Channels ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nitrobenzoates ; pharmacology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

This study was purposed to investigate the angiogenesis effect of platelet-derived membrane microparticles (PMPs) in chick chorioallantoic membranes (CAM). Thrombin were adopted to activate the platelets and then PMPs were obtained. PMPs were isolated by high speed centrifugation. Flow cytometry (FCM) was adopted to evaluate the efficiency of thrombin to produce PMPs and BCA method was adopted to evaluate the content of PMPs. PMPs were put into CAM and the effects of PMPs on angiogenesis in CAM were observed. The results indicated that after incubation for 72 hours at the concentration of 80 microg/ml PMPs, the vessel nets in a 'spoked-wheel' pattern were shown around mixed fibrous filter membranes, number of vessel ramification was 112.5 +/- 11.31 and ratio of vessel area/CAM area was 6.19 +/- 1.29%, but there were not localized allantoic vessels developing in the control group, the number of vessel ramification and ratio of vessel area/CAM area in control group were 82.6 +/- 8.05 and 1.78 +/- 0.33 respectively, so there was significant difference between PMP and control groups. In above mentioned conditions, the number of vessel ramification and ratio of vessel area/CAM area in VEGF group were 128.4 +/- 10.02 and 7.44 +/- 1.36 respectively, so there was no difference between PMP and VEGF groups. It is concluded that PMPs show promotive effect on the formation of capillaries in chick chorioallantoic membranes.
Animals ; Blood Platelets ; physiology ; Cell-Derived Microparticles ; physiology ; Chick Embryo ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; blood supply ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Particle Size

This study was purposed to investigate the effects of platelet-derived membrane microparticles (PMP) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Different concentrations of thrombin were adopted to activate the platelets so as to release PMPs. Flow cytometry (FCM) was adopted to evaluate the efficiencies of different concentrations of thrombin to release PMPs. By using the HUVEC cultivated in vitro as vector, the effects of PMPs on the proliferation and apoptosis of HUVEC were investigated by MTT and FCM. The results showed that the efficiencies releasing PMPs from platelets activated by 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.5 U/ml thrombin were 28.7, 47.7, 50.1 and 43.9% respectively; PMPs induced proliferation of HUVEC in a dose dependent manner. At the concentration of 40 microg/ml PMPs, the proliferation rate of HUVEC was 1.8 +/- 0.3 times as much as blank control, the proliferation rate in group of vascular endothelial growth factor was 1.9 +/- 0.5 times of as much as blank control, there was no statistic difference (p > 0.05). The PMPs inhibited HUVEC apoptosis. Compared with the apoptosis rate of control (9.4 +/- 0.5)%, apoptosis rate in PMP group (40 microg/ml) was (3.9 +/- 0.4)% (p < 0.05). The addition of VEGF (10 microl/ml) did not successfully prevented apoptosis of HUVEC with apoptosis rate of (8.0 +/- 0.8)%. It is concluded that platelets activated by 1 U/ml thrombin gets the best efficiency of PMP release, which stimulates proliferation of HUVEC and inhibits its apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blood Platelets ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell-Derived Microparticles ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Particle Size ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; physiology ; Thrombin ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the pathological and clinical characteristics of a patient with spontaneous platelet aggregation of his giant and morphologically abnormal platelets.

METHODSPlatelet size and structure were observed under light microscope and electron microscope. Platelet aggregation was measured turbidometrically. Platelet glycoproteins (GP) were analyzed using flow cytometry. PCR and DNA sequencing were performed to identify the gene abnormality.

RESULTSThe patient had spontaneous platelet aggregation of giant platelets with thickened plasma membrane and increased number of granules in various shapes. Aspirin and ticlopidine did not affect the spontaneous aggregation. The expression of GP I b, GP II b, GP III a and P-selectin in the platelet membrane were in normal range. Results of gene analyses for GP I balpha, GP I bbeta and GPIX were also normal.

CONCLUSIONBoth morphological and functional abnormalities of the platelets from the patient were clearly distinguishable from that of other hereditary giant platelet disorders. It would probably represent a novel platelet disorder which had not been reported to date.

Aspirin ; pharmacology ; Bernard-Soulier Syndrome ; metabolism ; pathology ; Blood Platelet Disorders ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Size ; physiology ; Child ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ticlopidine ; pharmacology

Fragments of testis tissue from immature animals grow and develop spermatogenesis when grafted onto subcutaneous areas of immunodeficient mice. The same results are obtained when dissociated cells from immature testes of rodents are injected into the subcutis of nude mice. Those cells reconstitute seminiferous tubules and facilitate spermatogenesis. We compared these two methods, tissue grafting and cell-injection methods, in terms of the efficiency of spermatogenesis in the backs of three strains of immunodeficient mice, using neonatal porcine testicular tissues and cells as donor material. Nude, severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) and NOD/Shi-SCID, IL-2Rgammacnull (NOG) mice were used as recipients. At 10 months after surgery, the transplants were examined histologically. Both grafting and cell-injection methods resulted in porcine spermatogenesis on the backs of recipient mice; the percentage of spermatids present in the transplants was 67% and 22%, respectively. Using the grafting method, all three strains of mice supported the same extent of spermatogenesis. As for the cell-injection method, although SCID mice were the best host for supporting reconstitution and spermatogenesis, any difference from the other strains was not significant. As NOG mice did not show any better results, the severity of immunodeficiency seemed to be irrelevant for supporting xeno-ectopic spermatogenesis. Our results confirmed that tubular reconstitution is applicable to porcine testicular cells. This method as well as the grafting method would be useful for studying spermatogenesis in different kinds of animals.
Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Injections ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, Nude ; Mice, SCID ; Organ Size ; Seminiferous Tubules ; cytology ; physiology ; transplantation ; Spermatids ; cytology ; transplantation ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; surgery ; Swine ; Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; methods

AIMTo detect the anti-follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) antibody in idiopathic infertile patients and fertile subjects in order to determine the role of this antibody in patients with spermatogenic dysfunction.

METHODSThe anti-FSH antibody in serum was detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The functional and structural integrity of the sperm membrane was evaluated with hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test and the ultrastructure of the spermatozoa was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

RESULTSThe extent of positive FSH antibody in the patients with oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia was significantly higher than that in the fertile subjects and infertile patients with normal sperm concentration and motility, but it was significantly lower than that in the patients with azoospermia. The extent of anti-FSH antibody in the patients with azoospermia was significantly greater than that in patients with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia, infertile people with normal sperm density and motility and fertile people. The hypo-osmotic swelling test showed that the percentage of HOS-positive spermatozoa (swollen) was 45.1 mu 3.5% in the FSH antibody-positive group and 59.1% micro 6.2% in the FSH antibody-negative control group. The percentage of functional membrane damage to spermatozoa was significantly higher in the anti-FSH antibody-positive group than in the control group. TEM showed that the outer acrosomal membrane was located far from the nucleus, and detachment of the acrosome was found in the FSH autoantibody-positive group.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the presence of anti-FSH antibody is strongly correlated with the sperm quantity and quality in idiopathic male infertility. Anti-FSH antibody may be an important factor causing spermatogenic dysfunction and infertility.

Adult ; Autoantibodies ; physiology ; Cell Membrane ; immunology ; ultrastructure ; Cell Size ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; immunology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; immunology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Osmotic Pressure ; Semen ; cytology ; Spermatogenesis ; immunology ; Spermatozoa ; immunology ; ultrastructure

Caldesmon (CaD), one of microfilament-associated proteins, plays a key role in microfilament assembly in mitosis. We have investigated the effects of overexpression of the high molecular weight isoform of CaD (h-CaD) on the physiology of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Rat aortic VSMCs were stably transfected with plasmids carrying a full length human h-CaD cDNA under control of cytomegalovirus promoter. The majority of the overexpressed h-CaD appears to be localized predominantly on cytoskeleton structures as determined by detergent lysis. The overexpression of h-CaD, however, does not decrease the level of endogenous low molecular weight isoform of CaD. h-CaD overexpressing VSMCs (h-CaD/VSMCs) show a decreased growth rate than that of vector-only transfected cells when determined by (3H)thymidine uptake and cell counting after fetal bovine serum (FBS) stimulation. h-CaD/VSMCs were smaller than vector-transfected cells by 18% in cell diameter. These data suggest that overexpression of h-CaD can inhibit the poliferation and the cell volume of VSMCs stimulated by growth factors and that the gene therapy with h-CaD may be helpful to prevent the conditions associated with hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of VSMCs after arterial injuries.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins* ; Cell Count ; Cell Size ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytoskeleton ; Detergents ; DNA* ; DNA, Complementary ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertrophy ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mitosis ; Molecular Weight ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Physiology ; Plasmids ; Rats* ; Transfection*