Male germ stem cells (mGSCs), which is in testis after sex differentiation, derive from primordial germ cells. In this study, bovine mGSCs were isolated from testis of 20 weeks fetuses. Number of CD9 positive cells of the cells through two-steps adhering plates velocity different was 95.8% by flow cytometer. The carina-type cells clones and the plane-type cells clones appeared in co-cultured system. One cells lines had been successively maintained for 4 passages, and the cells clusters showed AKP positive staining. The cells clusters showed nest-shape in third passage showed SSEA1 and Oct-4 positive staining. These cells can also spontaneously differentiate into c-kit positive staining germ cells, and the cells were directional induced to formaactin positive staining cardiac-like cells cluster and NF positive staining neuron-like cells. The conclusion showed that male germ stem cells from 20 weeks bovine fetuses could be in vitro formed like embryonic stem cells.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Fetus ; cytology ; Male ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; cytology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are tissue specific stem cells that replenish all mature blood lineages during the lifetime of an individual. Hematopoietic cell clusters in the aorta of vertebrate embryos play a pivotal role in the formation of the adult blood system. Recently, people have learned a lot about the embryonic HSCs on their development and homing. During their differentiation, HSCs are regulated by the transcription factors, such as Runx1 and Notch signaling pathway, etc. MicroRNAs also regulate the self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells on the post-transcriptional levels. Since the onset of circulation, the formation of HSCs and their differentiation into blood cells, especially red blood cells, are regulated by the hemodynamic forces. It would be of great significance if we could treat hematologic diseases with induced HSCs in vitro on the basis of fully understanding of hemotopoietic stem cell development. This review is focused on the advances in the research of HSCs' development and regulation.
Blood Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factors ; physiology

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is one of the best cell types for regenerative medicine. It is derived from inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage and characterized by self-renewal and pluripotency, which are regulated by kinds of signal molecules, such as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. β-catenin is a multifunctional protein and plays a key role in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. β-catenin involves self-renewal of ESCs and promotes the differentiation of ESCs into three primary germ layers in space and time. Elucidating the mechanisms of β-catenin in regulating the self-renewal and pluripotency of ESCs will pave the way to use it in research and application.
Blastocyst ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin ; physiology

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate messenger RNAs at the post-transcriptional level. They play an important role in the control of cell physiological functions, and their alterations have been related to cancer, where they can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Recently, they have emerged as key regulators of "stemness", collaborating in the maintenance of pluripotency, control of self-renewal, and differen-tiation of stem cells. The miRNA pathway has been shown to be crucial in embryonic development and in embryonic stem (ES) cells, as shown by Dicer knockout analysis. Specific patterns of miRNAs have been reported to be expressed only in ES cells and in early phases of embryonic development. Moreover, many cancers present small populations of cells with stem cell characteristics, called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are responsible for relapse and treatment failure in many cancer patients, and the comparative analysis of expression patterns between ES cells and tumors can lead to the identification of a miRNA signature to define CSCs. Most of the key miRNAs identified to date in ES cells have been shown to play a role in tumor diagnosis or prognosis, and may well prove to be essential in cancer therapy in the foreseeable future.
Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Humans ; MicroRNAs/genetics/*metabolism ; Models, Biological ; Neoplastic Stem Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Signal Transduction/genetics/*physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics of phase II metabolic enzymes in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived liver tissue.

METHODSMature hepatocytes were differentiated from embryonic stem cells in cultured mouse embryoid bodies (EB) at d18. Western blot was used to detect the expression of uridine 5'-diphosphate glucronosyl transferase (UGT1a1,UGT1a6) and microsomal glutathione S-transferases 1(mGST1) during the differentiation course.The derived liver tissue was incubated with UDPGA and 7-HFC,the formation of 7-HFC glucuronide was detected by HPLC to examine the total activities of UGT1a1 and UGT1a6. Furthermore, the microsomes were incubated with CDNB and GSH,and the mGST1 activity was measured by spectrometry.

RESULTSAn increase tendency of UGT1a1 expression was noticed during the differentiation course. UGT1a6 and mGST1 were not detected in the earlier stage until d18 of differentiation. The metabolic activity of mGST1 in the derived hepatocytes was 7.65 nmol/min/mg on d18.

CONCLUSIONThe ES cell-derived liver tissue possesses partial metabolic function of phase II enzymes on d18 of differentiation,which might be used as a model for in vitro research on hepatic pathophysiology and phase II drug metabolism.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Embryoid Bodies ; cytology ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Glucuronosyltransferase ; physiology ; Glutathione Transferase ; physiology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; enzymology ; Mice

To compare the growth characteristics of non-hematopoietic adult stem cells (NASC) derived from rat fetal blood and rat bone marrow in vitro, and to study the differentiation of these stem cells into neuron-like cells in vitro, the fetal blood of pregnant rats and bone marrow of adult rats were sterilely collected; mononuclear cells (MNC) were isolated by using standard Ficoll-hypague techniques and then cultured in DMEM/LG containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The acquired NASCs were subcultured for passage. The immunophenotype of NASCs was detected by flow cytometry. The expanded NASCs were induced to differentiate into neurons-like cells by beta-mercaptoethanol (beta-ME), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The specific markers of these neuron-like cells were detected by immunocytochemistry. The results showed that two kinds of subcultured NASCs showed homogeneous spindle-shaped and expressed antigens CD44 and CD54, but did not expressed CD11b and CD45. The both induced cells were similar to neuron in morphology and were positive for nestin and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), but negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). It is concluded that no significant difference of NASCs derived from pregnant rat fetal blood and adult rat bone marrow found in cell morphology and biological characteristics. NASCs of both origins can be induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells, so fetal blood can be regarded as another resource of NASC.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Male ; Multipotent Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Neurons ; cytology ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stem Cells ; cytology

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are cells with unlimited self-renewing property and differentiation potential mainly derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of human blastocyst. Because of the remarkable developmental potential and proliferative capacity, human embryonic stem cells hold great promise for future use in various research areas, such as human developmental biology and cell-based therapy. This review expounds the culture system of human embryonic stem cells and the induced differentiation technology in vitro.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans

Undifferentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells can be maintained in vitro if cultured in the presence of the cytokine leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF). ES cells can also differentiate in vitro. A particularly efficient method for inducing ES cell differentiation is to culture ES cells as aggregates in the absence of LIF. Under these conditions they form structures known as embryoid bodies (EBs). However the current protocols for EB formation are still diverse. In order to facilitate further study, we carefully controlled the culture conditions for EB formation, and here we report an efficient protocol by which uniformly differentiated EBs were obtained, monitored by measuring the differentiation of beating cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, by using this protocol we observed in long-term cultured plating EBs (> 60 days) there still exist cell colony with pluripotency. This observation raised a potential possibility that ES cells may keep pluripotent in a niche provided by differentiated cells.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Embryonic Development ; physiology ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Stem Cell Niche ; physiology ; Time Factors

To investigate the related factors affecting the isolation of multipotent non-hematopoietic adult stem cells (MNASCs) from human umbilical cord blood in low serum (2%) condition, the isolation conditions were optimized and the yield of MNASCs was improved. MNASCs from human umbilical cord blood samples were isolated, and the effects of medium component, medium exchange time and initial plating density for isolation of MNASCs were studied. Then, the MNASCs were isolated and cultured in optimal condition, the surface antigen expression and differentiation potential of MNASCs were detected. The result showed that the medium of DMEM/F12 was better than IMDM and DMEM-LG for MNASCs culture in low serum condition. The optimal yield of MNASCs was obtained when mononuclear cells were cultured at a initial plating density of 1 x 10(6) cells/cm2 and the medium was exchanged to remove the nonadherent cells after 72 hours of inoculation. MNASCs isolated and cultured under the above-mentioned conditions maintained a homogenous morphology, high potential ability of expansion and differentiation. It is concluded that culture conditions with low serum defined in this study is optimal for the successful isolation and expansion of umbilical cord blood MNASCs with high numbers for subsequent cellular therapeutic approaches.
Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Humans ; Multipotent Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology

To isolate human amniotic fluid stem cells (hASCs) and induce hASCs into cardiomyocytes after forming the embryonic bodies. We cultivated hASCs isolated from the amniotic fluid continually for over 42 passages. The biological characteristics of hASCs were detected by immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR and flow cytometer, hASCs at 10-15th passage were suspension cultured to form embryonic bodies that were induced to cardiomyocytes. Fibroblastoid-type hASCs were obtained. Immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that hASCs were positive for some specific makers of the embryonic stem cell. hASCs could form embryonic bodies that were alkaline-phosphatase positive and expressed fgf5, zeta-globin and alpha-fetoprotein. The embryonic bodies could differentiate into cardiomyocytes showing alpha-actin positive and Tbx5, Nkx2.5, GATA4 and alpha-MHC positive. We conclued that hASCs obtained from human amniotic fluid could differentiate into cardiomyocytes through the formation of embryonic bodies.
Amniotic Fluid ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology