OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether embryonic stem (ES) cells can be established from isolated blastomeres of mouse embryos. METHODS: Blastomeres were separated from mouse (C57Bl/6J) 2- or 4-cell embryos. Isolated blastomeres or whole 4-cell embryos were co-cultured with mitosis-arrested STO feeder cells in DMEM supplemented with recombinant murine leukemia inhibitory factor and ES-qualified fetal bovine serum. After the tentative ES cell lines were maintained from isolated blastomeres or whole embryos, some of them were frozen and the others were sub-cultured continually. Characteristics of tentative ES cell lines as were evaluated for specific gene expressions with immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: One ES cell line (3.0%) was established from isolated blastomere of 2-cell embryo and one cell line (4.0%) from isolated two blastomeres of 4-cell embryo. And five cell lines (16.7%) were established from whole 4-cell embryos. Both cell lines from isolated blastomere and whole embryo expressed mouse ES cells specific markers such as SSEA-1, Oct-4 and alkaline phosphatase. Marker genes of three germ layers were expressed from embryoid bodies of both cell lines. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that mouse ES cells could be established from isolated blastomeres, although the efficiency is lower than whole embryos. This animal model could be applied to establishment of autologous human ES cells from biopsied blastomeres of preimplantation embryos in human IVF-ET program.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Antigens, CD15 ; Blastocyst* ; Blastomeres* ; Cell Line ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Feeder Cells ; Gene Expression ; Germ Layers ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; Mice* ; Models, Animal

Magnetic Resonance image(MRI) is used as the diagnostic modality for evaluation of suspected intramedullary tumors and differential diagnosis of these tumors at the spinal cord. We experienced intramedullary astrocytoma of cerviced cord with large syrinx and multiple peritumoral cysts consisted of subacute and chronic hemorrhage at the margin and within the syrinx and cysts on MRI.
Astrocytoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemorrhage* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spinal Cord*

A clinical and histologic survey was done on 71 cases of basal cel carcinoma(BCC) filed at Department of Clinical Fathology, Kang Nam, Han Kang, and Kang Dong Sacred Heart Hospital during past 13 year s from 1979 to 1991. The results were summerized as follows: 1. Of all malignant skin tumors BCC accounted for 31.6%. The frequency of BCC in the total number of outpatients visiting the Department of Dermatology was 0.06%. 2. The ratio of men to women with HCC was 1:1.03. 83.8% of the pat.ients with BCC were older than the age of l0 years with the mean age of 56.9 years. 3. 83.8% of the BCC appared in the face, especially on the nose(25.4%), eyelid(20.3%). 4. On the basis of classification of Lever et al, the solid type(66.7% ) was the most com mon histologic pattern, followed by the adenoid(8.8%), pigmented(8.8%), and etc. By the classification of Farmer et al, the nodulocystic type(35.1% ) was the most common histologic pattern followed by infiltrative(31.6%), adenoid(8.8%), pigmented(8.8%), and etc. By the classification on Sexton et al, in the order of decreasing frequency, liistologic subtypes were the nodular(43.9%), mixed (22.8%), infiltrative(19.3%), supeficial(3.5%), morpheic(3.5%), and micronodular(3.5%).
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Classification ; Dermatology ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Outpatients ; Skin

Kikuchi's disease is a self-limiting lymphadenitis, predomin;intly of young women who present with cervical lymphadenopathy. We present a case of Kikuchis disease in a 18-year-old female, representing multiple tender subcutaneous mass on her neck, left eyelid and posteriarcuricle. Histopathologically, the biopsied mass was a lymph node showing architectural effacement by necrotic focicomposed of nucear karyorrhexis and mononucl ar cell proliferation.
Adolescent ; Cell Proliferation ; Eyelids ; Female ; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neck

No abstract available.
Aneurysm, Infected* ; Endocarditis* ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior*

No abstract available.
Acinar Cells* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Carcinoma, Acinar Cell* ; Parotid Gland*

PURPOSE: We investigated the correlations between the expression of claudin-1 and claudin-7 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (clear cell RCC) and clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects of this study were 119 patients with confirmed clear cell RCC between January 2000 and December 2007. Their RCC tissues were immunohistochemically stained for claudin-1 and claudin-7. The correlations between the expression of claudin and parameters such as sex, age, body mass index (BMI), tumor size, TNM stage, Furhman nuclear grade, postoperative distant metastasis, and cancer-specific survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the total 119 subjects, claudin-1 was expressed in 18 (15.1%) and claudin- 7 in 31 (26.1%). Claudin-1 was expressed in patients who were older (p=0.007), who had a greater tumor size (p=0.001), who had a higher pathologic T stage (p=0.009), who had preoperative distant metastasis (p=0.035), and who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade (p=0.004). Claudin-7 was expressed only in patients who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade (p=0.031). The risk of postoperative distant metastasis was associated with the expression of claudin-1 (p<0.001) but not with the expression of claudin-7 (p=0.668). The expression of claudin-1 and -7 was not associated with cancer-specific survival (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In clear cell RCC, claudin-1 was expressed in patients who were older and who had a greater tumor size, who had higher T or M stages, and who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade. The expression of claudin-1 was associated with a higher risk of postoperative distant metastasis.
Body Mass Index ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Claudin-1 ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: The maximal removal rate of indocyanine green (ICG Rmax), which has been used as a useful indicator of quantitative assessment of the hepatic function, has some disadvantages such as high cost, requirement of multiple sampling, and long turn-around time. This study was designed to clarify that the measurement of the lidocaine metabolite, monoethylglycinekylidide (MEGX) test, can replace the ICG Rmax. And in healthy adults, MEGX forma pion was measured and compared according to methods of measurement and serf. METHOD: In 18 patients to whom ICG Rmax test was requested, ICG Rmax test was carried out at two doses of 0.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg and MEGX formation after 15 minute of 1 mg/kg lidocaine Injection was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method. The correlation between them was analyzed, To 25 healthy volunteers included in this study as normal control, lidocaine was given intravenously at, a dose of 1 mg/kg and MEGX forma pion was measured IS and 30 minute later (MEGX15, MEGX30) using both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and FPIA methods. RESULT: Patient group resealed significant correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX15 (r=0.7674, p<0.001) and also between ICG Rl5 and MEGX15 (r=0.5612, p=0.008). There was significant difference between MEGX15 of 9 patients with chronic liver diseases and those of normal controls (22.24+/- 13.18 and 35.40+/- 14.43 ng/mL, respectively) (p=0.01). In normal controls, the correlation between methods was significant (p=0.001) and the values measured by FPIA method was significantly higher than that by HPLG (p(0.001). Of the normal controls, male group had higher MEGX15 values than female group in both methods (in HPLC method 33.89+/-15.95 and 22.53+/- 8.36, and in FPIA method 41.48+/-16.61 and 28.81+/-7.88 ng/mL, respectively), and in female group MEGX30 values was significantly elevated compared to MEGX15 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Inferred from the fact that the correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX was good, MEGX test can be considered a replacement for ICG Rmax. In healthy adults, it is considered that there is serf-related difference In the rate of lidocaine metabolism so we should pay attention to it in interpreting the MEGX results.
Adult ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green* ; Lidocaine ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Mesons ; Metabolism

OBJECTIVE: Embryonic stem (ES) cells could be differentiated into the specific cell types by alternation of culture condition and modification of gene expression. This study was performed to evaluate the differentiation protocol for mouse and human ES cells to insulin secreting cells. METHODS: Undifferentiated mouse (JH-1) and human (Miz-hES1) ES cells were cultured on STO feeder layer, and embryoid bodies (EBs) were formed by suspension culture. For the differentiation, EBs were cultured by sequential system with three stage protocol. The differentiating ES cells were collected and marker gene expressions were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in each stage. Amount of secreted insulin levels in culture media of human ES cells were measured by human insulin specific RIA kit. RESULTS: During the differentiation process of human ES cells, GATA-4, alpha-fetoprotein, glucose transporter-2 and Ngn-3 expression were increased whereas Oct-4 was decreased progressively. Insulin and albumin mRNAs were expressed from stage II in mouse ES cells and from stage III in human ES cells. We detected 3.0~7.9 microU/ml secretion of insulin from differentiated human ES cells by in vitro culture for 36 days. CONCLUSION: The sequential culture system could induce the differentiation of mouse and human ES cells into insulin secreting cells. This is the first report of differentiation of human ES cells into insulin secreting cells by in vitro culture with serum and insulin free medium.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Animals ; Culture Media ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Feeder Cells ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Insulin-Secreting Cells* ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: To evaluate the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the rat cornea and lacrimal gland before and after corneal epithelial wounding. METHODS: Twenty-nine Sprague-Dawley male rats were used in the present study. Corneal trephination was performed using a 4.0-mm diameter trephine before scratch and at 24, 48, 72 hours after debridement. The lacrimal gland was excised before scratch and at 24 hours after epithelial debridement. NGF levels of the excised cornea and lacrimal gland were measured in rat corneas by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry staining was performed on rat corneas and lacrimal glands. RESULTS: The NGF/total protein ratio (NGF/tP) increased after wounding in the cornea and lacrimal gland. NGF levels in the cornea significantly increased in the wounded group until the 2nd day after wounding (p < 0.05). After NGF concentration peaked on the 1st day, there was a progressive decline after wounding. Additionally, the NGF concentration in the lacrimal gland of the wounded group was significantly higher than that of the control group at 24 hours after epithelial debridement (p = 0.001). Immunohistochemistry staining showed that NGF staining was stronger in rat corneas and lacrimal glands after epithelial debridement than before. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of NGF increased in rat corneas and lacrimal glands after corneal epithelial wounding, which suggests that NGF may play an important role in corneal wound healing.
Animals ; Cornea ; Debridement ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Rats ; Wound Healing