Objective To review the advance in the experimental studies of microRNA(miRNA) and the relationship between miRNA and stem cells. Methods The related literature was reviewed, and the research findings of miRNA and stem cell were summarized. Results miRNA was noncoding small RNA (20-25 nt) involved in posttranscriptional change, that have been shown to regulate gene expressions. Ithas been reported that some kinds of miRNAs were likely important regulators forstem cells maintaining their state of selfrenewal，and play key roles in theirdifferentiation. Conclusion miRNA as regulation of gene expressions, can be served as a new way for stem cells research.
Objective To summarize the research progress of CD90 protein. Methods The demestic and international published literatures related to CD90 protein in recent years were collected and reviewed. Results CD90 protein was involved in the cell-cell and cell-cytoplasm function. CD90 protein could promote axons growth and neural regeneration， and could induce apoptosis of thymus gland cells and stromal cells. CD90 protein participated in cell adhesion， extravasation and transfer， and the regulation of fibrosis. CD90 protein was a potential marker for cancer stem cells. Conclusion CD90 protein is very important in development of many diseases， and can provide a new molecular target to diagnose and treat neoplasms.
Stem cells are crucial for embryonic development and in the maintenance of adult cellular homeostasis. Understanding the regulatory network of stem cells, including embryonic and adult stem cells, will allow us to learn the pathogenesis and possibly design novel approaches to treat many diseases (such as cancer and degeneration). The retinoblastoma (Rb) pathway controls cellular proliferation, differentiation and death. More and more evidences support an important role of Rb activity in the biology of stem and progenitor cells. Transiently inactivating Rb pathway might favor the expanding of functional stem cell populations, thus have values in the future stem cell applications.
Objective To isolate neural stem cells (NSCs) from rabbit retina and brain, and induce differentiation of those NSCs using different culture media. Methods Single-cell suspensions of retina and cerebral cortex were prepared from rabbit embryo, cultured in 5 types of different media to isolate the NSCs by continual passages. After 3 passages, NSCs were induced to differentiation in 2 types of different media for 8 to 10 days. NSCs and inducedretinal cells were examined by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry for the expression pattern of some specific antigens.Results Immunofluorescence showed that NSCs from retina and brain, cultured in serumfree media, both expressed Nestin partially. Flow cytometry showed that Nestin positive cells were significantly decreased while the Rhodopsin and Thy1.1 positive cells were increased after induction. Compared with the combined induction of alltrans retinoid acid (ATRA) and serum, 5%FBS (fetal bovine serum) led to higher expression of Rhodopsin（P＜0.01），but lower expression of Thy1.1（P=0.01）.Conclusion Serumfree media with N2, EGF, bFGF, LIF is the best for NSCs purification. Both induciton media can induce NSCs to differentiate.Retina NSCs have higher potentials to differentiate into retinal neuroepithelial cells than brain NSCs.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of differentiating human umbilical cord blood stem cells into hepatocytes. Methods Thirty-six BALB/c nude mice were randomly divided into experimental group and control group(18 in each of the group), and experimental group was again randomly divided into group A， B and C (six in each of the group). The mice in experimental group and control group were exposed to 350 cGy radiation produced by 60Ｃｏ. After 3 h, karyocytes at different concentrations in the fresh human umbilical cord blood were injected into the mice in experimental group A, B, C via their tail veins, and the equal volume of normal sodium (NS) was also injected into control group via tail veins. After one month, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was injected into experimental group A, B and control group via abdominal cavity, and the equal volume of normal sodium was injected into experimental group C. After two months, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expressions of human cytokeratin-18 (CK18), cytokeratin-19 (CK19) and albumin (ALB) in liver tissues of all mice. Results The expressions of CK18, CK19 and ALB in injured liver tissues were all positive, and the expressions of experimental group B were higher than those of experimental group A （P＜0.05）, but the expressions of CK18, CK19 and ALB in the liver tissues of control group and experimental group C, whose were not injured with CCl4, were all negative. Conclusion Human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells can differentiate into hepatocytes and express ALB under special microenvironment after liver injured by CCl4 , and the expression level of ALB maybe directly related to the number of human umbilical cord blood stem cells.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked inherited progressive degenerative muscle disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, and is one of the most common progressive muscular dystrophies. We will review the selection of genetic diagnosis methods for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the selection of experimental animal models, and treatment for the primary cause (including gene replacement therapy, exon skipping therapy, genome editing, stop codon read-through therapy, and stem cell therapy), the treatment of secondary pathological reactions and methods of assessing disease progression. The purpose is to enrich clinicians’ knowledge of the disease and provide a reference and help for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
ObjectiveTo summarize the changes and mechanism of related genes induced by stem cell therapy in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in recent years, and in order to guide the clinical value of ACLF and curative effect evaluation.
MethodsThrough searching Wanfang med, CNKI, Pubmed database and so on in recent years, the differentially expressed genes induced by stem cell therapy for ACLF in recent years was retrieved and the changes of related genes induced during the treatment process were discussed.
ResultsBoth at home and abroad had reported that stem cell therapy in the process of ACLF caused mir-27b, TRAIL, and Tg737 genetic changes, some genetic changes had an fixed change trend.
ConclusionsStem cells in the treatment of ACLF, cause mir-27b, TRAIL, Tg737 genetic changes, which can provides a new way and method for monitoring stem cell therapy ACLF.
ObjectiveTo review the role of stem cell niches in maintaining cardiac stem cells homeostasis, and to foresee its prospects.
MethodsThe literature on cardiac stem cells niches was extensively reviewed. The roles of stem cell niches components, extracellular matrix, and secretory factors in maintaining cardiac stem cell homeostasis were analysed and reviewed.
ResultsLots of experiments reveal that stem cell niches are able to delay the aging of cardiac stem cells, protect from external damage, keep stem properties, and improve the purity and quantity. However, the mechanism is not fully understood.
ConclusionThe stem cell niches have a very bright application prospect in homeostasis, purification, and amplification for the cardiac stem cells, and it needs further study.
Objective To review the recent progress of the researches in the field of cartilage tissue engineering, and to discuss the challenges in construction of tissue engineered cartilage. Methods Literature related with cartilage tissue engineering was reviewed and analyzed. Results Some techniques have been appl ied in cl inical. As far as the seeding cells, induced pluripotent stem cells have attracted much more attention. Current strategies of scaffold designing are trying to imitate both component and structure of natural extracellular matrix. Cartilage regeneration through the autologous cell homing technique el iminate the transplantation of exotic cells and has become the hot topic. Conclusion Successful treatment of the damaged cartilage using tissue engineering method will depend on the advances of stem cell technology development, biomimetic scaffolds fabrication and proper appl ication of growth factors.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of differentiation of invitro induced rat bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells（rMSCs） into retinal pigment epithelial （RPE） cells.Methods The rMSCs from BrwonNorway (BN) rats were isolated and cultured by adherent screening method. RPE cells lysate made by repeated freezethawing was put into the rMSCs culture system to identify whether the induced cells could express characteristic label cytokeratin（CK）and S-100 simultaneously or not.Results The growth rate of rMSCs induced by RPE cells lysate was slower and protuberant burr surrounded the fusiform cells. The results of immunoblotting and double immunofluorescence showed that partial induced cells expressed CK and S-100 simultaneously. The result of flow cytometry indicated that 14.1% induced cells expressed CK and S-100 simultaneously.Conclusion Induced by RPE cells lysate, rMSCs can differentiate into RPE cells.
