To determine whether mouse core binding factor alpha1 (Cbfalpha1) overexpression enhancing osteoblastic differentiation in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs).

To evaluate the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

In this research, we use mouse embryonic fibroblasts as feeder layers. To eliminate the influence of serum and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) conditioned medium (ESCCM) on self-renewal of sheep embryonic stem-like cells, knockout serum replacement (KSR) was used to replace serum, then supplanted with ESCCM for the isolation and cloning of sheep embryonic stem-like cells. We found when inner cell masses (ICMs) cultured in the control group with medium supplanted with fetal bovine serum (FBS), sheep ES-like cells could not survive for more than 3 passages. However, sheep embryonic stem-like cells could remain undifferentiated for 5 passages when cultured in the medium that FBS was substituted by KSR. The result indicates that KSR culture system was more suitable for the isolation and cloning of sheep embryonic stem-like cells compared to FBS culture system. Finally we applied medium with 15% KSR as basic medium supplanted with 40% ESCCM as a new culture system to isolate sheep embryonic stem-like cells, we found one embryonic stem-like cell line still maintained undifferentiating for 8 passages, which characterized with a normal and stable karyotype and high expression of alkaline phosphatase. These results suggest that it is suitable to culture sheep ICM in the new culture system with 15% KSR as basic medium and supplanted with 40% ESCCM, which indicated that mouse ES cells might secrete factors playing important roles in promoting sheep ES-like cells' self-renewal.

To determine the direct effect of leptin on adipose tissue apoptosis in vitro using rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), we isolated the ADSCs of rat epididymis adipose tissue by collagenase digestion, filtration, and subsequent centrifugation. Cell cultures with or without leptin (10(-9) mol/L, 10(-8) mol/L, 10(-7) mol/L and 10(-6) mol/L) were incubated for different time. We examined the cell surface phenotype by immunofluorescence and detected the apoptosis morphological changes of ADSCs by laser scanning confocal microscope (LCSM). The number of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry assay after annexin V binding and PI staining. Caspase-3 activity was measured by spectrofluorometry. The present study demonstrates that leptin treatment causes a marked increase in adipose-derived stem cell apoptosis. With the LCSM, after being treated with leptin, ADSCs showed the typical characteristic of apoptosis. Leptin in used concentrations (0 mol/L, 10(-8) mol/L, 10(-7) mol/L, 10(-6) mol/L) caused a marked increase in cell apoptosis after 48 h incubation time (for 2.50% +/- 0.72%, 6.78% +/- 1.99%, 11.99% +/- 1.58% and 17.93% +/- 4.82%, respectively, P < 0.05). Caspase-3 activity increased and reached a maximal level after 48 h in a linear fashion. The effect of leptin was dose-dependent and time-dependent. Leptin has been demonstrated to induce preadipocyte and adipocyte apoptosis, and today we demonstrate that leptin can induce ADSCs apoptosis, which can contribute to the decrease of adiposity. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the direct peripheral effect of leptin on ADSCs.

Obtaining human blastocysts is a prerequisite for cell replacement therapy using embryonic stem cells. We established an interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) technique for producing blastocysts without sacrificing human oocytes. Human foetal fibroblasts were used as donor cells injected into the enucleated bovine oocytes in nuclear transfer, whereas bovine foetal fibroblasts were used to produce intraspecies embryos. We also examined the fate of human and bovine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) during preimplantation development after nuclear transfer by PCR. PCR analysis for the detection of human and bovine mtDNA was done at the 2,8-morula, and blastocyst stages of the embryos.

Pretreatment with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) reduces ischemic damage after focal cerebral ischemia, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) were reported to ameliorate functional deficits after stroke in rats. Here we investigate the synergistically therapeutic effects of BDNF gene-modified MSCs on cerebral infarction. We transfected MSCs with the BDNF gene using a lentivirus-based system and investigated whether the BDNF-modified MSCs contributed to improved functional recovery in a rat transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Compared to untreated rats, rats that received both MSCs and BDNF-MSCs showed significantly more functional recovery. The difference in modified neurological severity score(mNSS) was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Recovery was better in BDNF-MSCs than in MSCs (P < 0.001). At the second week and second month after the systemic delivery of blank vector-modified MSCs and BDNF-modified MSCs, the treated rats exhibited more significant recovery than the control, including the accumulation and living of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-positive cells in the infarct area and surrounding areas, neuron-like changes, expression of surface markers of neural cells, and a large amount of BDNF expression in the BDNF-MSCs-treated group. Our findings suggest that BDNF-gene-modified rMSCs can migrate to surrounding areas of the cerebral infarction lesion, differentiate into neural cells, and survive for extended periods. With the synergy of BDNF, they may promote the recovery of the neurological function following cerebral infarction and represent a new strategy for stem cell-based therapy.

Embryonic stem cell is promising for regenerative medicine. However, its application is hampered by the utilization of eggs in most established methods. Recently, a new pluripotent stem cell establishing method was reported that, mouse and human differentiated cells could be induced reprogrammed into a pluripotent state by expressing exogenetic stem factors such as Oct4, Sox2, et al, through retroviral transduction. This approach avoiding egg use is a great breakthrough not only in stem cell technology but also present theory hypothesis of reprogramming. Here these works were reviewed in this article. Both the mechanism of induced reprogramming and the prospects of induced pluripotent stem cells were discussed.

By means of the detection of the numbers of CD34(+) cells and eosinophils (EOS), and the level of IL-5 in peripheral blood from normal controls and patients with allergic rhinitis pre- or post-treatment, the role of EOS-stem cells paths for treatment effect in allergic rhinitis (AR) was studied so as to find the convenient and quick indicators which could be used to evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect and adjust the methods of the hormone therapy.

To summarize and review the heterogeneity of bone marrow derived stem cells (BMDSCs) and its formation mechanism and significance, and to analyze the possible roles and mechanisms in intestinal epithelial reconstruction.

To investigate the effect of 1,25(OH)2VD3 on differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into osteoblasts.

To evaluate the effects of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) transplantation via portal vein to treat acute liver injury in mice induced with acetaminophen.

To analyze the mechanisms of surrogate tolerogenesis induced by chimeric donors.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a relentlessly progressive and typically fatal interstitial lung disease that harms human life severely. Half of patients diagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis live no more than three years. No therapy has been clearly shown to prolong survival. Multiple new targets for pulmonary fibrosis have been indicated based on the researches that uncover the molecular and cellular mechanisms for fibrogenic diseases. In this review, we will summarize the clinical treatment for pulmonary fibrogenic diseases and new drugs with clinic trail, and then review focally the prospects of new drugs for pulmonary fibrogenic diseases that target alveolar epithelial cells or myofibroblast, inhibit the angiogenesis, regulate the balance of TH1/TH2 cytokines or block oxide stress.

It is found recently that stem cells possess paracrine/autocrine function. This review discusses the bioactive substances secreted by stem cells, including growth factors, cytokines, and regulatory peptides, summarizes the factors regulating the functions of the stem cells, such as ischemia (hypoxia), growth factors, sex, and other hormones. The significance of paracrine/autocrine function of stem cells in angiogenesis and cytoprotection in myocardium, liver, kidney, and nerve system is also reviewed. These data indicate that stem cells act in a paracrine/autocrine manner to affect the structure and function of target organs, and the tissue repair in pathological situation, which is one of the mechanisms whereby the stem cells act to improve the function of target organs, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation.

To establish a long-term proliferation culture system for mouse spermatogonial stem cells.

To investigate the afferent pathways of "Guanyuan" (CV 4) under normal and pathological states and to observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on them.

To search for the best approaches to transfect plasmid pEGFP-N1 into human fibroblasts.

To investigate whether there are cancer stem cells in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line.

To construct the recombinant adenovirus containing herpes simplex virus-1 virion protein (VP) 22 and human microdystrophin gene, then the adenovirus was transfected into C2C12 myoblast and studied on the property of protein transduction with VP22-mediated microdystrophin in C2C12 myoblast.