205 DERIVATION OF CAT EMBRYONIC STEM-LIKE CELLS FROM IN VITRO-PRODUCED BLASTOCYSTS AND THEIR SUPPORT BY INTRASPECIFIC VS. INTERSPECIFIC FEEDER CELLS

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 210 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Serrano ◽  
M. C. Gómez ◽  
M. Lopez ◽  
C. L. Dumas ◽  
K. E. Smith ◽  
...  

Interspecific nuclear transfer has been successfully demonstrated in nondomestic cats (Gomez et al. 2004 Cloning Stem Cells 6, 247); however, the efficiency remains low and may be attributable to nuclear reprogramming errors. Embryonic stem cells (ESC) may complete nuclear reprogramming more efficiently than somatic cells and, therefore, are potentially useful for increasing cloning success (Jaenisch et al. 2002 Cloning Stem Cells 4, 389). The objectives of this study were to: (1) compare efficiency of immunosurgery vs. mechanical separation for isolating the inner cell mass (ICM) of in vitro-derived cat blastocysts; and (2) determine the influence of mouse (MEF: CF-1) and cat (CEF) embryonic fibroblast feeder layers on ICM attachment and growth of ES-like cells. After ICMs were isolated from in vitro-derived blastocysts (n = 142) by immunosurgery or mechanically, they were plated either on mitotically inactivated CEF (40 �L/mL Mitomycin-C; 5 h) or MEF (30 �L/mL Mitomycin-C; 2.5 h). Cells were cultured in DMEM-F12, 1 mM L-Glutamine, 0.1 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 1.25% nonessential amino acids, 15% knock-out replacement serum, 5% fetal bovine serum, 40 ng/mL leukemia inhibitory factor, 5 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor, 100 IU penicillin, 100 �g/mL streptomycin, and 25 �L/mL amphotericin-B in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air at 38�C. Our results indicated that ICM isolation and attachment were not affected by either the method of isolation (immunosurgery: 75.8 � 6.9% vs. mechanical: 89.5 � 6.4%) or the feeders (MEF: 74.6 � 6.7% vs. CEF: 90.7 � 6.6%). However, the incidence of ES-like cell colony formation was significantly affected by the feeder layer (CEF: 55.4 � 7.2% vs. MEF: 12.7 � 7.2%; P < 0.001). A total of 32 ES-like cell lines were derived on CEF (n = 26) and MEF (n = 6), of which 50% were alkaline phosphatase (AP)-positive. One ES-like cell line derived on MEF spontaneously differentiated into myocardiocytes after 14 days in culture. Three ES-like cell lines derived on CEF were immunostained for ESC-markers Oct-4, SSEA-1, and SSEA-4, and for AP. Positive results for all markers were observed in a few colonies of each line, with colonies from one cell line appearing on Day 23 and remaining in culture for 102 days (12 passages). Colonies from the other two cell lines appeared on Day 17 and remained in culture for 78 days (9 passages). Colonies derived on MEF appeared on average at 17.9 days and remained in culture an additional 15 to 61 days without further characterization. The present results describe the first isolation of cat ES-like cells. We have demonstrated an important species-specific relationship between feeder layers and the derivation of cat ESCs. Further studies are in progress to improve culture conditions for the derivation and expansion of stable cat ESC lines.

2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoliang Meng ◽  
Shiying Liu ◽  
Xiangyun Li ◽  
Roman Krawetz ◽  
Derrick E. Rancourt

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst. Because of their ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide an unlimited source of cells for clinical medicine and have begun to be used in clinical trials. Presently, although several hundred hESC lines are available in the word, only few have been widely used in basic and applied research. More and more hESC lines with differing genetic backgrounds are required for establishing a bank of hESCs. Here, we report the first Canadian hESC lines to be generated from cryopreserved embryos and we discuss how we navigated through the Canadian regulatory process. The cryopreserved human zygotes used in this study were cultured to the blastocyst stage, and used to isolate ICM via microsurgery. Unlike previous microsurgery methods, which use specialized glass or steel needles, our method conveniently uses syringe needles for the isolation of ICM and subsequent hESC lines. ICM were cultured on MEF feeders in medium containing FBS or serum replacer (SR). Resulting outgrowths were isolated, cut into several cell clumps, and transferred onto fresh feeders. After more than 30 passages, the two hESC lines established using this method exhibited normal morphology, karyotype, and growth rate. Moreover, they stained positively for a variety of pluripotency markers and could be differentiated both in vitro and in vivo. Both cell lines could be maintained under a variety of culture conditions, including xeno-free conditions we have previously described. We suggest that this microsurgical approach may be conducive to deriving xeno-free hESC lines when outgrown on xeno-free human foreskin fibroblast feeders.


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
T. Mitani ◽  
T. Teramura ◽  
T. Tada ◽  
Y. Hosoi ◽  
A. Iritani

Availability of embryonic stem (ES) cells opens the prospect for regenerative medicine. However, ES cells genetically mismatched to diseased individuals cause immunological rejection. In this study, we established ES cells from parthenogenetic embryos in mice and examined their pluripotency. Oocytes were collected from (C57BL/6xDBA)F1 mice (BDF1) by superovulation. Parthenogenetic diploid embryos were produced by activation treatment in 5mM SrCl2 in Ca2+-free KSOM medium for 2h, followed by cultivation in 5μgmL−1 cytochalasin B for 6h. The zonae pellucidae of embryos developed to the blastocyst stage in vitro were removed by a 5-min incubation in 0.5% pronase. Inner cell masses (ICMs) isolated immunosurgically were seeded on the feeder layers (mitomycin C-treated mouse embryonic fibroblasts) in DMEM supplemented with 15% Knock-Out Serum Replacement (Invitrogen), 2mM L-glutamine, non-essential amino acids, β-mercaptoethanol and 103UmL−1 of Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2 in air. The attached ICM cells were mechanically disaggregated and seeded on the fresh feeder layers. After several passages, parthenogenetic ES (PnES) cell lines were established. The efficacy of establishing PnES cell lines was 66% (37/56). To examine the characteristics of PnES cell lines, seven lines were subjected to histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis. All showed alkaline phosphatase activity and immunoreactivity to anti-SSEA-1 and anti-Oct4 antibodies. They maintained euploid sets of choromosomes at 29; 59%. PnES cells from two of the seven lines were injected into 59 host blastocysts obtained from ICR mice, resulting in 16 chimeric offspring (27%). In another experiment, injection of ICM cells and ES cells obtained from fertilized BDF1 blastocysts and ICM cells obtained from BDF1 parthenogenetic blastocysts also produced chimeric offspring (35%, 7/20; 46%, 6/13; and 53%, 10/19, respectively). However, no chimeric mouse with germline transmission was obtained from PnES cells. Injection of 1×107 of PnES cells into SCID mice formed teratocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis showed cells positive for nestin (specific to neuroepitherial stem cells), Tu-J (class III β-tublin), NF-M (neurofilament), desmin (muscle), and albumin (hepatocytes), which indicated their differentiation potency to the cells derived from all three germ layers. Simple embryoid bodies produced from these cell lines were plated on tissue culture dishes under conditions for induction of differentiation. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analysis showed their differentiation into neurons (NF-M, nestin), cardiomyocytes and hepato-like cells (albumin, α-fetoprotein). Our results indicate that PnES cells are pluripotent similar to the ES cells from fertilized embryos except for germline transmission and should be tested in cell replacement animal models.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (S) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Ho Thi-Kim Ngan ◽  
Nguyen Van Thuan ◽  
Hong-Thuy Bui

Parthenogenesis is a process in which zygotes are produced without sperm presence. Due to lack of paternal genes, parthenogenetic embryos cannot develop to full-term; however, these embryos show a great potential to generate histocompatible stem cells (parthenogenetic embryonic stem – pES cells) for transplantation. In this research, parthenogenetic activation in the mouse was carried out using strontium chloride (SrCl2) combined with cytochalasin B (CB). The rate of embryo development, blastocyst quality and expression of acetylation of histone H4 lysine 12 (H4K12Ac) were investigated, while parthenogenetic blastocysts were used to establish pES cells. The results showed that rate of in vitro blastulation of parthenogenetic embryos was lower than that of fertilized ones (45.1% vs 98.0%, respectively). In addition, blastocysts developed from parthenogenetic embryos also expressed lower quality, which was demonstrated by lower total cell number. Moreover, H4K12Ac expression significantly decreased in the inner cell mass (ICM) of parthenogenetic blastocysts compared to fertilized ones, indicating a possible reason for lower blastocyst quality. Following embryo collection and activation, two ES cell lines – fertilized (fES) and pES cell lines have been successfully established and maintained long term in vitro. To sum up, differences in blastocyst quality and H4K12Ac expression in ICM cells of blastocyst may contribute to aberrant developmental and embryonic stem cell formation in parthenogenetic embryos.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kehler ◽  
M. Roelke-Parker ◽  
B. Pukazhenthi ◽  
W. Swanson ◽  
C. Ware ◽  
...  

Identification and characterization of spontaneously occurring genetic diseases in cats has permitted the development of valuable models for testing potential treatments of similar human diseases. With the near completion of the feline genome project, establishment of pluripotential feline embryonic stem (ES) cells would facilitate the targeting of specific genetic loci to produce new feline medical models. Two approaches were used to produce feline blastocysts in an attempt to establish feline ES cells in culture. Naive queens were superovulated with an intramuscular (i.m.) injection of 150 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) followed by an i.m. injection of 100 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 80 h later; follicles were aspirated laparoscopically 24-26 h later for subsequent in vitro fertilization (IVF). On average, 29 mature cumulus oocyte cell complexes (COCs) were recovered from each queen. IVF was performed in 50 microliter drops of complete Hams F-10 medium containing 30 000 fresh, motile sperm. COCs were cultured overnight in 5% carbon dioxide at 38�C, and residual adherent cumulus cells were removed 12 to 16 h later by trituration in 0.1% hyaluronidase. Embryos were cultured in fresh drops of Hams F-10, and on average 25% developed to the early blastocyst stage after 7 days. Alternatively, estrus was induced in queens with a single i.m. injection of 100 IU of eCG, and then 72 h later queens were permitted six supervised matings with a fertile tom over the next two days. Queens underwent ovariohysterectomy 7 days after their first copulation, and compacted morulae and early blastocysts were flushed from the oviducts and uterine horns. On average, eight embryos were recovered from the reproductive tract of each queen. Both in vivo- and in vitro-matured blastocysts were subsequently cultured in standard mouse ES cell medium on inactivated mouse embryonic fibroblasts. When they failed to hatch in culture after 3 days, a 0.5% pronase solution was used to dissolve the zonae pellucidae under microscopic visualization. Denuded expanded blastocysts adhered to the heterotypic feeder layer and primary inner cell mass (ICM) outgrowths formed within 4 days. Outgrowths were mechanically disaggregated into small clusters of 15 to 20 cells and re-plated on fresh feeders. These colonies grew slowly and were transferred after one week onto new feeder layers. The addition of murine or human recombinant leukemia inhibitory factor had no effect on the survival and proliferation of primary outgrowths or subsequent colonies. After 3 weeks, all colonies derived from both in vivo- and in vitro-matured blastocysts had either differentiated or died. Additional experiments are ongoing to test the effects of homotypic feeder layers and alternative growth factors on promoting the establishment and survival of feline ES cell lines. Ultimately, germline transmission of any putative feline ES cell lines will need to be demonstrated in vivo for their utility in gene targeting experiments to be realized.


2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
B. P. Telugu ◽  
T. Ezashi ◽  
A. Alexenko ◽  
S. Lee ◽  
R. S. Prather ◽  
...  

Authentic embryonic stem cells (ESC) may never have been successfully derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of pig and other ungulates, despite over 25 years of effort. Recently, porcine induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSC) were generated by reprogramming somatic cells with a combination of four factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC (OSKM) delivered by lentiviral transduction. The established piPSC are analogous to FGF2-dependent human (h) ESC and murine “epiblast stem cells,” and are likely to advance swine as a model in biomedical research. Here, we report for the first time, the establishment of LIF-dependent, so called naïve type pluripotent stem cells (1) from the inner cell mass (ICM) of porcine blastocysts by up-regulating the expression of KLF4 and POU5F1; and (2) from umbilical cord mesenchyme (Wharton's jelly) by transduction with OSKM factors and subsequent culture in the presence of LIF-based medium with inhibitors that substitute for low endogenous expression of c-MYC and KLF4 and promote pluripotency. The 2 compounds that have been used in this study are, CHIR99021 (CH), which substitutes c-MYC by inhibiting GSK3B and activating WNT signalling and Kenpaullone (KP), which inhibits both GSK3B and CDK1 and supplants KLF4 function. The lentiviral vectors employed for introducing the re-programming genes were modified for doxycycline-mediated induction of expression (tet-on) and are ‘floxed’ for Cre-mediated recombination and removal of transgenes following complete reprogramming. Two LIF-dependent cell lines have been derived from the ICM cells of late d 5.5 in vitro produced blastocysts and four from umbilical cord mesenchyme recovered from fetuses at d 35 of pregnancy. The derived stem cell lines are alkaline phosphatase-positive, resemble mouse embryonic stem cells in colony morphology, cell cycle interval, transcriptome profile and expression of pluripotent markers, such as POU5F1, SOX2 and surface marker SSEA1. They are dependent on LIF signalling for maintenance of pluripotency, can be cultured over extended passage (>50) with no senescence. Of importance, the ICM-derived lines have been successful in their ability to form teratomas. The cells could be cultured in feeder free conditions on a synthetic matrix in the presence of chemically defined medium and can be coaxed to differentiate under xeno-free conditions. Currently, the piPSC lines are being investigated for their ability to give rise to teratomas and to produce a live offspring by nuclear transfer. Supported by Addgene Innovation Award, MO Life Sciences Board Grant 00022147 and NIH grant HD21896.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 354
Author(s):  
T. S. Rascado ◽  
J. F. Lima-Neto ◽  
S. E. R. S. Lorena ◽  
B. W. Minto ◽  
F. C. Landim-Alvarenga

The domestic cat can be used as a biological model for humans because of similarities in some disease and genetically transmitted conditions. Embryonic stem cells might complete nuclear reprogramming more efficiently than somatic cells and, therefore, are potentially useful for increasing interspecific cloning success. The objective of this study was to establish an effective culture system for inner cell mass (ICM)-derived cells in the domestic cat, testing the ability of the ICM to attach to the culture dish and to form embryonic stem cell colonies in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS) and Knockout serum (KS). Moreover, knowing that the transcription factor Oct-4 is important for the maintenance of pluripotency in human and murine embryonic stem cells, the expression of this factor was evaluated in in vitro-produced blastocyst and in the attached ICM. Domestic cat oocytes were matured, fertilized, and cultured in vitro until the blastocyst stage. The ICM was mechanically isolated (n = 60) using a scalpel blade and transferred to a monolayer of chemically inactivated cat fibroblasts with 10 μg mL-1 mitomicin C. The base culture media (BM) was DMEM/F12 supplemented with nonessential amino acids, glutamine, leukemia inhibitory factor, fibroblast growth factor-2, 2-mercaptoethanol, and antibiotics. Three groups were tested: G1 = BM with 20% FCS (20); G2 = BM with 20% KS (20); G3 = BM with 15% FSC and 5% KS (20). Culture was performed in a 5% CO2 in air incubator at 38.5°C. No statistical difference was observed among groups in relation to ICM attachment (chi-square, P > 0.05). Ninety percent of the ICM presented good adhesion after 3 days of culture and started to grow in all media tested. However, until now, no good colonies were formed. Fifteen blastocysts and 10 attached ICM were fixed in 3% paraformaldehyde and permeabilized in 0.2% triton X-100 in PBS. Subsequently, to block nonspecific binding of the primary antibody, the preadsorption for 2 h at room temperature with OCT4 blocking peptide (sc-8628P, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) was used. Samples were incubated with Oct4 antibody (N-19 : sc 8628, Santa Cruz Biotechnology) and with the appropriate secondary antibody (A21431, Invitrogen) and examined by fluorescence microscopy. Oct4 protein was detected both in the ICM and trophoderm cells, and it was distributed in cytoplasm and nuclei. These embryos were also stained with Hoechst 33342. Although further standardization of the culture media is needed, it seems that the KS can be replaced by FCS in cat embryonic stem cell culture. Furthermore, the immunostain of the trophoderm with Oct-4 indicates a difference in the expression of this factor when compared with its expression on human and murine blastocysts. This could be related to in vitro production, or Oct 4 is not a good pluripotency marker for cat embryos and cat embryonic stem cell, consequently. This fact has been noted in goat, bovine, and porcine embryos. Acknowledgment is given to FAPESP.


Reproduction ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 771-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariborz Izadyar ◽  
Francis Pau ◽  
Joel Marh ◽  
Natalia Slepko ◽  
Tracy Wang ◽  
...  

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintain spermatogenesis by self-renewal and generation of spermatogonia committed to differentiation. Under certain in vitro conditions, SSCs from both neonatal and adult mouse testis can reportedly generate multipotent germ cell (mGC) lines that have characteristics and differentiation potential similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells. However, mGCs generated in different laboratories showed different germ cell characteristics, i.e., some retain their SSC properties and some have lost them completely. This raises an important question: whether mGC lines have been generated from different subpopulations in the mouse testes. To unambiguously identify and track germ line stem cells, we utilized a transgenic mouse model expressing green fluorescence protein under the control of a germ cell-specific Pou5f1 (Oct4) promoter. We found two distinct populations among the germ line stem cells with regard to their expression of transcription factor Pou5f1 and c-Kit receptor. Only the POU5F1+/c-Kit+ subset of mouse germ line stem cells, when isolated from either neonatal or adult testes and cultured in a complex mixture of growth factors, generates cell lines that express pluripotent ES markers, i.e., Pou5f1, Nanog, Sox2, Rex1, Dppa5, SSEA-1, and alkaline phosphatase, exhibit high telomerase activity, and differentiate into multiple lineages, including beating cardiomyocytes, neural cells, and chondrocytes. These data clearly show the existence of two distinct populations within germ line stem cells: one destined to become SSC and the other with the ability to generate multipotent cell lines with some pluripotent characteristics. These findings raise interesting questions about the relativity of pluripotency and the plasticity of germ line stem cells.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (123) ◽  
pp. 20160613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian V. Hadjiantoniou ◽  
David Sean ◽  
Maxime Ignacio ◽  
Michel Godin ◽  
Gary W. Slater ◽  
...  

During embryogenesis, the spherical inner cell mass (ICM) proliferates in the confined environment of a blastocyst. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from the ICM, and mimicking embryogenesis in vitro , mouse ESCs (mESCs) are often cultured in hanging droplets. This promotes the formation of a spheroid as the cells sediment and aggregate owing to increased physical confinement and cell–cell interactions. In contrast, mESCs form two-dimensional monolayers on flat substrates and it remains unclear if the difference in organization is owing to a lack of physical confinement or increased cell–substrate versus cell–cell interactions. Employing microfabricated substrates, we demonstrate that a single geometric degree of physical confinement on a surface can also initiate spherogenesis. Experiment and computation reveal that a balance between cell–cell and cell–substrate interactions finely controls the morphology and organization of mESC aggregates. Physical confinement is thus an important regulatory cue in the three-dimensional organization and morphogenesis of developing cells.


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