scholarly journals Substrate Stiffness Modulates Renal Progenitor Cell Properties via a ROCK-Mediated Mechanotransduction Mechanism

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Elena Melica ◽  
Gilda La Regina ◽  
Matteo Parri ◽  
Anna Julie Peired ◽  
Paola Romagnani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Variable Stiffness ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Renal Tissue ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Mechanical Stiffness ◽  
Renal Progenitor Cells ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Renal Progenitor

Stem cell (SC)-based tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (RM) approaches may provide alternative therapeutic strategies for the rising number of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Embryonic SCs and inducible pluripotent SCs are the most frequently used cell types, but autologous patient-derived renal SCs, such as human CD133+CD24+ renal progenitor cells (RPCs), represent a preferable option. RPCs are of interest also for the RM approaches based on the pharmacological encouragement of in situ regeneration by endogenous SCs. An understanding of the biochemical and biophysical factors that influence RPC behavior is essential for improving their applicability. We investigated how the mechanical properties of the substrate modulate RPC behavior in vitro. We employed collagen I-coated hydrogels with variable stiffness to modulate the mechanical environment of RPCs and found that their morphology, proliferation, migration, and differentiation toward the podocyte lineage were highly dependent on mechanical stiffness. Indeed, a stiff matrix induced cell spreading and focal adhesion assembly trough a Rho kinase (ROCK)-mediated mechanism. Similarly, the proliferative and migratory capacity of RPCs increased as stiffness increased and ROCK inhibition, by either Y27632 or antisense LNA-GapmeRs, abolished these effects. The acquisition of podocyte markers was also modulated, in a narrow range, by the elastic modulus and involved ROCK activity. Our findings may aid in 1) the optimization of RPC culture conditions to favor cell expansion or to induce efficient differentiation with important implication for RPC bioprocessing, and in 2) understanding how alterations of the physical properties of the renal tissue associated with diseases could influenced the regenerative response of RPCs.

scholarly journals Modulating the Substrate Stiffness to Manipulate Differentiation of Resident Liver Stem Cells and to Improve the Differentiation State of Hepatocytes

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Maria Cozzolino ◽  
Valeria Noce ◽  
Cecilia Battistelli ◽  
Alessandra Marchetti ◽  
Germana Grassi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Precursor Cells ◽  
Substrate Stiffness ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Liver Stem Cells

In many cell types, several cellular processes, such as differentiation of stem/precursor cells, maintenance of differentiated phenotype, motility, adhesion, growth, and survival, strictly depend on the stiffness of extracellular matrix that,in vivo, characterizes their correspondent organ and tissue. In the liver, the stromal rigidity is essential to obtain the correct organ physiology whereas any alteration causes liver cell dysfunctions. The rigidity of the substrate is an element no longer negligible for the cultivation of several cell types, so that many data so far obtained, where cells have been cultured on plastic, could be revised. Regarding liver cells, standard culture conditions lead to the dedifferentiation of primary hepatocytes, transdifferentiation of stellate cells into myofibroblasts, and loss of fenestration of sinusoidal endothelium. Furthermore, standard cultivation of liver stem/precursor cells impedes an efficient execution of the epithelial/hepatocyte differentiation program, leading to the expansion of a cell population expressing only partially liver functions and products. Overcoming these limitations is mandatory for any approach of liver tissue engineering. Here we propose cell lines asin vitromodels of liver stem cells and hepatocytes and an innovative culture method that takes into account the substrate stiffness to obtain, respectively, a rapid and efficient differentiation process and the maintenance of the fully differentiated phenotype.

scholarly journals Robust and Scalable Angiogenesis Assay of Perfused 3D Human iPSC-Derived Endothelium for Anti-Angiogenic Drug Screening

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 4804
Author(s):  
Vincent van Duinen ◽  
Wendy Stam ◽  
Eva Mulder ◽  
Farbod Famili ◽  
Arie Reijerkerk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Screening ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Screening Assay ◽  
Angiogenesis Assay

To advance pre-clinical vascular drug research, in vitro assays are needed that closely mimic the process of angiogenesis in vivo. Such assays should combine physiological relevant culture conditions with robustness and scalability to enable drug screening. We developed a perfused 3D angiogenesis assay that includes endothelial cells (ECs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and assessed its performance and suitability for anti-angiogenic drug screening. Angiogenic sprouting was compared with primary ECs and showed that the microvessels from iPSC-EC exhibit similar sprouting behavior, including tip cell formation, directional sprouting and lumen formation. Inhibition with sunitinib, a clinically used vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor type 2 inhibitor, and 3-(3-pyridinyl)-1-(4-pyridinyl)-2-propen-1-one (3PO), a transient glycolysis inhibitor, both significantly reduced the sprouting of both iPSC-ECs and primary ECs, supporting that both cell types show VEGF gradient-driven angiogenic sprouting. The assay performance was quantified for sunitinib, yielding a minimal signal window of 11 and Z-factor of at least 0.75, both meeting the criteria to be used as screening assay. In conclusion, we have developed a robust and scalable assay that includes physiological relevant culture conditions and is amenable to screening of anti-angiogenic compounds.

scholarly journals New Frontiers towards Regeneration of the Intervertebral Disc: On Progenitor Cells, Growth Factors and Biomaterials

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 11913
Author(s):  
Benjamin Gantenbein
Keyword(s):  
Intervertebral Disc ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Biomechanical Testing ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Cell Sources ◽  
Set Up

This Special Issue on intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration focuses on novel advances in understanding the cell sources and culture conditions of various cell types, i.e., progenitor and IVD cells. The issue consists of seven articles that provide a comprehensive overview of recently applied research insights: (1) into how IVD herniation can be provoked in a controlled in vitro biomechanical testing set-up, (2) how cells can be used for IVD repair, (3) the physiological conditions of IVD cells and (4) how hyaluronic acid could be used for IVD repair, and (5) how nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) shall be cultured and expanded towards a possible cell therapy.

scholarly journals A 3D human liver model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Duriez ◽  
Agnes Jacquet ◽  
Lucile Hoet ◽  
Sandrine Roche ◽  
Marie-Dominique Bock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Screening ◽  
Human Liver ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Alcoholic Steatohepatitis ◽  
Liver Model ◽  
The One ◽  
Factor Α

AbstractWe have developed an in vitro preclinical 3D Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH) model by co-culturing four human primary liver cell types: hepatocytes, stellate, endothelial and Kupffer cells. Cells were embedded in a hydrogel of rat collagen in 96-well plate and a NASH-like environment was induced with a medium containing free fatty acids (FFAs) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). This model was characterized by biochemical, imaging and transcriptomics analysis. On the one hand, we succeed in defining suitable culture conditions to maintain the 3D co-culture up to 10 days in vitro with the lowest level of steatosis, and reproducible low levels of inflammation and fibrosis. On the other hand, we induced NASH disease with a custom medium mimicking NASH features (hepatocyte injury, steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis). The 10-day cell viability and cost effectiveness of the model make it suitable for medium throughput drug screening and provide attractive avenues to better understand disease physiology and to identify and characterize new drug targets.SummaryWe developed a 3D human liver model which exhibits many features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and that could become a platform for medium throughput drug screening.

scholarly journals Renal Progenitor Cells Have Higher Genetic Stability and Lower Oxidative Stress than Mesenchymal Stem Cells during In Vitro Expansion

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Elís Rosélia Dutra de Freitas Siqueira Silva ◽  
Napoleão Martins Argôlo Neto ◽  
Dayseanny de Oliveira Bezerra ◽  
Sandra Maria Mendes de Moura Dantas ◽  
Lucilene dos Santos Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Genetic Stability ◽  
Renal Progenitor Cells ◽  
In Vitro Expansion ◽  
Renal Progenitor

In vitro senescence of multipotent cells has been commonly associated with DNA damage induced by oxidative stress. These changes may vary according to the sources of production and the studied lineages, which raises questions about the effect of growing time on genetic stability. This study is aimed at evaluating the evolution of genetic stability, viability, and oxidative stress of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCBMsu) and renal progenitor cells of the renal cortex (RPCsu) of swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) in culture passages. P2, P5, and P9 were used for MSCBMsu and P1, P2, and P3 for RPCsu obtained by thawing. The experimental groups were submitted to MTT, apoptosis and necrosis assays, comet test, and reactive substance measurements of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), nitrite, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase. The MTT test curve showed a mean viability of 1.14±0.62 and 1.12±0.54, respectively, for MSCBMsu and RPCsu. The percentages of MSCBMsu and RPCsu were presented, respectively, for apoptosis, an irregular and descending behavior, and necrosis, ascending and irregular. The DNA damage index showed higher intensity among the MSCBMsu in the P5 and P9 passages (p<0.05). In the TBARS evaluation, there was variation among the lines of RPCsu and MSCBMsu, presenting the last most significant variations (p<0.05). In the nitrite values, we identified only among the lines, in the passages P1 and P2, with the highest averages displayed by the MSCBMsu lineage (p<0.05). The measurement of antioxidant system activity showed high standards, identifying differences only for GSH values, in the RPCsu lineage, in P3 (p<0.05). This study suggests that the maintenance of cell culture in the long term induces lower regulation of oxidative stress, and RPCsu presents higher genetic stability and lower oxidative stress than MSCBMsu during in vitro expansion.

scholarly journals The Immunomodulatory Properties of Amniotic Cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Magatti ◽  
Elsa Vertua ◽  
Anna Cargnoni ◽  
Antonietta Silini ◽  
Ornella Parolini
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Immunostimulatory Activity ◽  
Specific Culture ◽  
The Many ◽  
Regulatory Functions ◽  
Amniotic Cells

Among the many cell types useful in developing therapeutic treatments, human amniotic cells from placenta have been proposed as valid candidates. Both human amniotic epithelial and mesenchymal stromal cells, and the conditioned medium generated from their culture, exert multiple immunosuppressive activities. Indeed, they inhibit T and B cell proliferation, suppress inflammatory properties of monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and natural killer cells, while promoting induction of cells with regulatory functions such as regulatory T cells and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. These properties have laid the foundation for their use for the treatment of inflammatory-based diseases, and encouraging results have been obtained in different preclinical disease models where exacerbated inflammation is present. Moreover, an immune-privileged status of amniotic cells has been often highlighted. However, even if long-term engraftment of amniotic cells has been reported into immunocompetent animals, only few cells survive after infusion. Furthermore, amniotic cells have been shown to be able to induce immune responses in vivo and, under specific culture conditions, they can stimulate T cell proliferation in vitro. Although immunosuppressive properties are a widely recognized characteristic of amniotic cells, immunogenic and stimulatory activities appear to be less reported, sporadic events. In order to improve therapeutic outcome, the mechanisms responsible for the suppressive versus stimulatory activity need to be carefully addressed. In this review, both the immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory activity of amniotic cells will be discussed.

Either exogenous or endogenous fibronectin can promote adherence of human endothelial cells

1986 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-280
Author(s):  
R.A. Clark ◽  
J.M. Folkvord ◽  
L.D. Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Wound Repair ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Collagen Type Iv ◽  
Human Endothelial Cells ◽  
Small Vessels ◽  
Microvascular Cells

Recently, we have presented evidence that proliferating blood vessels produce and deposit fibronectin in situ during the angiogenesis of wound repair. This report extends these observations by demonstrating that human endothelial cells from both large and small vessels depend on fibronectin for their adherence in vitro. Endothelial cells were grown from human umbilical veins (HUVEC) by the method of Gimbrone and from the microvasculature of human omentum by the method of Kern, Knedler and Eckel. Second-passage cells were plated into microtitre wells that had been coated with 100 micrograms ml-1 of fibronectin, types I and III collagen, type IV collagen or laminin. After a 3-h incubation, adherent cells were solubilized with Zap-Isoton and quantified on a Coulter Counter. Under normal culture conditions HUVEC showed no preference for fibronectin substrates while microvascular cells always demonstrated a striking preference for fibronectin substrates. However, when HUVEC were exposed to 2.5 or 25 micrograms ml-1 of cycloheximide for 4 h before and during the adherence assays, the adherence to fibronectin was 50–200% greater than to types I and III collagen. Immunofluorescence studies showed that while HUVEC expressed a large quantity of surface fibronectin, microvascular cells expressed very little. Metabolic labelling studies confirmed that HUVEC cultures had substantial quantities of fibronectin in their cell layer while microvascular cells did not. In antibody blocking experiments, preincubation of fibronectin-coated surfaces with anti-fibronectin antibodies totally blocked microvascular cell adhesion but only abrogated HUVEC adherence by 50%, presumably since these latter cells were able to deposit additional fibronectin onto the surface during the 3 h assay period. In the presence of cycloheximide anti-fibronectin antibodies totally blocked HUVEC adherence. These results demonstrate that both endothelial cell types rely, at least in part, on fibronectin for adherence in vitro. HUVEC can synthesize, secrete and deposit enough fibronectin for their adherence in vitro, while microvascular cells rely on an exogenous source of fibronectin under these culture conditions. Thus, the increased blood vessel fibronectin observed during angiogenesis in vivo may mediate adherence of the proliferating and migrating endothelial cells.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Manipulation Facilitates the Generation of Skeletal Muscle Cells from Pluripotent Stem Cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiko Akiyama ◽  
Shunichi Wakabayashi ◽  
Atsumi Soma ◽  
Saeko Sato ◽  
Yuhki Nakatake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
The Body ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Modifying Factors

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have the capacity to differentiate into essentially all cell types in the body. Such differentiation can be directed to specific cell types by appropriate cell culture conditions or overexpressing lineage-defining transcription factors (TFs). Especially, for the activation of myogenic program, early studies have shown the effectiveness of enforced expression of TFs associated with myogenic differentiation, such as PAX7 and MYOD1. However, the efficiency of direct differentiation was rather low, most likely due to chromatin features unique to hPSCs, which hinder the access of TFs to genes involved in muscle differentiation. Indeed, recent studies have demonstrated that ectopic expression of epigenetic-modifying factors such as a histone demethylase and an ATP-dependent remodeling factor significantly enhances myogenic differentiation from hPSCs. In this article, we review the recent progress for in vitro generation of skeletal muscles from hPSCs through forced epigenetic and transcriptional manipulation.

scholarly journals WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Is Required for Integration of CD24+Renal Progenitor Cells into Glycerol-Damaged Adult Renal Tubules

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Zhang ◽  
Diana M. Iglesias ◽  
Rachel Corsini ◽  
LeeLee Chu ◽  
Paul Goodyer
Keyword(s):  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Renal Tubules ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Renal Progenitor Cells ◽  
Nephron Progenitor ◽  
Canonical Wnt ◽  
Renal Progenitor

During development, nephron progenitor cells (NPC) are induced to differentiate by WNT9b signals from the ureteric bud. Although nephrogenesis ends in the perinatal period, acute kidney injury (AKI) elicits repopulation of damaged nephrons. Interestingly, embryonic NPC infused into adult mice with AKI are incorporated into regenerating tubules. Since WNT/β-catenin signaling is crucial for primary nephrogenesis, we reasoned that it might also be needed for the endogenous repair mechanism and for integration of exogenous NPC. When we examined glycerol-induced AKI in adult mice bearing aβ-catenin/TCF reporter transgene, endogenous tubular cells reexpressed the NPC marker, CD24, and showed widespreadβ-catenin/TCF signaling. We isolated CD24+cells from E15 kidneys of mice with the canonical WNT signaling reporter. 40% of cells responded to WNT3ain vitroand when infused into glycerol-injured adult, the cells exhibitedβ-catenin/TCF reporter activity when integrated into damaged tubules. When embryonic CD24+cells were treated with aβ-catenin/TCF pathway inhibitor (IWR-1) prior to infusion into glycerol-injured mice, tubular integration of cells was sharply reduced. Thus, the endogenous canonicalβ-catenin/TCF pathway is reactivated during recovery from AKI and is required for integration of exogenous embryonic renal progenitor cells into damaged tubules. These events appear to recapitulate the WNT-dependent inductive process which drives primary nephrogenesis.

Selection of kidney cell types in primary glomerular explant outgrowths by in vitro culture conditions

1986 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-92
Author(s):  
T.D. Oberley ◽  
A.H. Yang ◽  
J. Gould-Kostka
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Chemically Defined Medium ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Epithelial Cell Type ◽  
Tubular Cells ◽  
Selection Of

Adult guinea pig glomeruli were grown in vitro either in serum or in a chemically defined medium. Glomeruli were plated either directly into plastic flasks or into plastic flasks that had been coated with the extracellular matrix produced by the PF-HR-9 mouse teratocarcinoma endodermal cell line. Both the composition of the medium and the nature of the culture substrate affected whole glomerular attachment and the type of cells produced in culture. Quantitative studies demonstrated selection of cell types by different culture conditions. Three colony types, each composed of distinctive cell types, could be identified by morphological features. The cells constituting two of these colony types were epithelial in nature, but they were identified as different epithelial types by both histochemical and ultrastructural criteria. Previous studies suggested that one epithelial cell type was derived from the glomerular visceral epithelial cell. This study demonstrates that this cell type could be selectively grown in defined medium on plastic. A second cell type showed several features of renal tubular epithelial cells, including histochemical staining for catalase, cell surface microvilli and cilia, and formation of hemicysts and structures that resembled tubules after prolonged periods in culture. To demonstrate that the ‘glomerulus-derived’ tubular cells were indeed tubular epithelium, we isolated purified renal cortical tubules (greater than 99% pure) and cultured them on the HR-9 matrix in a serum-free chemically defined medium. The resultant outgrowths had morphological properties identical to those of the glomerulus-derived tubular cells. It seems likely that small tubular fragments attached to a minority of the glomeruli are the source of these glomerulus-derived tubular cells. Neither epithelial cell type could be subcultured on plastic, but both could be passaged on the HR-9 matrix. A third cell type, the spindle-shaped cell, was easily propagated on both plastic and the HR-9 matrix. The origin of this cell type is not clear. Our results demonstrate the important effect of culture conditions on the selection, growth and differentiation of kidney cell types in vitro.

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