Therapeutic potential of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in carbon tetrachloride [CCI[4]]-lnduced liver fibrosis

To study the effect of allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BMMSCs] transplantation on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Fifty five female NMRI mice were divided in 5 groups, and to induce liver fibrosis CCL[4] intraperitonealy was injected 1 ml/Kg twice a week for 8 weeks 10[6] allogenic BMMSCs were infused in cell therapy group via tail vain at the end of 4[th] weeks. Liver samples were taken and evaluated with histopathologic and immunofluorescence techniques to determine the amount of fibrosis, cell homing and identity of the cells. Mice serum albumin level was measured as well. In the cell therapy group the amount of liver fibrosis and mortality rate decreased significantly [2.24 +/- 0.51% vs 3.48 +/- 0.6%, PO.05 and 27.3% vs 45.5%], respectively but there was no significant difference between their serum albumin level. These results were in compliance with low proportion of transplanted cells capable of producing albumin [0.23 +/- 0.08% of liver cells]. Because most transplanted cells were found in periportal area; they did not produce albumin. Conclusion: It seems that the major role of BMMSCs to reduce CCL[4]-induced liver fibrosis does not occur by their differentiation into hepatocyte but rather through other interaction pathways with injured liver tissue

[Isolation and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived mesenchymal progenitors]

Isolating human induced pluripotent stem cells [hiPS]-derived mesenchymal progenitors as a new source of mesenchymal cells which can differentiate into different lineages like adipose and bone. After 7 days of hiPS1 culture on matrigle coated dishes, spindle like cells around colonies were removed by cell scraper. These cells that had mesenchymal like morphology was characterized after 4-6 passages. Mesenchymal cell surface markers CD73, CD90, CD105, CD29, CD44 and hematopoietic cell surface markers CD34 and CD45 were analyzed by flow cytometry and cells were differentiated to osteogenic and adipogenic lineages by defined medium. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that hi PS1 derived mesenchymal progenitors were%98.71 +/- 0.14 CD44+,%98.51 +/- 1.02 CD29+,%87.74 +/- 3.41 CD105+,%46.65 +/- 5.76 CD73+,%98.53 +/- 0.78 CD90+ and they did not express CD34 and CD45. These cells could be differentiated to osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. hiPS1 can make mesenchymal progenitors and these cells can be a suitable substitute for mesenchymal stem cells

arrangement of microtubules in embryos derived from mice young, old and reconstructed oocytes

To study the structure and distribution of microtubules in embryos derived from young, old and reconstructed oocytes. Embryos obtained from old [50 embryos], young [50 embryos] and reconstructed oocytes [10 embryos] were studied by immunocytochemistry. The microtubule structures of the embryos were studied by using fluroscent microscopy with FITC-PI filter and polyclonal antibody against alfa tubulin. The spindle structure of MII young oocyte and the obtained embryos were normal with the suitable condensation. There was no contact between chromosome and spindle in old Oocytes as well as the obtained embryos, in addition, the spindle was extended in old group. In reconstructed embryos, thin and scattered filaments were observed. This study reveals that the arrangement of microtubules in reconstructed embryos was caused by repeating of injection and oocyte manipulation. Also, interactions between karyoblast, cytoplasm and microtubuls may not be suitable. This may be caused by low fertilization in these oocytes

Investigating the effect of laser assisted hatching on the development and quality of vitrified-warmed 4-celI stage mouse embryos

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of laser assisted hatching on the development and quality of vitrified-warmed 4-cell stage mouse embryos. The vitrified-warmed 4-cell mouse embryos were divided into two groups: control group [without laser assisted hatching] and experiment group [with laser assisted hatching]. All embryos in both groups were cultured in sequential media containing G1TMver3 and G2TMver3. Afterward, all expanded blastocysts were randomly selected and stained with differential [for cellularity] and TUNEL [for cell death] methods. On day 1[24hrs] of culture, the difference between the control and the experimental groups was insignificant in the rate of blastocyst formation. But on day 2[48hrs] of culture, 87.61% of embryos in the experimental group reached the blastocyst stage. This rate did not increase significantly as compared to the control group [78.14%]. Finally on day 3 [72 hrs], the rate of blastocyst formation reached 94.40% and 81.75%, respectively, in both the experimental and control groups. The difference between these two groups were significant [p<0.05]. The number of blastomeres and apoptotic cells were similar in the experimental and control groups. The laser assisted hatching has no decreasing effect on cellularity, but it has increasing effect on incidence of cell death. In addition, the assisted hatching significantly increases the blastocyst formation rate of intact vitrified-warmed 4-cell stage mouse embryos