Effects of hypoxia on the proliferation of embryonic stem cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effects of hypoxia on the proliferation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mouse ES cells) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We observed the proliferation of ES cells by hematometery and BrdU-labeled flow cytometry (FCM), and we also detected the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The number of ES cells after culturing in the hypoxia environment (3% O2 and 10% O2) for 24 hours were lesser than those in normoxia (20% O2). (2) The number of ES cells significantly increased after intermittent hypoxia (3% O2) stimulus for 10 minutes per day for 4 days. (3) We also observed the relation between the expression of HIF-1a and the proliferation of ES cells by RT-PCR. The results showed that the expression of HIF-1a had no significant change after ES cells were culturing in hypoxia environment (3% O2 and 10% O2) for 24 hours or in intermittent hypoxia (3% O2 and 10% O2) for 4 days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that intermittent hypoxia (3% O2) can significantly promote the proliferation of ES cells in vitro, while persistent hypoxia inhibits those, and the mechanism of these should be addressed in further.</p>