Co-culture of Neural Stem Cells and Spinal Cord Acellular Scaffold in Vitro / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To observe the adhesion, growth and differentiation of rat neural stem cells (NSCs) on spinal cord acellular scaffold (SCAS) to evaluate its feasibility for spinal cord tissue engineering. Methods:NSCs derived from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rat cerebral cortex were cultured and identified. SCAS were prepared from female Sprague-Dawley rat spinal cord tissues using modified chemical extraction and physical oscillation, and evaluated. The third generation NSCs were planted on SCAS and co-cultured, the morphology of the cells on the scaffold was observed with immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscope. Results:The cultured cells were NSCs, which could proliferate and differentiate. The porosity, water content and enzymatic hydrolysis rates of the prepared SCAS were significantly higher than that of normal spinal cord (|t| > 4.679, P < 0.01). The matrix structure of SCAS was loosely network-like, with few residual nuclei. NSCs adhered and grew well, and differentiated into neurons and glial cells on SCAS. Conclusion:This kind of SCAS shapes multi-channel spatial structure and is suitable for NSCs adhesion, growth and differentiation, which can be used for spinal cord tissue engineering.

Establishment of a glioblastoma in vitro (in)complete resection dual co-culture model suitable for drug testing.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of glioblastomas (GBM) is still a clinical challenge. Current GBM therapeutic plans focus on the development of new strategies for local drug administration in the tumor cavity to realize an efficient long-term treatment with small side-effects. Here, different amounts of residual GBM cells and healthy brain cells define the microenvironment of the tumor cavity after individual surgical GBM resection (complete or incomplete). METHODS: We evaluated available in vivo data and determined the required amounts and numerical ratios of GBM and healthy brain cells for our in vitro (in)complete resection dual co-culture model. We applied a generic two-drug treatment [Temozolomide (TMZ) in combination with AT101, followed by single AT101 treatment] strategy and analyzed the results in comparison with appropriate mono-culture systems to prove the applicability of our model. RESULTS: We established a suitable GBM dual co-culture model, mimicking the complete and incomplete resection in vitro, giving stable and reliable results on drug testing. Both dual co-culture conditions protectively influenced on cell death and growth rates of primary GBMs when treated with TMZ+AT101/AT101, although the treatment strategy per se was still efficient. Cell death of astrocytes correlated with amounts of increasing GBM cell numbers in the incomplete resection model upon drug treatment, and probably GBM-released chemokine and cytokines were involved in this interplay. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that this dual co-culture model provides a biologically relevant platform for the discovery and compound screening of local GBM treatment strategies.

THE LOCALIZATION AND EFFECT OF QUANTUM DOTS ON ULTRASTRUCTURE OF MOUSE ABDOMINAL CAVITY MACROPHAGES IN VITRO / 解剖学报

Objective To observe the distribution and the effect of the quantum dots(QDs) on mouse abdominal cavity macrophages.Methods The QDs were co-cultured with mouse abdominal cavity macrophages in vitro.The differentiation and effect of the QDs on macrophage ultrastructures were observed under electronic microscope. Results The QDs were enveloped with unit membrane and internalized in the cytoplasm of the macrophage under transmission electron microscope.And it formed vacuolelike structures in the macrophage.There were many lamellar processes on the surface of the macrophage under scanning electron microscope.Conclusion The QDs can promote macrophage activation,and make its surface projection increased.The QDs were internalized by the macrophage,distributed in the cytoplasm,and formed vacuolelike structures enveloped with unit membrane.