Recently, transplantation of allogeneic and autologous cells has been used for regenerative medicine. A critical issue is monitoring migration and homing of transplanted cells, as well as engraftment ...efficiency and functional capability
in vivo
. Monitoring of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used in animal models and clinical settings to track labeled cells. A major limitation of MRI is that the signals do not show biological characteristics of transplanted cells
in vivo
. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been extensively investigated for their various therapeutic properties, and exhibit the potential to differentiate into cells of diverse lineages. In this study, cynomolgus monkey MSCs (cMSCs) were labeled with Molday ION Rhodamine-B™ (MIRB), a new SPIO agent, to investigate and characterize the biophysical and MRI properties of labeled cMSCs
in vitro
and
in vivo
. The results indicate that MIRB is biocompatible and useful for cMSCs labeling and cell tracking by multimodality imaging. Our method is helpful for detection of transplanted stem cells
in vivo
, which is required for understanding mechanisms of cell therapy.
Transmembrane signaling is essential for complex life forms. Communication across a bilayer lipid barrier is elaborately organized to convey precision and to fine-tune strength. Looking back, the ...steps that it has taken to enable this seemingly mundane errand are breathtaking, and with our survivorship bias, Darwinian. While this review is to discuss eukaryotic membranes in biological functions for coherence and theoretical footing, we are obliged to follow the evolution of the biological membrane through time. Such a visit is necessary for our hypothesis that constraints posited on cellular functions are mainly via the biomembrane, and relaxation thereof in favor of a coordinating membrane environment is the molecular basis for the development of highly specialized cellular activities, among them transmembrane signaling. We discuss the obligatory paths that have led to eukaryotic membrane formation, its intrinsic ability to signal, and how it set up the platform for later integration of protein-based receptor activation.
This study was designed to investigate the effect of aging on the glucose metabolism on cynomolgus (
Macaca fascicularis
) monkeys. A total of 33 cynomolgus monkeys in three aged groups were ...monitored for glucose levels, serum parameters in fasting state and somatometric measurements. Intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were also performed. Aging associated changes lies in the less secretion of insulin and C-peptide during IVGTT in cynomolgus monkeys. It was also found that impaired insulin sensitivity occurred in female monkeys during aging based on HOMA-IR and K
ITT
value. In addition, triglyceride level also rose with the increase of age. Less insulin secretion and impaired insulin sensitivity in female were the characteristic during the aging of cynomolgus monkeys in this study. Body mass index, weight and waist hip rate may be the relevant factors in insulin resistance of cynomolgus monkeys.
N-containing organic compounds (NOCs) in humic-like substances (HULIS) emitted from biomass burning (BB) and coal combustion (CC) were characterized by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry in the ...positive electrospray ionization mode. Our results indicate that NOCs include CHON+ and CHN+ groups, which are detected as a substantial fraction in both BB- and CC-derived HULIS, and suggest that not only BB but also CC is the potential important source of NOCs in the atmosphere. The CHON+ compounds mainly consist of reduced nitrogen compounds with other oxygenated functional groups, and straw- and coal-smoke HULIS exhibit a lower degree of oxidation than pine-smoke HULIS. In addition, the NOCs with higher N atoms (N
and/or N
) generally bear higher modified aromaticity index (AI
) values and are mainly contained in BB HULIS, especially in straw-smoke HULIS, whereas the NOCs with a lower N atom (N
) always have relatively lower AI
values and are the dominant NOCs in CC HULIS. These findings imply that the primary emission from CC may be a significant source of N
compounds, whereas high N number (e.g., N
) compounds could be associated with burning of biomass materials. Further study is warranted to distinguish the NOCs from more sources.
Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) holds promises for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Human neural stem cells (hNSCs) have proved to be a suitable cell ...delivery vehicle for the safe and efficient introduction of GDNF into the brain. In this study, we used hNSCs-infected with a lentivirus encoding GDNF and the hygromycin resistance gene as such vehicles. A modified tetracycline operator 7 (tetO7) was inserted into a region upstream of the EF1-α promoter to drive GDNF expression. After hygromycin selection, hNSCs were infected with a lentivirus encoding a KRAB-tetracycline repressor fusion protein (TTS). TTS bound to tetO7 and suppressed the expression of GDNF in hNSCs. Upon administration of doxycycline (Dox) the TTS-tetO7 complex separated and the expression of GDNF resumed. The hNSCs infected with GDNF expressed the neural stem cell specific markers, nestin and sox2, and exhibited no significant change in proliferation rate. However, the rate of apoptosis in hNSCs expressing GDNF was lower compared with normal NSCs in response to actinomycin treatment. Furthermore, a higher percentage of Tuj-1 positive cells were obtained from GDNF-producing NSCs under conditions that induced differentiation compared to control NSCs. The inducible expression of GDNF in hNSCs may provide a system for the controllable delivery of GDNF in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC) and methanol-soluble organic compounds (MSOC) in smoke particles emitted from residential coal combustion were characterized by ultrahigh-resolution mass ...spectrometry. The results showed that the molecular compositions of WSOC and MSOC are different. S-containing compounds (CHOS and CHONS) are found to be the dominant components (65-87%) of the WSOC, whereas CHO and CHON compounds make a great contribution (79-96%) to the MSOC samples. It is worth noting that greater abundance of S-containing compounds was found in smoke produced from coal combustion compared to biomass burning and atmospheric samples. The molecular compositions of WSOC and MSOC also varied significantly depending on the maturity of the coal. The WSOC and MSOC derived from the combustion of low-maturity coal contained a higher proportion of oxidized functional groups but with a lower degree of aromaticity than the compounds derived from the combustion of high-maturity coal. Our findings suggest that organic molecules with a high modified aromaticity index, low O/C ratio, and low polarity showed stronger light absorption. This study also suggests that CHO and CHON compounds significantly contributed to the light absorption of WSOC and MSOC and that the contribution of CHON may be stronger.
Juvenile (2–23 years old) cynomolgus monkeys are frequently used as recipients in non-human primate islet transplantation studies. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of different doses ...of streptozotocin (STZ), and find the optimal dose for inducing diabetes in these monkeys. Fifteen juvenile (2–3 years old) cynomolgus monkeys were separated into three groups and administered with different doses of STZ (100, 68 or 60 mg kg
−1
). Basal and glucose-stimulated blood glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels, as well as body weights were monitored. Hepatic and renal function tests and pancreatic immunohistochemistry were performed before and after STZ treatment. Monkeys treated with both 100 and 68 mg kg
−1
of STZ exhibited continuous hyperglycemia, which coincided with a nearly complete loss of islet β-cells. Two monkeys received 60 mg kg
−1
of STZ, but only one became completely diabetic. During the first week following STZ treatment, hepatic and renal function slightly increased in these three groups. However, 24 hours post-STZ, serum total bile acid levels were significantly increased in monkeys treated with 100 mg kg
−1
than those treated with 68 mg kg
−1
of STZ (
P
<0.05). These data suggest that 100 mg kg
−1
and 68 mg kg
−1
of STZ can safely induce diabetes in cynomolgus monkeys aged 2–3 years, but 68 mg kg
−1
of STZ, rather than 100 mg kg
−1
of STZ, may be more appropriate for inducing diabetes in these monkeys. Furthermore, body surface area, rather than body weight, was a more reliable determinant of dosage, where 700 mg m
−2
of STZ should be the lower limit for inducing diabetes in juvenile monkeys.
Having a comprehensive map of the cellular anatomy of the normal human bladder is vital to understanding the cellular origins of benign bladder disease and bladder cancer.
We used single-cell RNA ...sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 12,423 cells from healthy human bladder tissue samples taken from patients with bladder cancer and 12,884 cells from mouse bladders to classify bladder cell types and their underlying functions.
We created a single-cell transcriptomic map of human and mouse bladders, including 16 clusters of human bladder cells and 15 clusters of mouse bladder cells. The homology and heterogeneity of human and mouse bladder cell types were compared and both conservative and heterogeneous aspects of human and mouse bladder evolution were identified. We also discovered two novel types of human bladder cells. One type is
and
interstitial cells which may be associated with nerve conduction and allergic reactions. The other type is
epithelial cells that may be involved with bladder emptying. We verify these
epithelial cells also occur in rat and mouse bladders.
This transcriptomic map provides a resource for studying bladder cell types, specific cell markers, signaling receptors, and genes that will help us to learn more about the relationship between bladder cell types and diseases.
Nanostructured composite of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) doped silica xerogel matrix was prepared by sol–gel technique. The successful encapsulation of MWNTs was checked by linear ...transmittance spectra and scanning electrical microscope images which show that MWNTs were well dispersed in the matrix. The optical limiting responses of MWNTs suspension and xerogel composite were observed at both 532 and 1064 nm with nanosecond laser pulses and shown to be good optical limiters. The optical limiting properties of MWNTs are maintained or even improved after being introduced into solid state matrix. The implying mechanism of nonlinear absorption other than the presently accepted nonlinear scattering is proposed and discussed.
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