Objective To establish a model of the human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured under the hypoxic condition in adults and to investigate the biological features of MSCs under hypoxia.Methods The bone marrow was obtained by aspiration at the posterior superior iliac spine in 3 healthy adult subjects. hMSCs were isolated by the gradient centrifugation and were cultured in the DMEM-LG that contained 20％ fetal bovine serum. The serial subcultivation was performed 10-14 days later. The second passage of the hMSCs were taken, and they were divided into the following 4 groups according to the oxygen concentrations and the medium types: the normoxic group（20％O2, DMEM-LG, Group A）, the hypoxic group（1％O2, DMEM-LG,Group B）, the normoxic osteoblast induction group（20％O2, conditioned medium, Group C）, and the hypoxic osteoblast induction group（1％O2, conditioned medium, Group D）. The biological features of the cultured hMSCs under hypoxia were assessed bythe cell count, the MTT method, the colony forming unit-fibroblast, the real-time RT-PCR, and the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and the alizarinred staining. Results The hMSCs cultured in the Group B and Group D had a significantly higher proliferation rate than those in the Group A (Plt;0.01), and the culture effect was not influenced by the medium type. The hMSCs in the Group B had a significantly higher level of the colony-forming unit capability than the hMSCs cultured in the Group A(Plt;0.01). After the induction, hMSCs in the Group B had a decreasednumber of the osteoblasts than hMSCs in the Group C. The hMSCs in the Group D had a gradually-increasedactivity of ALP, which was significantly lower than that in the Group C(Plt;0.01). The RT-PCR examination revealed that ALP,osteocalcin, and mRNA expressions of collagen type Ⅰ and osteonectin in the Group Csignificantly increased （P＜0.01). By comparisonamong the 3 groups, after the 4-week culture the obvious calcium salt deposit and the red-stained calcium nodus could be observed.ConclusionHypoxia can promote the proliferation rate of hMSCs, enhance the colonyforming ability and inhibit the differentiation of the osteoblasts.
Objective To discuss the applycation possibility of themicroscopic stripping technique used in the primary culture of human embryonicesophagus squamous epithelial cells, and of the methodds for the isolation, depuration and subculture of the esophagus epithelial cells in vitro. Methods The squamous epithelial cells wereobtained from the esophagus mucous membrane of the 20-week abortion fetus through the microscopic stripping technique, and were digested with trypsin. Then, the morphological, immunohistochemical observation and the growth curve of the isolated cells were studied. Results The isolated cells were spherical in the cell suspension and spherical-like or polygon-like after attachment to the culture flask.The squamous epithelial specialized cytokeratin staining was bly positive. And the morphological studies by the transmission electron microscopy indicated that the cultured cells were squamous epithelial cells. The squamous epithelial cells reached the peak level 3-4 days after the transfer of the culture. The absorbanceat 3 and 4 days was significantly higher than that at 1,2,5 and 6 days (P＜0.05). Conclusion A large mumber of squamous epithelial cells can be available with the microscopic stripping technique and the digestion method. Thecultured squamous epithelial cells can be proliferated quickly, and fit for the tissue engineering study.
Objective To examine the biological characteristic changes in thededifferenciated human articular chondrocytes by the bioreactor culturing in vitvo.Methods The cartilage tissue was obtained from the joints of the adult human. The chondrocytes were isolated from the cartilage tissue with the type Ⅱ collagenase digestion（0.2%, 37℃, 3 h）and were cultured in DMEMF12 supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS) with 1 ng/ml of TGF-β1and 5 ng/mlof FGF-2. After about 20 passages by the monolayer culture，the cells were then transferred to the bioreactor culturing of the rotational cell culture system (RCCS) for a 3-week sequence culture. The cell counting was performed with the platelet counter, and the doubling time for each passage of thecells was determined. The frozen section was stained with HE. The differentiated phenotype was evaluated by histochemistry or immunohistochemistry. Results When the monolayer culture was performed without any growth factors, the chondrocytes were rapidly proliferated within 3 passages (average doubling time, 59 h),but at the same time, dedifferentiation was also progressing rapidly. After the4th passage, most of the cells were dedifferenciated and the proliferation was decreased. With the growth factors (TGF-β1/FGF-2), the speed of the expansion was accelerated (average doubling time, 47 h), but the speed of the dedifferentiation was slowed down. After 20 passages were performed with the monolayer culture, the dedifferentiated chondrocytes could be redifferentiated when they were cultured for 3 weeks with RCCS. Then, the Safranine-O staining was bly positive for the cells, positive for aggrecan and collagen Ⅱ, but negative for collagen Ⅰ, with a wellregained phenotype. Conclusion The bioreactor culturing of the dedifferenciated human articular condrocytes can regain the differentiated phenotype and it is a useful method of obtaining the human articular chondrocytes in large amounts and in a differentiated phenotype in vitro.
Objective To select the appropriate media to culture the epidermal stem cells in vitro,and to observe the biological characteristics of the epidermal stem cells. Methods The epidermal stem cells were cultured in five different media, including FAD, FAD+1 ng/ml bFGF, FAD+5 ng/ml bFGF, FAD+10 ng/ml bFGF and K-SFM, and the same fetous fibroblasts were used as the nutrient cells. The proliferation ability was investigated by cell growth curve and MTT detection. Then the biological characteristics of epidermal stem cells were observed through phasecontrast microscope, cell growth curve, BrdU detection and FBM analysis. Results The epidermal stem cells grew best in FAD with bFGF and nutrient cells. And the epidermal stem cells retained proliferative capacity, and formed larger and more expandable clones in vitro. And 80.2% of the cells show a G0/G1 cycle, and the cells had long cell proliferation cycle. Conclusion The above results demonstrate that the media with bFGF and the use of nutrient layer were appropriate to culture epidermal stem cell in vitro. And the epidermal stem cells have a slow cell cycle, characteristics of immaturity.