Notch signaling regulates a variety of developmental cell fates decisions in a cell-context dependent manner. Although Notch signaling directly regulates transcription via the RBP-J/CSL DNA binding protein, little is known about the genes in the respective tissues that are directly activated by Notch.
Activated Notch1 target genes during embryonic cell differentiation depend on the cellular context and include lineage determinants and inhibitors.
Specimen part
View SamplesReprogramming of somatic cells is a valuable tool to understand the mechanisms of regaining pluripotency and further opens up the possibility of generating patient-specific pluripotent stem cells. Reprogramming of mouse and human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells, designated as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, has been possible with the expression of the transcription factor quartet Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1), Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4. Considering that ectopic expression of c-Myc causes tumourigenicity in offspring and retroviruses themselves can cause insertional mutagenesis, the generation of iPS cells with a minimal number of factors may hasten the clinical application of this approach. Here, we show that adult mouse neural stem cells express higher endogenous levels of Sox2 and c-Myc than embryonic stem cells, and that exogenous Oct4 together with either Klf4 or c-Myc are sufficient to generate iPS cells from neural stem cells. These two-factor (2F) iPS cells are similar to embryonic stem cells at the molecular level, contribute to development of the germ line, and form chimeras. We propose that, in inducing pluripotency, the number of reprogramming factors can be reduced when using somatic cells that endogenously express appropriate levels of complementing factors.
Pluripotent stem cells induced from adult neural stem cells by reprogramming with two factors.
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View SamplesDendritic cells (DC) develop from hematopoietic stem cells, which is guided by instructive signals through cytokines. DC development progresses from multipotent progenitors (MPP) via common DC progenitors (CDP) into DC. Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) signaling via the Flt3/Stat3 pathway is of pivotal importance for DC development under steady state conditions. Additional factors produced during steady state or inflammation, such as TGF-beta1 or GM-CSF, also influence the differentiation potential of MPP and CDP. Here, we studied how gp130, GM-CSF and TGF-beta1 signaling influence DC lineage commitment from MPP to CDP and further into DC. We observed that activation of gp130 signaling promotes expansion of MPP. Additionally, gp130 signaling inhibited Flt3L-driven DC differentiation, but had little effect on GM-CSF-driven DC development. The inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF induces differentiation of MPP into inflammatory DC and blocks steady state DC development. Global transcriptome analysis revealed a GM-CSF-driven gene expression repertoire that primes MPP for differentiation into inflammatory DC. Finally, TGF-beta1 induces expression of DC-lineage affiliated genes in MPP, including Flt3, Irf-4 and Irf-8. Under inflammatory conditions, however, the effect of TGF- beta1 is altered: Flt3 is not upregulated, indicating that an inflammatory environment inhibits steady state DC development. Altogether, our data indicate that distinct cytokine signals produced during steady state or inflammation have a different outcome on DC lineage commitment and differentiation.
Dendritic cell lineage commitment is instructed by distinct cytokine signals.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesMouse and human stem cells with features similar to those of embryonic stem cells have been derived from testicular cells. Although pluripotent stem cells have been obtained from defined germline stem cells (GSCs) of mouse neonatal testis, only multipotent stem cells have been obtained so far from defined cells of mouse adult testis. In this study we describe a robust and reproducible protocol for obtaining germline-derived pluripotent stem (gPS) cells from adult unipotent GSCs. Pluripotency of gPS cells was confirmed by in vitro and in vivo differentiation, including germ cell contribution and transmission. As determined by clonal analyses, gPS cells indeed originate from unipotent GSCs. We propose that the conversion process requires a GSC culture microenvironment that depends on the initial number of plated GSCs and the length of culture time.
Induction of pluripotency in adult unipotent germline stem cells.
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View SamplesThe four transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc can induce pluripotency in mouse and human fibroblasts. We previously described direct reprogramming of adult mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) by Oct4 and either Klf4 or c-Myc. NSCs endogenously express Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4 as well as several intermediate reprogramming markers. Here we report that exogenous expression of the germline-specific transcription factor Oct4 is sufficient to generate pluripotent stem cells from adult mouse NSCs. These one-factor induced pluripotent stem (1F iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem cells in vitro and in vivo. Not only can these cells be efficiently differentiated into NSCs, cardiomyocytes and germ cells in vitro, but they are also capable of teratoma formation and germline transmission in vivo. Our results demonstrate that Oct4 is required and sufficient to directly reprogram NSCs to pluripotency.
Oct4-induced pluripotency in adult neural stem cells.
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View SamplesUniparental parthenotes are considered an unwanted byproduct of in vitro fertilization. In utero parthenote development is severely compromised by defective organogenesis and in particular by defective cardiogenesis. Although developmentally compromised, apparently pluripotent stem cells can be derived from parthenogenetic blastocysts. Here we hypothesized that nonembryonic parthenogenetic stem cells (PSCs) can be directed toward the cardiac lineage and applied to tissue-engineered heart repair. We first confirmed similar fundamental properties in murine PSCs and embryonic stem cells (ESCs), despite notable differences in genetic (allelic variability) and epigenetic (differential imprinting) characteristics. Haploidentity of major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) in PSCs is particularly attractive for allogeneic cell-based therapies. Accordingly, we confirmed acceptance of PSCs in MHC-matched allotransplantation. Cardiomyocyte derivation from PSCs and ESCs was equally effective. The use of cardiomyocyte-restricted GFP enabled cell sorting and documentation of advanced structural and functional maturation in vitro and in vivo. This included seamless electrical integration of PSC-derived cardiomyocytes into recipient myocardium. Finally, we enriched cardiomyocytes to facilitate engineering of force-generating myocardium and demonstrated the utility of this technique in enhancing regional myocardial function after myocardial infarction. Collectively, our data demonstrate pluripotency, with unrestricted cardiogenicity in PSCs, and introduce this unique cell type as an attractive source for tissue-engineered heart repair.
Parthenogenetic stem cells for tissue-engineered heart repair.
Specimen part
View SamplesCcnyl1 is a newly identified genes, but the founction of which remained unclear, here we used the Ccnyl1 knockout mice to finding clues for its functional roles
CCNYL1, but Not CCNY, Cooperates with CDK16 to Regulate Spermatogenesis in Mouse.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe xylose fermentation capability of an industrainl Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was enhanced by adaptive evolution. Eight homozygots were generated by tetrads dissection.
Comparative transcriptomes reveal novel evolutionary strategies adopted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae with improved xylose utilization capability.
Genetic information
View SamplesThe xylose fermentation capability of an industrainl Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was enhanced by adaptive evolution. Eight homozygots were generated by tetrads dissection.
Comparative transcriptomes reveal novel evolutionary strategies adopted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae with improved xylose utilization capability.
Genetic information
View SamplesThe xylose fermentation capability of an industrainl Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was enhanced by adaptive evolution. Eight homozygots were generated by tetrads dissection.
Comparative transcriptomes reveal novel evolutionary strategies adopted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae with improved xylose utilization capability.
Genetic information
View Samples