• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2012

Suspension culture is a useful tool for culturing embryonic stem (ES) cells in large-scale, but the stability of pluripotency and karyotype has to be maintained $in$ $vitro$ for clinical application. Therefore, we investigated whether the chromosomal abnormality of ES cells was induced in suspension culture or not. The ES cells were cultured in suspension as a form of aggregate with or without mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), and 0 or 1,000 U/ml leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was treated to suspended ES cells. After culturing ES cells in suspension, their karyotype, DNA content, and properties of pluripotency and differentiation were evaluated. As a result, the formation of tetraploid ES cell population was significantly increased in suspension culture in which ES cells were co-cultured with both MEFs and LIF. Tetraploid ES cell population was also generated when ES cells were cultured alone in suspension regardless of the existence of LIF. On the other hand, the formation of tetraploid ES cell population was not detected in LIF-free condition, in which MEFs were included. The origin of tetraploid ES cell population was turned out to be E14 ES cells and not MEFs by microsatellite analysis and the basic properties of them were still maintained despite ploidy-conversion to tetraploidy. Furthermore, we identified the ploidy shift from tetraploidy to near-triploidy as tetraploid ES cells were differentiated spontaneously. From these results, we demonstrated that suspension culture system could induce ploidy-conversion generating tetraploid ES cell population. Moreover, optimization of suspension culture system may make possible mass-production of ES cells.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.3 s.258
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• pp.380-387
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• 2007

We carried out an image analysis of living cells forming their contacts at the bottom of the cell culturing substrate. In order to visualize the contact area selectively, we adopted total-internal-reflection-fluorescence (TIRF) method, which can illuminate the specimen volume within only several hundred nano-meters above the substrate. From the fluorescent intensity of the TRF image, we could calculate the distance of the cell surface from the substrate. As a result, we visualized the origin of cell contacts, their movements, and the change of cell-contact type from the close-contact into focal-contact with information of its vertical displacement representing the temporal evolution process of the three-dimensional cell-surface-profile near the contact area during this metamorphosis.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.10-13
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• 2006

In this work, imaging and study of elastic property of the living cell was performed. The motivation of this work was to seek the possibility of exploiting Young's modulus as a disease indicator using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and also to gain fundamental understanding of cell mechanics for applications in medical nanorobots of the future. L-929 fibroblast adherent cell was used as the sample. Imaging condition in cell culturing media environment was done in very low speed ($20{\mu}m/ s$) compared to that in the ambient environment. For measuring the Young's modulus of the living cell, AFM indentation method was used. From the force-distance curve obtained from the indentation experiment the Young's modulus could be derived using the Hertz model. The Young's modulus of living L-929 fibroblast cell was $1.29{\pm}0.2$ kPa.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.54-65
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• 2014

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent, with the ability to differentiate into different cell types. Additionally, the immunomodulatory activity of MSCs can downregulate inflammatory responses. The use of MSCs to repair injured tissues and treat inflammation, including in neuroimmune diseases, has been extensively explored. Although MSCs have emerged as a promising resource for the treatment of neuroimmune diseases, attempts to define the molecular properties of MSCs have been limited by the heterogeneity of MSC populations. We recently developed a new method, the subfractionation culturing method, to isolate homogeneous human clonal MSCs (hcMSCs). The hcMSCs were able to differentiate into fat, cartilage, bone, neuroglia, and liver cell types. In this study, to better understand the properties of neurally differentiated MSCs, gene expression in highly homogeneous hcMSCs was analyzed. Neural differentiation of hcMSCs was induced for 14 days. Thereafter, RNA and genomic DNA was isolated and subjected to microarray analysis and DNA methylation array analysis, respectively. We correlated the transcriptome of hcMSCs during neural differentiation with the DNA methylation status. Here, we describe and discuss the gene expression profile of neurally differentiated hcMSCs. These findings will expand our understanding of the molecular properties of MSCs and contribute to the development of cell therapy for neuroimmune diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.451-455
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• 1999

The concentrations of L-ascorbic acid (AsA, ascorbate, vitamin C) and its biosynthetic and metabolically-related enzymes such as L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GLDase), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and ascorbate oxidase (ASO) were investigated in suspension cultures of Scutellaria baicalensis. Cells growing from 4 days after subculture (DAS) to 9 DAS and from 16 DAS to 19 DAS showed a diauxic growth, and then growth rapidly decreased with further culturing. The AsA content slowly increased to 19 DAS, reached a maximum at 21 DAS (ca $120\;{\mu}g/g$ dry cell wt), and then rapidly decreased with further culturing. GLDase and ASO activity were well correlated with the cell growth curve, showing a maximum at 19 DAS, whereas APX activity showed a good correlation with the changes in AsA content, showing a maximum at 21 DAS. The total ascorbate contents (reduced form, AsA, and oxidized form, dehydroascorbate, DHA) were markedly enhanced at 10 DAS when L-galactose and L-galactono-1,4-lactone (25 mM) were added to SH medium supplemented with 20 g/l sucrose at 9 DAS, by 5.5 and 6.8 times, respectively. DHA composed more than 90% of the total ascorbate contents in suspension cultures of S. baicalensis, even though the ratio of reduced to oxidized form slightly varied with cell growth stage. The results indicate that L-galactose and L-galactono-1,4-lactone are effective precursors of AsA in cell cultures of S. baicalensis, and that in vitro cultured cells provide suitable biomaterials for the study of biosynthesis and metabolism of AsA.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.27 no.6 s.93
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• pp.373-377
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• 1999

This study was designed to develop functional drink from jujube extract through a simple submerged culture of three basidiomycetes species. The optimum Brix and pH of the jujube extract for culturing the Ganoderma lucidum appeared to be 5 Brix and pH 4. Ten days of culture period produced maximum mycelium. The optimum Brix and pH of the jujube extract for culturing the Coriolus versicolor appeared to be 5 Brix and pH 5. Ten days of culture period produced maximum mycelium. The optimum Brix and pH of the jujube extract for culturing the Phellinus igniarius appeared to be 3 Brix and pH 5. For the maximum mycelial production eighteen days of culture period was required for Phellinus igniarius. The antitumor activity of the polysaccharides extracted from the fermented drinks was demonstrated through the tumor cell line experiments. The $IC_{50}$ values of the jujube drinks fermented with Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus igniarius against stomach cancer cell line appeared to be one fourth that of the jujube drink which was not fermented with basidiomycetes.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1450-1454
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• 2008

In the conventional biology, the most of cell studies was carried out by culturing cells in the Petri dish and by investigating cellular behavior under the diverse bio-molecule (cell signalling materials, drugs or etc.) conditions. However, in vivo environments, diverse stimulations including chemical, mechanical and topological environments involved in the proliferation, differentiation and migration of cells and it is almost impossible to provide these conditions with traditional method. We have developed the methods to provide the well defined chemical and mechanical stimulations using microfluidic devices and applied these approaches to the study of environmental effect on cells. In this paper, we will introduce our microfluidic chips to provide microenvironment and its applications using several cells.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2000

Cell-Cell interaction and the extracellular matrix (ECM) are belisved to play essential roles during in vitro culturing of primary hepatocytes in the control of differentiation and in the maintenance of tissue spcific functions. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of degree of cell-cell contact (DCC) on liver sperific function of rat promary hepatocytes. Hepatocyte aggregates with various with various degrees of cell-cell contantact, I. e., dispersed cell, longish aggregate, rugged aggregate, and smooth spheroid were obtained at 1, 5-6, 15-20, and 36-48 hrs, respectively in suspension cultures grown in spinner flasks embedded in Caalginate bead and collagen gel in order. The may result from mass transfer limitation and shear damage caused by agitation during aggregation. The rugged aggregate showed a higer viability and albumin secretion rate than the dispersed cells or the other aggregates. This result indicates the possible enhancement of a bioartificial liver's (BAL) performance using primary hepatocytes and the reduction in time to prepare a BAL through optimization of the immobilization time.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 2001

Background: Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) express many cell surface molecules, which regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells within the bone marrow. Methods: To identify cell surface molecules, which can regulate cell proliferation through cell interaction, monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against BMSCs were produced. Among them, 1H8 MoAb, which recognized distinctly an 80 kDa protein, abolished myeloma cell proliferation that was induced by co-culturing with BMSCs. Results: IL-6 gene expression was increased when myeloma or stromal cells were treated with 1H8 MoAb. In addition, the expression of IL-6 receptor and CD40 was up-regulated by 1H8 treatment, suggesting that the molecule recognized by 1H8 MoAb is involved in cell proliferation by modulating the expression of cell growth-related genes. Myeloma cells contain high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are related to gene expression and tumorigenesis. Treatment with 1H8 decreased the intracellular ROS level and increased PAG antioxidant gene concomitantly. Finally, 1H8 induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins in U266. Conclusion: Taken together, 1H8 MoAb recognized the cell surface molecule and triggered the intracellular signals, which led to modulate gene expression and cell proliferation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.140-148
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• 2000

Objectives : This experiment was conducted to investigate the suppressive effects of Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang on the expression of ICAM-l and ${\beta}1-integrin$, which mediate cell-cell or cell-matrix interaction, and on the proliferation of mesangial cells. Methods : After in vitro culturing of human mesangial cells with the supernatant which was obtained from the monocytes separated from human blood with Con-A, hydrocortisone, Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang respectively, we evaluated suppressive effects by measuring the mesangial cell surface enzyme immunoassay or flow cytometry. Results : The results are summarized as follows: 1. Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang induced marked suppressive effects on the mesangial cell proliferation in the 50% and 25% supernatant concentration stimulating experiments, but hydrocortisone had little effect in these experiments. 2. Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang induced marked suppressive effects on ICAM-l and ${\beta}1-integrin$ expression, but were less effective than hydrocortisone was. Conclusions : Based on these results, Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang were found to be effective in the suppression of mesangial cell proliferation and in ICAM-1 and ${\beta}1-integrin$ expression. Further in vitro investigations as conducted above, with the in vivo experiments reflected, may prove that Dangguijakyak-san and Wuelbigachul-tang contribute to the prevention of the glomerular disease.