• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.958-963
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• 2006

The effect of ginsenosides (GS) on germ cell proliferation was evaluated with a chicken ovarian germ-somatic cell coculture model and the mechanism involving protein kinase C (PKC) pathway was investigated. Ovarian cells were cultured in serum-free McCoy's 5A medium and challenged with GS alone or in combinations with PKC activator (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, PMA) or inhibitor ($H_7$) for 48 h. The number of germ cells was counted and the proliferating cells were identified by immunocytochemistry of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results showed that GS significantly increased germ cell proliferation and this stimulating effect was further increased by PMA, but inhibited by H7, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, GS-elevated PCNA expression and the PCNA -labeling index of germ cells displayed similar changes with the increased numbers of germ cells. These results indicated that GS stimulated proliferation of ovarian germ cells with involvement of the PKC-mediated system.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.3-4
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• 2001

Normal cells proliferate generally a limited number doublings in culture and only rarely have they been shown to overcome cellular senescence and crisis stages, and immortalize spontaneously. I have established a number of non-chemically and non-chemically immortalized embryo fibroblastic (EF) cell lines in continuous cell culture. These include the spontaneously immortalized cell line, DF-1 and several immortal EF cell lines derived from various embryonic tissues. I have previously demonstrated that all of the immortal EF cells established have rapid cell proliferation capacity compared to primary EF cells, presumably due to the deregulation of cell cycle regulators such as p53, E2F-1 and the numerous cyclins. DF-1 cells, in particular, were shown to proliferate more rapidly under normal culture conditions compared to other immortal EF cells, implicating other mechanisms may be important for regulating their growth. The possible mechanism(s) underlying the accelerated growth of DF-1 cells will be addressed in this study. (omitted)

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.12a
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• pp.102-103
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• 2003

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2016

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been routinely cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers with a medium containing animal materials. For clinical application of hESCs, animal-derived products from the animal feeder cells, animal substrates such as gelatin or Matrigel and animal serum are strictly to be eliminated in the culture system. In this study, we performed that SNUhES32 and H1 were cultured on human amniotic fluid cells (hAFCs) with KO-SR XenoFree and a humanized substrate. All of hESCs were relatively well propagated on hAFCs feeders with xeno-free conditions and they expressed pluripotent stem cell markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-4, TRA1-60, TRA1-81, Oct-4, and Nanog like hESCs cultured on STO or human foreskin fibroblast feeders. In addition, we observed the expression of nonhuman N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5GC) molecules by flow cytometry, which was xenotransplantation components of contamination in hESCs cultured on animal feeder conditions, was not detected in this xeno-free condition. In conclusion, SNUhES32 and H1 could be maintained on hAFCs for humanized culture conditions, therefore, we suggested that new xeno-free conditions for clinical grade hESCs culture will be useful data in future clinical studies.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.77-77
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• 2003

Chimeric animals are referred to as an organism composed of tissues derived from more than one species. In order to examine if a pluripotency of embryonic stem cells can cross the limitation of a species, we tried to establish human-mouse chimeric animals. Human embryonic stem cells were genetically modified to express eGFP using eukaryonic expression vector pcDNA 3.1 (In Vitrogene) for an easy identification. After selection with neomycin, approximately 15 cells were implanted into mouse blastocoele cavity. Ten chimeric blastocysts were transferred to one of the uterine horn of 2.5 days pesudopregnent ICR female. Out of 272 blastocysts transferred to pseudopregnant recipients 20 live newborn were obtained after 20 days. When newborn were obtained, pups were quickly removed immersed into 4% PFA. By histological examination using fluorescent microscope, green fluorescence was observed from the liver, heart, and spleen in newborn mice. Three weeks after born, presence of eGFP sequence within mouse genome (tail and kidney) was reconfirmed by PCR. eGFP sequence was amplified from the progenies of the animal suggesting a genetic transmission of the transgene. These chimeric mice having human cells at the beginning of development, are expected to recognize human cells as “self”, therefore, human cells or tissues will be able to escape the immunological surveillance of the host if grafted into the animal. These animals will serve as a good model system for studying the graft rejection in tissue transplantation and the potential of the cells to work well in many human disease.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2015

Neural stem cells (NSCs), with self-renewal and neuronal differentiation capacity, are a feasible resource in cell-based therapies for various neurodegenerative diseases and neural tissue injuries. In this study, we investigated the effects of Schisandrae Fructus (SF) on proliferation and differentiation of human embryonic NSCs. Treatment with 70% ethanol extract of SF increased the viability of NSCs derived from human embryonic stem cells, which was accompanied by increased mRNA expression of cyclin D1. Whereas 70% ethanol extract of SF also decreased the mRNA expression of nestin, it increased class III ${\beta}$-tublin (Tuj-1) and MAP2 in both growth and differentiation media. Lastly, we found increased mRNA expression of BDNF in SF-treated NSCs. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that SF induced proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NSCs and increased mRNA expression of BDNF, suggesting its potential as a regulator of NSC fate in NSC-based therapy for neuronal injuries from various diseases.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2013

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been known to affect to cell migration, proliferation, morphogenesis and apoptosis by degrading the extracellular matrix. In the previous studies, undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were successfully proliferated inside the extracellular matrix (ECM) analog-conjugated three-dimensional (3D) poly ethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel. However, there is no report about MMP secretion in ESCs, which makes it difficult to understand and explain how ESCs enlarge space and proliferate inside 3D PEG-based hydrogel constructed by crosslinkers containing MMP-specific cleavage peptide sequence. Therefore, we investigated what types of MMPs are released from undifferentiated ESCs and how extracellular signals derived from various niche conditions affect MMP expression of ESCs at the transcriptional level. Results showed that undifferentiated ESCs expressed specifically MMP2 and MMP3 mRNAs. Transcriptional up-regulation of MMP2 was caused by the 3D scaffold, and activation of integrin inside the 3D scaffold upregulated MMP2 mRNAs synergistically. Moreover, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) on 2D matrix and 3D scaffold induced upregulation of MMP3 mRNAs, and activation of integrins through conjugation of extracellular matrix (ECM) analogs with 3D scaffold upregulated MMP3 mRNAs synergistically. These results suggest that successful proliferation of ESCs inside the 3D PEG-based hydrogel may be caused by increase of MMP2 and MMP3 expression resulting from 3D scaffold itself as well as activation of integrins inside the 3D PEG-based scaffold.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 1979

Metabolic changes of early mouse embryos treated with progesterone were investigated in order to elucidate the mode of action of progesterone on embryogenesis in vitro. The embryos were cultured, and labelled with radioactive precursors of macromolecules for certain periods in the absence or presence of various concentrations of progesterone by employing the microtube culture technique. The changes of transport and macromolecular synthesis systems of the embryos were examined by measuring the amounts of uptake and incorporation of the precursors. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Progesterone stimulated markedly the uptake of amino acids, but rather suppressed their incorporation by embryonic cells. 2. Progesterone suppressed both the uptake and incorporation of nucleotide precursors (uridine and thymidine) by embryonic cells. 3. Progesterone penetrated into the embryonic cell membranes and was taken up by them. The present results seem to indicate that the inhibition of the progesterone on the mammalian embryogenesis in vitro may not be directly related to the membrane transport system. They seem to imply that progesterone would penetrate into the embryonic cells and may directly block the biosynethetic pathways of macromolecules, and so lead to the inhibition of the embryogenesis in vitro.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2020

As a preclinical study, many researchers have been attempted to convert the porcine PSCs into several differentiated cells with transplantation of the differentiated cells into the pigs. Here, we attempted to derive neuronal progenitor cells from pig embryonic germ cells (EGCs). As a result, neuronal progenitor cells could be derived directly from pig embryonic germ cells through the serum-free floating culture of EB-like aggregates (SFEB) method. Treating retinoic acid was more efficient for inducing neuronal lineages from EGCs rather than inhibiting SMAD signaling. The differentiated cells expressed neuronal markers such as PAX6, NESTIN, and SOX1 as determined by qRT-PCR and immunostaining. These data indicated that pig EGCs could provide valid models for human therapy. Finally, it is suggested that developing transgenic pig for disease models as well as differentiation methods will provide basic preclinical data for human regenerative medicine and lead to the success of stem cell therapy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.431-436
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• 2007

Stem cell-based therapy is being considered as an alternative treatment for cardiomyopathy. Hence understanding the basic molecular mechanisms of cardiomyocyte differentiation is important. Besides BMP or Wnt family proteins, $TGF-{\beta}$ family members are thought to play a role in cardiac development and differentiation. Although $TGF-{\beta}$ has been reported to induce cardiac differentiation in embryonic stem cells, the differential role of $TGF-{\beta}$ isoforms has not been elucidated. In this study, employing the DMSO-induced cardiomyocyte differentiation system using P19CL6 mouse embryonic teratocarcinoma stem cells, we investigated the $TGF-{\beta}$-induced signaling pathway in cardiomyocyte differentiation. $TGF-{\beta}1$, but not the other two isoforms of $TGF-{\beta}$, was induced at the mRNA and protein level at an early stage of differentiation, and Smad2 phosphorylation increased in parallel with $TGF-{\beta}1$ induction. Inhibition of $TGF-{\beta}1$ activity with $TGF-{\beta}1$-specific neutralizing antibody reduced cell cycle arrest as well as expression of the CDK inhibitor $p21^{WAF1}$. The antibody also inhibited induction of the cardiac transcription factor Nkx2.5. Taken together, these results suggest that $TGF-{\beta}1$ is involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation by regulating cell cycle progression and cardiac gene expression in an autocrine or paracrine manner.