• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.60-60
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• 2003

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have property of self-renewal and can differentiate into the cells of all three primary germ layers. Recently, many growth factors, alteration of culture condition and gene modifications have been used to differentiate mouse and human ES cells into specific cell types. This study was performed to evaluate the differentiation protocol for human ES cells to the endodermal lineage cells. Human ES cells (Miz-hESl ) were cultured on STO feeder layer mitotically inactivated with mitemycin C, and embryoid bodies (EBs) were formed by suspension culture. Differentiation protocol of EBs consisted of three steps: stage I, culture of EBs for 6 days with ITSFn medium; stage II, culture of stage I cells for 8 days with N2 medium ; stage III, culture of stage II cells for 22 days with N2 medium. mRNA levels of the endodermal lineage differentiation genes were analyzed by semi- quantitative RT-PCR. The Oct-4 expression, a marker of the pluripotent state, was detected in undifferentiated human ES cells but progressively decreased after EBs formation. Differentiating human ES cells expressed marker genes of endodermal differentiation and pancreatic islet cells. GATA4, a-fetoprotein, Glut-2, and Ngn3 were expressed in all stages. However, albumin and insulin were expressed in only stage III cells. The human ES cells can be differentiated into endodermal lineage cells by multiple step culture system using various supplements. We are developing the more effective protocols for guided differentiation of human ES cells.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.204-208
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• 1995

The cytologic findings of endodermal sinus tumor of the ovary are reported. The cytologic preperations were obtained from ascitic specimens. The findings on Papanicolaou-stained smears included a clean background and poorly preserved atypical cells loosely arranged in irregular or papillary groups. At high magnification, the cells had ill-defined and microvacuolated cytoplasms, with an increased nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and prominent nucleoli. Hyaline globules characteristic of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-synthesizing cells of endodermal sinus tumor were observed within the cells with periodic-acid-Schiff(PAS) stain. The presence of PAS-positive hyaline globules can be regarded, therefore, as a diagnostic clue to endodermal sinus tumor in an appropriate clinical setting and in the presence of AFP production. The cytologic findings in a cell block is important, in addition to smears, to obtain more diagnostic clues. A preliminary cytomorphologic diagnosis of this highly malignant tumor is valuable as a guide in planning further immunocytochemical and serologic studies.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 1993

Endodermal sinus tumor of the mediastinum is a very rare malignant tumor, usually affecting young adolescents, and its histologic findings are characteristic as that of gonadal germ cell origin. We describe the cytologic finding of fine needle aspiration of mediastinal endodermal sinus tumor in a 19-year-old male patient, comparing with tissue section. The tumor cells in smears were usually in tight clusters with large overlapping cells, which were arranged in a papillary or microacinar pattern, suggesting carcinoma. The tumor cells were large, round or oval with a small amount of cytoplasm which was occasionally vacuolated and had indistinct border. The nuclei were large, pleomorphic, and vesicular with large prominent nucleoli. The tissue sections showed typical findings of endodermal sinus tumor. Careful correlation of cytological findings and the serum alpha -fetoprotein level would be helpful to confirm the diagnosis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.60-60
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• 2003

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.54-57
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• 1995

We report a case of fine needle aspiration cytology of endodermal sinus tumor of the ovary. A 13-year-old girl complained of abdominal mass and pain. The abdominal sonography revealed a well-demarcated huge mass, which was solid and multiseptated. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration was performed from the mass. The smears revealed moderate cellularity, which was arranged in sheets or clumps of pleomorphic malignant cells on mucoid background The valuable characteristic features of tumor cells were papillary configuration, vacuolated cytoplasm and intracellular and extracellular hyaline globules. The diagnosis was confirmed later by histologic study of surgical resection of the specimen.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2003.08a
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• pp.169.2-169
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• 2003

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1983

The purpose of the present study is to determine variations in synthesis of DNA in the nuclei of various elements of the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) placenta with increasing gestational age from the eighth day post coitus to parturition. The method employed for such determination was autoradiography following injection of pregnant animals with tritiated thymidine. From the results reported, the following points are concluded. The mitotic activities of the endodermal cells of the visceral yolk sac and of the parietal yolk sac, the trophoblastic cells of the labyrinth and the trophospongium and the giant cells were decreased with increasing gestational age, The placentation was nearly completed by day 13 of pregnancy and the increase in size of labyrinth was by appositional growth from the trophospongial cells. It was considered that the inner trophoblastic cells in the vicinity of the fetal blood vessels were originated from the pure chorion. The interrelation among the various cells and the polyploidal giant cells in the placenta were discussed.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2007

The cord blood serves as a vehicle for the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. In the past, the human cord blood has generally been discarded after birth. However, numerous studies have described the regenerative ability of the cord blood cells in various incurable diseases. The umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived stem cells are obtained through non-invasive methods that are not harmful to both the mother and the fetus. Furthermore, the cord blood stem cells are more immature than the adult stem cells and expand readily in vitro. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capacity to differentiate in vitro into various mesodermal (bone, cartilage, tendon, muscle, and adipose), endodermal (hepatocyte), and ectodermal (neurons) tissues. This review describes the immunological properties of the human UCB-MSCs to assess their potential usefulness in the allogeneic transplantation for the regenerative medicine.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2010

Embryoid bodies (EBs) generated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) include spontaneously induced endodermal lineage cells (ELCs). Activin-A plays important roles in the endoderm differentiation of hESCs. Despite studies on the generation of ELCs from hESCs with treatment of Actvin-A, it was unclear for localization and pattern of ELCs by Activin-A during differentiation of hESCs. Accordingly in this study, we knew that Actvin-A increased the cystic EBs formation, including the highly enriched AFP (endoderm lineage specific marker)-expressing cells in the surface of cystic EBs. To induce the EBs formation from undifferentiated hESCs, cells were transferred onto petri-dish and cultured in suspension condition without bFGF removed hESC media (EB media) for 3 days. Next to investigate the effect of Activin-A, EBs were subsequently cultured in EB media supplement with 100 ng/ml Activin-A for 3 days. After 5~7 days of Activin-A treatment, cystic EBs began to appear which increased in numbers reaching ~60% of initially formed EBs over 5 days. Endoderm lineage marker, AFP were highly expressed and specifically localized at the surface region of cystic EBs comparison with normal EBs. We next attached the cystic EBs onto gelatin-coated plates and cultured for 5 days. In the results of real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry analysis, AFP-expressing cells migrated and localized at the outgrowth region of attached cystic EBs. To obtain the AFP-expressing cells of the outgrowth region, we manually isolated by using micro-dissection and cultured them. These cells strongly express AFP over 70% of isolated cells post re-plating. Here, we first showed an expression pattern of specifically localized ELCs by Activin-A during differentiation of hESCs. From this observation, we could highly purified ELCs from undifferentiated hESCs. Taken together, our system will provide a novel and efficient option to generate ELCs from hESCs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.233-240
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• 1975

Glycogen and alkaline phosphatase were studied histochemically in the placenta of the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The results were summarized as followings: 1. The histochemical distribution of glycogen and alkaline phosphatase was described in the various cells of both the placenta and uterus from implantation (5 days past coitum) parturition. 2. Glycogen appeared in the extraembryonic ectorm of the implanting ovum and increased gradually in the ectoplacental cone with the development of the placenta. 3. Glycogen granules began to accumulate in the labylinthine trophoblast of chorioallantoic placenta at 10.5 days and in the endodermal cells the visceral yolk sac sac at 10 days, respectively, and in these both cells glycogen increased gradually until the 13 days post coitum and after this time decreased progressively. 4. Alkaline phosphatase activity was high in the labyrinth, junctional zone and decidua, but was not observed in the yolk sac and trophospongium.