In Vitro and In Vivo Dendritic Cell Immune Stimulation Effect of Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan from New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida

Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF) has been reported to have immunomodulation effects through the increase of the activation and function of macrophages. In this study, the regulating effect of LMWF from Undaria pinnatifida grown in New Zealand on dendritic cells (DCs) was investigated. We discovered that LMWF could stimulate DCs’ maturation and migration, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells’ proliferation in vitro. We proved that this immune promoting activity is activated through TLR4 and its downstream MAPK and NF–κB signaling pathways. Further in vivo (mouse model) investigation showed that LMWF has a strong immunological boosting effect, such as facilitating the proliferation of immune cells and increasing the index of immune organs. These findings suggest that LMWF has a positive immunomodulatory effect and is a promising candidate to supplement cancer immunotherapy.     

牛皮肤成纤维细胞的体外培养与冻存

利用牛皮肤组织块直接培养法，得到牛皮肤细胞的原代培养物，再用酶消化法和反复贴壁法处理，能够纯化成纤维细胞。成纤维细胞的冻存是通过选用6种分别含有二甲基亚砜（DMSO）、甘油（GL）及乙二醇（EG）的保护液，以相同的冻前处理方法，对牛皮肤成纤维细胞进行缓慢冷冻，冰箱预冷平衡1－2h，逐步投入液氮（－196℃）中保存，再经37℃水浴解冻，Hanks液脱保护剂，以贴壁率评价冻存效果。结果表明，20％DMSO保护液对牛皮肤成纤维细胞表现出较好且稳定的冷冻保护效果，其平均贴壁率达87．9％。     

应用电镜技术快速检测培养细胞中的支原体污染

应用电镜技术可快速准确地检测培养细胞中的支原体污染。通过高速离心浓缩样品,负染色后电镜观察,可在30min内做出判定,方法快速、简便、准确。     

猪雄性生殖干细胞的分离培养及鉴定

本试验旨在探索猪雄性生殖干细胞(mGSCs)体外分离、培养的适宜条件,建立猪雄性生殖干细胞体外培养体系。采用两步酶消化法对新生小猪睾丸生殖干细胞进行了体外分离和初步的培养鉴定,并利用层黏连蛋白和明胶的不同贴壁特性,比较2种差易贴壁分选方法的富集效果,并对传代后的干细胞培养1周后进行碱性磷酸酶染色鉴定,通过免疫荧光技术检测培养细胞是否表达干细胞标志蛋白OCT-4。试验结果表明,层黏连蛋白更适用于猪生殖干细胞的富集、培养,细胞分选效率及增殖生长明显优于采用明胶分选的方法。培养的mGSCs拥有与小鼠mGSCs相同的形态、增殖及表达特征。鉴定结果显示,生长细胞克隆碱性磷酸酶染色呈阳性,支持细胞碱性磷酸酶染色呈阴性;培养的生殖干细胞克隆表达转录蛋白OCT-4,而饲养层支持细胞OCT-4抗体染色则呈阴性。结果表明培养的干细胞克隆仍保持较好的干细胞活性,保持正常的自我复制和分化潜能,初步建立了生殖干细胞培养体系。     

黄芪多糖在LPS诱导的DF-1细胞炎症反应中的抗炎作用及其调节机制

为探讨黄芪多糖(Astragalus polysaccharide,APS)在LPS(lipopolysaccharide,LPS)诱导的鸡胚成纤维细胞系DF-1(chicken embryonic fibroblast cell line,DF-1)炎症模型中对IL-1β和TNF-α表达的影响,以及细胞因子信号转导抑...     

激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞乳脂肪合成的调控作用

乳脂肪是高质量的天然脂肪,其可为人类提供营养和能量,在各种膳食脂肪和油类中,是最容易被消化吸收的。乳脂肪是在乳腺中由从头合成或外源摄取的脂肪酸与甘油酯化形成的一种脂类物质,其含量的高低关系着牛奶品质的优劣和乳制品的加工特性。在奶牛的泌乳周期中,乳腺泌乳功能受多种因素影响,其中内分泌腺分泌的多种激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞（BMECs）乳脂的合成具有积极的调控作用。综上所述,作者介绍了氢化可的松、催乳素、胰岛素和生长激素4种泌乳相关激素对BMECs乳脂肪合成的调控机理,即从乳脂合成适宜的激素添加量、激素对乳脂球形态的影响方面初步阐释其调控作用,并从乳脂合成的关键酶及转录因子、激素对乳脂合成相关基因表达量方面深入阐释其作用机理,旨在为研究泌乳相关激素对奶牛乳腺内乳脂肪合成的调控机理提供参考。     

睾丸支持细胞的功能、分离纯化及鉴定研究进展

支持细胞对维持精子形成过程中的微环境起决定作用,它可以通过分泌功能、细胞间连接形成的血睾屏障功能以及吞噬功能等来促进精子的形成过程,其发育异常会导致不同程度的雄性生殖缺陷。基于支持细胞在雄性动物生殖过程中的作用,体外培养高纯度支持细胞可成为研究睾丸两大核心功能-精子发生和性激素分泌功能相关调节机制重要的细胞模型。此外,体外培养睾丸支持细胞也可作为生殖毒理学等新兴热点领域的细胞模型,为评估和研究环境因素对雄性生殖的影响提供便利。因此,作者系统地归纳、总结了目前关于动物支持细胞生物功能的研究及常用的体外分离纯化、培养及鉴定方法,以期为利用动物支持细胞开展雄性生殖领域的研究提供参考。     

Porcine hepatocyte–Kupffer cell co‐culture as an in vitro model for testing the efficacy of anti‐inflammatory substances

As Kupffer cells are highly involved in the regulation of hepatic inflammatory response, the main goal of this study was to improve and to characterize a hepatocyte–Kupffer cell co‐culture of pig origin for modelling endotoxin‐induced hepatic inflammation and for testing the efficacy of potential anti‐inflammatory substances. This monolayer co‐culture was prepared from primary isolated swine hepatocytes and Kupffer cells in the ratio of 6:1 and 2:1, mimicking different states of liver inflammation. The prepared cell cultures were characterized by immunohistochemical CD‐68 detection. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge of both co‐cultures resulted in elevated interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) and that of 6:1 co‐cultures in increased IL‐6 production with a higher extent than on hepatocyte monocultures, justifying the key role of Kupffer cells in pro‐inflammatory cytokine production. LPS‐induced IL‐8 production was successfully attenuated by concomitant application of both sodium butyrate and terpinen‐4‐ol on hepatocyte monocultures, but not on co‐cultures, demonstrating the importance of the presence of Kupffer cells in cell cultures as inflammatory models. Based on these initial data, the applied porcine primary hepatocyte–Kupffer cell co‐culture is suggested to be a proper tool for in vitro investigations on liver physiology and hepatic inflammation in pigs and can be used as a useful model mimicking in vivo conditions in veterinary research.     

Effects of two commercial diets and technical feed treatment on stomach lesions and immune system of fattening pigs

The impact of technical feed treatment and diet on stomach lesions and traits of the local and systemic immune system were investigated in fattening pigs. Feeding groups differed in technical feed treatment (standard ground meal vs. finely ground and pelleted feed) and diet (soya bean meal vs. rapeseed meal/DDGS/soya beans). Pigs were fattened approximately 10 weeks by ad libitum feeding and slaughtered subsequently. Gastric alterations were assessed by a macroscopic scoring system [macroscopic stomach score (MSC) 0 =  normal to 4 =  severe lesions]. For immunological investigations, lymphocytes from blood and jejunal tissues were isolated. T‐cell phenotyping was carried out by staining intestinal lymphocytes with monoclonal antibodies for CD4 and CD8 and flow cytometric measurements. MSC was higher in animals fed finely ground and pelleted feed compared with their counterparts. Significant interactions between diet and feed treatment considering the MSC were observed (p = 0.027). There was no effect of diet or technical feed treatment on T cells of blood, Lymphonodi gastrici or lamina propria (LP) and intraepithelial cells. However, technical feed treatment significantly affected subsets of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD8^low, CD4/CD8 double‐positive T cells, the mean fluorescence intensity of CD4⁺ T cells and the ratio of CD8^low/CD8^high T cells in Peyer's patches (PP). All named parameters were reduced in PP of animals fed finely ground and pelleted feed compared with animals fed standard ground meal. Furthermore, significant differences between T cells of lymph nodes and LP were observed between animals with middle MSC (MSC = 1–2.5) and animals with high MSC (MSC = 3–4). Significant alterations in T cells of PP were observed between animals of low (MSC = 0–0.5) and high MSC. The observed effects provide the evidence that the impact of technical feed treatment is not limited on the stomach lesions. Possible stimuli and consequences of the immune system should be studied in more detail.     

Isolation,proliferation and characterization of endometrial canine stem cells

In the last decade, progenitor cells isolated from dissociated endometrial tissue have been the subject of many studies in several animal species. Recently, endometrial cells showing characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been demonstrated in human, pig and cow uterine tissue samples. The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of stromal cells from the endometrium of healthy bitches, a tissue that after elective surgery is routinely discarded. Multipotent stromal cells could be isolated from all bitches enrolled in the study (n = 7). The multipotency of cells was demonstrated by their capacity to differentiate into adipocytic, osteocytic and chondrocytic lineages. Clonogenicity and cell proliferation ability were also tested. Furthermore, gene expression analysis by RT‐PCR was used to compare the expression of a set of genes (CD44, CD29, CD34, CD45, CD90, CD13, CD133, CD73, CD31 CD105, Oct4) with adipose tissue‐derived MSC. Stromal cells isolated from uterine endometrium showed similar morphology, ability of subculture and plasticity, and also expressed a panel of genes comparable with adipose tissue‐derived MSC. These data suggest that endometrial stromal cells fulfil the basic criteria proposed by the “Mesenchymal and Tissue Stem Cell Committee of the International Society for Cellular Therapy” for the identification of mesenchymal stem cells. Although endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSC) showed a lower replicative ability in comparison with adipose tissue‐derived MSC, they could be considered a cell therapeutic agent alternative to adipose tissue or bone marrow‐derived MSC in dog.