MACS-W:A modified optical clearing agent for imaging 3D cell cultures

Three-dimensional(3D)cell cultures have contributed to a variety of biological research fields by filling the gap between monolayers and animal models.The modern optical sectioning microscopic methods make it possible to probe the complexity of 3D cell cultures but are limited by the inherent opaqueness.While tissue optical clearing methods have emerged as powerful tools for investigating whole-mount tissues in 3D,they often have limitations,such as being too harsh for fragile 3D cell cultures,requiring complex handling protocols,or inducing tissue deformation with shrinkage or expansion.To address this issue,we proposed a modified optical clearing method for 3D cell cultures,called MACS-W,which is simple,highly efficient,and morphology-preserving.In our evaluation of MACS-W,we found that it exhibits excellent clearing capability in just 10 min,with minimal deformation,and helps drug evaluation on tumor spheroids.In summary,MACS-W is a fast,minimally-deformative and fluorescence compatible clearing method that has the potential to be widely used in the studies of 3D cell cultures.

Chemical Constituents of the Suspension Cell Cultures of Maytenus hookeri

Suspension cell cultures of Maytenus hookeri Loos. (Celastraceae) in SH media were established from the calli induced from the leaves and young steins of M. hookeri on MS media with the supplement of 2 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L KIN (kinetin). Ethyl acetate extract of the cultures showed inhibitory activities against Penicillium avellaneum UC-4376 which was sensitive to maytansinoids. Exhaustive isolation of natural products from a large scale of suspension cell cultures did not yield maytansine instead of affording nine compounds including one novel triterpenoid, named 2, 3-diacetoxyl maytenusone (1), and eight known ones including squalene (2), beta-sitosterol (3), 2', 3', 4-triacetyl-sitoindoside I (4), salaspermic acid (5), maytenonic acid (6), 2alpha-hydroxy-maytenonic acid (7), 6, 11,12-trihydroxy-8, 11, 13-abietrien-7-one (8) and 11, 12-dihydroxy-8, 11, 13-abietatrien-7-one (9) elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR data. The H-1-NMR and C-13-NMR assignments were made for 1, 5, 6 and 7, while the C-13-NMR assignments for 5 and 6 were revised. The chemical results suggested that the suspension cell cultures of M. hookeri did not produce maytansinoids under the reported experiment conditions.

Detection of Mycoplasma Contamination in Animal Cell Cultures

[ Objective ] To develop a rapid efficient method for detecting mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures. [ Method] A pair of primers was designed according to two highly conserved nucleotide sequences of the 16S RNA from six kinds of mycoplasma that commonly contaminated cells. Then the mycoplasma contamination of 25 cell samples was defected by PCR and DNA fluorescence staining. EResultl When these cell samples were detected by DNA fluorescence staining, the positive rate and probable positive rate were respectively 24% and 16%. And when they were detected by PCR, the positive rate was 36%. [ Condusion] The PCR method is more sensitive and specific than the DNA fluorescence staining, and combining these two methods is the optimal way to detect mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures.

Glutathione peroxidase activity in cell cultures from different regions of human epididymis

Aim: To study the secretory activity and androgen regulation of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in epithelial cell cultures from human epididymis. Methods: Tissue was obtained from patients undergoing therapeutic orchidectomy for prostatic cancer. Epithelial cell cultures were obtained from the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides. Enzymatic activity was measured in conditioned media by colorimetric methods in absence or presence of 1, 10 or 100 nrnoI.L^(-1) testosterone. The effect of 1 μmol.L^(-1) flutamide was also evaluated. Results: GPx activity was higher in cultures from corpus and cauda than caput epididymidis. The presence of different concentrations of testosterone increase enzyme activity in cell cultures from all epididymal regions. Addition of flutamide reverses the androgen dependent increase of GPx activity. Conclusion: GPx activity is secreted from human epididymal cells in a region dependent manner and is regulated by androgens.

Biotransformation of 14-Deacetoxy-13-oxo sinenxan A by Ginkgo Cell Cultures

Deacetoxy-13-oxo sinenxan A (1) was converted to 9a-hydroxy-13-oxo-2a, 5a, 10b-triacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene (2) and 10b-hydroxy-13-oxo-2a,5a,9a-triacetoxy- 4(20), 11- taxadiene (3) by Ginkgo cell suspension cultures in 45% and 15% yields, respectively.

Schwann cell cultures from human fetal dorsal root ganglia

BACKGROUND： Previous studies have used many methods for in vitro Schwann cells （SCs） cultures and purification, such as single cell suspension and cytosine arabinoside. However, it has been difficult to obtain sufficient cellular density, and the procedures have been quite tedious. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the feasibility of culturing high-density SCs using fetal human dorsal root ganglion tissue explants. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： Cell culture and irnmunohistochernistry were performed at the Central Laboratory of Kunrning General Hospital of Chinese PLA between March 2001 and October 2008. MATERIALS： Culture media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, as well as 0.2% collagenase and 0.25% trypsin were purchased from Gibco, USA; mouse anti-human S-100 monoclonal antibody and goat anti-mouse IgG labeled with horseradish peroxidase were provided by Beijing Institute of Biological Products, China. METHODS： Primarily cultured SCs were dissociated from dorsal root ganglia of human aborted fetuses at 4 6 months pregnancy. Following removal of the dorsal root ganglion perineurium, the ganglia were dissected into tiny pieces and digested with 0.2% collagenase and 0.25% trypsin （volume ratio 1：1）, then explanted and cultured. SC purification was performed with 5 rnL 10% fetal bovine serum added to the culture media, followed by differential adhesion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： SCs morphology was observed under inverted phase contrast light microscopy. SC purity was evaluated according to percentage of S-100 immunostained cells. RESULTS： SCs were primarily cultured for 5 6 days and then subcultured for 4 5 passages. The highly enriched SC population reached 〉 95% purity and presented with normal morphology. CONCLUSION： A high purity of SCs was obtained with culture methods using human fetal dorsal root ganglion tissue explants.

Current status and challenges for cell-cultured milk technology: a systematic review

Cellular agriculture is an innovative technology for manufacturing sustainable agricultural products as an alternative to traditional agriculture.While most cellular agriculture is predominantly centered on the production of cultured meat,there is a growing demand for an understanding of the production techniques involved in dairy products within cellular agriculture.This review focuses on the current status of cellular agriculture in the dairy sector and technical challenges for cell-cultured milk production.Cellular agriculture technology in the dairy sector has been classified into fermentation-based and animal cell culture-based cellular agriculture.Currently,various companies synthesize milk components through precision fermentation technology.Nevertheless,several startup companies are pursuing animal cell-based technology,driven by public concerns regarding genetically modified organisms in precision fermentation technology.Hence,this review offers an up-to-date exploration of animal cell-based cellular agriculture to produce milk components,specifically emphasizing the structural,functional,and productive aspects of mammary epithelial cells,providing new information for industry and academia.

3D Collagen Gels:A Promising Platform for Dendritic Cell Culture in Biomaterials Research

The three-dimensional(3D)cell culture system has garnered significant attention in recent years as a means of studying cell behavior and tissue development,as opposed to traditional two-dimensional cultures.These systems can induce specific cell reactions,promote specific tissue functions,and serve as valuable tools for research in tissue engineering,regenerative medicine,and drug discovery.This paper discusses current developments in the field of three-dimensional cell culture and the potential applications of 3D type 1 collagen gels to enhance the growth and maturation of dendritic cells.

Biotransformation of Gastrodin by Cell Suspension Cultures of Catharanthus roseus

应用长春花 (Catharanthusroseus (L .)G .Don)悬浮细胞培养体系对天麻素进行了生物转化反应研究。经过8d培养形成一个转化产物 ,应用光谱方法鉴定转化产物的结构为对羟基苯甲醇 ,为天麻素水解后形成的甙元。

Productions of Taxol and Related Taxanes by Cell Suspension Cultures of Taxus yunnanensis

A high taxol yield cell line of Taxus yunnanensis Cheng et L. K. Fu keeps a high taxol_producing level after successive subcultures for more than eight years. In this study, eight taxanes were isolated from the suspension cell cultures of this cell line. Based on NMR and MS analyses, and comparison with literature data and standards, their structures were determined to be 2α,5α,10β_triacetoxy_14β_propionyloxy_4(20),11_taxadiene (1), 2α,5α,10β_triacetoxy_14β_(2′_methyl)_butyryloxy_4(20),11_taxadiene (2), 2α,5α,10β_14β_tetra_acetoxy_4 (20),11_taxadiene (3, taxuyunnanine C), 2α,5α,10β_triacetoxy_14β_(2′_methyl_3′_hydroxy)_butyryloxy_4(20),11_taxadiene (4, yunnanxane) and its 3′_epimer (5), baccatin Ⅳ (6), baccatin Ⅲ (7) and taxol (8), respectively. Among those compounds, 3, 5, 6 and 7 were reported to be isolated from the suspension cell cultures of T. yunnanensis for the first time. TLC and HPLC analyses indicated that the chemical constituents of the culture solution were similar to those of cultured cells. Moreover, the highest taxol content of this cell line reached 0.3% and the cell line could be applied for a large_scale culture.

Selective 3-OH Isomerization of Resibufogenin by Cell Suspension Cultures of Ginkgo biloba

Aim To modify the structure of resibufogenin by using Ginkgo bilobasuspension. Methods Young leaves of Ginkgo biloba were differentiated into callus in MS medium withonly 2,4-D as plant growth regulator. The callus was then transferred aseptically to liquid MSmedium exoge-nously supplemented with appropriate concentration of 6-BA, NAA and 2,4-D to establishsuspension cell culture system. Resibufogenin was administered into the well-grown cell cultures andincubated for 4 d. The products dissolved in the liquid phase of the cultures were extracted andpurified by silica gel column chromatography gradiently eluted with petroleum ether and acetonesystem. Results One transformed product was obtained in 40% yield after 4 d incubation, which wasidentified as 3-epi-resibufogenin on the basis of FAB MS, ~1H NMR and ^(13)C NMR spectroscopicanalysis and corresponding data reported in literature. Conclusion G. biloba suspension cultures canbe used as an enzyme system to biotransform resibufogenin, an animal-originated bufadienolide, into3-epi-resibufogenin.

Protective Effects of Quercetin on Cadmium-induced Cytotoxicity in Primary Cultures of Rat Proximal Tubular Cells

Objective To investigate the protective effects of quercetin on cadmium-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultures of rat proximal tubular （rPT） cells. Methods Primary cultures of rPT cells undergoing exponential growth were incubated with 1.0 ug/mL quercetin and/or cadmium （2.5, 5.0 umol/L）, in a serum-free medium at 37℃ at different time intervals. Commercial kits were used and flow cytometric analyses were performed on rPT cell cultures to assay apoptosis and oxidative stress. Results Exposure of rPT cells to cadmium acetate （2.5, 5.0 umol/L） induced a decrease in cell viability, caused an increase in apoptotic rate and apoptotic morphological changes. Simultaneously, elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde and calcium levels, depletion of mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular glutathione, and inhibition of Na＋, K＋ -ATPase, Ca2＋ -ATPase, glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）, catalase （CAT）, and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activities were revealed during the cadmium exposure of rPT cells. However, simultaneous supplementation with 1 ug/mL quercetin protected rPT cells against cadmium-induced cytotoxicity through inhibiting apoptosis, attenuating lipid peroxidation, renewing mitochondrial function and elevating the intracellular antioxidants （non-enzymatic and enzymic） levels. Conclusion The present study has suggested that quercetin, as a widely distributed dietary antioxidant, contributes potentially to prevent cadmium-induced cytotoxicity in rPT cells.

Biomass accumulation of Panax vietnamensis in cell suspension cultures varies with addition of plant growth regulators and organic additives

Objective: To evaluate the impact of plant growth regulators including kinetin(KN),benzyl adenine and naphthalene acetic acid, yeast extract and casein hydrolyzate on biomass accumulation of Vietnamese ginseng Panax vietnamensis(P. vietnamensis) in cell suspension culture.Methods: Cell suspension cultures were established from friable calluses derived from leaves and petioles of 3-year-old in-vitro P. vietnamensis plants. The cell suspension cultures were grown in Murashige and Skoog basal media supplemented with various concentrations of KN, benzyl adenine, naphthalene acetic acid, and yeast extract and casein hydrolyzate.Results: All tested factors generated an increase in the cell biomass of P. vietnamensis in suspension culture, but the impact of each varies depended on the factor type, concentration, and incubation period. Addition of 2.0 mg/L KN resulted in the largest biomass increase after 24 d,(57.0 ± 0.9) and(3.1 ± 0.1) mg/m L fresh and dry weight, respectively,whereas addition of benzyl adenine or naphthalene acetic acid produced optimum levels of Panax cell biomass at 1.0 and 1.5 mg/L, respectively. Addition of the elicitor yeast extract led to a 1.4–2.4 fold increase in biomass of P. vietnamensis, while addition of casein hydrolyzate enhanced biomass accumulation 1.8–2.6 fold.Conclusions: The addition of each factor causes significant changes in biomass accumulation of P. vietnamensis. The largest biomass accumulation is from cultures grown in MS media containing 2.0 mg/L KN for 24 d. The outcome of the present study provides new insights into the optimal suspension culture conditions for studies on the in vitro cell biomass production of P. vietnamensis.

Plant cell cultures as heterologous bio-factories for secondary metabolite production

Synthetic biology has been developing rapidly in the last decade and is attracting increasing attention from many plant biologists.The production of high-value plant-specific secondary metabolites is,however,limited mostly to microbes.This is potentially problematic because of incorrect post-translational modification of proteins and differences in protein micro-compartmentalization,substrate availability,chaperone availability,product toxicity,and cytochrome p450 reductase enzymes.Unlike other heterologous systems,plant cells may be a promising alternative for the production of high-value metabolites.Several commercial plant suspension cell cultures from different plant species have been used successfully to produce valuable metabolites in a safe,low cost,and environmentally friendly manner.However,few metabolites are currently being biosynthesized using plant platforms,with the exception of the natural pigment anthocyanin.Both Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum cell cultures can be developed by multiple gene transformations and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing.Given that the introduction of heterologous biosynthetic pathways into Arabidopsis and N.tabacum is not widely used,the biosynthesis of foreign metabolites is currently limited;however,therein lies great potential.Here,we discuss the exemplary use of plant cell cultures and prospects for using A.thaliana and N.tabacum cell cultures to produce valuable plant-specific metabolites.

Comparison of biological behavior of lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma with high-grade transformation cells

AIM:To evaluate the differences between human lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma with high-grade transformation(LACC-HGT)primar y cells cultured by high-grade transformation tissue and non-high-grade transformation(non-HGT)primary cells cultured by non-highgrade transformation tissue in proliferation,metastasis,drug susceptibility,and genes.METHODS:LACC-HGT primary cells were established by tissue block culture,and the 4^(th)to 10^(th)generation primary cells were selected as research objects.The cells were preliminarily identified by immunofluorescent staining.The differences between non-HGT and LACC-HGT primary cells in terms of proliferation,metastasis,and drug susceptibility were compared by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,wound healing,and drug sensitivity experiments.Differentially expressed genes were screened using mRNA array.Gene expression was analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR).RESULTS:LACC-HGT primary cells were successfully cultured by tissue block culture.Immunofluorescence staining results showed that cytokeratin(CK)and CK7 expression levels were positive in LACC-HGT primary cells.CCK-8 results showed that the proliferation ability of LACCHGT cells was significantly higher than that of non-HGT cells.Wound healing experiment showed that the migration ability of LACC-HGT cells was significantly higher than that of non-HGT cells.LACC-HGT cells were also less sensitive to cisplatin and paclitaxel than non-HGT cells.Compared with non-HGT cells,9566 differentially expressed genes were found in LACC-HGT primary cells,of which 5162 were upregulated and 4404 were down-regulated.The expression of N-acetylneuraminate pyruvate lyase(NPL),MARVEL domain containing 3(MARVELD3),syntabulin(SYBU),and allograft inflammatory factor 1(AIF1)was higher in LACCHGT cells than in non-HGT cells,whereas that of periostin(POSTN)was lower.CONCLUSION:LACC-HGT primary cells have faster proliferation,stronger migration ability,and poorer sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs than non-HGT primary cells.The expression of mRNAs in non-HGT and LACC-HGT primary cells are significantly different.These features are speculated to be the reasons why high-grade transformation tissues exhibit higher malignant degree and poorer prognosis than their counterparts.

Effects of some heavy metals on cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus

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Enzymatic Cell Isolation and Explant Cultures of Rat Calvarial Osteoblast Cells

Osteoblast cells were isolated from the calvarial bones of newborn Wistar rats and cultured in vitro via both collagenase digestion method and explant technique, and a comparative study was carried out on the two culture methods. The biologic charwteristics of the osteoblast cells were studied via cell number counting, morphology observation, alkaline phosphatase staining of the cells and alizarine- red staining of the calcified nodules. The results show that osteoblast cells can be cultured in vitro via collagenase digestion method and explant technique, and the obtained cells ure of good biologic characteristics. In comparison with the explant technique, the operative procedure of the enzymatic digestion method is more complicated. The digestion time must be carefully controlled. However, with this method, one can obtain a lager number of cells in a short time. The operative procedure of the explant technique is simpler, but it usually takes longer time to obtain cells of desirable number.

Effects of simulated zero gravity on adhesion,cell structure,proliferation,and growth behavior,in glioblastoma multiforme

All life on Earth has evolved under the influence of continuous gravity,and methods have been developed to balance this influence with the biological evolution of organisms at the cellular and system levels.However,when exposed to zero gravity in space,the balance between cell structure and external forces is destroyed,resulting in changes at the cellular level(e.g.,cell morphology,adhesion,viability,apoptosis,etc.),and understanding the molecular mechanism of cell response to zero gravity will help to cope with diseases that rely on mechanical response.Therefore,biological research in space and zero gravity is a unique step in developing the best anti-cancer treatments,which is a great challenge to humanity.In this study,multicellular glioma cancer cells from a brain tumor in a 72-year-old Iraqi patient were subjected to simulated zero gravity for 24 h,and the results showed that most of the cells lost their adhesion,which is considered to be the first step toward cell apoptosis.In addition to the formation of multicellular spheroids,the results also showed that the inhibition rate for cell death was 32%in comparison to the control cells.Moreover,the cells showed a clear change in their cellular morphology and growth behavior.These results give new hope for fighting cancer distinctively,and such a treatment method has no side effects in comparison to traditional chemical and radiological ones.

An Innovative Design of Incubator Structure for Cell Culture

In view of the problems of the traditional cell incubator,such as the small range of cell culture types,the inability to adjust the internal space of the incubator according to needs,and the inconvenient sampling,this study innovatively designed a cell incubator structure.It proposed a new design concept that can solve the above-mentioned shortcomings.The cell incubator after the new structural modification can adjust the internal space structure of cell culture by setting the bolt-fixed connection between the fixed plate and the vessel divider.It realizes the cultivation of various cells through refrigeration modules and heating modules.Through setting a sampling hole in the glass inner door,it is favorable for operators to take samples,making cell culture more convenient and efficient.

Sequential extraction of RNA,DNA and protein from cultured cells of the same group

BACKGROUND Efficient extraction of nucleic acids and proteins(ENAP)from cells is a prerequisite for precise annotation of gene function,and has become laboratory routine for revealing the mysteries of life.However,cell samples are often from different culture dishes,resulting in inevitable experimental errors and sometimes poor repeatability.AIM To explore a method to improve the efficiency of ENAP,minimizing errors in ENAP processes,enhancing the reliability and repeatability of subsequent experimental results.METHODS A protocol for the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cultured HepG2 cells using RNAzol reagent is presented here.The first step involves culturing HepG2 cells to the exponential phase,followed by the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cultured cells in the second step.The yield of nucleic acids and proteins is detected in the third step,and their purity and integrity are verified in the last step.RESULTS The procedure takes as few as 3-4 d from the start to quality verification and is highly efficient.In contrast to the existing kits and reagents,which are primarily based on independent isolation,this RNAzol reagent-based method is characterized by the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cells,and therefore saves time,and has low cost and high efficiency.CONCLUSION The RNA,DNA,and proteins isolated using this method can be used for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,polymerase chain reaction,and western blotting,respectively.