Survival Of Embryonic Stem Cells Research Articles

83ANALYSIS OF RAPID COOLING V. SLOW COOLING COMBINED WITH ICE CRYSTAL SEEDING FOR CRYOPRESERVATION OF PRIMATE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Primate embryonic stem (ES) cells have the ability to self-renew indefinitely while maintaining the ability to differentiate. This unique property allows scientists to study the factors necessary for stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in vitro that reflect in vivo processes. Work with primate ES cells is handicapped by the poor survival (1–5%) of rhesus and human ES cells following standard tissue culture methods of rapid cryopreservation. The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast two cryopreservation techniques, slow cooling combined with ice crystal seeding commonly used for mammalian embryos v. rapid cooling commonly used for tissue culture, to find a method for efficient primate ES cell cryopreservation. A combination of trials was run to compare dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) v. ethylene glycol as a cryoprotectant, a cooling rate of 0.3°C per minute following ice crystal seeding at −7°C v. placement at −80°C with no seeding, and rapid thaw with step-wise cryoprotectant removal v. one-step sucrose cryoprotectant removal. Cell survival was assessed through a combination of cell surface markers, alkaline phosphatase staining and morphology to look for undifferentiated cells and quantitate survival. All cryopreservations were performed with the same cell density. The survival of the cells with slow embryo-style cooling in DMSO with a step-wise cryoprotectant removal was 64.0% v. 12.8% with rapid cooling.

A definitive role of Shp-2 tyrosine phosphatase in mediating embryonic stem cell differentiation and hematopoiesis

AbstractHomozygous mutant (Shp-2Δ46-110) embryonic stem (ES) cells exhibit decreased hematopoiesis; however, the point at which Shp-2 is critical for ES cell differentiation to hematopoietic cells is unknown. We characterized the differentiation defect of Shp-2Δ46-110 ES cells by examining early points of differentiation, conducting leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)–stimulated biochemical analysis, and performing in vitro reconstitution studies with wild-type (WT) Shp-2. ES cell in vitro differentiation assays were used to compare the differentiation of WT, Shp-2Δ46-110, and reconstituted ES cells to mesoderm, by measuring brachyury expression, to hemangioblasts, by measuring blast colony-forming cell (BL-CFC) formation and flk-1 expression, and to hematopoietic progenitor colony-forming cells, by performing secondary plating assays. LIF-stimulated phospho-Stat3 (known to be critical for ES cell self-renewal and maintenance of an undifferentiated state) and phospho-Erk levels were examined by immunoblotting. ES cell survival, using annexin V staining, and secondary embryoid body (EB) formation were also evaluated. Differentiation to both mesoderm and hemangioblasts was lower in Shp-2Δ46-110 cells compared to WT cells. On reconstitution with WT Shp-2, expression of brachyury and flk-1 and differentiation to hemangioblasts and primitive and definitive hematopoietic progenitors were restored. LIF-stimulated phospho-Stat3 levels were higher, whereas phospho-Erk levels were lower in Shp-2Δ46-110 ES cells than in WT and reconstituted cells. The increased phospho-Stat3 levels correlated with increased Shp-2Δ46-110 ES cell secondary EB formation and survival. We conclude that normal Shp-2 function is critical for the initial step of ES cell differentiation to mesoderm and to hemangioblasts and acts within the LIF-gp130-Stat3 pathway to maintain a proper balance of ES cell differentiation, pluripotency, and apoptosis.

Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate) as a mouse embryonic stem cells support

AbstractA series of swellable ethylene dimethacrylate‐crosslinked poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) sheets of homogeneous (nonporous) structure or with different degrees of swelling and porosities was produced by bulk polymerization in either the absence or the presence of various diluents (porogens). Calculations performed by use of the solubility parameter δ of the reaction components indicate that the solvation conditions of the polymerization system change, depending on the solvating power of the diluent, which thus controls the porosity. Pore volume also seemed to be sensitive to the presence of the linear polymer diluent. Polystyrene (PS) showed, compared with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a higher precipitating ability to form porous PHEMA sheets with an increased pore size because of its higher noncompatibility with newly formed crosslinked PHEMA. Given that PHEMA hydrogel is well known for its biocompatibility, it was used here as a potential carrier of cells in transplantation therapies. Attachment and growth of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells on gelatin‐coated transparent PHEMA hydrogel substrates were examined. Two days after plating, survival and morphology of ES cells were largely similar on both PHEMA hydrogel sheets and in petri dishes as controls. This suggests that PHEMA hydrogels are likely candidates for application in transplantation therapies involving ES cells. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 425–432, 2003