Comparative Angiogenic Activities of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Young and Old Mice

Advanced age is associated with decreased stem cell activity. However, the effect of aging on the differentiation capacity of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into cardiovascular cells has not been fully clarified. We investigated whether iPS cells derived from young and old mice are equally capable of differentiating into vascular progenitor cells, and whether these cells regulate vascular responses in vivo. iPS cells from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (young) or 21 month-old mouse bone marrow (old) were used. Fetal liver kinase-1 positive (Flk-1+) cells, as a vascular progenitor marker, were induced after 3 to 4 days of culture from iPS cells derived from young and old mice. These Flk-1+ cells were sorted and shown to differentiate into VE-cadherin+ endothelial cells and α-SMA+ smooth muscle cells. Tube-like formation was also successfully induced in both young and old murine Flk-1+ cells. Next, hindlimb ischemia was surgically induced, and purified Flk-1+ cells were directly injected into ischemic hindlimbs of nude mice. Revascularization of the ischemic hindlimb was significantly accelerated in mice transplanted with Flk-1+ cells derived from iPS cells from either young or old mice, as compared to control mice as evaluated by laser Doppler blood flowmetry. The degree of revascularization was similar in the two groups of ischemic mice injected with iPS cell-derived Flk-1+ cells from young or old mice. Transplantation of Flk-1+ cells from both young and old murine iPS cells also increased the expression of VEGF, HGF and IGF mRNA in ischemic tissue as compared to controls. iPS cell-derived Flk-1+ cells differentiated into vascular progenitor cells, and regulated angiogenic vascular responses both in vitro and in vivo. These properties of iPS cells derived from old mice are essentially the same as those of iPS cells from young mice, suggesting the functionality of generated iPS cells themselves to be unaffected by aging

Heterojunction Perovskite Microrods Prepared by Remote‐Controlled Vacancy Filling and Halide Exchange

Anion exchange reaction tunes the band gap of halide perovskites, which proceeds by the migration of the ions through the halide vacancies. This study reports the preparation of the heterojunction perovskite microrods by optically controlled localized halide vacancy filling, and halide exchange leading to color tuning in the MAPbBr(3) microrod crystals. The exchange reaction is homogeneously suppressed by treating the crystal with a halide precursor solution, whereas the reaction is locally inhibited at the specific site of a crystal by filling the halide vacancies using a tightly focused beam of a near-infrared laser. By controlling the density of halide vacancies at the specific site of the crystal, the rate of nonradiative recombination of charge carriers in the crystal is controlled. This halide vacancy filling by the remote-controlled reaction helps to locally control the crystal quality and photoluminescence for designing perovskite-based high-quality photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices

Bubble generation and molecular crystallization at solution surface by intense continuous-wave laser irradiation

We demonstrate bubble generation outside the focus induced by irradiating a focused 1064 nm continuous-wave laser beam into the surface of water and L-phenylalanine H2O solutions. In the former case of water, bubbles stay at positions distant from the focus during the irradiation, and their size and location are controllable by the laser power. In the latter solution, bubbles move outward toward the surrounding area, and subsequently crystallization takes place at the focus. We discuss these behaviors from the viewpoints of the temperature elevation accompanying the decrease in air solubility as well as the optical trapping of L-phenylalanine clusters giving a single crystal. (C) 2018 The Japan Society of Applied Physic

In situ reflection imaging and microspectroscopic study on three-dimensional crystal growth of L-phenylalanine under laser trapping

We investigate growth behavior of an L-phenylalanine crystal formed by laser trapping with the use of reflection imaging and microspectroscopy. Optical reflection micrographs show colored images of the crystal due to constructive interference of incident white light. The color distribution on the crystal is dynamically changed under laser trapping, which is in addition to enlargement of the crystal plane area. The temporal change in the crystal thickness is examined by measuring reflection spectra of the crystal. We discuss the three-dimensional crystal growth under laser trapping by comprehensively considering the changes in crystal thickness and crystal plane area. (C) 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physic

Crystallization of Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskites by Optical Trapping

Single crystals of organolead halide perovskites attract much attention to electrooptical and photovoltaic applications. They are usually prepared in precursor solutions incubated at controlled temperatures or under optimized vapor atmosphere conditions, and thus, multiple perovskite crystals are nucleated all over the solution. Multiple nucleation of crystals prevents efficient use of precursors in the preferential growth of large single crystals. An innovative approach is presented for spatiotemporally controlled, selective nucleation and growth of single crystals of lead halide perovskites by optical trapping with a focused laser beam. Upon such trapping in unsaturated precursor solutions, nucleation of MAPbX(3) (MA = CH3NH3+; X = Cl-, Br-, or I-) is induced at the focal spot through increase in the concentration of perovskite precursors in the focal volume. The rate at which the nucleated crystal grows depends upon whether the perovskite absorbs the trapping laser or not. These findings suggest that optical trapping would be useful to prepare various perovskite single crystals and modify their optical and electronic properties; thereby, offering new methods for engineering of perovskite crystals

Millimeter-Scale Dense Liquid Droplet Formation and Crystallization in Glycine Solution Induced by Photon Pressure

A millimeter-scale dense liquid droplet of glycine is prepared by focusing a CW near-infrared laser beam at the glass/solution interface of a thin film of its supersaturated heavy water solution. The formation process is investigated by direct observation with CCD and by measuring temporal change of the surface height with a displacement meter. The droplet becomes much larger than a focal spot size, a few mm width and ∼150 μm height, and observable with the naked eye. Interestingly, the droplet remains for a few tens of seconds even after switching off the laser beam. Whereas the droplet is kept during laser irradiation, the crystallization is immediately attained by shifting the laser beam to the air/droplet surface. It is considered that the droplet is possibly the early stage of the multistep crystallization process and plays an important role in photon pressure-induced crystallization of glycine

Nonradiative Energy Transfer through Distributed Bands in Piezochemically Synthesized Cesium and Formamidinium Lead Halide Perovskites

Repeated absorption of emitted photons, also called photon recycling, in large crystals and thick films of perovskites leads to delayed photoluminescence (PL) and decrease of PL intensity. The role of distinct band gaps, which act as donors and acceptors of energy, and nonradiative energy transfer on such delayed, low intensity emission is yet to be rationalized. Here we report delayed emission by nonradiative energy transfer across a distribution of energy states in close‐packed crystallites of cesium lead bromide CsPbBr3, formamidinium lead bromide FAPbBr3, or the mixed halide FAPb(BrI)3 perovskite synthesized in the form of thick pellets by the piezochemical method. The PL lifetime of the bromide‐rich domain in the mixed halide pellet is considerably decreased when compared with a pure FAPbBr3 pellet. Here the domains with higher bromide composition act as the energy donor, whereas the iodide‐rich domains are the acceptors. Time‐resolved PL measurements of CsPbBr3, FAPbBr3, and the mixed halide FAPb(BrI)3 perovskite pellets help us to clarify the role of nonradiative energy transfer on photon recycling

Laser Trapping and Crystallization Dynamics of l‑Phenylalanine at Solution Surface

We present laser trapping behavior of l-phenylalanine (l-Phe) at a surface of its unsaturated aqueous solution by a focused continuous-wave (CW) near-infrared (NIR) laser beam. Upon the irradiation into the solution surface, laser trapping of the liquid-like clusters is induced concurrently with local laser heating, forming an anhydrous plate-like crystal at the focal spot. The following laser irradiation into a central part of the plate-like crystal leads to laser trapping at the crystal surface not only for l-Phe molecules/clusters but also for polystyrene (PS) particles. The particles are closely packed at crystal edges despite that the crystal surface is not illuminated by the laser directly. The molecules/clusters are also gathered and adsorbed to the crystal surface, leading to crystal growth. The trapping dynamics and mechanism are discussed in view of optical potential formed at the crystal surface by light propagation inside the crystal