Large quantity production with extreme convenience of human SDF-1α and SDF-1β by a Sendai virus vector

AbstractWe describe a robust expression of human stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and SDF-1β, the members of CXC-chemokine family, with a novel vector system based upon Sendai virus, a non-segmented negative strand RNA virus. Recombinant SDF-1α and SDF-1β were detected as a major protein species in culture supernatants, reached as high as 10 μg/ml. This remarkable enrichment of the products allowed us to use even the crude supernatants as the source for biological and antiviral assays without further concentration nor purification and will thus greatly facilitate to screen their genetically engineered derivatives

Left–right asymmetric cell intercalation drives directional collective cell movement in epithelial morphogenesis

Morphogenetic epithelial movement occurs during embryogenesis and drives complex tissue formation. However, how epithelial cells coordinate their unidirectional movement while maintaining epithelial integrity is unclear. Here we propose a novel mechanism for collective epithelial cell movement based on Drosophila genitalia rotation, in which epithelial tissue rotates clockwise around the genitalia. We found that this cell movement occurs autonomously and requires myosin II. The moving cells exhibit repeated left–right-biased junction remodelling, while maintaining adhesion with their neighbours, in association with a polarized myosin II distribution. Reducing myosinID, known to cause counter-clockwise epithelial-tissue movement, reverses the myosin II distribution. Numerical simulations revealed that a left–right asymmetry in cell intercalation is sufficient to induce unidirectional cellular movement. The cellular movement direction is also associated with planar cell-shape chirality. These findings support a model in which left–right asymmetric cell intercalation within an epithelial sheet drives collective cellular movement in the same direction

Pharmacological targeting of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal/stem cells for the treatment of hematological disorders

Abstract The therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are mainly based on three characteristics: immunomodulation, tissue regeneration, and hematopoietic support. Cell therapy using culture-expanded MSCs is effective in some intractable bone and hemato-immune disorders; however, its efficacy is limited. In this article, we review the previous efforts to improve the clinical outcomes of cell therapy using MSCs for such disorders. We describe pharmacological targeting of endogenous bone marrow-derived MSCs as a crucial quality-based intervention to establish more effective MSC-based therapies

The Effect of pH from Simulated Acid Rain on Multi-Element Contents of Leaves, Stems and Roots of the Crops

[Abstract] In this study, simulated acid rain in which the pH differs was sprinkled on crops for 1week. The concentrations of Mg, Ca, K, P , Fe and Zn in the leaves, stems and roots of these crop plants was determined by ICP atomic emission spectrometry. As a result, it was shown that many elements were easily released from the crops, as the pH was lowered. However, it became clear that Fe ion was very easily absorbed by each part of the plant at pH 5.6, though the level was decreased at pH 4.7 or less.本文データはCiNiiから複製したものである