Room temperature liquid crystal of symmetric gallic trimer containing cyanuric core: synthesis and mesomorphism

<div><p>Three novel gallic monomer <b>7</b>, dimer <b>10</b> and trimer <b>12</b> with conjugated cyanuric core were designed and synthesised by Schiff-base condensation mode in yields of 80–90%. Their structures were characterised by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and elemental analyses. Their mesomorphic behaviours were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The gallic monomer <b>7</b> has no mesomorphic property, but the dimer <b>10</b> and trimer <b>12</b> possess good mesomorphic properties. The trimer <b>12</b> with high symmetry exhibited the typical hexagonal columnar liquid crystal at room temperature. The temperature range of mesophase is as wide as 149°C (14–163°C). The results suggested that the more gallic units and symmetric structures are favourable for excellent mesomorphic properties.</p></div

Identification of NSCs and protoplasmic astrocytes <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>(A) Representative photomicrograph of neurospheres in culture. (B) Immunocytochemical staining of purified NSCs with Nestin(bar = 82.91 µm). (C) Immunocytochemical staining of NSCs with anti-Brd-U antibody (bar = 48.93 µm). (D) Immunocytochemical staining of differentiated cells from NSCs (green indicates neuron-specific label β-tubulin; red indicates the astrocyte-specific label GFAP; blue indicates the nucleus-specific label DAPI; bar = 75 µm). (E) Representative photomicrograph of purified protoplasmic astrocytes (×100). (F) Immunocytochemical staining of purified protoplasmic astrocytes with GFAP. (G) Nucleus staining of purified protoplasmic astrocytes with DAPI. (H) Merge of F and G. The scale bar = 37.5 µm for F, G, and H.</p

Quantification of differentiated cells cultured in various media at 7 days <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>Protoplasmic astrocytes grown in co-culture medium (A), NB+B27 medium (B), co-culture medium+BDNF antibody (C), and DMEM/F12+10% FBS medium (D). Scale bar = 75 µm. (E) Quantification of differentiated neurons in the various media conditions. β-tubulin III staining (green) indicates neurons; GFAP staining (red) indicates astrocytes. The nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). *p<0.05 indicates statistical significance compared with the D/F+FBS group. ^# p<0.05 indicates statistical significance compared with the co-culture+antibody group.</p

Western blot analysis of β-tubulin III protein in differentiated cells cultured with various media at 7 days <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>(A) Western blots showing the relative amount of β-tubulin <b>III</b> protein in all groups. β-actin was used to control for loading. (B) Data represent mean ± SD of three independent experiments. *p<0.05 indicates statistical significance compared with the D/F+FBS group. ^# p<0.05 indicates statistical significance compared with the co-culture+antibody group.</p

The growth and differentiation of NSCs with different media at 3 days <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>(A) Differentiation of NSCs co-cultured with protoplasmic astrocytes. (B) Differentiation of NSCs in NB+N2 medium. (C) Differentiation of NSCs in co-culture+BDNF antibody medium. (D) Differentiation of NSCs in DMEM/F12+10% FBS medium. The scale bar = 150 µm.</p

BDNF secretion in supernatant solution of different media.

<p>Units = pg/ml for all data in the table.</p><p>N = 3 for all groups;</p>*<p>indicates p<0.05 compared to the protoplasmic astrocyte group.</p