Mouse Parthenogenetic Embryonic Stem Cells with Biparental-Like Expression of Imprinted Genes Generate Cortical-Like Neurons That Integrate into the Injured Adult Cerebral Cortex.

One strategy for stem cell-based therapy of the cerebral cortex involves the generation and transplantation of functional, histocompatible cortical-like neurons from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Diploid parthenogenetic Pg-ESCs have recently emerged as a promising source of histocompatible ESC derivatives for organ regeneration but their utility for cerebral cortex therapy is unknown. A major concern with Pg-ESCs is genomic imprinting.

Characterization of l-Theanine Excitatory Actions on Hippocampal Neurons: Toward the Generation of Novel N-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptor Modulators Based on Its Backbone.

l-Theanine (or l-γ-N-ethyl-glutamine) is the major amino acid found in Camellia sinensis. It has received much attention because of its pleiotropic physiological and pharmacological activities leading to health benefits in humans, especially. We describe here a new, easy, efficient, and environmentally friendly chemical synthesis of l-theanine and l-γ-N-propyl-Gln and their corresponding d-isomers.

In Vitro Corticogenesis from Embryonic Stem Cells Recapitulates the In Vivo Epigenetic Control of Imprinted Gene Expression.

In vitro corticogenesis from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is an attractive model of cortical development and a promising tool for cortical therapy. It is unknown to which extent epigenetic mechanisms crucial for cortex development and function, such as parental genomic imprinting, are recapitulated by in vitro corticogenesis. Here, using genome-wide transcriptomic and methylation analyses on hybrid mouse tissues and cells, we find a high concordance of imprinting status between in vivo and ESC-derived cortices.

Extracellular matrix regulates alpha s1-casein gene expression in rabbit primary mammary cells and CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) binding activity.

Previous studies have shown that both the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) and the CCAAT enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs) are involved in the regulation of casein gene expression by mammary epithelial cells. Prolactin (Prl) activation of STAT5 is necessary for casein gene expression. The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates also casein gene expression.

Sympathetic innervation of the upper and lower regions of the uterus and cervix in the rat have different origins and routes.

The origins and routes of the postganglionic sympathetic nerve supply to the upper and lower uterus and to the cervix were investigated in the rat by using denervation procedures combined with immunohistochemistry and retrograde tracing. The sympathetic nerve fibers of the upper part of the uterus arise from the ovarian plexus nerve. They mainly originate (90%) from neurons of the suprarenal ganglia (SRG) and of the T10 to L3 ganglia of the paravertebral sympathetic chain.