Electrical stimulation induced pre-vascularization of engineered dental pulp tissue.

Vascularization is a key step to achieve pulp tissue regeneration and pre-vascularized dental pulp tissue could be applied as a graft substitute for dental pulp tissue repair. In this study, human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (hUVECs) were co-cultured in 3D Matrigel and 150 mV/mm electric fields (EFs) were used to promote the construction of pre-vascularized dental pulp tissue. After optimizing co-cultured ratio of two cell types, immunofluorescence staining, and live/dead detection were used to investigate the effect of EFs on cell survival, differentiation and vessel formation in 3D engineered dental pulp tissue.

A review of the evidence to support electrical stimulationinduced vascularization in engineered tissue.

Tissue engineering presents a promising solution for regenerative medicine and the success depends on the supply of oxygen/nutrients to the cells by rapid vascularization. More and more technologies are being developed to facilitate vascularization of engineered tissues. In this review, we indicated that a regulatory system which influences all angiogenesis associated cells to achieve their desired functional state is ideal for the construction of vascularized engineered tissues .

Combination of electrical stimulation and bFGF synergistically promote neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells and neurite extension to construct 3D engineered neural tissue.

Objective: The construction of in vitro three-dimensional (3D) neural tissue has to overcome two main types of challenges: (1) How to obtain enough number of functional neurons from stem cells in 3D culture; (2) How to wire those lately developed neurons into functional neural networks. Here, we describe the potential of using direct current (DC) electric field (EF) together with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) synergistically in promoting neural stem cell (NSC) neuronal differentiation following by directing neurite outgrowth in the 3D neural tissue construction.

Approach: By adjusting the electrical stimulation setup in this study, long-term electrical stimulation could be present in vitro.

Ascl1 Regulates Electric Field-Induced Neuronal Differentiation Through PI3K/Akt Pathway.

Directing differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs) to produce functional neurons is one of the greatest challenges in regenerative medicine. Our previous paper has confirmed that electrical stimulation has a high efficiency of triggering neuronal differentiation by using isolated filum terminale (FT)-derived NPCs. To further clarify the intrinsic molecular mechanisms, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was applied to pinpoints novel hubs in electric field (EF)-induced neuronal differentiation.

Electric field stimulation induced neuronal differentiation of filum terminale derived neural progenitor cells.

Adult filum terminale (FT) is an atypical region from where multipotent neural progenitor cells (NPCs) have been isolated. However, poor neuronal differentiation rate of FT-NPCs currently limits their clinical applications. Using custom-designed electric fields (EFs), this study sets up a method to significantly improve neuronal differentiation rate of rat FT-NPCs in vitro.

Co-transplantation of bFGF-expressing amniotic epithelial cells and neural stem cells promotes functional recovery in spinal cord-injured rats.

We have previously demonstrated that amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) can enhance survival and neural differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) when co-cultured in basal media. In addition, the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) enhances this AEC function. The aim of the present study was to extend those findings and investigate whether AECs modified with the bFGF gene will also enhance NSCs survival and neural differentiation in vivo and promote repair of the injured spinal cord.

Reimplantation combined with transplantation of transgenic neural stem cells for treatment of brachial plexus root avulsion.

Objective: To explore a new method to treat brachial plexus root avulsion experimentally by reimplantation combined with transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) modified by neurotrophin-3 gene (NT-3).

Methods: The total RNA was extracted from neonatal rat striatum and the NT-3 cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription and amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The NT-3 gene was transferred into NSCs via the pLEGFP-C1, an expression plasmid vectors.

[Discovery of rat Islet-1 gene variant and its expression in NSC].

Aim: To construct rat Islet-1 gene recombinant retroviral expression vector and to transduce Islet-1 gene into neural stem cell (NSC) by the vector.

Methods: The cDNA encoding the rat Islet-1 gene was isolated by RT-PCR method, the amplified gene fragment was subcloned into the retroviral vector plEGFP-C1. Islet-1 gene was transduced into NSC by PA317 packaging cells, then the expression of Islet-1 in NSC was observed.

Enhanced neural differentiation of neural stem cells and neurite growth by amniotic epithelial cell co-culture.

Amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) were reported to show a neuroprotective effect on neurons, but there was no direct evidence for a functional relationship between neural stem cells (NSCs) and AECs. The aim of this study was to determine whether AECs could stimulate differentiation and expand neurogenesis of NSCs, and whether the roles were due to a diffusible factor or required direct cell-cell contact. AECs were isolated from rat amnion on E14-16 and NSCs were isolated from neocortical tissue.

Biological effect of velvet antler polypeptides on neural stem cells from embryonic rat brain.

Background: Velvet antler polypeptides (VAPs), which are derived from the antler velvets, have been reported to maintain survival and promote growth and differentiation of neural cells and, especially the development of neural tissues. This study was designed to explore the influence of VAPs on neural stem cells in vitro derived from embryonic rat brain.

Methods: Neural stem cells derived from E12-14 rat brain were isolated, cultured, and expanded for 7 days until neural stem cell aggregations and neurospheres were generated.