Scientific Resources

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is recognized as a second brain because of its complexity and its largely autonomic control of bowel function. Recent progress in studying the interactions between the ENS and the central nervous system (CNS) has implicated alterations of the gut/brain axis as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs),Parkinson's disease (PD) and other human CNS disorders,whereas the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown because of the lack of good model systems. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the ability to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into cells of all three germ layers,thus making iPSCs an ideal source of cells for disease modelling and cell therapy. Here,hiPSCs were induced to differentiate into neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) efficiently. When co-cultured with smooth muscle layers of ganglionic gut tissue,the NCSCs differentiated into different subtypes of mature enteric-like neurons expressing nitric oxide synthase (nNOS),vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP),choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or calretinin with typical electrophysiological characteristics of functional neurons. Furthermore,when they were transplanted into aneural or aganglionic chick,mouse or human gut tissues in ovo,in vitro or in vivo,hiPSC-derived NCSCs showed extensive migration and neural differentiation capacity,generating neurons and glial cells that expressed phenotypic markers characteristic of the enteric nervous system. Our results indicate that enteric NCSCs derived from hiPSCs supply a powerful tool for studying the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders and brain/gut dysfunction and represent a potentially ideal cell source for enteric neural transplantation treatments.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication,25 October 2016; doi:10.1038/mp.2016.191. View Publication

The mechanisms underlying human germ cell development are largely unknown,partly due to the scarcity of primordial germ cells and the inaccessibility of the human germline to genetic analysis. Human embryonic stem cells can differentiate to germ cells in vitro and can be genetically modified to study the genetic requirements for germ cell development. Here,we studied NANOS3 and DAZL,which have critical roles in germ cell development in several species,via their over expression in human embryonic stem cells using global transcriptional analysis,in vitro germ cell differentiation,and in vivo germ cell formation assay by xenotransplantation. We found that NANOS3 over expression prolonged pluripotency and delayed differentiation. In addition,we observed a possible connection of NANOS3 with inhibition of apoptosis. For DAZL,our results suggest a post-transcriptional regulation mechanism in hES cells. In addition,we found that DAZL suppressed the translation of OCT4,and affected the transcription of several genes associated with germ cells,cell cycle arrest,and cell migration. Furthermore,DAZL over expressed cells formed spermatogonia-like colonies in a rare instance upon xenotransplantation. These data can be used to further elucidate the role of NANOS3 and DAZL in germ cell development both in vitro and in vivo. View Publication

Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a novel tool to investigate the pathophysiology of poorly known diseases,in particular those affecting the nervous system,which has been difficult to study for its lack of accessibility. In this emerging and promising field,recent iPSCs studies are mostly used as proof-of-principle" experiments that are confirmatory of previous findings obtained from animal models and postmortem human studies; its promise as a discovery tool is just beginning to be realized. A recent number of studies point to the functional similarities between in vitro neurogenesis and in vivo neuronal development� View Publication

The demand of high cell numbers for applications in cellular therapies and drug screening requires the development of scalable platforms capable to generating highly pure populations of tissue-specific cells from human pluripotent stem cells. In this work,we describe the scaling-up of an aggregate-based culture system for neural induction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) under chemically-defined conditions. A combination of non-enzymatic dissociation and rotary agitation was successfully used to produce homogeneous populations of hiPSC aggregates with an optimal (140 μm) and narrow distribution of diameters (coefficient of variation of 21.6%). Scalable neural commitment of hiPSCs as 3D aggregates was performed in 50 mL spinner flasks,and the process was optimized using a factorial design approach,involving parameters such as agitation rate and seeding density. We were able to produce neural progenitor cell cultures,that at the end of a 6-day neural induction process contained less than 3% of Oct4-positive cells and that,after replating,retained more than 60% of Pax6-positive neural cells. The results here presented should set the stage for the future generation of a clinically relevant number of human neural progenitors for transplantation and other biomedical applications using controlled,automated and reproducible large-scale bioreactor culture systems. View Publication

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize the secretion profile of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (iPS-RPE) during wound healing. iPS-RPE was used to develop an in vitro wound healing model. We hypothesized that iPS-RPE secretes cytokines and growth factors which act in an autocrine manner to promote migration and proliferation of cells during wound healing. Methods iPS-RPE was grown in transwells until fully confluent and pigmented. The monolayers were scratched to induce a wound. Levels of Ki-67,$$-catenin,e-cadherin,n-cadherin,and S100A4 expression were analyzed by immunofluorescent labeling. Cell culture medium samples were collected from both the apical and basolateral sides of the transwells every 72 hours for 21 days. The medium samples were analyzed using multiplex ELISA to detect secreted growth factors and cytokines. The effects of conditioned medium on collagen gel contraction,cell proliferation,and migration were measured. Results iPS-RPE underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during wound healing as indicated by the translocation of $$-catenin to the nucleus,cadherin switch,and expression of S100A4. GRO,GM-CSF,MCP-1,IL-6,and IL-8 were secreted by both the control and the wounded cell cultures. VEGF,FGF-2,and TGF$$ expression were detected at higher levels after wounding than those in control. The proteins were found to be secreted in a polarized manner. The conditioned medium from wounded monolayers promoted collagen gel contraction,as well as proliferation and migration of ARPE 19 cells. Conclusions These results indicate that after the monolayer is wounded,iPS-RPE secretes proteins into the culture medium that promote increased proliferation,contraction,and migration. View Publication

Spatial organization of the genome plays a central role in gene expression,DNA replication,and repair. But current epigenomic approaches largely map DNA regulatory elements outside of the native context of the nucleus. Here we report assay of transposase-accessible chromatin with visualization (ATAC-see),a transposase-mediated imaging technology that employs direct imaging of the accessible genome in situ,cell sorting,and deep sequencing to reveal the identity of the imaged elements. ATAC-see revealed the cell-type-specific spatial organization of the accessible genome and the coordinated process of neutrophil chromatin extrusion,termed NETosis. Integration of ATAC-see with flow cytometry enables automated quantitation and prospective cell isolation as a function of chromatin accessibility,and it reveals a cell-cycle dependence of chromatin accessibility that is especially dynamic in G1 phase. The integration of imaging and epigenomics provides a general and scalable approach for deciphering the spatiotemporal architecture of gene control. View Publication

Crystalline Mg-Zinc (Zn)-Strontium (Sr) ternary alloys consist of elements naturally present in the human body and provide attractive mechanical and biodegradable properties for a variety of biomedical applications. The first objective of this study was to investigate the degradation and cytocompatibility of four Mg-4Zn-xSr alloys (x=0.15,0.5,1.0,1.5wt%; designated as ZSr41A,B,C,and D respectively) in the direct culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. The second objective was to investigate,for the first time,the early-stage inflammatory response in cultured HUVECs as indicated by the induction of vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). The results showed that the 24-h in vitro degradation of the ZSr41 alloys containing a β-phase with a Zn/Sr at% ratio ∼1.5 was significantly faster than the ZSr41 alloys with Zn/Sr at% ∼1. Additionally,the adhesion density of HUVECs in the direct culture but not in direct contact with the ZSr41 alloys for up to 24h was not adversely affected by the degradation of the alloys. Importantly,neither culture media supplemented with up to 27.6mM Mg(2+) ions nor media intentionally adjusted up to alkaline pH 9 induced any detectable adverse effects on HUVEC responses. In contrast,the significantly higher,yet non-cytotoxic,Zn(2+) ion concentration from the degradation of ZSr41D alloy was likely the cause for the initially higher VCAM-1 expression on cultured HUVECs. Lastly,analysis of the HUVEC-ZSr41 interface showed near-complete absence of cell adhesion directly on the sample surface,most likely caused by either a high local alkalinity,change in surface topography,and/or surface composition. The direct culture method used in this study was proposed as a valuable tool for studying the design aspects of Zn-containing Mg-based biomaterials in vitro,in order to engineer solutions to address current shortcomings of Mg alloys for vascular device applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Magnesium (Mg) alloys specifically designed for biodegradable implant applications have been the focus of biomedical research since the early 2000s. Physicochemical properties of Mg alloys make these metallic biomaterials excellent candidates for temporary biodegradable implants in orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. As Mg alloys continue to be investigated for biomedical applications,it is necessary to understand whether Mg-based materials or the alloying elements have the intrinsic ability to direct an immune response to improve implant integration while avoiding cell-biomaterial interactions leading to chronic inflammation and/or foreign body reactions. The present study utilized the direct culture method to investigate for the first time the in vitro transient inflammatory activation of endothelial cells induced by the degradation products of Zn-containing Mg alloys. View Publication

Decidual NK (dNK) cells,a distinct type of NK cell,are thought to regulate uterine spiral artery remodeling,a process that allows for increased blood delivery to the fetal-placental unit. Impairment of uterine spiral artery remodeling is associated with decreased placental perfusion,increased uterine artery resistance,and obstetric complications such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. Ex vivo manipulation of human peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells by a combination of hypoxia,TGFß-1 and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine yields cells with phenotypic and in vitro functional similarities to dNK cells,called idNK cells. Here,gene expression profiling shows that CD56Bright idNK cells derived ex vivo from human pNK cells,and to a lesser extent CD56Dim idNK cells,are enriched in the gene expression signature that distinguishes dNK cells from pNK cells. When injected into immunocompromised pregnant mice with elevated uterine artery resistance,idNK cells homed to the uterus and reduced the uterine artery resistance index,suggesting improved placental perfusion. View Publication

Fate allocation in the gastrulating embryo is spatially organized as cells differentiate into specialized cell types depending on their positions with respect to the body axes. There is a need for in vitro protocols that allow the study of spatial organization associated with this developmental transition. Although embryoid bodies and organoids can exhibit some spatial organization of differentiated cells,methods that generate embryoid bodies or organoids do not yield consistent and fully reproducible results. Here,we describe a micropatterning approach in which human embryonic stem cells are confined to disk-shaped,submillimeter colonies. After 42 h of BMP4 stimulation,cells form self-organized differentiation patterns in concentric radial domains,which express specific markers associated with the embryonic germ layers,reminiscent of gastrulating embryos. Our protocol takes 3 d; it uses commercial microfabricated slides (from CYTOO),human laminin-521 (LN-521) as extracellular matrix coating,and either conditioned or chemically defined medium (mTeSR). Differentiation patterns within individual colonies can be determined by immunofluorescence and analyzed with cellular resolution. Both the size of the micropattern and the type of medium affect the patterning outcome. The protocol is appropriate for personnel with basic stem cell culture training. This protocol describes a robust platform for quantitative analysis of the mechanisms associated with pattern formation at the onset of gastrulation. View Publication

Genetic diseases of blood cells are prime candidates for treatment through ex vivo gene editing of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs),and a variety of technologies have been proposed to treat these disorders. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a recessive genetic disorder caused by a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the $\beta$-globin gene (HBB). Sickle hemoglobin damages erythrocytes,causing vasoocclusion,severe pain,progressive organ damage,and premature death. We optimize design and delivery parameters of a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex comprising Cas9 protein and unmodified single guide RNA,together with a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide donor (ssODN),to enable efficient replacement of the SCD mutation in human HSPCs. Corrected HSPCs from SCD patients produced less sickle hemoglobin RNA and protein and correspondingly increased wild-type hemoglobin when differentiated into erythroblasts. When engrafted into immunocompromised mice,ex vivo treated human HSPCs maintain SCD gene edits throughout 16 weeks at a level likely to have clinical benefit. These results demonstrate that an accessible approach combining Cas9 RNP with an ssODN can mediate efficient HSPC genome editing,enables investigator-led exploration of gene editing reagents in primary hematopoietic stem cells,and suggests a path toward the development of new gene editing treatments for SCD and other hematopoietic diseases. View Publication

A progressive increase in MECP2 protein levels is a crucial and precisely regulated event during neurodevelopment,but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We report that MECP2 is regulated post-transcriptionally during in vitro differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into cortical neurons. Using reporters to identify functional RNA sequences in the MECP2 3' UTR and genetic manipulations to explore the role of interacting factors on endogenous MECP2,we discover combinatorial mechanisms that regulate RNA stability and translation. The RNA-binding protein PUM1 and pluripotent-specific microRNAs destabilize the long MECP2 3' UTR in hESCs. Hence,the 3' UTR appears to lengthen during differentiation as the long isoform becomes stable in neurons. Meanwhile,translation of MECP2 is repressed by TIA1 in hESCs until HuC predominates in neurons,resulting in a switch to translational enhancement. Ultimately,3' UTR-directed translational fine-tuning differentially modulates MECP2 protein in the two cell types to levels appropriate for normal neurodevelopment. View Publication

Insulin secretion is elaborately modulated in pancreatic ß cells within islets of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to develop islet-like structures with insulin-producing ß cells for the treatment of diabetes is challenging. Here,we report that pancreatic islet-like clusters derived from hESCs are functionally capable of glucose-responsive insulin secretion as well as therapeutic effects. Pancreatic hormone-expressing endocrine cells (ECs) were differentiated from hESCs using a step-wise protocol. The hESC-derived ECs expressed pancreatic endocrine hormones,such as insulin,somatostatin,and pancreatic polypeptide. Notably,dissociated ECs autonomously aggregated to form islet-like,3D structures of consistent sizes (100-150 μm in diameter). These EC clusters (ECCs) enhanced insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulus and potassium channel inhibition in vitro. Furthermore,ß cell-deficient mice transplanted with ECCs survived for more than 40 d while retaining a normal blood glucose level to some extent. The expression of pancreatic endocrine hormones was observed in tissues transplanted with ECCs. In addition,ECCs could be generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells. These results suggest that hPSC-derived,islet-like clusters may be alternative therapeutic cell sources for treating diabetes. View Publication