Electrical Preconditioning of Stem Cells

Cool Science

The ability to manipulate hNPCs via a conductive scaffold creates a new approach to optimize stem cell-based therapy and determine which factors (such as VEGF-A) are essential for stroke recovery: Paul M. Georgea, Tonya M. Blissb, Thuy Huab, Alex Leed, Byeongtaek Oh, Alexa Levinson, Swapnil Mehta, Guohua Sun, Gary K. Steinberg. Electrical preconditioning of stem cells with a conductive polymer scaffold enhances stroke recovery. doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.07.020...anti βIII-tubulin (1:500, Neuromics, Edina, MN)...

Image: Neural progenitors were labeled with anti-rat Nestin polyclonal antibody (Cat#:GT15114) and stained with conjugated donkey anti-goat secondary anti-body (green). Differentiated neurons were labeled with neuron-specific mouse anti-β-III tubulin/ Tuj1-(Cat#MO15013 monoclonal antibody (red). Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue).

We have excellent Stem Cell Differentiation Markers. Check them out.

Mouse epiSCs Into Myelinating Cells

This study published recently in Nature Methods hit my radar scope becaused it referenced use of our widely used and frequently published stem cell marker Tuj 1 (Neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin): Fadi J Najm, Anita Zaremba, Andrew V Caprariello, Shreya Nayak, Eric C Freundt, Peter C Scacheri, Robert H Miller & Paul J Tesar. Rapid and robust generation of functional oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from epiblast stem cells. Nature Methods (2011) doi:10.1038/nmeth.1712.

Dr. Paul Tesar and his team at Case Western University demonstrated the ability to convert pluripotent epiblast stem cells into pure populations of myelinating cells, called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). First, stem cells in a petri dish are treated with molecules to direct them to become the most primitive cells in the nervous system. To produce OPCs, these primitive cells are treated with a defined set of proteins. The cells were cultured on laminin and treated withh apporopriate growth factors. The OPCs were nearly homogenous and could be multiplied to obtain more than a trillion cells.

The OPCs were treated with thyroid hormone, which is key to regulating the transition of the OPCs to oligodendrocytes. The result was the OPCs stopped proliferating and turned into oligodendrocytes within four days.

These methods could used to potentially produce stable and pure populations of human OPCs in a significant enough number to treat patients with demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy.

Tuj-1-Neuronal Differentiation Marker

Our Tuj-1 antibodies are widely used and frequently referenced in customer publications. They are proven markers for Neural Progenitor and Neuronal Differentiation. Here's the latest reference:

Alonso M. Higuero, Lucía Sánchez-Ruiloba1, Laura E. Doglio, Francisco Portillo1, José Abad- Rodríguez, Carlos G. Dotti and Teresa Iglesias. Kidins220/ARMS modulates the activity of microtubule-regulating proteins and controls neuronal polarity and development. JBC Papers in Press. Published on November 10, 2009 as Manuscript M109.024703.

...Tuj 1 (Neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin)-Mouse (MO15013, Neuromics Antibodies, Edina, MN)...

Immunofluorescence Method:

Cells grown on coverslips were fixed for 5 min in 4% paraformaldehydecontaining 4% sucrose in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at 37ºC. Cells were then permeabilized with 0.2% Triton X-100 in PBS during 5 min at room temperature. After blocking (5% bovine serum albumin in PBS for 1 h), cells were incubated with the corresponding primary antibodies, and immunoreactivity was detected with the suitable fluorophore-conjugated secondary antibody before mounting on slides with Mowiol4-88 (Harland Co., UK). Confocal images were acquired using an inverted Leica TCS SP5 laser confocal microscope with a 63X Plan- Achromatic oil immersion objective and processed with LAS AF Leica Application Suite and Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems
Inc., CA). All images correspond to the projection of sections from a ~50μm z-stack, except for colocalization analysis where they correspond to 0.5-0.7μm single sections.

Image: Rat hippocampal neurons were fixed at 1.5 DIV and immunostained for the neuronal marker βIII-Tubulin/Tuj1 (blue).

survival of efferent synapses on mammalian outer hair cells.

Dr Douglas Vetter (Tufts University School of Medicine) and team recently published a study that amplifies the understanding of the development, function and maintenance of auditory system function.

Their data strongly suggest that hair cell responses induced and/or modulated by Olivocochlear (OC) activation are necessary for the survival of OC innervation and that these responses must involve SK2-mediated hyperpolarization.

It also includes an excellent image of Olivocochlear fibers degeneration in SK2−/− mice. One of the makers used was our Tuj 1 (Neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin).

Vidya Murthy, Stéphane F. Maison, Julián Taranda, Nadeem Haque, Chris T. Bond , A. Belén Elgoyhen, John P. Adelman, M. Charles Liberman, Douglas E. Vetter. SK2 channels are required for function and long-term survival of efferent synapses on mammalian outer hair cells. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 40 (2009) 39–49
...TuJ-1 (class III β-tubulin, Neuromics, Northfield, MN; cat. # MO15013) and processedwith Oregon Green labeled secondary antibodies (Molecular Probes/InVitrogen) for confocal microscopy...

Other Pubs Referencing Neuromics' Tuj 1 (Neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin):
Yoshifumi Saisho, Paul E. Harris, Alexandra E. Butler, Ryan Galasso, Tatyana Gurlo,1 Robert A. Rizza, and Peter C. Butler. Relationship between pancreatic vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and insulin expression in human pancreas. J Mol Histol. 2008 October; 39(5): 543–551. Published online 2008 September 13. doi: 10.1007/s10735-008-9195-9.
Sujoy K. Dhara, Kowser Hasneen, David W. Machacek, Nolan L. Boyd, Raj R. Rao, Steven L. Stice (2008). Human neural progenitor cells derived from embryonic stem cells in feeder-free cultures. Differentiation 76 (5) , 454–464 doi:10.1111/j.1432-0436.2007.00256.x
...NES (1:100, Neuromics, Edina, MN), MSI1 (1:100, Neuromics), Tuj1 (1:500, Neuromics)...
D. Conte, V. Lall, G. Dobson, S. Deuchars, J. Deuchars. Cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurones in the spinal cord of the mouse and rat: small cells with a big purpose? University of Leeds (2008) Proc Physiol Soc 10 PC45
...Preliminary immunohistochemical data supports the concept that the CSFcNs are immature neurones, since they express neuronal markers Tuj1 (Neuromics) ...