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Objective To investigate whether there is endogenous neural stem cell proliferation and whether these proliferated neural stem cells represent neural plasticity in the adult rats after cerebral infarction. Methods Cerebral infarction models of rats were established and the dynamic expression of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), BrdU/polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. BrdU was used to mark dividing neural stem cells. PSA-NCAM was used to mark the plasticity of neural stem cells. Results Compared with controls, the number of BrdU-positive cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and hippocampus increased significantly at 1st day after cerebral infarction (P < 0. 05 ), reached maximum at 7th day, decreased markedly at 14th day, but it was still elevated compared with that of the controls (P < 0.05). The number of BrdU-labeled with PSA-NCAM-positive cells increased significantly at 7th day (P < 0.05 ), reached maximum at 14th day, markedly decreased at 28th day, but it was still elevated compared with that of the controls (P < 0.05). It was equal to 60% of the number of BrdU-positive cells in the same period. Conclusion Cerebral infarction may stimulate the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in situ and most proliferated neural stem cells represent neural plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the expression of telomerase transcriptional elements-interacting factor (TEIF) in human testis under different status and its relation with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression. Methods Specific antisera against TEIF were generated by immunization of rabbits with purified recombinated partial TEIF. Samples were assigned to three groups according to their pathological types, including 16 normal testes, 8 atrophic testes, and 6 testicular seminomas. They were subjected to immunohistochemical staining of TEIF and hTERT. Results from both TEIF and hTERT were analyzed semi-quantitatively and compared. Results The expressions of TEIF and hTERT were detected in all samples of normal, atrophic testes, and seminomas. No differences of TEIF expressions among these three groups were observed (P> 0.05). On the contrary, the expressions of hTERT were significantly lower in atrophic testes compared with those of normal testes and seminomas (both P < 0.05). Nevertheless, co-expressions of TEIF with hTERT were revealed to be in normal and malignant cases (P < 0.05) but not in atrophic testes, which generally presented TEIF expression. The cellular distributions of both proteins were similar and mainly in spermatocytes and some Sertoli cells, while were all negative in the interstitial cells and other stromal cells. Conclusions The uniform expressions of TEIF in all these specimens suggest that it may be a marker of testis and its related diseases. The strong expression of hTERT in normal testes and testicular seminomas comparing with the low expression in atrophic testes may suggest a role for telomerase in maintaining proliferation of germ cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]