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Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the mammalian brain and provide structural and metabolic support to neurons, regulate synapses and become reactive after injury and disease. However, a small subset of astrocytes settles in specialized areas of the adult brain where these astrocytes instead actively generate differentiated neuronal and glial progeny and are therefore referred to as neural stem cells 1-3 . Common parenchymal astrocytes and quiescent neural stem cells share similar transcriptomes despite their very distinct functions 4-6 . Thus, how stem cell activity is molecularly encoded remains unknown. Here we examine the transcriptome, chromatin accessibility and methylome of neural stem cells and their progeny, and of astrocytes from the striatum and cortex in the healthy and ischaemic adult mouse brain. We identify distinct methylation profiles associated with either astrocyte or stem cell function. Stem cell function is mediated by methylation of astrocyte genes and demethylation of stem cell genes that are expressed later. Ischaemic injury to the brain induces gain of stemness in striatal astrocytes 7 . We show that this response involves reprogramming the astrocyte methylome to a stem cell methylome and is absent if the de novo methyltransferase DNMT3A is missing. Overall, we unveil DNA methylation as a promising target for regenerative medicine., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Macrophages are important players in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis 1 . Perivascular and leptomeningeal macrophages reside near the central nervous system (CNS) parenchyma 2 , and their role in CNS physiology has not been sufficiently well studied. Given their continuous interaction with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and strategic positioning, we refer to these cells collectively as parenchymal border macrophages (PBMs). Here we demonstrate that PBMs regulate CSF flow dynamics. We identify a subpopulation of PBMs that express high levels of CD163 and LYVE1 (scavenger receptor proteins), closely associated with the brain arterial tree, and show that LYVE1 + PBMs regulate arterial motion that drives CSF flow. Pharmacological or genetic depletion of PBMs led to accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, obstructing CSF access to perivascular spaces and impairing CNS perfusion and clearance. Ageing-associated alterations in PBMs and impairment of CSF dynamics were restored after intracisternal injection of macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing data obtained from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and from non-AD individuals point to changes in phagocytosis, endocytosis and interferon-γ signalling on PBMs, pathways that are corroborated in a mouse model of AD. Collectively, our results identify PBMs as new cellular regulators of CSF flow dynamics, which could be targeted pharmacologically to alleviate brain clearance deficits associated with ageing and AD., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Tanycytes are highly specialized ependymal cells that line the bottom and the lateral walls of the third ventricle. In contact with the cerebrospinal fluid through their cell bodies, they send processes into the arcuate nucleus, the ventromedial nucleus, and the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. In the present work, we combined transgenic and immunohistochemical approaches to investigate the neuroanatomical associations between tanycytes and neural cells present in the hypothalamic parenchyma, in particular in the arcuate nucleus. The specific expression of tdTomato in tanycytes first allowed the observation of peculiar subcellular protrusions along tanycyte processes and at their endfeet such as spines, swelling, en passant boutons, boutons, or claws. Interestingly, these protrusions contact different neural cells in the brain parenchyma including blood vessels and neurons, and in particular NPY and POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus. Using both fluorescent and electron microscopy, we finally observed that these tanycyte protrusions contain ribosomes, mitochondria, diverse vesicles, and transporters, suggesting dense tanycyte/neuron and tanycyte/blood vessel communications. Altogether, our results lay the neuroanatomical basis for tanycyte/neural cell interactions, which will be useful to further understand cell-to-cell communications involved in the regulation of neuroendocrine functions., (© 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Comparative Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals, LLCs.)

Bioprinting is an emergent technology that has already demonstrated the capacity to create complex and/or vascularized multicellular structures with defined and organized architectures, in a reproducible and high throughput way. Here, we present the implementation of a complex liver model by the development of a three-dimensional extrusion bioprinting process, including parameters for matrix polymerization of methacrylated gelatin, using two hepatic cell lines, Huh7 and HepaRG. The printed structures exhibited long-term viability (28 days), proliferative ability, a relevant hepatocyte phenotype and functions equivalent to or better than those of their 2D counterparts using standard DMSO treatment. This work served as a basis for the bioprinting of complex multicellular models associating the hepatic parenchymal cells, HepaRG, with stellate cells (LX-2) and endothelial cells (HUVECs), able of colonizing the surface of the structure and thus recreating a pseudo endothelial barrier. When bioprinted in 3D monocultures, LX-2 expression was modulated by TGFβ-1 toward the induction of myofibroblastic genes such as ACTA2 and COL1A1. In 3D multicellular bioprinted structures comprising HepaRG, LX-2 and endothelial cells, we evidenced fibrillar collagen deposition, which is never observed in monocultures of either HepaRG or LX-2 alone. These observations indicate that a precise control of cellular communication is required to recapitulate key steps of fibrogenesis. Bioprinted 3D co-cultures therefore open up new perspectives in studying the molecular and cellular basis of fibrosis development and provide better access to potential inducers and inhibitors of collagen expression and deposition., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Gene therapy is being investigated for a range of serious lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and emphysema. Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is a well-established, safe, viral vector for gene delivery with multiple naturally occurring and artificial serotypes available displaying alternate cell, tissue, and species-specific tropisms. Efficient AAV serotypes for the transduction of the conducting airways have been identified for several species; however, efficient serotypes for human lung parenchyma have not yet been identified. Here, we screened the ability of multiple AAV serotypes to transduce lung bud organoids (LBOs)-a model of human lung parenchyma generated from human embryonic stem cells. Microinjection of LBOs allowed us to model transduction from the luminal surface, similar to dosing via vector inhalation. We identified the naturally occurring rAAV2 and rAAV6 serotypes, along with synthetic rAAV6 variants, as having tropism for the human lung parenchyma. Positive staining of LBOs for surfactant proteins B and C confirmed distal lung identity and suggested the suitability of these vectors for the transduction of alveolar type II cells. Our findings establish LBOs as a new model for pulmonary gene therapy and stress the relevance of LBOs as a viral infection model of the lung parenchyma as relevant in SARS-CoV-2 research.

Background: Mesenchymal fibroblasts are ubiquitous cells that maintain the extracellular matrix of organs. Within the lung, airway and parenchymal fibroblasts are crucial for lung development and are altered with disease, but it has been difficult to understand their roles due to the lack of distinct molecular markers. We studied genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression in airway and parenchymal lung fibroblasts from healthy and asthmatic donors, to identify a robust cell marker and to determine if these cells are molecularly distinct in asthma., Results: Airway (N = 8) and parenchymal (N = 15) lung fibroblasts from healthy individuals differed in the expression of 158 genes, and DNA methylation of 3936 CpGs (Bonferroni adjusted p value < 0.05). Differential DNA methylation between cell types was associated with differential expression of 42 genes, but no single DNA methylation CpG feature (location, effect size, number) defined the interaction. Replication of gene expression and DNA methylation in a second cohort identified TWIST1 gene expression, DNA methylation and protein expression as a cell marker of airway and parenchymal lung fibroblasts, with DNA methylation having 100% predictive discriminatory power. DNA methylation was differentially altered in parenchymal (112 regions) and airway fibroblasts (17 regions) with asthmatic status, with no overlap between regions., Conclusions: Differential methylation of TWIST1 is a robust cell marker of airway and parenchymal lung fibroblasts. Airway and parenchymal fibroblast DNA methylation are differentially altered in individuals with asthma, and the role of both cell types should be considered in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Foxp3 +  CD4 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) are an immune cell lineage endowed with immunosuppressive functionality in a wide array of contexts, including both anti-pathogenic and anti-self responses. In the past decades, our understanding of the functional diversity of circulating or lymphoid Tregs has grown exponentially. Only recently, the importance of Tregs residing within non-lymphoid tissues, such as visceral adipose tissue, muscle, skin and intestine, has been recognized. Not only are Tregs critical for influencing the kinetics and strength of immune responses, but the regulation of non-immune or parenchymal cells, also fall within the purview of tissue-resident or infiltrating Tregs. This review focuses on providing a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the molecular maintenance, local adaptation and functional specializations of Treg populations operating within different tissues., (© 2020 The Authors. Immunology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Performance and advances in liver surgery makes remarkable progress of the understanding of liver regeneration. Liver regeneration after liver resection has been widely researched, and the underlying mechanism mostly concerns proliferation of hepatocytes and the influence by inflammation through activation of Kupffer cells and the other parenchymal cells, the second regenerative pathway by hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), inducing angiogenesis, remodeling of a extracellular matrix (ECM), and termination mechanisms. New clinical surgeries and the updated multiomics analysis are exploiting the remarkable progress, especially in immune regulation and metabolic process of two emerging hallmarks. This review briefly represents a systemic outline of eight hallmarks, including hepatocyte proliferation, contribution of hepatic progenitor cells, inducing angiogenesis, reprogramming of the extracellular matrix, apoptosis and termination of proliferation, inflammation, immune and metabolic regulation, which are set as organizing characteristics of postoperative liver regeneration and future directions of refining treatment targets., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology published by Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Neural precursor cells (NSCs) hold great potential to treat a variety of neurodegenerative diseases and injuries to the spinal cord. However, current delivery techniques require an invasive approach in which an injection needle is advanced into the spinal parenchyma to deliver cells of interest. As such, this approach is associated with an inherent risk of spinal injury, as well as a limited delivery of cells into multiple spinal segments. Here, we characterize the use of a novel cell delivery technique that employs single bolus cell injections into the spinal subpial space. In immunodeficient rats, two subpial injections of human NSCs were performed in the cervical and lumbar spinal cord, respectively. The survival, distribution, and phenotype of transplanted cells were assessed 6-8 months after injection. Immunofluorescence staining and mRNA sequencing analysis demonstrated a near-complete occupation of the spinal cord by injected cells, in which transplanted human NSCs (hNSCs) preferentially acquired glial phenotypes, expressing oligodendrocyte (Olig2, APC) or astrocyte (GFAP) markers. In the outermost layer of the spinal cord, injected hNSCs differentiated into glia limitans-forming astrocytes and expressed human-specific superoxide dismutase and laminin. All animals showed normal neurological function for the duration of the analysis. These data show that the subpial cell delivery technique is highly effective in populating the entire spinal cord with injected NSCs, and has a potential for clinical use in cell replacement therapies for the treatment of ALS, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injury., (© 2019 The Authors. Stem Cells Translational Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AlphaMed Press.)

The sympathetic nervous system innervates peripheral organs to regulate their function and maintain homeostasis, whereas target cells also produce neurotrophic factors to promote sympathetic innervation 1,2 . The molecular basis of this bi-directional communication remains to be fully determined. Here we use thermogenic adipose tissue from mice as a model system to show that T cells, specifically γδ T cells, have a crucial role in promoting sympathetic innervation, at least in part by driving the expression of TGFβ1 in parenchymal cells via the IL-17 receptor C (IL-17RC). Ablation of IL-17RC specifically in adipose tissue reduces expression of TGFβ1 in adipocytes, impairs local sympathetic innervation and causes obesity and other metabolic phenotypes that are consistent with defective thermogenesis; innervation can be fully rescued by restoring TGFβ1 expression. Ablating γδ Τ cells and the IL-17RC signalling pathway also impairs sympathetic innervation in other tissues such as salivary glands. These findings demonstrate coordination between T cells and parenchymal cells to regulate sympathetic innervation.

Cells are transplanted to regenerate an organs' parenchyma, but how transplanted parenchymal cells induce stromal regeneration is elusive. Despite the common use of a decellularized matrix, little is known as to the pivotal signals that must be restored for tissue or organ regeneration. We report that Alx3, a developmentally important gene, orchestrated adult parenchymal and stromal regeneration by directly transactivating Wnt3a and vascular endothelial growth factor. In contrast to the modest parenchyma formed by native adult progenitors, Alx3-restored cells in decellularized scaffolds not only produced vascularized stroma that involved vascular endothelial growth factor signalling, but also parenchymal dentin via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In an orthotopic large-animal model following parenchyma and stroma ablation, Wnt3a-recruited endogenous cells regenerated neurovascular stroma and differentiated into parenchymal odontoblast-like cells that extended the processes into newly formed dentin with a structure-mechanical equivalency to native dentin. Thus, the Alx3-Wnt3a axis enables postnatal progenitors with a modest innate regenerative capacity to regenerate adult tissues. Depleted signals in the decellularized matrix may be reinstated by a developmentally pivotal gene or corresponding protein.

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are widely distributed cells of ramified morphology in adult brain that express PDGFRα and NG2. They retain mitotic activities in adulthood and contribute to oligodendrogenesis and myelin turnover; however, the regulatory mechanisms of their cell dynamics in adult brain largely remain unknown. Here, we found that global Pdgfra inactivation in adult mice rapidly led to elimination of OPCs due to synchronous maturation toward oligodendrocytes. Surprisingly, OPC densities were robustly reconstituted by the active expansion of Nestin + immature cells activated in meninges and brain parenchyma, as well as a few OPCs that escaped from Pdgfra inactivation. The multipotent immature cells were induced in the meninges of Pdgfra-inactivated mice, but not of control mice. Our findings revealed powerful homeostatic control of adult OPCs, engaging dual cellular sources of adult OPC formation. These properties of the adult oligodendrocyte lineage and the alternative OPC source may be exploited in regenerative medicine., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Liver regeneration is crucial for the maintenance of liver functional mass during homeostasis and diseases. In a disease context-dependent manner, liver regeneration is contributed to by hepatocytes or progenitor cells. As long as they are replicatively competent, hepatocytes are the main cell type responsible for supporting liver size homeostasisand regeneration. The concept that all hepatocytes within the lobule have the same proliferative capacity but are differentially recruited according to the localization of the wound, or whether a yet to be defined sub-population of hepatocytes supports regeneration is still debated. In a chronically or severely injured liver, hepatocytes may enter a state of replicative senescence. In such conditions, small biliary cells activate and expand, a process called ductular reaction (DR). Work in the last few decades has demonstrated that DR cells can differentiate into hepatocytes and thereby contribute to parenchymal reconstitution. In this study we will review the molecular mechanisms supporting these two processes to determine potential targets that would be amenable for therapeutic manipulation to enhance liver regeneration., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the biggest cause of human mortality from an infectious disease. The only vaccine currently available, bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), demonstrates some protection against disseminated disease in childhood but very variable efficacy against pulmonary disease in adults. A greater understanding of protective host immune responses is required in order to aid the development of improved vaccines. Tissue-resident memory T cells (T RM ) are a recently-identified subset of T cells which may represent an important component of protective immunity to TB. Here, we demonstrate that intradermal BCG vaccination induces a population of antigen-specific CD4 + T cells within the lung parenchyma which persist for >12 months post-vaccination. Comprehensive flow cytometric analysis reveals this population is phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous, and shares characteristics with lung vascular and splenic CD4 + T cells. This underlines the importance of utilising the intravascular staining technique for definitive identification of tissue-resident T cells, and also suggests that these anatomically distinct cellular subsets are not necessarily permanently resident within a particular tissue compartment but can migrate between compartments. This lung parenchymal population merits further investigation as a critical component of a protective immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb)., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Main Conclusion: The close association between membranes and organelles, and the intense chloroplast remodeling in parenchyma cells of extrafloral nectaries occurred only at the secretion time and suggest a relationship with the nectar secretion. Associations between membranes and organelles have been well documented in different tissues and cells of plants, but poorly explored in secretory cells. Here, we described the close physical juxtaposition between membranes and organelles, mainly with chloroplasts, in parenchyma cells of Citharexylum myrianthum (Verbenaeceae) extrafloral nectaries under transmission electron microscopy, using conventional and microwave fixation. At the time of nectar secretion, nectary parenchyma cells exhibit a multitude of different organelle and membrane associations as mitochondria-mitochondria, mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria-chloroplast, chloroplast-nuclear envelope, mitochondria-nuclear envelope, chloroplast-plasmalemma, chloroplast-chloroplast, chloroplast-tonoplast, chloroplast-peroxisome, and mitochondria-peroxisome. These associations were visualized as amorphous electron-dense material, a network of dense fibrillar material and/or dense bridges. Chloroplasts exhibited protrusions variable in shape and extension, which bring them closer to each other and to plasmalemma, tonoplast, and nuclear envelope. Parenchyma cells in the pre- and post-secretory stages did not exhibit any association or juxtaposition of membranes and organelles, and chloroplast protrusions were absent. Chloroplasts had peripheral reticulum that was more developed in the secretory stage. We propose that such subcellular phenomena during the time of nectar secretion optimize the movement of signaling molecules and the exchange of metabolites. Our results open new avenues on the potential mechanisms of organelle contact in parenchyma nectary cells, and reveal new attributes of the secretory cells on the subcellular level.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease of the lungs that is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Genetic factors account for only a small amount of COPD risk, but epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, have the potential to mediate the interactions between an individual's genetics and environmental exposure. DNA methylation is highly cell type-specific, and individual cell type studies of DNA methylation in COPD are sparse. Fibroblasts are present within the airway and parenchyma of the lung and contribute to the aberrant deposition of extracellular matrix in COPD. No assessment or comparison of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the airway and parenchymal fibroblasts from individuals with and without COPD has been undertaken. These data provide valuable insight into the molecular mechanisms contributing to COPD and the differing pathologies of small airways disease and emphysema in COPD., Methods: Genome-wide DNA methylation was evaluated at over 485,000 CpG sites using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array in the airway (non-COPD n  = 8, COPD n  = 7) and parenchymal fibroblasts (non-COPD n  = 17, COPD n  = 29) isolated from individuals with and without COPD. Targeted gene expression was assessed by qPCR in matched RNA samples., Results: Differentially methylated DNA regions were identified between cells isolated from individuals with and without COPD in both airway and parenchymal fibroblasts. Only in parenchymal fibroblasts was differential DNA methylation associated with differential gene expression. A second analysis of differential DNA methylation variability identified 359 individual differentially variable CpG sites in parenchymal fibroblasts. No differentially variable CpG sites were identified in the airway fibroblasts. Five differentially variable-methylated CpG sites, associated with three genes, were subsequently assessed for gene expression differences. Two genes (OAT and GRIK2) displayed significantly increased gene expression in cells isolated from individuals with COPD., Conclusions: Differential and variable DNA methylation was associated with COPD status in the parenchymal fibroblasts but not airway fibroblasts. Aberrant DNA methylation was associated with altered gene expression imparting biological function to DNA methylation changes. Changes in DNA methylation are therefore implicated in the molecular mechanisms underlying COPD pathogenesis and may represent novel therapeutic targets., Competing Interests: The tissue was obtained and cells extracted with the approval of each of the research ethics boards for each of the academic institutions involved: Newcastle University (NRES Committee: Newcastle and North Tyneside 1 Ref:11/NE/0291); McMaster University (Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board Ref:00-1839); University of British Columbia (Providence Health Care Research Ethics Board Ref:H13-02173); University of Nottingham (East Midlands Research Ethics Committee Ref: 08/H0407/1); and University Medical Center Groningen. This study was conducted according to the national ethical and professional guidelines on the use human body material (“Code of conduct; Dutch federation of biomedical scientific societies”; https://www.federa.org/codes-conduct) and the Research Code of the University Medical Center Groningen (https://www.umcg.nl/EN/Research/Researchers/General/ResearchCode/Paginas/default.aspx).Not applicableThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Toxic substances and microbial or food-derived antigens continuously challenge the liver, which is tasked with their safe neutralization. This vital organ is also important for the removal of apoptotic immune cells during inflammation and has been previously described as a "graveyard" for dying lymphocytes. The clearance of apoptotic and necrotic cells is known as efferocytosis and is a critical liver function to maintain tissue homeostasis. Much of the research into this form of immunological control has focused on Kupffer cells, the liver-resident macrophages. However, hepatocytes (and other liver resident cells) are competent efferocytes and comprise 80% of the liver mass. Little is known regarding the mechanisms of apoptotic and necrotic cell capture by epithelia, which lack key receptors that mediate phagocytosis in macrophages. Herein, we discuss recent developments that increased our understanding of efferocytosis in tissues, with a special focus on the liver parenchyma. We discuss the impact of efferocytosis in health and in inflammation, highlighting the role of phagocytic epithelia.

The establishment of proper conditions for spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) cryopreservation and storage represents an important biotechnological approach for the preservation of the genetic stock of valuable animals. This study demonstrates the effects of different cryopreservation protocols on the survival rates and phenotypic expression of SSCs in horses. The cells were enzymatically isolated from testes of eight adult horses. After enrichment and characterization of germ cells in the suspension, the feasibility of several cryopreservation protocols were evaluated. Three different cryomedia compositions, associated with three different methods of freezing (vitrification, slow-freezing and fast-freezing) were evaluated. Based on the rates of viable SSCs found before and after thawing, as well as the number of recovered cells after cryopreservation, the best results were obtained utilizing the DMSO-based cryomedia associated with the slow-freezing method. In addition, when isolated cells were cultured in vitro, MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay and immunofluorescence analysis indicated that the cryopreserved cells were as metabolically active as the fresh cells and were also expressing typical SSCs proteins (VASA, NANOS2 and GFRA1). Therefore, our results indicate that equine SSCs can be cryopreserved without impairment of structure, function, or colony-forming abilities.

Cell-based therapy has been proposed as an alternative to orthotopic liver transplantation. The novel transplantation of an in vitro-generated liver bud might have therapeutic potential. In vivo and ex vivo methods for growing a liver bud are essential for paving the way for the clinical translation of liver bud transplantation. We herein report a novel transplantation method for liver buds that are grown in vivo involving orthotopic transplantation on the transected parenchyma of the liver, which showed long engraftment and marked growth in comparison to heterotopic transplantation. Furthermore, this study demonstrates a method for rapidly fabricating scalable liver-like tissue by fusing hundreds of liver bud-like spheroids using a 3D bioprinter. Its system to fix the shape of the 3D tissue with the needle-array system enabled the fabrication of elaborate geometry and the immediate execution of culture circulation after 3D printing-thereby avoiding an ischemic environment ex vivo. The ex vivo-fabricated human liver-like tissue exhibited self-tissue organization ex vivo and engraftment on the liver of nude rats. These achievements conclusively show both in vivo and ex vivo methods for growing in vitro-generated liver buds. These methods provide a new approach for in vitro-generated liver organoids transplantation.

Study Question: Can all types of testicular germ cells be accurately identified by microscopy techniques and unambiguously distributed in stages of the human seminiferous epithelium cycle (SEC)?, Summary Answer: By using a high-resolution light microscopy (HRLM) method, which enables an improved visualization of germ cell morphological features, we identified all testicular germ cells in the seminiferous epithelium and precisely grouped them in six well-delimitated SEC stages, thus providing a reliable reference source for staging in man., What Is Already Known: Morphological characterization of germ cells in human has been done decades ago with the use of conventional histological methods (formaldehyde-based fixative -Zenker-formal- and paraffin embedding). These early studies proposed a classification of the SEC in six stages. However, the use of stages as baseline for morphofunctional evaluations of testicular parenchyma has been difficult because of incomplete morphological identification of germ cells and their random distribution in the human SEC., Study Design, Size, Duration: Testicular tissue from adult and elderly donors with normal spermatogenesis according to Levin's, Johnsen's and Bergmann's scores were used to evaluate germ cell morphology and validate their distribution and frequency in stages throughout human spermatogenesis., Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Testicular tissue from patients diagnosed with congenital bilateral agenesis of vas deferens (n = 3 adults) or prostate cancer (n = 3 elderly) were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in araldite epoxy resin. Morphological analyses were performed by both light and transmission electron microscopy., Main Results and the Role of Chance: HRLM method enabled a reliable morphological identification of all germ cells (spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids) based on high-resolution aspects of euchromatin, heterochromatin and nucleolus. Moreover, acrosomal development of spermatids was clearly revealed. Altogether, our data redefined the limits of each stage leading to a more reliable determination of the SEC in man., Limitations, Reasons for Caution: Occasionally, germ cells can be absent in some tubular sections. In this situation, it has to be taken into account the germ cell association proposed in the present study to classify the stages., Wider Implications of the Findings: Our findings bring a new focus on the morphology and development of germ cells during the SEC in human. Application of HRLM may be a valuable tool for research studies and clinical andrology helping to understand some testicular diseases and infertility conditions which remain unsolved., Study Funding/competing Interest: Experiments were partially supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., Trial Registration Number: Not applicable., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com)

T-cell responses are initiated upon cognate presentation by professional antigen presenting cells in lymphoid tissue. T cells then migrate to inflamed tissues, but further T-cell stimulation in these parenchymal target sites is not well understood. Here we show that T-cell expansion within inflamed tissues is a distinct phase that is neither a classical primary nor classical secondary response. This response, which we term 'the mezzanine response', commences within days after initial antigen encounter, unlike the secondary response that usually occurs weeks after priming. A further distinction of this response is that T-cell proliferation is driven by parenchymal cell antigen presentation, without requiring professional antigen presenting cells, but with increased dependence on IL-2. The mezzanine response might, therefore, be a new target for inhibiting T-cell responses in allograft rejection and autoimmunity or for enhancing T-cell responses in the context of microbial or tumour immunity.

The identification of the "paucity of transportation vesicles" and "belt-like" tight junctions (TJs) of endothelial cells as the "morphological correlate of a blood-brain barrier" (BBB) by Reese and Karnovsky (J Cell Biol 34:207-217, 1967) has become textbook knowledge, and countless studies have helped to further define the elements, functions, and dynamics of the BBB. Most work, however, has focused on parenchymal capillaries or less clearly defined "microvessels", while a systematic study on similarities and differences between BBB architecture along the vascular tree within the brain and the meninges has been lacking. Since astrocytes induce endothelial cells to display BBB-typical characteristics by sonic hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling, we hypothesized that BBB-typical features should be most pronounced in parenchymal capillaries, where endothelium and astrocytes are separated by a basement membrane only. In contrast, this intimate contact is absent in leptomeningeal vessels, thereby potentially affecting BBB architecture. However, here, we show that claudin-3, claudin-5, zonula occludens-1, and occludin as typical constitutes of BBB TJs are comparably distributed in all segments of the parenchymal and the meningeal vascular tree of C57Bl6 mice. While electron microscopy revealed equally occluded interendothelial clefts, arterial vessels of the brain parenchyma but not within the meninges exhibited significantly longer TJ overlaps compared to capillaries. The highest density of endothelial vesicles was found in arterial vessels. Thus, endothelial expression of BBB-typical TJ proteins is not reflected by the distance to surrounding astrocytes, but electron microscopy reveals significant differences of endothelial specification along different segments of the CNS vasculature.

The glial stress protein alpha B-crystallin (HSPB5) is an endogenous agonist for Toll-like receptor 2 in CD14 + cells. Following systemic administration, HSPB5 acts as a potent inhibitor of neuroinflammation in animal models and reduces lesion development in multiple sclerosis patients. Here, we show that systemically administered HSPB5 rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier, implicating microglia as additional targets for HSPB5 along with peripheral monocytes and macrophages. To compare key players in the HSPB5-induced protective response of human macrophages and microglia, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis on transcript expression data obtained 1 and 4 h after activation. This approach identified networks of genes that are co-expressed in all datasets, thus reducing the complexity of the nonsynchronous waves of transcripts that appear after activation by HSPB5. In both cell types, HSPB5 activates a network of highly connected genes that appear to be functionally equivalent and consistent with the therapeutic effects of HSPB5 in vivo, since both networks include factors that suppress apoptosis, the production of proinflammatory factors, and the development of adaptive immunity. Yet, hub genes at the core of the network in either cell type were strikingly different. They prominently feature the well-known tolerance-promoting programmed-death ligand 1 as a key player in the macrophage response to HSPB5, and the immune-regulatory enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in that of microglia. This latter finding indicates that despite its reputation as a potential target for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, microglial COX-2 plays a central role in the therapeutic effects of HSPB5 during neuroinflammation. GLIA 2017;65:460-473., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background/aims: Radiation therapy is an important treatment for thoracic cancer; however, side effects accompanied with radiotherapy lead to limited tumor control and a decline in patient quality of life. Among these side effects, radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is the most serious and common. Hence, an effective remedy for RILI is needed. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells that have been demonstrated to be an effective treatment in some disease caused by tissue damage. However, unlike other injuries, RILI received limited therapeutic effects from implanted MSCs due to local hypoxia and extensive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in irradiated lungs. Since the poor survival of MSCs is primarily due to hypoxia and ROS generation, we hypothesize that persistent and adaptive hypoxia treatment induces enhanced resistance to hypoxic stress in implanted MSC. The aim of this study is to investigate whether persistent and adaptive hypoxia treatment of bmMSCs prior to their transplantation in injured mice enhanced survival and improved curative effects in RILI., Methods: Primary bmMSCs were obtained from the marrow of six-week-old male C57BL6/J mice and were cultured either under normoxic conditions (21% O2) or hypoxic conditions (2.5% O2). Mice were injected with normoxia/hypoxia MSCs after thoracic irradiation (20 Gy). The therapeutic effects of MSCs on RILI were assessed by pathological examinations that included H&E staining, Masson staining and α-SMA staining; meanwhile, inflammatory factors were measured using an ELISA. The morphology of MSCs in vitro was recorded using a microscope and identified by flow cytometry, cell viability was measured using the CCK-8 assay, the potential for proliferation was detected by the EdU assay, and ROS levels were measured using a ROS fluorogenic probe. In addition, HIF-1α and several survival pathway proteins (Akt, p-Akt, Caspase-3) were also detected by western blotting., Results: Implanted MSCs alleviated both early radiation-induced pneumonia and late pulmonary fibrosis. However, hypoxia MSCs displayed a more pronounced therapeutic effect compared to normoxia MSCs. Compared to normoxia MSCs, the hypoxia MSCs demonstrated greater cell viability, an enhanced proliferation potential, decreased ROS levels and increased resistance to hypoxia and ROS stress. In addition, hypoxia MSCs achieved higher activation levels of HIF-1α and Akt, and HIF-1α played a critical role in the development of resistance., Conclusion: Hypoxia enhances the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on radiation-induced lung injury by promoting MSC proliferation and improving their antioxidant ability, mediated by HIF-1α., (© 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

In this study, we investigated the distribution of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) administered via intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection in a canine model. Ten beagles (11-13 kg per beagle) each received an injection of 1 × 10 6  cells into the right lateral ventricle and were sacrificed 7 days after administration. Based on immunohistochemical analysis, hUCB-MSCs were observed in the brain parenchyma, especially along the lateral ventricular walls. Detected as far as 3.5 mm from the cortical surface, these cells migrated from the lateral ventricle toward the cortex. We also observed hUCB-MSCs in the hippocampus and the cervical spinal cord. According to real-time polymerase chain reaction results, most of the hUCB-MSCs were found distributed in the brain and the cervical spinal cord but not in the lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen, and liver. ICV administered hUCB-MSCs also enhanced the endogenous neural stem cell population in the subventricular zone. These results highlighted the ICV delivery route as an optimal route to be performed in stem cell-based clinical therapies for neurodegenerative diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background parenchymal enhancement (BPE), and the amount of fibroglandular tissue (FGT) assessed with MRI have been implicated as sensitive imaging biomarkers for breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess breast parenchymal uptake (BPU) on 18 F-FDG PET/CT as another valuable imaging biomarker and examine its correlation with BPE, FGT, and age., Methods: This study included 129 patients with suspected breast cancer and normal imaging findings in one breast (BI-RADS 1), whose cases were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent prone 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 3-T contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast. In all patients, interpreter 1 assessed BPU quantitatively using SUV max Interpreters 1 and 2 assessed amount of FGT and BPE in the normal contralateral breast by subjective visual estimation, as recommended by BI-RADS. Interpreter 1 reassessed all cases and repeated the BPU measurements. Statistical tests were used to assess correlations between BPU, BPE, FGT, and age, as well as inter- and intrainterpreter agreement., Results: BPU on 18 F-FDG PET/CT varied among patients. The mean BPU SUV max ± SD was 1.57 ± 0.6 for patients with minimal BPE, 1.93 ± 0.6 for mild BPE, 2.42 ± 0.5 for moderate BPE, and 1.45 ± 0.3 for marked BPE. There were significant (P < 0.001) moderate to strong correlations among BPU, BPE, and FGT. BPU directly correlated with both BPE and FGT on MRI. Patient age showed a moderate to strong indirect correlation with all 3 imaging-derived tissue biomarkers. The coefficient of variation for quantitative BPU measurements with SUV max was 5.6%, indicating a high reproducibility. Interinterpreter and intrainterpreter agreement for BPE and FGT was almost perfect, with a κ-value of 0.860 and 0.822, respectively., Conclusion: The results of our study demonstrate that BPU varied among patients. BPU directly correlated with both BPE and FGT on MRI, and BPU measurements were highly reproducible. Patient age showed a strong inverse correlation with all 3 imaging-derived tissue biomarkers. These findings indicate that BPU may serve as a sensitive imaging biomarker for breast cancer prediction, prognosis, and risk assessment., (© 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.)

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a condition involving perturbed barrier integrity coincident with both emphysema and inflammation of the airways, and smoking is considered a major risk factor. Claudins (Cldns) stabilize barriers and contribute to tight junctions by preventing paracellular transport of extracellular fluid constituents., Methods: To determine Cldn6 was differentially influenced by tobacco smoke, Cldn6 was evaluated in cells and tissues by q-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry following exposure. Cldn6 transcriptional regulation was also assessed using luciferase reporter constructs., Results: Q-PCR and immunoblotting revealed that Cldn6 was decreased in alveolar type II-like epithelial cells (A549) and primary small airway epithelial cells when exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE). Cldn6 was also markedly decreased in the lungs of mice exposed to acute tobacco smoke delivered by a nose-only automated smoke machine compared to controls. Luciferase reporter assays incorporating 0.5-kb, 1.0-kb, or 2.0-kb of the Cldn6 promoter revealed decreased transcription of Cldn6 following exposure to CSE. Cldn6 transcriptional regulation was also assessed in hypoxic conditions due to low oxygen tension observed during smoking. Hypoxia and hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha caused decreased transcription of the Cldn6 gene via interactions with putative response elements in the proximal promoter sequence., Conclusions: These data reveal that tight junctional proteins such as Cldn6 are differentially regulated by tobacco-smoke exposure and that Cldns are potentially targeted when epithelial cells respond to tobacco smoke. Further research may show that Cldns expressed in tight junctions between parenchymal cells contribute to impaired structural integrity of the lung coincident with smoking.

Background: Liver regeneration consists of cellular proliferation leading to parenchymal and vascular growth. This study complements previous studies on cellular proliferation and weight recovery by (1) quantitatively describing parenchymal and vascular regeneration, and (2) determining their relationship. Both together are needed to (3) characterize the underlying growth pattern., Methods: Specimens were created by injecting a polymerizing contrast agent in either portal or hepatic vein in normal or regenerating livers after 70% partial hepatectomy. 3D image data were obtained through micro-CT scanning. Parenchymal growth was assessed by determining weight and volume of the regenerating liver. Vascular growth was described by manually determined circumscribed parameters (maximal vessel length and radius of right inferior portal/hepatic vein), automatically determined cumulative parameters (total edge length and total vascular volume), and parameters describing vascular density (total edge length/volume, vascular volume fraction). The growth pattern was explored by comparing the relative increase of these parameters to the increase expected in case of isotropic expansion., Results: Liver volume recovery paralleled weight recovery and reached 90% of the original liver volume within 7 days. Comparing radius-related vascular parameters immediately after surgical resection and after virtual resection in-silico revealed a slight increase, possibly reflecting the effect of resection-induced portal hyperperfusion. Comparing length-related parameters between post-operative day 7 and after virtual resection showed similar vascular growth in both vascular systems investigated. In contrast, radius-related parameters increased slightly more in the portal vein. Despite the seemingly homogeneous 3D growth, the observed vascular parameters were not compatible with the hypothesis of isotropic expansion of liver parenchyma and vascular structures., Conclusion: We present an approach for the quantitative analysis of the vascular systems of regenerating mouse livers. We applied this technique for assessing the hepatic growth pattern. Prospectively, this approach can be used to investigate hepatic vascular regeneration under different conditions.

Background: Chronic inflammation, typified by increased expression of IL-17A, together with airway and parenchymal remodelling are features of chronic lung diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that phenotypic heterogeneity of repair and inflammatory capacities of fibroblasts may contribute to the differential structural changes observed in different regions of the lung., Objective: To investigate phenotypic differences in parenchymal and bronchial fibroblasts, either in terms of inflammation and remodelling or the ability of these fibroblasts to respond to IL-17A., Methods: Four groups of primary fibroblasts were used: normal human bronchial fibroblast (NHBF), normal human parenchymal fibroblast (NHPF), COPD human bronchial fibroblast (CHBF) and COPD human parenchymal fibroblast (CHPF). Cytokine and extracellular matrix (ECM) expression were measured at baseline and after stimulation with IL-17A. Actinomycin D was used to measure cytokine mRNA stability., Results: At baseline, we observed higher protein production of IL-6 in NHPF than NHBF, but higher levels of IL-8 and GRO-α in NHBF. IL-17A induced a higher expression of GRO-α (CXCL1) and IL-6 in NHPF than in NHBF, and a higher level of IL-8 expression in NHBF. IL-17A treatment decreased the mRNA stability of IL-6 in NHBF when compared with NHPF. CHPF expressed higher protein levels of fibronectin, collagen-I and collagen-III than CHBF, NHBF and NHPF. IL-17A increased fibronectin and collagen-III protein only in NHPF and collagen-III protein production in CHBF and CHPF., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: These findings provide insight into the inflammatory and remodelling processes that may be related to the phenotypic heterogeneity of fibroblasts from airway and parenchymal regions and in their response to IL-17A., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Elucidating cell hierarchy in the mammary gland is fundamental for understanding the mechanisms governing its normal development and malignant transformation. There is relatively little information on cell hierarchy in the bovine mammary gland, despite its agricultural potential and relevance to breast cancer research. Challenges in bovine-to-mouse xenotransplantation and difficulties obtaining bovine-compatible antibodies hinder the study of mammary stem-cell dynamics in this species. In-vitro indications of distinct bovine mammary epithelial cell populations, sorted according to CD24 and CD49f expression, have been provided. Here, we successfully transplanted these bovine populations into the cleared fat pads of immunocompromised mice, providing in-vivo evidence for the multipotency and self-renewal capabilities of cells that are at the top of the cell hierarchy (termed mammary repopulating units). Additional outgrowths from transplantation, composed exclusively of myoepithelial cells, were indicative of unipotent basal stem cells or committed progenitors. Sorting luminal cells according to E-cadherin revealed three distinct populations: luminal progenitors, and early- and late-differentiating cells. Finally, miR-200c expression was negatively correlated with differentiation levels in both the luminal and basal branches of the bovine mammary cell hierarchy. Together, these experiments provide further evidence for the presence of a regenerative entity in the bovine mammary gland and for the multistage differentiation process within the luminal lineage.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a promising role as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prior studies suggested that intra-arterially administered MSCs are engrafted into the brain in stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) animal models. However, a controversial standpoint exists in terms of the integrity of the blood brain barrier (BBB) in transgenic AD mice. The primary goal of this study was to explore the feasibility of delivering human umbilical cord-blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) into the brains of non-transgenic WT (C3H/C57) and transgenic AD (APP/PS1) mice through the intra-arterial (IA) route. Through two experiments, mice were infused with hUCB-MSCs via the right internal carotid artery and were sacrificed at two different time points: 6 hours (experiment 1) or 5 minutes (experiment 2) after infusion. In both experiments, no cells were detected in the brain parenchyma while MSCs were detected in the cerebrovasculature in experiment 2. The results from this study highlight that intra-arterial delivery of MSCs is not the most favorable route to be implemented as a potential therapeutic approach for AD.

Fusion of donor mesenchymal stem cells with parenchymal cells of the recipient can occur in the brain, liver, intestine and heart following transplantation. The therapeutic benefit or detriment of resultant hybrids is unknown. Here we sought a global view of phenotypic diversification of mesenchymal stem cell-cardiomyocyte hybrids and associated time course. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we found hybrids consistently increase ribosome components and decrease genes associated with the cell cycle suggesting an increase in protein production and decrease in proliferation to accommodate the fused state. But in the case of most other gene groups, hybrids were individually distinct. In fact, though hybrids can express a transcriptome similar to individual fusion partners, approximately one-third acquired distinct expression profiles in a single day. Some hybrids underwent reprogramming, expressing pluripotency and cardiac precursor genes latent in parental cells and associated with developmental and morphogenic gene groups. Other hybrids expressed genes associated with ontologic cancer sets and two hybrids of separate experimental replicates clustered with breast cancer cells, expressing critical oncogenes and lacking tumor suppressor genes. Rapid transcriptional diversification of this type garners consideration in the context of cellular transplantation to damaged tissues, those with viral infection or other microenvironmental conditions that might promote fusion.