scholarly journals Fgfr2 is integral for bladder mesenchyme patterning and function

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (8) ◽  
pp. F888-F898 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Walker ◽  
Y. Ikeda ◽  
I. Zabbarova ◽  
C. M. Schaefer ◽  
D. Bushnell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Immunoblot Analysis ◽  
Type Ia ◽  
And Function ◽  
Passive Stretch

While urothelial signals, including sonic hedgehog (Shh), drive bladder mesenchyme differentiation, it is unclear which pathways within the mesenchyme are critical for its development. Studies have shown that fibroblast growth factor receptor (Fgfr)2 is necessary for kidney and ureter mesenchymal development. The objective of the present study was to determine the role of Fgfr2 in the bladder mesenchyme. We used Tbx18cre mice to delete Fgfr2 in the bladder mesenchyme ( Fgfr2 BM−/−). We performed three-dimensional reconstructions, quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, immunolabeling, ELISAs, immunoblot analysis, void stain on paper, ex vivo bladder sheet assays, and in vivo decerebrated cystometry. Compared with control bladders, embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5) Fgfr2 BM−/− bladders had thin muscle layers with less α-smooth muscle actin and thickened lamina propria with increased collagen type Ia and IIIa that intruded into the muscle. The reciprocal changes in mutant layer thicknesses appeared partly due to a cell fate switch. From postnatal days 1 to 30, Fgfr2 BM−/− bladders demonstrated progressive muscle loss and increased collagen expression. Postnatal Fgfr2 BM−/− bladder sheets exhibited decreased agonist-mediated contractility and increased passive stretch tension versus control bladder sheets. Cystometry revealed high baseline and threshold pressures and shortened intercontractile intervals in Fgfr2 BM−/− versus control bladders. Mechanistically, whereas Shh expression appeared normal, mRNA and protein readouts of hedgehog activity were increased in E16.5 Fgfr2 BM−/− versus control bladders. Moreover, E16.5 Fgfr2 BM−/− bladders exhibited higher levels of Cdo and Boc, hedgehog coreceptors that enhance sensitivity to Shh, compared with control bladders. In conclusion, loss of Fgfr2 in the bladder mesenchyme leads to abnormal bladder morphology and decreased compliance and contractility.

scholarly journals Fgfr2 is integral for bladder mesenchyme patterning and function

2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (4) ◽  
pp. F607-F618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Ikeda ◽  
I. Zabbarova ◽  
C. M. Schaefer ◽  
D. Bushnell ◽  
W. C. De Groat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hedgehog Signaling ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Collagen Expression ◽  
And Function ◽  
Passive Stretch

While urothelial signals, including sonic hedgehog (Shh), drive bladder mesenchyme differentiation, it is unclear which pathways within the mesenchyme are critical for its development. Studies have shown that fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (Fgfr2) is necessary for kidney and ureter mesenchymal development. Our objective was to determine the role of Fgfr2 in bladder mesenchyme. We used Tbx18cre mice to delete Fgfr2 in bladder mesenchyme ( Fgfr2BM−/−). We performed three-dimensional reconstructions, quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, immunolabeling, ELISAs, immunoblotting, void stain on paper, ex vivo bladder sheet assays, and in vivo decerebrated cystometry. Compared with controls, embryonic ( E) day 16.5 ( E16.5) Fgfr2BM−/− bladders have thin muscle layers with reduced α-smooth muscle actin levels and thickened lamina propria with increased collagen expression that intrudes into muscle. From postnatal ( P) day 1 ( P1) to P30, Fgfr2BM−/− bladders demonstrate progressive muscle loss and increased collagen expression. Postnatal Fgfr2BM−/− bladder sheets exhibit decreased contractility and increased passive stretch tension compared with controls. In vivo cystometry revealed high baseline and threshold pressures and shortened intercontractile intervals in Fgfr2BM−/− bladders compared with controls. Mechanistically, while Shh expression appears normal, mRNA and protein readouts of hedgehog activity are increased in E16.5 Fgfr2BM−/− bladders compared with controls. Moreover, E16.5 Fgfr2BM−/− bladders exhibit higher levels of Cdo and Boc, hedgehog coreceptors that enhance sensitivity to Shh, than controls. Fgfr2 is critical for bladder mesenchyme patterning by virtue of its role in modulation of hedgehog signaling.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) microstructural composition regulates local cell-ECM biomechanics and fundamental fibroblast behavior: a multidimensional perspective

2005 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 1909-1921 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Pizzo ◽  
K. Kokini ◽  
L. C. Vaughn ◽  
B. Z. Waisner ◽  
S. L. Voytik-Harbin
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Local Strain ◽  
Β1 Integrin ◽  
Ecm Remodeling ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Local Cell ◽  
And Function

The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides the principal means by which mechanical information is communicated between tissue and cellular levels of function. These mechanical signals play a central role in controlling cell fate and establishing tissue structure and function. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms by which specific structural and mechanical properties of the ECM influence its interaction with cells, especially within a tissuelike context. This lack of knowledge precludes formulation of biomimetic microenvironments for effective tissue repair and replacement. The present study determined the role of collagen fibril density in regulating local cell-ECM biomechanics and fundamental fibroblast behavior. The model system consisted of fibroblasts seeded within collagen ECMs with controlled microstructure. Confocal microscopy was used to collect multidimensional images of both ECM microstructure and specific cellular characteristics. From these images temporal changes in three-dimensional cell morphology, time- and space-dependent changes in the three-dimensional local strain state of a cell and its ECM, and spatial distribution of β1-integrin were quantified. Results showed that fibroblasts grown within high-fibril-density ECMs had decreased length-to-height ratios, increased surface areas, and a greater number of projections. Furthermore, fibroblasts within low-fibril-density ECMs reorganized their ECM to a greater extent, and it appeared that β1-integrin localization was related to local strain and ECM remodeling events. Finally, fibroblast proliferation was enhanced in low-fibril-density ECMs. Collectively, these results are significant because they provide new insight into how specific physical properties of a cell’s ECM microenvironment contribute to tissue remodeling events in vivo and to the design and engineering of functional tissue replacements.

scholarly journals The Spinebot—A Robotic Device to Intraoperatively Quantify Spinal Stiffness

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Büchler ◽  
Jonas Räber ◽  
Benjamin Voumard ◽  
Steve Berger ◽  
Brett Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Rotation ◽  
Flexion Extension ◽  
Torque Load ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Reference Measurements ◽  
Spine Function ◽  
And Function

Abstract Degenerative spine problems and spinal deformities have high socio-economic impacts. Current surgical treatment is based on bony fusion that can reduce mobility and function. Precise descriptions of the biomechanics of normal, deformed, and degenerated spinal segments under in vivo conditions are needed to develop new approaches that preserve spine function. This study developed a system that intraoperatively measures the three-dimensional segmental stiffness of patient's spine. SpineBot, a parallel kinematic robot, was developed to transmit loads to adjacent vertebrae. A force/torque load cell mounted on the SpineBot measured the moment applied to the spinal segment and calculated segmental stiffnesses. The accuracy of SpineBot was characterized ex vivo by comparing its stiffness measurement of five ovine specimens to measurements obtained with a reference spinal testing system. The SpineBot can apply torques up to 10 N·m along all anatomical axes with a total range of motion of about 11.5 deg ± 0.5 deg in lateral bending, 4.5 deg ± 0.3 deg in flexion/extension, and 2.6 deg ± 0.5 deg in axial rotation. SpineBot's measurements are noisier than the reference system, but the correlation between SpineBot and reference measurements was high (R2 > 0.8). In conclusion, SpineBot's accuracy is comparable to that of current reference systems but can take intraoperative measurements. SpineBot can improve our understanding of spinal biomechanics in patients who have the pathology of interest, and take these measurements in the natural physiological environment, giving us information essential to developing new “nonfusion” products.

scholarly journals Mice with cleavage-resistant N-cadherin exhibit synapse anomaly in the hippocampus and outperformance in spatial learning tasks

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Asada-Utsugi ◽  
K. Uemura ◽  
M. Kubota ◽  
Y. Noda ◽  
Y. Tashiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Memory Function ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Learning Tasks ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Nmdar Activation ◽  
And Function

AbstractN-cadherin is a homophilic cell adhesion molecule that stabilizes excitatory synapses, by connecting pre- and post-synaptic termini. Upon NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation by glutamate, membrane-proximal domains of N-cadherin are cleaved serially by a-disintegrin-and-metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) and then presenilin 1(PS1, catalytic subunit of the γ-secretase complex). To assess the physiological significance of the initial N-cadherin cleavage, we engineer the mouse genome to create a knock-in allele with tandem missense mutations in the mouse N-cadherin/Cadherin-2 gene (Cdh2R714G, I715D, or GD) that confers resistance on proteolysis by ADAM10 (GD mice). GD mice showed a better performance in the radial maze test, with significantly less revisiting errors after intervals of 30 and 300 s than WT, and a tendency for enhanced freezing in fear conditioning. Interestingly, GD mice reveal higher complexity in the tufts of thorny excrescence in the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Fine morphometry with serial section transmission electron microscopy (ssTEM) and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction reveals significantly higher synaptic density, significantly smaller PSD area, and normal dendritic spine volume in GD mice. This knock-in mouse has provided in vivo evidence that ADAM10-mediated cleavage is a critical step in N-cadherin shedding and degradation and involved in the structure and function of glutamatergic synapses, which affect the memory function.

scholarly journals Cadherins in early neural development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Punovuori ◽  
Mattias Malaguti ◽  
Sally Lowell
Keyword(s):  
Adhesion Molecules ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Directed Differentiation ◽  
Culture Dish ◽  
Cell Identity ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Neural Tissues ◽  
And Function

AbstractDuring early neural development, changes in signalling inform the expression of transcription factors that in turn instruct changes in cell identity. At the same time, switches in adhesion molecule expression result in cellular rearrangements that define the morphology of the emerging neural tube. It is becoming increasingly clear that these two processes influence each other; adhesion molecules do not simply operate downstream of or in parallel with changes in cell identity but rather actively feed into cell fate decisions. Why are differentiation and adhesion so tightly linked? It is now over 60 years since Conrad Waddington noted the remarkable "Constancy of the Wild Type” (Waddington in Nature 183: 1654–1655, 1959) yet we still do not fully understand the mechanisms that make development so reproducible. Conversely, we do not understand why directed differentiation of cells in a dish is sometimes unpredictable and difficult to control. It has long been suggested that cells make decisions as 'local cooperatives' rather than as individuals (Gurdon in Nature 336: 772–774, 1988; Lander in Cell 144: 955–969, 2011). Given that the cadherin family of adhesion molecules can simultaneously influence morphogenesis and signalling, it is tempting to speculate that they may help coordinate cell fate decisions between neighbouring cells in the embryo to ensure fidelity of patterning, and that the uncoupling of these processes in a culture dish might underlie some of the problems with controlling cell fate decisions ex-vivo. Here we review the expression and function of cadherins during early neural development and discuss how and why they might modulate signalling and differentiation as neural tissues are formed.

scholarly journals Site-Specific Dual-Labeling of a VHH with a Chelator and a Photosensitizer for Nuclear Imaging and Targeted Photodynamic Therapy of EGFR-Positive Tumors

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Emma Renard ◽  
Estel Collado Camps ◽  
Coline Canovas ◽  
Annemarie Kip ◽  
Martin Gotthardt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Photodynamic Therapy ◽  
Fluorescence Imaging ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Nuclear Imaging ◽  
A431 Cells ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Variable Domains ◽  
Diagnostic Probe

Variable domains of heavy chain only antibodies (VHHs) are valuable agents for application in tumor theranostics upon conjugation to both a diagnostic probe and a therapeutic compound. Here, we optimized site-specific conjugation of the chelator DTPA and the photosensitizer IRDye700DX to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) VHH 7D12, for applications in nuclear imaging and photodynamic therapy. 7D12 was site-specifically equipped with bimodal probe DTPA-tetrazine-IRDye700DX using the dichlorotetrazine conjugation platform. Binding, internalization and light-induced toxicity of DTPA-IRDye700DX-7D12 were determined using EGFR-overexpressing A431 cells. Finally, ex vivo biodistribution of DTPA-IRDye700DX-7D12 in A431 tumor-bearing mice was performed, and tumor homing was visualized with SPECT and fluorescence imaging. DTPA-IRDye700DX-7D12 was retrieved with a protein recovery of 43%, and a degree of labeling of 0.56. Spectral properties of the IRDye700DX were retained upon conjugation. 111In-labeled DTPA-IRDye700DX-7D12 bound specifically to A431 cells, and they were effectively killed upon illumination. DTPA-IRDye700DX-7D12 homed to A431 xenografts in vivo, and this could be visualized with both SPECT and fluorescence imaging. In conclusion, the dichlorotetrazine platform offers a feasible method for site-specific dual-labeling of VHH 7D12, retaining binding affinity and therapeutic efficacy. The flexibility of the described approach makes it easy to vary the nature of the probes for other combinations of diagnostic and therapeutic compounds.

scholarly journals hPSC-Derived Enteric Ganglioids Model Human ENS Development and Function

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homa Majd ◽  
Ryan M Samuel ◽  
Jonathan T Ramirez ◽  
Ali Kalantari ◽  
Kevin Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Developmental Relationships ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays a central role in gut physiology and mediating the crosstalk between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other organs. The human ENS has remained elusive, highlighting the need for an in vitro modeling and mapping blueprint. Here we map out the developmental and functional features of the human ENS, by establishing robust and scalable 2D ENS cultures and 3D enteric ganglioids from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). These models recapitulate the remarkable neuronal and glial diversity found in primary tissue and enable comprehensive molecular analyses that uncover functional and developmental relationships within these lineages. As a salient example of the power of this system, we performed in-depth characterization of enteric nitrergic neurons (NO neurons) which are implicated in a wide range of GI motility disorders. We conducted an unbiased screen and identified drug candidates that modulate the activity of NO neurons and demonstrated their potential in promoting motility in mouse colonic tissue ex vivo. We established a high-throughput strategy to define the developmental programs involved in NO neuron specification and discovered that PDGFR inhibition boosts the induction of NO neurons in enteric ganglioids. Transplantation of these ganglioids in the colon of NO neuron-deficient mice results in extensive tissue engraftment, providing a xenograft model for the study of human ENS in vivo and the development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative GI disorders. These studies provide a framework for deciphering fundamental features of the human ENS and designing effective strategies to treat enteric neuropathies.  

scholarly journals Decreased SLC26A3 expression and function in intestinal epithelial cells in response to Cryptosporidium parvum infection

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (6) ◽  
pp. C1205-C1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anoop Kumar ◽  
Dulari Jayawardena ◽  
Arivarasu N. Anbazhagan ◽  
Ishita Chatterjee ◽  
Shubha Priyamvada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Cryptosporidium Parvum ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Jejunal Mucosa ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Chloride Absorption ◽  
And Function

The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum (CP) causes cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease worldwide. Infection in immunocompetent hosts typically results in acute, self-limiting, or recurrent diarrhea. However, in immunocompromised individuals infection can cause fulminant diarrhea, extraintestinal manifestations, and death. To date, the mechanisms underlying CP-induced diarrheal pathogenesis are poorly understood. Diarrheal diseases most commonly involve increased secretion and/or decreased absorption of fluid and electrolytes. We and others have previously shown impaired chloride absorption in infectious diarrhea due to dysregulation of SLC26A3 [downregulated in adenoma (DRA)], the human intestinal apical membrane Cl−/[Formula: see text] exchanger protein. However, there are no studies on the effects of CP infection on DRA activity. Therefore, we examined the expression and function of DRA in intestinal epithelial cells in response to CP infection in vitro and in vivo. CP infection (0.5 × 106 oocysts/well in 24-well plates, 24 h) of Caco-2 cell monolayers significantly decreased Cl−/[Formula: see text] exchange activity (measured as DIDS-sensitive 125I uptake) as well as DRA mRNA and protein levels. Substantial downregulation of DRA mRNA and protein was also observed following CP infection ex vivo in mouse enteroid-derived monolayers and in vivo in the ileal and jejunal mucosa of C57BL/6 mice for 24 h. However, at 48 h after infection in vivo, the effects on DRA mRNA and protein were attenuated and at 5 days after infection DRA returned to normal levels. Our results suggest that impaired chloride absorption due to downregulation of DRA could be one of the contributing factors to CP-induced acute, self-limiting diarrhea in immunocompetent hosts.

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