Biomedical subjects

Pablo Menendez

Publications and source records attributed to Pablo Menendez.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Evaluation of a laser technique to isolate the inner cell mass of murine blastocysts.

hESCs (human embryonic stem cells) are pluripotent cells derived from the ICM (inner cell mass) of blastocysts that can be used to derive several kinds of cells of the human body for the treatment of some previously untreated diseases. In considering the future use of hESCs in regenerative medicine and cell-therapy programmes, several research centres have begun projects involving the derivation of hESC lines using spare human embryos from IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycles. In some stem-cell banks, such as ours, the law also permits us to obtain these cell lines. The low availability of spare IVF human embryos, and the low rate of success in the derivation of hESC lines, give these embryos a great research value that limits experiments with new techniques. The use of murine embryos would be a good model with which to do research to discover the best methodologies to use in order to derive new hESC lines. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a new method of isolation of the ICM and derivation of ESC lines in a murine blastocyst model using laser drilling to eliminate the trophectoderm cells and compare it with the usual control method consisting of culturing the whole murine blastocyst. We also tested the adhesion and growth of primary colonies of mESCs (murine ESCs) over two different growth surfaces, namely an MEF (inactive murine fibroblastic feeder layer) or gelatin-coated dishes, in order to achieve the best culture conditions for future derivation of human stem-cell lines for application in human transplantation.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Clonal isolation of hESCs reveals heterogeneity within the pluripotent stem cell compartment.

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines are known to be morphologically and phenotypically heterogeneous. The functional nature and relationship of cells residing within hESC cultures, however, has not been evaluated because isolation of single hESCs is limited to drug or manual selection. Here we provide a quantitative method using flow cytometry to isolate and clonally expand hESCs based on undifferentiated markers, alone or in combination with a fluorescent reporter. This method allowed for isolation of stage-specific embryonic antigen-3-positive (SSEA-3+) and SSEA-3- cells from hESC cultures. Although both SSEA-3+ and SSEA-3- cells could initiate pluripotent hESC cultures, we show that they possess distinct cell-cycle properties, clonogenic capacity and expression of ESC transcription factors. Our study provides formal evidence for heterogeneity among self-renewing pluripotent hESCs, illustrating that this isolation technique will be instrumental in further dissecting the biology of hESC lines.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗

PubMed2006

Derivation and characterization of hematopoietic cells from human embryonic stem cells.

In vitro, the aggregation of pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESC) into cell clusters termed embryoid bodies (EB) allows for the spontaneous differentiation of hESC into progeny representing endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm lineages. During human EB (hEB) differentiation, stochastic emergence of hematopoietic cells can be enhanced by a combination of hematopoietic cytokines and the ventral mesoderm inducer bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4. Dependent on the presence of hematopoietic cytokines and BMP-4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A165) selectively promotes erythropoietic development toward the primitive lineage. The effects of VEGF-A165 can be augmented by erythropoietin (EPO). Hematopoietic cells are derived from a rare subpopulation of hemogenic precursors during hEB development. These hemogenic precursors lack CD45, but express PECAM-1, Flk-1, and VE-cadherin (hereinafter CD45(neg)PFV) and are solely responsible for hematopoietic cell fate. Human ESC-derived hematopoietic cells have similar colony and cellular morphologies to those derived from committed adult hematopoietic tissues, and also show repopulating capacity in immune deficient mice after intrabone marrow transplantation. In this chapter, we describe methods that have been successfully applied in our laboratory, including (1) generation of hematopoietic cells by EB formation; (2) augmentation of hematopoiesis by use of hematopoietic cytokines and BMP-4; (3) promotion of erythropoietic development by addition of VEGF-A165 and EPO; (4) isolation of CD45(neg)PFV hemogenic precursors and generation of hematopoietic cells from these precursors; and (5) characterization of hESC-derived hematopoietic cells in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Retroviral transduction of hematopoietic progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells.

It has been recently identified that cytokines and BMP-4 promote hematopoiesis from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and that, before hematopoietic commitment, a rare subpopulation of cells lacking CD45, but expressing PECAM-1, Flk-1, and VE-cadherin (hereinafter termed CD45(neg)PFV precursors), are exclusively responsible for hematopoietic cell fate on cytokine stimulation. Efficient strategies to stably transduce these hematopoietic precursors specifically generated from hESCs would provide a novel and desirable tool to study hematopoietic development through the introduction and characterization of candidate genes suspected to regulate self-renewal processes of hESC-derived hematopoietic cells or dynamically track hESC-derived hematopoietic stem cells in vivo. To date, only transient transfection and stable transduction using lentiviral vectors have been reported in undifferentiated hESC followed by random and spontaneous differentiation into different cell types. However, protocols for stable transduction of hematopoietic progenitors prospectively derived from hESC need to be developed yet. In the present chapter, we described detailed methods on the recently characterized and optimized GALV-pseudotyped retroviral gene transfer strategy to stably transduce the hematopoietic progenitor cells prospectively derived from CD45(neg)PFV hemogenic precursors as a vital tool to study hematopoietic development and to characterize candidate genes suspected to eventually confer robust and sustained repopulating ability to hESC-derived hematopoietic cells.

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed2005

Generation of hematopoietic repopulating cells from human embryonic stem cells independent of ectopic HOXB4 expression.

Despite the need for alternative sources of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), the functional capacity of hematopoietic cells generated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has yet to be evaluated and compared with adult sources. Here, we report that somatic and hESC-derived hematopoietic cells have similar phenotype and in vitro clonogenic progenitor activity. However, in contrast with somatic cells, hESC-derived hematopoietic cells failed to reconstitute intravenously transplanted recipient mice because of cellular aggregation causing fatal emboli formation. Direct femoral injection allowed recipient survival and resulted in multilineage hematopoietic repopulation, providing direct evidence of HSC function. However, hESC-derived HSCs had limited proliferative and migratory capacity compared with somatic HSCs that correlated with a distinct gene expression pattern of hESC-derived hematopoietic cells that included homeobox (HOX) A and B gene clusters. Ectopic expression of HOXB4 had no effect on repopulating capacity of hESC-derived cells. We suggest that limitations in the ability of hESC-derived HSCs to activate a molecular program similar to somatic HSCs may contribute to their atypical in vivo behavior. Our study demonstrates that HSCs can be derived from hESCs and provides an in vivo system and molecular foundation to evaluate strategies for the generation of clinically transplantable HSC from hESC lines.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Human embryonic stem cells maintained in the absence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts or conditioned media are capable of hematopoietic development.

To date, hematopoietic development of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been limited to cell lines cultured in the presence of either mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) or MEF-conditioned media (MEF-CM). Anonymous xenogenic factors from MEFs or MEF-CM complicate studies of hESC self-renewal and also raise concerns for the potential clinical applications of generating primitive hematopoietic cells from hESC lines maintained under these ambiguous conditions. Here, we demonstrate that hESCs can be cultured over 30 passages in defined conditions in the absence of MEFs or MEF-CM using only serum replacement (SR) media and high concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (SR-bFGF). Similar to hESCs cultured in MEF-CM, hESCs cultured in SR-bFGF sustained characteristics of undifferentiated hESCs, proliferative potential, normal karyotype, in vitro and in vivo 3 germ-layer specification and gave rise to hemogenic-endothelial precursors required for subsequent primitive hematopoietic development. Our report demonstrates that anonymous factors produced by feeder cells are not necessary for hESC maintenance and subsequent hematopoietic specification, thereby providing a defined system for studies of hESC self-renewal and hESC-derived hematopoiesis.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed2005

Hematopoietic development from human embryonic stem cell lines.

The most common human cell-based therapy applied today is hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. Currently, human bone marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood represent the major sources of transplantable HSCs, but their availability for use is limited by both compatibility between donor and recipient and required quantity. Although increasing evidence suggests that somatic HSCs can be expanded to meet current needs, their in vivo potential is concomitantly compromised after ex vivo culture. In contrast, human embryonic stem cells (hESC) possess indefinite proliferative capacity in vitro and have been shown to differentiate into the hematopoietic cell fate, giving rise to erythroid, myeloid, and lymphoid lineages using a variety of differentiation procedures. Human ESC-derived hematopoietic cells emerge from a subset of embryonic endothelium expressing PECAM-1, Flk-1, and VE-Cadherin, but lacking CD45 (CD45negPFV). These CD45negPFV precursors are exclusively responsible for hematopoietic potential of differentiated hESCs. hESC-derived hematopoietic cells show similar clonogenic capacity and primitive phenotype to somatic sources of hematopoietic progenitors and possess limited in vivo repopulating capacity in immunodeficient mice, suggestive of HSC function. Here, we will review current progress in studies of hESC-derived hematopoietic cells and discuss the potential precincts and applications.

Cell Culture Techniques↗

PubMed2005

Intra-bone marrow transplantation facilitates pauci-clonal human hematopoietic repopulation of NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-) mice.

OBJECTIVE: Intra-bone marrow transplantation (IBMT) has been shown to improve the limit of detection of primitive human SCID-repopulating cells (SRC) in NOD/SCID mice when compared to intravenous transplantation. We sought to further refine detection of SRC by comparing NOD/SCID mice to the more sensitive NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-)strain as IBMT recipients of limiting numbers of purified primitive human hematopoietic cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Purified human Lin(-)CD34(+)CD38- cells at limiting doses were delivered by IBMT into NOD/SCID and NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-) strains of recipient mice. Six weeks posttransplantation, injected and noninjected bones were analyzed separately for multilineage human hematopoietic chimerism. RESULTS: NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-) mice are superior recipients for IBMT and show a trend toward increased levels of human hematopoietic engraftment. In addition, in contrast to NOD/SCID recipients, NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-) mice were reconstituted with as few as five highly purified cells, indicative of pauci-clonal repopulation. Analysis of injected and noninjected bones demonstrated that engrafting cells were capable of in vivo migration and expansion. Although SRC hematopoietic reconstitution of NOD/SCID mice is commonly lymphoid-dominant, multilineage analysis of separate bone sites following IBMT of purified cells revealed that a subset of mice was repopulated with a myeloid-dominant graft in at least one bone site, revealing that SRC are developmentally heterogeneous among Lin(-)CD34(+)CD38- cells and capable of distinct differentiation potential. CONCLUSION: IBMT into NOD/SCID/beta2m(-/-) mice provides a highly sensitive experimental transplantation assay for the detection of human hematopoietic repopulating cells and demonstrates that Lin(-)CD34(+)CD38- cells are more highly enriched for human SRC than originally predicted.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Human embryonic stem cells: potential tool for achieving immunotolerance?

The derivation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), whose in vitro differentiation might be directed toward different cell types, has raised the hope for cell replacement therapies. Despite the emerging reports to differentiate hESCs into specific lineages and then to distinct mature cell subsets, there are still several issues that need to be resolved before transplantation of these cells can be realized. In this context, immune rejection by the host immune system has been considered to be one of the greatest hurdles for cellular transplantation. However, recent data support the concept that hESCs and/or their differentiated derivatives possess immune-privileged properties, suggesting that cells derived from hESC may provide a potential tool for induction of immunetolerance. Currently, our understanding of the tolerogenic potential of hESCs is limited to assessment by in vitro assays or xenogenic transplantation approaches in vivo. Human ESCs express low levels of major histocompatability complex (MHC)-I antigens and lack expression of MHC-II antigens and costimulatory molecules, and are not recognized by natural killer cells and inhibit T-cell induced-stimulation by third-party antigen-presenting cells. Upon injection into immunocompetent mice, hESCs are unable to induce an immune response as demonstrated by their inability to induce an inflammatory response. Based on these initial observations, further studies in hESCs immunobiology are warranted and may reveal unique mechanisms that account for the immunological properties of hESCs. Here, we explore the prospect of using hESCs and their derivatives for immunomodulation and tolerance induction.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Genetic manipulation of human embryonic stem cells: a system to study early human development and potential therapeutic applications.

The successful derivation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines by Thomson and colleagues [Thomson et al., 1998] provided a new area of investigation in both regenerative medicine and early human development. Fundamental study of the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for normal lineage development will rely on reproducible protocols to direct the differentiation of hESCs into specific lineages of interest and genetically manipulate both hESCs and their derivatives. Identifying standards for maintenance of hESCs, methods for controlled differentiation and genetic manipulation of hESCs and their derivatives will provide a foundation to explore their potential therapeutic use in cell and gene therapy. In the present review, our goal is to outline the latest advances in the field with particular focus on how hESCs and their derivatives can be genetically altered, how this may be useful in better understanding the cellular and molecular events of lineage differentiation, and how deregulation of these cellular processes may lead to abnormal development and disease.

Cell Differentiation↗

PubMed2004

Endothelial and hematopoietic cell fate of human embryonic stem cells originates from primitive endothelium with hemangioblastic properties.

The cellular organization and relationships among precursors that initiate embryonic angiogenesis and hematopoiesis in the human have yet to be characterized. Here, we identify a subpopulation of primitive endothelial-like cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) that express PECAM-1, Flk-1, and VE-cadherin, but not CD45 (CD45negPFV cells), and that are uniquely responsible for endothelial and hematopoietic development. Molecular profiling of CD45negPFV cells is consistent with endothelial and hematopoietic competency. Clonal isolation demonstrates that the CD45negPFV population includes bipotent cells with endothelial and hematopoietic capacity. We suggest that human hematopoiesis and endothelial maturation originate exclusively from a subset of embryonic endothelium that possesses hemangioblastic properties and offers a model system to study these lineage relationships in the human.

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed2004

Retroviral transduction of hematopoietic cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cell-derived CD45(neg)PFV hemogenic precursors.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a unique opportunity to study molecular mechanisms that regulate specification of the hematopoietic lineage in the human. Exploitation of this model using transgenic strategies depends on the ability to target cells of the hematopoietic lineage effectively and establish stable transgene expression. Here, a recently defined subpopulation of endothelial-like precursors derived from hESCs that is exclusively responsible for hematopoietic cell fate (CD45(neg)PFV) is shown to express GALVR-1 receptor and be efficiently transduced with GALV-pseudotyped retrovirus. Retroviral transduction, measured by enhanced green fluorescent protein, of hESC-derived CD45(+) cells differentiated from isolated CD45(neg)PFV precursors was 26.5 +/- 13% with 5.6 +/- 4% of these cells coexpressing CD34. An average of 17.5% of clonogenic hematopoietic progenitors derived from CD45(neg)PFV precursors expressed the retroviral transgene. Addition of serum to cultures after retroviral exposure supported transgene expression in resulting hematopoietic cells derived from hemogenic CD45(neg)PFV precursors. Our study represents the first report to demonstrate that retroviral transduction systems, similar to those used currently in clinical gene therapy protocols, are capable of efficient transduction of hematopoietic progenitors derived from hESCs.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Cytokines and BMP-4 promote hematopoietic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) randomly differentiate into multiple cell types during embryoid body (EB) development. To date, characterization of specific factors capable of influencing hematopoietic cell fate from hESCs remains elusive. Here, we report that the treatment of hESCs during EB development with a combination of cytokines and bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4), a ventral mesoderm inducer, strongly promotes hematopoietic differentiation. Hematopoietic progenitors of multiple lineages were generated from EBs and were found to be restricted to the population of progeny expressing cell surface CD45. Addition of BMP-4 had no statistically significant effect on hematopoietic differentiation but enabled significant enhancement in progenitor self-renewal, independent of cytokine treatment. Hematopoietic commitment was characterized as the temporal emergence of single CD45+ cells first detectable after day 10 of culture and was accompanied by expression of hematopoietic transcription factors. Despite the removal of cytokines at day 10, hematopoietic differentiation of hESCs continued, suggesting that cytokines act on hematopoietic precursors as opposed to differentiated hematopoietic cells. Our study establishes the first evidence for the role of cytokines and BMP-4 in promoting hematopoietic differentiation of hESC lines and provides an unprecedented system to study early developmental events that govern the initiation of hematopoiesis in the human.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4↗