Biomedical subjects

Zhiyi Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to Zhiyi Zhou.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The regulation of integrin-mediated osteoblast focal adhesion and focal adhesion kinase expression by nanoscale topography.

An important consideration in developing physical biomimetic cell-stimulating cues is that the in vivo extracellular milieu includes nanoscale topographic interfaces. We investigated nanoscale topography regulation of cell functions using human fetal osteoblastic (hFOB) cell culture on poly(l-lactic acid) and polystyrene (50/50 w/w) demixed nanoscale pit textures (14, 29, and 45nm deep pits). Secondary ion mass spectroscopy revealed that these nanotopographic surfaces had similar surface chemistries to that of pure PLLA because of PLLA component surface segregation during spin casting. We observed that 14 and 29nm deep pit surfaces increased hFOB cell attachment, spreading, selective integrin subunit expression (e.g., alphav relative to alpha5, beta1, or beta3), focal adhesive paxillin protein synthesis and paxillin colocalization with cytoskeletal actin stress fibers, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphorylated FAK (pY397) expression to a greater degree than did 45nm deep pits or flat PLLA surfaces. Considering the important role of integrin-mediated focal adhesion and intracellular signaling in anchorage-dependent cell function, our results suggest a mechanism by which nanostructured physical signals regulate cell function. Modulation of integrin-mediated focal adhesion and related cell signaling by altering nanoscale substrate topography will have powerful applications in biomaterials science and tissue engineering.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2005

Synchronous activity in cat visual cortex encodes collinear and cocircular contours.

We explored how contour information in primary visual cortex might be embedded in the simultaneous activity of multiple cells recorded with a 100-electrode array. Synchronous activity in cat visual cortex was more selective and predictable in discriminating between drifting grating and concentric ring stimuli than changes in firing rate. Synchrony was found even between cells with wholly different orientation preferences when their receptive fields were circularly aligned, and membership in synchronous groups was orientation and curvature dependent. The existence of synchrony between cocircular cells reinforces its role as a general mechanism for contour integration and shape detection as predicted by association field concepts. Our data suggest that cortical synchrony results from common and synchronous input from earlier visual areas and that it could serve to shape extrastriate response selectivity.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Modulation of connexin43 alters expression of osteoblastic differentiation markers.

Gap junctional channels between cells provide a pathway for exchange of regulatory ions and small molecules. We previously demonstrated that expression of connexins and cell-to-cell communication parallel osteoblastic differentiation and that nonspecific pharmacological inhibitors of gap junctional communication inhibit alkaline phosphatase activity. In this study, we stably transfected connexin (Cx)43 antisense cDNA into the immortalized human fetal osteoblastic cell line hFOB 1.19 (hFOB/Cx43(-)). hFOB/Cx43(-) cells express lower levels of Cx43 protein and mRNA and display a 50% decrease in gap junctional intercellular communication relative to control [hFOB/plasmid vector control (pvc)]. This suggests that other connexins, such as Cx45, which is expressed to a similar degree in hFOB/Cx43(-) cells and hFOB/pvc cells, contribute to cell-to-cell communication in hFOB 1.19 cells. We observed almost total inhibition of alkaline phosphatase activity in hFOB/Cx43(-) cells despite only a 50% decrease in cell-to-cell communication. This suggests the intriguing possibility that Cx43 expression per se, independent of cell-to-cell communication, influences alkaline phosphatase activity and perhaps bone cell differentiation. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR revealed that mRNA levels for osteocalcin and core binding factor alpha1 (Cbfa1) increased as a function of time in hFOB/pvc but were inhibited in hFOB/Cx43(-). Osteopontin mRNA levels were increased in hFOB/Cx43(-) relative to hFOB/pvc and decreased as a function of time in both hFOB/Cx43(-) and hFOB/pvc. Transfection with Cx43 antisense did not affect expression of type I collagen in hFOB 1.19 cells. These results suggest that gap junctional intercellular communication and expression of Cx43 contribute to alkaline phosphatase activity, as well as osteocalcin, osteopontin, and Cbfa1 expression in osteoblastic cells.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed2004

Breast cancer metastatic potential: correlation with increased heterotypic gap junctional intercellular communication between breast cancer cells and osteoblastic cells.

The breast cancer metastasis-suppressor gene BRMS1 is downregulated in metastatic breast cancer cells. Previous reports have shown restoration of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the metastatic human breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-435 (435) transfected with BRMS1 cDNA. Metastasis, to a large extent in most breast cancers, occurs to bone. However, the reason for this preferential metastasis is not known. We explored cell-to-cell communication between 435 carcinoma cells and a human osteoblastic cell line, hFOB1.19, to determine whether carcinoma cells can form gap junctions with bone cells and to explore the role of these heterotypic gap junctions and the BRMS1 gene in breast cancer metastasis to bone. 435 cells displayed greater cell-to-cell communication with hFOB 1.19 cells than with themselves. Transfection of BRMS1 into 435 cells increased homotypic gap junctional communication but did not significantly affect heterotypic communication with hFOBs. However, heterotypic communication of BRMS1 transfectants with hFOB cells was reduced relative to homotypic communication. In contrast, parental 435 cells displayed greater heterotypic communication with hFOBs relative to homotypic communication. Our results suggest that there are differences in the relative homotypic and heterotypic GJIC of metastasis-capable and -suppressed cell lines.

Bone Neoplasms↗