Project description:We have developed a robust methodology for the derivation of kidney organoids from human pluripotent stem cells further vascularized taking advantage of several in vivo approaches. Our methodology suffices for the generation of kidney derivatives transcriptomically comparable with 22 weeks of gestation kidney tissues and highlight the use of longer periods of exposure to 3D in order to promote renal differentiation in a time frame of 15 days. In order to ascertain the impact of extracellular matrix microenvironment in renal differentiation undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells were further cultured in compliant substrates mirroring embryo-ECM microenvironment (1kPa) in order to promote renal differentiation and compared these conditions in front of rigid substrates (60 kPa) mimicking hard substrates normally used when differentiating human pluripotent stem cells
Project description:The transcription factor STAT3 plays broad roles in epithelial biology, yet its function in human esophageal development remains undefined. Using 2D and 3D human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived platforms, we investigated how STAT3 regulates esophageal epithelial differentiation.
Project description:Chavez2009 - a core regulatory network of OCT4 in human embryonic stem cells
A core OCT4-regulated network has been identified as a test case, to analyase stem cell characteristics and cellular differentiation.
This model is described in the article:
In silico identification of a core regulatory network of OCT4 in human embryonic stem cells using an integrated approach.
Chavez L, Bais AS, Vingron M, Lehrach H, Adjaye J, Herwig R
BMC Genomics, 2009, 10:314
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The transcription factor OCT4 is highly expressed in pluripotent embryonic stem cells which are derived from the inner cell mass of mammalian blastocysts. Pluripotency and self renewal are controlled by a transcription regulatory network governed by the transcription factors OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG. Recent studies on reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells highlight OCT4 as a key regulator of pluripotency.
RESULTS: We have carried out an integrated analysis of high-throughput data (ChIP-on-chip and RNAi experiments along with promoter sequence analysis of putative target genes) and identified a core OCT4 regulatory network in human embryonic stem cells consisting of 33 target genes. Enrichment analysis with these target genes revealed that this integrative analysis increases the functional information content by factors of 1.3 - 4.7 compared to the individual studies. In order to identify potential regulatory co-factors of OCT4, we performed a de novo motif analysis. In addition to known validated OCT4 motifs we obtained binding sites similar to motifs recognized by further regulators of pluripotency and development; e.g. the heterodimer of the transcription factors C-MYC and MAX, a prerequisite for C-MYC transcriptional activity that leads to cell growth and proliferation.
CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows how heterogeneous functional information can be integrated in order to reconstruct gene regulatory networks. As a test case we identified a core OCT4-regulated network that is important for the analysis of stem cell characteristics and cellular differentiation. Functional information is largely enriched using different experimental results. The de novo motif discovery identified well-known regulators closely connected to the OCT4 network as well as potential new regulators of pluripotency and differentiation. These results provide the basis for further targeted functional studies.
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Project description:Circular RNA has been reported to be dynamically expressed during embryonic development and regulates human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), but the identification and regulation of functional circular RNA in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) remains unclear. Neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) requires precisely orchestrated gene regulation, a process governed in part by changes in 3D chromatin structure. How these changes regulate gene expression in this context remains unclear. In this study, we observed enrichment of the transcription factor KLF4 at some poised or closed enhancers at TSS-linked regions of genes associated with neural differentiation. Combination analysis of ChIP, HiChIP and RNA-seq data indicated that KLF4 loss in ESCs induced changes in 3D chromatin structure, including increased chromatin interaction loops between neural differentiation-associated genes and active enhancers, leading to upregulated expression of neural differentiation-associated genes and therefore early neural differentiation. This study suggests KLF4 inhibits early neural differentiation by regulation of 3D chromatin structure, which is a new mechanism of early neural differentiation. Conclusions: Our study suggests KLF4 inhibits early neural differentiation by regulation of 3D chromatin structure, which is a new mechanism of early neural differentiation.
Project description:Skeletal muscle research is transitioning towards 3D tissue engineered in vitro models reproducing muscle’s native architecture and supporting measurement of functionality. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer high yields of cells for differentiation. It has been difficult to differentiate high quality, pure 3D muscle tissues from hiPSCs that show contractile properties comparable to primary myoblast-derived tissues. Here, we present a transgene-free method for the generation of purified, expandable myogenic progenitors (MPs) from hiPSCs grown under feeder-free conditions. We defined a protocol with optimal hydrogel and medium conditions that allowed production of highly contractile 3D tissue engineered skeletal muscles with forces similar to primary myoblast-derived tissues. Gene expression and proteomic analysis between hiPSC-derived and primary myoblast-derived 3D tissues revealed a similar expression profile of proteins involved in myogenic differentiation and sarcomere function. The protocol should be generally applicable for the study of personalized human skeletal muscle tissue in health and disease.
Project description:During early development before gonadal differentiation, sex chromosomes are the main difference between males and females. We examined any genetically driven sex dimorphisms in human pluripotent stem cells focusing on Y chromosome contribution. In order to understand the consequence of these differences, human ES cells were differentiated into EBs under the influence of Estrone (E1) and the global expression diffrences between male and females were examined. Male and female ES cells were differentiated by EB formation under E1 for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix GENE ST 1.0 microarrays (GPL6244). RNA was extracted at 0d 3d and 11d
Project description:Brain microenvironment plays an important role in neurodevelopment and function, where extracellular matrix (ECM) components and soluble factors modulate cellular features, as migration, proliferation survival and neuronal function. Disruption of microenvironment’s homeostasis is often related to pathological conditions. Here, we addressed the microenvironment remodeling occurring during in vitro differentiation of human neural stem cells (NSC) in a three-dimensional (3D) culture system. Proteome and transcriptome dynamics revealed significant changes namely at cell membrane and ECM composition during 3D differentiation, diverging significantly from the profile of monolayer cultures (2D). Structural proteoglycans typically found in brain ECM were enriched during 3D differentiation, while 2D cultures presented increased levels of basement membrane constituents (e.g., laminins, collagens and fibrillins). Moreover, higher expression levels of synaptic machinery and ion transport machinery constituents observed for 3D cultures, both at mRNA and protein levels, suggested a higher degree of neuronal maturation and organization relative to 2D differentiation. This work demonstrated that neural cellular and extracellular features can be recapitulated in the presented 3D neural cell model, highlighting its value to address molecular defects in cell-ECM interactions associated with neurological disorders. <html><head>Associated GEO dataset is available at</head><body><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi">GSE102139</a></body></html>