| 1. |
- Puschmann, Till B., et al.
(författare)
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A Novel Method for Three-Dimensional Culture of Central Nervous System Neurons.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Tissue engineering. Part C, Methods. - 1937-3392 .- 1937-3384. ; 20:6, s. 485-492
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuronal signal transduction and communication in vivo is based on highly complex and dynamic networks among neurons expanding in a three-dimensional (3D) manner. Studies of cell-cell communication, synaptogenesis, and neural network plasticity constitute major research areas for understanding the involvement of neurons in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease, and in regenerative neural plasticity responses in situations, such as neurotrauma or stroke. Various cell culture systems constitute important experimental platforms to study neuronal functions in health and disease. A major downside of the existing cell culture systems is that the alienating planar cell environment leads to aberrant cell-cell contacts and network formation and increased reactivity of cell culture-contaminating glial cells. To mimic a suitable 3D environment for the growth and investigation of neuronal networks in vitro has posed an insurmountable challenge. Here, we report the development of a novel electrospun, polyurethane nanofiber-based 3D cell culture system for the in vitro support of neuronal networks, in which neurons can grow freely in all directions and form network structures more complex than any culture system has so far been able to support. In this 3D system, neurons extend processes from their cell bodies as a function of the nanofiber diameter. The nanofiber scaffold also minimizes the reactive state of contaminating glial cells.
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| 2. |
- Puschmann, Till B., et al.
(författare)
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Bioactive 3D cell culture system minimizes cellular stress and maintains the in vivo-like morphological complexity of astroglial cells
- 2013
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Ingår i: Glia. - : Wiley. - 0894-1491 .- 1098-1136. ; 61:3, s. 432-440
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We tested the hypothesis that astrocytes grown in a suitable three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system exhibit morphological and biochemical features of in vivo astrocytes that are otherwise lost upon transfer from the in vivo to a two-dimensional (2D) culture environment. First, we report development of a novel bioactively coated nanofiber-based 3D culture system (Bioactive3D) that supports cultures of primary mouse astrocytes. Second, we show that Bioactive3D culture system maintains the in vivo-like morphological complexity of cultured cells, allows movement of astrocyte filopodia in a way that resembles the in vivo situation, and also minimizes the cellular stress, an inherent feature of standard 2D cell culture systems. Third, we demonstrate that the expression of gap junctions is reduced in astrocytes cultured in a 3D system that supports well-organized cell-cell communication, in contrast to the enforced planar tiling of cells in a standard 2D system. Finally, we show that astrocytes cultured in the Bioactive3D system do not show the undesired baseline activation but are fully responsive to activation-inducing stimuli. Thus, astrocytes cultured in the Bioactive3D appear to more closely resemble astrocytes in vivo and represent a superior in vitro system for assessing (patho)physiological and pharmacological responses of these cells and potentially also in co-cultures of astrocytes and other cell types.
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| 3. |
- Puschmann, Till B., et al.
(författare)
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HB-EGF affects astrocyte morphology, proliferation, differentiation, and the expression of intermediate filament proteins
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurochemistry. - : Wiley. - 1471-4159 .- 0022-3042. ; 128:6, s. 878-889
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), a vascular-derived trophic factor, belongs to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family of neuroprotective, hypoxia-inducible proteins released by astrocytes in CNS injuries. It was suggested that HB–EGF can replace fetal calf serum (FCS) in astrocyte cultures. We previously demonstrated that in contrast to standard 2D cell culture systems, Bioactive3D culture system, when used with FCS, minimizes the baseline activation of astrocytes and preserves their complex morphology. Here, we show that HB-EGF induced EGF receptor (EGFR) activation by Y1068 phosphorylation, Mapk/Erk pathway activation, and led to an increase in cell proliferation, more prominent in Bioactive3D than in 2D cultures. HB-EGF changed morphology of 2D and Bioactive3D cultured astrocytes toward a radial glia-like phenotype and induced the expression of intermediate filament and progenitor cell marker protein nestin. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin protein expression was unaffected. RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that HB-EGF affected the expression of Notch signaling pathway genes, implying a role for the Notch signaling in HB-EGF-mediated astrocyte response. HB-EGF can be used as a FCS replacement for astrocyte expansion and in vitro experimentation both in 2D and Bioactive3D culture systems; however, caution should be exercised since it appears to induce partial de-differentiation of astrocytes.HB-EGF (heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor) was previously suggested to replace serum, a common and undefined component in primary astrocyte cultures. We show that both in standard 2D and in our newly developed Bioactive3D culture system, HB-EGF affects astrocyte morphology, proliferation, gene/protein expression and leads to partial de-differentiation of astrocytes. Thus, HB-EGF should only be used with caution as a serum replacement in astrocyte cultures.
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