人类胚胎生殖细胞体外分化为心肌细胞的研究

胚胎生殖（EG）细胞是来源于胚胎原始生殖细胞（PGCs）的多潜能干细胞。采用无饲养层细胞、无细胞因子等的基础培养液（DMEM＋20％NBS＋0．1mM 2Me）培养EG细胞，部分在基础培养液添加10μmol／LRA＋0．75％DMSO或10μmol／L 5-氮胞苷（5-AZA）诱导人类EG细胞向心肌细胞分化，以检测其是否具有向心肌细胞自发分化的能力。9例（8．49％，9／106）胎儿EG细胞在体外分化得到20个节律性心脏跳动样细胞团，其搏动节律为20～120次／min，体外维持节律性搏动最短2d，最长至15d，呈PAS，Myoglobin，α-actin阳性；对K^＋、Ca^＋、肾上腺素等具有与在体心脏相似的反应性；透射电镜观察具有心肌细胞样结构。添加DMSO和RA或5-AZA诱导未得到跳动样心肌细胞，但可提高心肌α-actin免疫组织化学染色阳性率；表明人类胚胎生殖细胞具有向心肌细胞分化的潜能。

Rhythmic Beating Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Embryonic Germ(EG) Cells In Vitro

Embryonic germ (EG) cells are pluripotent cells derived from primordial germ cells (PGCs) of gonads, gonadal ridges and mesenteries, analogies of fetuses,with the ability to undergo both highly self-renewal and multiple differentiation. These cells in vitro can differentiate into derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers when transferred to an in vitro environment and have the ability to form any fully differentiated cells of the body. The aim of this study is to investigate the potentiality of human EG cells differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Inducing human EG cells with the method of murine ES cells differentiation into cardiomyocytes, supplemented with 0.75%-1% DMSO, 20% NBS, 10(-7) mM RA and 20% cardiomyocytes conditioned medium. RESULTS: 20 heart-like (rhythmic beating cell masses were observed in vitro culture and delayed human EG cells, which beat spontaneously from 20-120 times per minute and maintained beating for 2-15 days, periodic acid's staining (PAS), Myoglobin and a-actin immunological histology positive were all positive and reacted with K+, Ca2+ and adrenalin. Relatively unorganized myofibrillar bundles or more organized sarcomeres, z-bands or a gap junction, the presence of desmosomes in a few cells of the cell masses was observed with transmision electron microscope, which initially demonstrated that these cells were cardiomyocytes. We could not get rhythmly beating cardiomyocytes with 0.75%-1% DMSO, 10-7 mM RA and 20% cardiomyocytes conditioned medium,but in which the percentage of cardiac alpha-actin immunostaining positive cells were increased. The results first demonstrated that human EG cells can differentiate into rhythmic beating cardiomyocytes in vitro and suggests that human EG cells may represent a new potent resource for cardiomyocytes transplantation therapy for myocardium infarction.