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Generation of mTert-GFP mice as a model to identify and study tissue progenitor cells.

ABSTRACT: Stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine, but remain elusive in many tissues in part because universal markers of "stemness" have not been identified. The ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase catalyzes the extension of chromosome ends, and its expression is associated with failure of cells to undergo cellular senescence. Because such resistance to senescence is a common characteristic of many stem cells, we hypothesized that telomerase expression may provide a selective biomarker for stem cells in multiple tissues. In fact, telomerase expression has been demonstrated within hematopoietic stem cells. We therefore generated mouse telomerase reverse transcriptase (mTert)-GFP-transgenic mice and assayed the ability of mTert-driven GFP to mark tissue stem cells in testis, bone marrow (BM), and intestine. mTert-GFP mice were generated by using a two-step embryonic stem cell-based strategy, which enabled primary and secondary screening of stably transfected clones before blastocyst injection, greatly increasing the probability of obtaining mTert reporter mice with physiologically appropriate regulation of GFP expression. Analysis of adult mice showed that GFP is expressed in differentiating male germ cells, is enriched among BM-derived hematopoietic stem cells, and specifically marks long-term BrdU-retaining intestinal crypt cells. In addition, telomerase-expressing GFP(+) BM cells showed long-term, serial, multilineage BM reconstitution, fulfilling the functional definition of hematopoietic stem cells. Together, these data provide direct evidence that mTert-GFP expression marks progenitor cells in blood and small intestine, validating these mice as a useful tool for the prospective identification, isolation, and functional characterization of progenitor/stem cells from multiple tissues.

SUBMITTER: Breault DT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2492454 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Generation of mTert-GFP mice as a model to identify and study tissue progenitor cells.

Breault David T DT Min Irene M IM Carlone Diana L DL Farilla Loredana G LG Ambruzs Dana M DM Henderson Daniel E DE Algra Selma S Montgomery Robert K RK Wagers Amy J AJ Hole Nicholas N

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20080723 30

Stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine, but remain elusive in many tissues in part because universal markers of "stemness" have not been identified. The ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase catalyzes the extension of chromosome ends, and its expression is associated with failure of cells to undergo cellular senescence. Because such resistance to senescence is a common characteristic of many stem cells, we hypothesized that telomerase expression may provide a selective biomarker ...[more]

PMID: 18650388

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Project description:BackgroundOrgan replacement regenerative therapy based on human adult stem cells may be effective for salivary gland hypofunction. However, the generated tissues are immature because the signaling factors that induce the differentiation of human salivary gland stem cells into salivary glands are unknown.MethodsIsolated human submandibular gland stem/progenitor cells (hSMGepiS/PCs) were characterized and three-dimensionally (3D) cultured to generate organoids and further induced by fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) in vitro. The induced spheres alone or in combination with embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) mouse salivary gland mesenchyme were transplanted into the renal capsules of nude mice to assess their development in vivo. Immunofluorescence, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, calcium release analysis, western blotting, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff staining, and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to assess the structure and function of generated tissues in vitro and in vivo.ResultsThe isolated hSMGepiS/PCs could be long-term cultured with a stable genome. The organoids treated with FGF10 [FGF10 (+) group] exhibited higher expression of salivary gland-specific markers; showed spatial arrangement of AQP5+, K19+, and SMA+ cells; and were more sensitive to the stimulation by neurotransmitters than untreated organoids [FGF10 (-) group]. After heterotopic transplantation, the induced cell spheres combined with mouse embryonic salivary gland mesenchyme showed characteristics of mature salivary glands, including a natural morphology and saliva secretion.ConclusionFGF10 promoted the development of the hSMGepiS/PC-derived salivary gland organoids by the expression of differentiation markers, structure formation, and response to neurotransmitters in vitro. Moreover, the hSMGepiS/PCs responded to the niche in mouse embryonic mesenchyme and further differentiated into salivary gland tissues with mature characteristics. Our study provides a foundation for the regenerative therapy of salivary gland diseases.

Dataset Information

Generation of mTert-GFP mice as a model to identify and study tissue progenitor cells.

Publications

Generation of mTert-GFP mice as a model to identify and study tissue progenitor cells.

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