MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influence of co-culture of myofibroblasts and CRC cell lines is discussed using various in vitro assays including direct co-culture, transwell assays, Matrigel-based differentiation and cell invasion experiments.
RESULTS: The results from these in vitro assays clearly demonstrated various aspects of the crosstalk between myofibroblasts and CRC cell lines, which include cell growth, differentiation, migration and invasion.
CONCLUSION: The reported in vitro assays provide a basis for investigating the factors that control the myofibroblast-epithelial cell interactions in CRC in vivo.
OBJECTIVES: This study has aimed to establish optimum conditions to generate and characterize MSC from human umbilical cord (UC-MSC).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: To optimize MSC population growth, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was utilized in culture media. Effects of bFGF on expansion kinetics, cell cycle, survival of UC-MSC, cytokine secretion, expression of early stem-cell markers and immunomodulation were investigated.
RESULTS: bFGF supplementation profoundly enhanced UC-MSC proliferation by reducing population doubling time without altering immunophenotype and immunomodulatory function of UC-MSC. However, cell cycle studies revealed that bFGF drove the cells into the cell cycle, as a higher proportion of cells resided in S phase and progressed into M phase. Consistent with this, bFGF was shown to promote expression of cyclin D proteins and their relevant kinases to drive UC-MSC to transverse cell cycle check points, thus, committing the cells to DNA synthesis. Furthermore, supplementation with bFGF changed the cytokine profiles of the cells and reduced their apoptotic level.
CONCLUSION: Our study showed that bFGF supplementation of UC-MSC culture enhanced the cells' growth kinetics without compromising their nature.