PURPOSE We have previously identified the gene MACC1 as a strong prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer metastasis and patient survival. Here, we report for the first time the generation of transgenic mouse models for MACC1. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We generated mice with transgenic overexpression of MACC1 in the intestine driven by the villin promoter (vil-MACC1) and crossed them with Apc(Min...

BACKGROUND Venous malformation (VM) consists of a network of ectatic anomalous thin-walled venous channels. A role for an activating TIE2 mutation in the development of the dilated luminal vessels in VM, and its proposed involvement of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), led us to investigate the expression of ESC markers in subcutaneous VM (SCVM) and intramuscular VM (IMVM). METHODS Formalin-fixed ...

The pluripotency factor Nanog is expressed in peri-implantation embryos and primordial germ cells (PGCs). Nanog-deficient mouse embryos die soon after implantation. To explore the function of Nanog in germ cells, Nanog RNA was conditionally knocked down in vivo by shRNA. Nanog shRNA transgenic (NRi-Tg) mice were generated through the formation of germline chimeras with NRi-Tg embryonic stem cel...

Populations of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) exhibit a subfraction of cells expressing uncharacteristically low levels of pluripotency markers such as Nanog. Yet, the extent to which individual Nanog-negative cells are differentiated, both from ESCs and from each other, remains unclear. Here, we show the transcriptome of Nanog-negative cells exhibits expression of classes of genes ...

Stem cell cultures can be derived directly from early developing embryos and indirectly from differentiated cells by forced expression of pluripotency transcription factors. Pluripotency genes are routinely used to characterize mammalian stem cell cultures at the molecular level. However, such genes have remained unknown in lower vertebrates. In this regard, the laboratory fish medaka is unique...

OBJECTIVE Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have a potential application for cell therapy, however, their biological nature is not well-understood. EPCs also possess some stemness features, such as their clonogenicity and differentiation capacity. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of certain transcription factors regulating selfrenewal property of stem cells. MATERIA...

Pluripotency genes are implicated in mouse embryonic genome activation (EGA) and pluripotent lineage specification. Moreover, their expression levels have been correlated with embryonic term development. In bovine, however, little information is available about dynamics of pluripotency genes during these processes. In this study, we charted quantitative and/or qualitative spatio-temporal expres...

It was assumed that uterine stem cells are responsible for the unique regenerative capacity of uterine. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of the pluripotent stem cell markers in the mice uterine tissue during different stages of estrous cycles. Twelve virgin female NMRI mice (6 to 8 weeks old) were considered at proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus a...

Despite new therapies, breast cancer continues to be the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women, a consequence of recurrence and metastasis. In recent years, a population of cancer cells has been identified, called cancer stem cells (CSCs) with self-renewal capacity, proposed to underlie tumor recurrence and metastasis. We previously showed that the adipose tissue cytokine LEPTIN, in...

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) have promise for regenerative medicine due to their auto-renovation and differentiation capacities. Nevertheless, there are several ethical and methodological issues about these cells that have not been resolved. Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) have been proposed as source of pluripotent stem cells. Several groups have studied hAEC but have reported in...