RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Modeling early endometrial differentiation is a crucial step towards understanding the divergent pathways between normal and ectopic endometrial development as seen in endometriosis. METHODS: To investigate these pathways, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and embryoid bodies (EBs) were differentiated in standard EB medium (EBM). Immunofluorescence (IF) staining and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect expression of human endometrial cell markers on differentiating cells, which were sorted into distinct populations using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). RESULTS: A subpopulation (50%) of early differentiating mESCs expressed both glandular (CD9) and stromal (CD13) markers of human endometrium, suggestive of a novel endometrial precursor cell population. We further isolated a small population of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells, CD45-/CD146+/PDGFR-ß+, from differentiating EBs, representing 0.7% of total cells. Finally, quantitative PCR demonstrated significantly amplified expression of transcription factors Hoxa10 and Foxa2 in CD13+ EBs isolated by FACS (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that mESCs have the capacity to express human endometrial cell markers and demonstrate potential differentiation pathways of endometrial precursor and mesenchymal stem cells, providing an in vitro system to model early endometrial tissue development. This model represents a key step in elucidating the mechanisms of ectopic endometrial tissue growth. Such a system could enable the development of strategies to prevent endometriosis and identify approaches for non-invasive monitoring of disease progression.
Asunto(s)
Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Diferenciación Celular , Endometrio/metabolismo , Células Madre Embrionarias de Ratones/metabolismo , Animales , Antígenos CD13/genética , Antígenos CD13/metabolismo , Antígeno CD146/genética , Antígeno CD146/metabolismo , Línea Celular , Cuerpos Embrioides/metabolismo , Endometriosis/diagnóstico , Endometriosis/genética , Endometriosis/metabolismo , Femenino , Expresión Génica , Humanos , Ratones , Ratones de la Cepa 129 , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Células Madre Embrionarias de Ratones/citología , Receptor beta de Factor de Crecimiento Derivado de Plaquetas/genética , Receptor beta de Factor de Crecimiento Derivado de Plaquetas/metabolismo , Tetraspanina 29/genética , Tetraspanina 29/metabolismoRESUMEN
A survey of the service available, in speech and language therapy departments, to adults with aphasia revealed that many districts in the United Kingdom are unable to fulfil the professional recommendations for the care of aphasic clients. Although individual 'good practice' criteria could be satisfied, only a minority of districts were able to provide a comprehensive service. Levels of staffing for the adult neurological caseload are variable and even, at best, hinder therapists in delivering the recommended standard of management to aphasic clients and their carers.
Asunto(s)
Afasia/terapia , Terapia del Lenguaje/estadística & datos numéricos , Logopedia/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Reino Unido , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
Aphasic stroke patients were randomly allocated to either a speech therapy group receiving treatment twice a week for 24 weeks or a no-treatment control group. Patients in both groups improved and there were no significant differences in language recovery between the 104 patients allocated to the treatment group and the 87 allocated to the no-treatment group. This treatment regimen, which is representative of clinical practice, is ineffective for most aphasic stroke patients.