Differentiation of Bone-Marrow Stem Cells in a Laser Patterned Myocyte Coculture

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案描述了对具有物理学和工程学背景的PI进行心脏细胞生物学培训。培训包括1）细胞生物学研究生课程; 2）分子和细胞生物学实验技能培训; 3）学术发展，包括开发研究网络和撰写手稿/提案。近期目标是提高PI获得NIH资助的能力，特别是R 01资助。长期目标是帮助PI在生物医学工程领域发展学术生涯，并在生物医学和工程专业之间取得更好的平衡。为了实现这些目标，PI建议在工程心肌细胞共培养模型中研究骨髓干细胞的功能分化。在该模型中，将制造相同的细胞培养微孔，以允许通过应用激光束在每个孔中创建限定的干细胞-肌细胞界面。该模型将提供各种类型的共培养的肌细胞对干细胞分化的调节的统计学显著数据。为了验证微环境调节干细胞向心肌细胞分化的假说，本研究的具体目标是：1）通过改变细胞外基质、改变共培养细胞类型和基因修饰细胞间连接蛋白表达，确定微环境在干细胞向心肌细胞分化中的作用; 2）利用原子力显微镜通过测量细胞刚度来确定干细胞的机械特性，利用牵引力显微镜来评估细胞的机械耦合; 3）利用膜片钳技术通过研究动作电位来确定干细胞的电特性，利用微电极阵列来评估电耦合。心脏病是美国男性和女性的主要死因，占每年死亡人数的近40%。通过增加我们对骨髓干细胞向心肌细胞功能分化的了解，Pi的研究将有助于目前再生医学的努力，即利用患者自身的细胞恢复受损心脏的功能。Pi的机构将提供超过2，500平方英尺的实验室空间，并可以无限制地访问所有核心设施，这些设施配备了人员和最先进的设备，此外还有75%的发布时间。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal describes training in cardiac-cell biology for a PI whose background is in physics and engineering. The training includes 1) graduate courses in cell biology; 2) experimental-skill training in molecular and cellular biology; and 3) academic development, including developing a research network and writing manuscripts/proposals. The immediate goal is to improve the Pi's ability to obtain NIH funding, particularly an R01 grant. The long-term goal is to assist the PI in developing his academic career in biomedical engineering with a better balance between his biomedical and engineering proficiencies. To achieve these goals, the PI proposes to investigate the functional differentiation of bone-marrow stem cells in an engineered cardiac myocyte-coculture model. In this model, identical cell-culture microwells will be fabricated to allow creation of a defined stem cell-myocyte interface in each well through application of a laser beam. This model will provide statistically significant data on the regulation of stem-cell differentiation by various types of cocultured myocytes. To test the hypothesis that the microenvironments will regulate the functional differentiation of stem cells into myocytes, the following specific aims will be addressed: 1) Determine the microenvironment's role in regulating stem-cell differentiation into cardiac cells by changing the extracellular matrix, switching the coculture cell types, and genetically modifying the cell-cell juctional protein expressions; 2) Use atomic force microscopy to determine the stem cells' mechanical properties by measuring cell stiffness and traction force microscopy to evaluate the cells' mechanical coupling; 3) Determine the stem cells' electrical properties by studying action potentials using the patch clamp technique and evaluating electrical coupling using microelectrode arrays. Heart disease is America's leading cause of death for both men and women, accounting for nearly 40% of all annual deaths. By adding to our knowledge of the functional differentiation of bone-marrow stem cells into heart muscle cells, the Pi's research will contibute to the current effort in regenerative medicine to restore the the function of a damaged heart using the patient's own cells. The Pi's institution will provide more than 2,500 sq feet of lab space and unlimited access to all core facilities, which are staffed and provided with state-of-the-art equipment, in addition to 75% release time.