• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2014

The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are derived from the mesoderm, are considered as a readily available source for tissue engineering. They have multipotent differentiation capacity and can be differentiated into various cell types. Many studies have demonstrated that the MSCs identified from amniotic membrane (AM-MSCs) and amniotic fluid (AF-MSCs) are shows advantages for many reasons, including the possibility of noninvasive isolation, multipotency, self-renewal, low immunogenicity, anti-inflammatory and nontumorigenicity properties, and minimal ethical problem. The AF-MSCs and AM-MSCs may be appropriate sources of mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative medicine, as an alternative to embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Recently, regenerative treatments such as tissue engineering and cell transplantation have shown potential in clinical applications for degenerative diseases. Therefore, amnion and MSCs derived from amnion can be applied to cell therapy in neuro-degeneration diseases. In this review, we will describe the potential of AM-MSCs and AF-MSCs, with particular focus on cures for neuronal degenerative diseases.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2009

Recently, amniotic fluid has gained attention as one of the potential sources for cell therapy and tissue engineering because it has characteristics of multipotent stem cells. However, current knowledge about what types of cells are naturally found in amniotic fluid is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether human amniotic fluid contains cells that have characteristics of respiratory cells. Samples of human amniotic fluid (5 mL per sample) obtained from amniocenteses were cultured with small airway growth medium (SAGM). Cells were grown until the third passage and the presence of type II alveolar cells were characterized by inverted microscopy, immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On inverted microscopy, cultured cells showed typical polygonal and cobblestone-like epithelial morphology. The morphology of cells was not changed after selection and passing. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that the isolated cells stained positive for surfactant protein C (SPC), specific marker for type II alveolar cells. Cells also stained positive for TTF-1 protein but negative for CD 31 and vimentin. RT-PCR analysis of cells showed expression of SPC mRNA. This study has demonstrated that respiratory cells can be isolated and identified from human amniotic fluid cultured in SAGM medium. Our results may provide the basis for further investigations of amniotic fluid.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2012

Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical with weak estrogenic activity is reported to affect preimplantation embryos, fetuses and alter their postnatal development. This study amied to determine the relation between the levels of BPA in the amniotic fluid and pregnancy outcomes. ELISA was used to measure amniotic fluid BPA in 120 pregnant women who underwent genetic amniocentesis at 15~20 weeks gestation. The most common indication for amniocentesis was advanced maternal age (35 yrs or older). BPA was detected in all amniotic fluid. The range of amniotic fluid BPA concentrations was from 0.89 ng/mL to 37.13 ng/mL with a mean level of 7.24 ng/mL. We compared the means of amniotic fluid BPA concentrations according to maternal age (${\geq}35$ vs. <35 yrs), fetal sex (male vs. female), gestational age at birth (${\geq}37$ vs. <37 weeks), and infant birth weight (${\geq}2.5$ vs. <2.5 kg). No significant differences were found in these outcomes. This is the first report of amniotic fluid BPA levels in Korean pregnant women. Our findings suggest that BPA may not affect the pregnancy outcomes such as fetal sex, preterm delivery and low birth weight. Whether prenatal exposure to BPA can have teratogenic effect on developing embryo needs to be studied.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.496-504
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• 2013

Background Amniotic-fluid-derived stem cells and amniocytes have recently been determined to have wound healing effects, but their mechanism is not yet clearly understood. In this study, the effects of amniotic fluid stem cells and amniocytes on wound healing were investigated through animal experiments. Methods On the back of Sprague-Dawley rats, four circular full-thickness skin wounds 2 cm in diameter were created. The wounds were classified into the following four types: a control group using Tegaderm disc wound dressings and experimental groups using collagen discs, amniotic fluid stem cell discs, and amniocyte discs. The wounds were assessed through macroscopic histological examination and immunohistochemistry over a period of time. Results The amniotic fluid stem cell and amniocyte groups showed higher wound healing rates compared with the control group; histologically, the inflammatory cell invasion disappeared more quickly in these groups, and there was more significant angiogenesis. In particular, these groups had significant promotion of epithelial cell reproduction, collagen fiber formation, and angiogenesis during the initial 10 days of the wound healing process. The potency of transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ and fibronectin in the experimental group was much greater than that in the control group in the early stage of the wound healing process. In later stages, however, no significant difference was observed. Conclusions The amniotic fluid stem cells and amniocytes were confirmed to have accelerated the inflammatory stage to contribute to an enhanced cure rate and shortened wound healing period. Therefore, they hold promise as wound treatment agents.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2011

Mosaicism is the presence of two or more chromosomally distinct cell lines, each seen in two or more cells. Chromosomal mosaicism presents one of the most difficult problems in prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis, requiring the differentiation of true mosaicism from pseudomosaicism. To overcome associated problems we investigated 24 cases (amniotic fluid 13 cases, abortus tissue 3 cases, peripheral blood 8 cases) in which mosaicism has been found in cytogenetic analysis. 5 cases (38.5%) of 13 amniotic fluid cells in which mosaicisms showed single cell pseudomosaicism. Chromosomal true mosaicism is found in about 0.28% (8/2,826) of amniotic fluid cell cultures. The 24 cases involved 12 cases (50%) with sex chromosomal abnormalities, 7 cases (29.2%) with autosomal structural defects, 3 cases (12.5%) with autosomal abnormalities, 2 cases (8.3%) with a supernumerary marker. Mosaicism detected in amniotic fluid may represent the true mosaicism or may pseudomosaicism. If the same chromosome abnormality is seen in more than one cell and in two different cultures, it is considered a true mosaicism, whereas single-cell abnormalities from a single culture are regarded as pseudomosaicism. In this study, we describe a mosaicism in chromosome analysis, its diagnostic problems and clinical significance.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.263-273
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• 2018

Aquaporin (AQP) 3, a facilitated transporter of water and glycerol, expresses in placenta and fetal membranes, but the detailed localization and function of AQP3 in placenta remain unclear. To elucidate a role of AQP3 in placenta, we defined the expression and cellular localization of AQP3 in placenta and fetal membranes, and investigated the structural and functional differences between wild-type and AQP3 null mice. Gestational sacs were removed during mid-gestational period and amniotic fluid was aspirated for measurements of volume and composition. Fetuses with attached placenta and fetal membranes were weighed and processed for histological assessment. AQP3 strongly expressed in basolateral membrane of visceral yolk sac cells of fetal membrane, the syncytiotrophoblasts of the labyrinthine placenta and fetal nucleated red blood cell membrane. Mice lacking AQP3 did not exhibit a significant defect in differentiation of trophoblast stem cells and normal placentation. However, AQP3 null fetuses were smaller than their control litter mates in spite of a decrease in litter size. The total amniotic fluid volume per gestational sac was reduced, but the amniotic fluid-to-fetal weight ratio was increased in AQP3 null mice compared with wild-type mice. Glycerol, free fatty acid and triglyceride levels in amniotic fluid of AQP3 null mice were significantly reduced, whereas lactate level increased when compared to those of wild-type mice. These results suggest a role for AQP3 in supplying nutrients from yolk sac and maternal blood to developing fetus by facilitating transport of glycerol in addition to water, and its implication for the fetal growth in utero.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.218-224
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• 1997

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase, which removes the acetyl moiety at the sn-2 position, has been found in human amniotic fluid. We purified this enzyme by ammonium sulfate precipitation, and sequential use of DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, hydroxyapatite, chelating-Sepharose, and Mono Q column chromatographies. This enzyme exhibited broad pH optima and was unaffected by EDTA. Partially purified enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 34 kDa on SDS-PAGE. In addition, the enzyme activity was inhibited by either diisopropylfluorophosphate(DFP) or p-bromophenacylbromide (p-BPB), suggesting that this enzyme possesses active serine and histidine residues. The enzyme showed similar activity towards PAF and oxidatively modified phosphatidylcholine, but didn't hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine with a long chain fatty acyl group at sn-2 position.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2020

The present study aimed to investigate the conceptus-related changes during early pregnancy in the Black Bengal breed of goat. A total of 22 gravid genitalia of the Black Bengal goats were collected from local slaughterhouses. The crown-rump lengths (CRL) of the conceptuses were determined to estimate the gestational age (GA). The length and diameter of uterine horn and amniotic sac were measured, and volume of amniotic and allantoic fluid formed by individual conceptus were recorded. The results reveal that the CRL is positively correlated with GA of the conceptus (R² = 0.89, p < 0.05); however, CRL was not influenced by number of conceptus. Both the left and the right uterine horn gradually increased in size with the advancement of pregnancy irrespective of conceptus number present in the horn. The size of the amniotic sac of conceptus gradually increased with the conceptus age but maintained spherical shape from 5 to 7 weeks of pregnancy. The amniotic fluid formed by individual conceptus rapidly increased from 5 weeks (3.4 ± 0.3 mL) to 7 weeks (21.0 ± 2.0 mL) and 9 weeks (111.5 ± 4.0 mL). The volume of allantoic fluid formed by individual conceptus was steadily increased until 7 weeks (60.0 ± 5.0 mL) and began to decline slowly thereafter (50.0 ± 5.0 mL at 9 weeks). Notably, there was no effect of conceptus number per pregnancy on individual amniotic and allantoic fluid volume. The cotyledons have first appeared on the allanto-chorionic surface from 4 to 5 weeks of pregnancy. The closed eye, nostril and hooves of the conceptus became visible at 7 weeks of pregnancy. The present study has shown the basic information on conceptus-related developmental changes during early pregnancy up to 9 weeks in Black Bengal goat.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.43 no.2 s.134
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• pp.69-71
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• 2005

This study was performed in order to evaluate the sero-epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in pregnant Korean women. Among 5,175 sera and 750 amniotic fluid samples obtained from pregnant women, 41 serum samples $(0.79\%)\;and\;10 (1.33\%)$ amniotic fluid samples tested positive for IgG antibodies by ELISA. Fifty one cases showing a score more than 0.25 on ELISA were tested for PCR reaction against the SAG1 gene. Only one case of the 51 ELISA positive cases exhibited a positive reaction on all tests. This case had a history of acute nephropyelitis during early pregnancy, but fortunately, had delivered a phenotypically healthy baby. In this study, the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be comparatively low, consistent with previous reports from Korea. However our trials, performed with a variety of diagnostic tools, were considered to be useful for the precise diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2001.02a
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• pp.27-31
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• 2001

This study examined the extent of mammary excretion and placental transfer of bisphenol A in rats. Bisphenol A was given by simultaneous i.v. bolus injection plus infusion to steady-state at low, medium and high doses. The steady-state serum levels of bisphenol A were linearly increased with increasing the dosing rate. The systemic clearance (mean range, 119.2-154.1 ml/min/kg) remained unaltered over the dosing rate studied. The levels of bisphenol A in milk exceeded those in serum, with the steady-state milk to serum concentration ratio being 2.4-2.7. The steady-state milk levels of bisphenol A were also increased linearly with increasing the infusion rate. In a separate study, the kinetic disposition of bisphenol A in the rat maternal-fetal unit was studied in pregnant rats. After i.v. injection, bisphenol A concentration in the maternal serum declined biexponentially. Bisphenol A was rapidly distributed into placenta, fetus and amniotic fluid, with maximum concentrations in these tissues achieved within 1 hr of injection. The decline of bisphenol A in placenta, fetus and amniotic fluid paralleled that of maternal serum. A simultaneous computer simulation showed that the observed concentrations were well represented by a 5-compartmental model consisting of the maternal central, placenta, fetus, amniotic fluid, and maternal tissue compartments.