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The ideal scientist does science and cares about nothing else!To do great work, you have to have a pure mind.

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转帖——一 超高分辨率显微镜:显微镜发展史上的新突破

一  超高分辨率显微镜:显微镜发展史上的新突破

 



显微镜技术经过长期发展,加之近年来物理学界接二连三出现的重大科研进展,终于,在2008年,显微镜发展史上的新成果——超高分辨率荧光显微镜为科学家所研制出。人们预言,它定会成为生物学家的好帮手。

 

 

 

 

 1 Stefan Hell打破了物理学界的传统看法

 

 

 

自从1873年Ernst Abbe第一次发现光学成像具有衍射限制现象以来,物理学界就公认,显微镜的分辨率具有极限,该极限与光源的波长有关。直到一个多世纪之后,罗马尼亚物理学家Stefan Hell推翻了这一观点。他是首位不仅从理论上论证了,而且用实验证明了使用光学显微镜能达到纳米级分辨率的科学家。

 

 

 

早在上世纪80年代中期,当时师从德国海德堡大学(University of Heidelberg)一位低温固态物理学家的Stefan Hell就已经发现,如果不是像常规那样使用一个透镜聚焦,而是将两个大孔径的透镜组合在一起聚焦,就可以提高光学显微镜的分辨率。Stefan Hell是首位发现这一现象的研究人员。

 

 

 

Hell于1990年顺利完成了他的博士学业,但同时,这也意味着他将无法再凭借奖学金的资助进行研究了。Hell最终决定独自一人继续在家研究以上的发现,并最终成功发明了4Pi显微镜。

 

 

 

时任美国马萨诸塞州坎布里奇市哈佛大学(Harvard University)化学系教授的Sunney Xie遇到了Hell,当他了解了Hell发明的4Pi高分辨率显微镜时,Xie对Hell勇敢地对传统物理学观点提出挑战的精神表示赞许。

 

 

 

 

 

 

随后,Hell带着他的发明来到了位于德国海德堡的欧洲分子生物学实验室(European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL),并获得了德国科学基金会提供的奖学金。1991年,Hell在该实验室开始他的博士后研究工作。

 

 

 

起初,许多科学家,包括那些声名显赫的物理学家都认为Hell的工作对于提高光学显微镜的分辨率没有太大的意义。他们认为,Hell仅用他那少得可怜的科研经费来从事这项研究简直就是在冒险。但Hell却始终坚信他能够打破衍射极限。

 

 

 

Hell的努力没有白费,他的冒险终于获得了回报。1992年,Hell第一次用他的4Pi高分辨率显微镜证明了他的确能将传统光学显微镜的分辨率提高3~7倍。然而,尽管Hell提高了Z方向的分辨率,他还是没能突破衍射极限的限制。

 

 

 

此后不久,Hell又在芬兰土尔库大学(University of Turku)得到了他的第二个博士后职位。一个星期六的早晨,Hell正躺在研究生公寓的床上看一本有关光学量子理论的书,突然,灵光一闪,Hell脑海里浮现了一个想法:如果使用一种合适的激光,仅激发一个点的荧光基团使其发光,然后再用一个面包圈样的光源抑制那个点周围的荧光强度,这样就只有一个点发光并被观察到了。Hell给他的这项发明取名STED,即受激发射损耗显微镜(stimulated emission depletion)。有了这个想法后,Hell立即行动,冲进实验室进行相关实验。每当回想起当时的心情,Hell都会觉得那是他科研生涯中最激动的时刻。

 

 

 

 

 

 

曾在EMBL与Hell共事,并共同研发4Pi显微镜的Pekka Hanninen指出,Hell在土尔库大学进行研究工作时非常刻苦。那时,他经常被许多问题困扰。尽管如此,研究过程中还是有许多快乐萦绕着他们。Hell不仅是一名严谨的科学研究者,还是一名音乐爱好者,每当工作至深夜时,实验室走廊总会回响起Hell吹奏萨克斯风的动听乐声。

 

 

 

 

1994年,Hell在《光学快报》(Optics Letters)上发表了他关于STED的理论文章。不过直到多年以后,这项理论才得以在实践中被证实。在那段时间里,Hell一面继续研究工作,一面四处奔走筹集科研经费,还卖掉了他4Pi 显微镜的专利。

 

 

 

但是那个时候Abbe的衍射极限理论仍然在学界占统治地位,许多物理学家对Hell的理论都持怀疑甚至批评态度,因此他们也都将研究重点放在其它的成像技术上。尽管如此,Hell还是在1997年与马普生物物理化学研究所签订了一份长达5年的合同,以继续他的STED研究。

 

 

 

1999年,Hell将他的研究成果分别投给了《自然》(Nature)杂志和《科学》(Science)杂志,不过都被退稿。当时两位杂志的主编都没有意识到他的研究成果将会改变整个显微镜领域。

 

 

 

直到2000年,事情才终于有了转机——《美国国家科学院院刊》(PNAS)发表了Hell的科研成果。采用 Hell的STED技术,人们第一次得到了纳米级的荧光图像。Hell的工作由此获得了广泛的肯定,2002年,他获得了马普研究所的终身职位。从此,Hell一直在马普研究所从事成像技术的研究工作。

 

 

 

紧随STED这项开创性工作之后,世界各地实验室等研究机构内陆续出现了一批高分辨率的显微镜技术。例如,由珍妮莉娅法姆研究学院(Janelia Farm Research Campus)的物理学家兼工程师Mats Gustafsson领导的研究团队开发出了结构光学显微镜(structured-illumination microscopy, SIM)。

 

 

 

SIM技术的原理是通过一系列光成像的图案对低分辨率莫尔条纹形式的精细结构进行成像,此类图像是采用其它技术所无法观察到的。然后再由计算机处理、分析这些条纹中包含的信息,最终就可以获得高分辨率的图像。

 

 

 

同年,Gustafsson小组得到了HeLa细胞中肌动蛋白细胞骨架的图像,他的图像相比传统显微镜的图像来说,在测向上的分辨率提高了2倍。随后,Gustafsson小组又使用非线性技术将整体分辨率提高了4倍。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 科研竞赛

 

 


2006年,超高分辨率显微镜研究行业翻开了新的篇章。Eric Betzig、Harald Hess以及Lippincott-Schwartz小组、Samuel Hess小组以及庄晓威(音译)科研小组几乎同时报道了他们提高显微镜分辨率的科研成果,下面分别介绍这三个小组的研究情况。

 

 

 


2.1 Eric Betzig、Harald Hess以及Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz小组


 

 

 

 

 

2005年夏天,细胞生物学家Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz卸下了她在美国马里兰州贝塞斯达美国国立卫生研究院(HIV)暗室里的红色灯泡。Lippincott-Schwartz正在为赋闲在家的两位物理学家Eric Betzig和Harald Hess腾出空间,筹备实验室。正是这两位物理学家研制出了光敏定位显微镜(photoactivated localization microscopy, PALM),他的这种新产品能将荧光显微镜的分辨率提升至纳米级水平。

 

 

 

 

 

 

接下来的整个冬天,Eric Betzig、Harald Hess以及Lippincott-Schwartz等人都一直在那间狭小的没有取暖设备的实验室里工作。现在就职于美国弗吉尼亚州阿士伯恩霍华德休斯医学研究所珍妮莉娅法姆研究学院(Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia)的Hess承认,自己与Betzig对生物学的认识都不深。不过近15年来,他们一直都在努力,希望能运用生物学知识获取高分辨率的显微图像,但是没有取得明显进展。然而,当Hess和Betzig了解到Lippincott-Schwartz和George Patterson在2002年发明的光敏绿色荧光蛋白(photoactivatable green fluorescent protein)后,他们知道他们已经找到了解决问题的关键所在。

 

 

 

回想起当时的情形,Lippincott-Schwartz指出:“他们当时非常激动。我还记得当我们得到第一张显微图像时,你根本无法看出那是什么东西。直到我看到他们将荧光图像和电镜图像叠加之后的结果才相信,我们成功了。我当时觉得这一切真是太神奇了。”

 

 

 

2006年,Eric Betzig、Harald Hess以及Lippincott-Schwartz小组在《科学》(science)杂志上发表了他们的PALM研究成果。使用PALM可以清楚得看到细胞黏着斑和特定细胞器内的蛋白质。

 

 

 

 

2.2 Samuel Hess小组


Samuel Hess小组是上述三个小组之一。Hess是美国缅因州立大学(University of Maine)物理系的助理教授。2005年夏天,Hess一直在和他们学校的化学工程师和生物学工程师,就如何提高观察活体细胞脂筏结构的分辨率等问题进行交流。

 

 

 

2005年的一个夏夜,Hess被邻居家举办舞会的声音吵醒。半睡半醒的Hess走下楼来,随手画了一副设计图,他的这种设计是需要借助荧光标记的蛋白质来显示细胞形态的。第二天早上,当Hess重新翻看这幅非清醒状态绘制的潦草的设计图时,不由得大笑起来。不过令人吃惊的是,他的这幅设计图竟然没有一点问题。于是他把这幅图拿给物理系的同事检查,但同事也没有发现任何问题。

 

 

 

接下来,Hess就按照他的设计图开始制作显微镜了。此时,他的科研经费所剩不多,而结题时间转眼就到。因此,Hess等人以最快的速度组装好显微镜,并进行了试验。同时,在不到两天的时间里,缅因州立大学表面科学技术实验室的同事就为Hess制备好供检验显微镜效果的蓝宝石晶体样品。

 

 

 

对于同事们的帮助,Hess总是不胜感激。

 

 

 

2006年,《生物物理学期刊》(Biophysical Journal)刊登了Hess小组的科研成果。他们将这项研究成果命名为荧光光敏定位显微镜(fluorescence photoactivation localization microscopy, FPALM)。2007年,Hess小组证明了FPALM可以分辨细胞膜脂筏上的蛋白质簇。

 

 

 

 

2.3 庄晓威科研小组



与此同时,另一个研究小组——哈佛大学霍华德休斯医学研究所(Howard Hughes Medical Investigator at Harvard University)的研究员庄晓威科研小组也在研究高分辨率成像技术。

 

 

 

其实,这三个小组都有一个共同的也是非常简单的理念,那就是先获得单分子荧光图像,再将成千上万个单分子图像叠加在一起,获得最终的高分辨率的图像。

 

 

 

早在2004年初,庄等人就已经意外发现了有一些花青染料可以用作光敏开关。这也就意味着这些染料既可以被激活发出荧光,也可以被关闭不发光,人们可以使用不同颜色的光束来随意控制这些花青染料的开和关。

 

 

 

从那以后,庄等人就一直在研究如何用光敏开关探针来实现单分子发光技术。他们希望能用光敏开关将原本重叠在一起的几个分子图像暂时分开,这样就能获得单分子图像,从而提高分辨率。Eric Betzig小组和Samuel Hess小组也都采用了同样的策略,只不过他们使用的不是光敏开关而是一种可以先被荧光激活继而被漂白失活的探针。

 

 

 

2006年,庄的科研成果在《自然-方法》(Nature Methods)杂志上发表,他们将这项成果命名为随机光学重建显微镜(stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, STORM)。使用STORM可以以20nm的分辨率看到DNA分子和DNA-蛋白质复合体分子。

 

 

 

 

 

 

此后几年,超高分辨率荧光显微镜又得到了进一步的发展。现在,生物学家已经能够使用超高分辨率荧光显微镜在纳米水平上观察细胞内部发生的生化变化了。以往那些大小在200nm至750nm之间的模糊泡状图像再也无法对他们造成困扰了。尽管早在上世纪80年代,科研机构里就已经出现了超高分辨率显微镜的构思,但只是最近几年里这项技术才伴随着它的商业化进程获得了快速发展。现在,已经有几十家实验室安装了这种最新型的显微镜并投入了使用。正像Lippincott-Schwartz所说的,超高分辨率显微镜正在以飞快的速度被科研界接受,在生物学界更是如此。

 

 

 

 

3 超高分辨率显微镜的成绩

 

 

已经开始使用这些显微镜的生物学家对这项技术都表示出了极高的热情。Jan Liphardt这位在美国劳伦斯伯克力国家实验室(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)工作的生物学家,还清楚地记得他2006年第一次在《科学》(science)杂志读到Betzig的那篇有关PALM技术的论文时的激动心情。当他看到那幅线粒体蛋白的图像时立刻想到了该技术可以用于他自己的微生物研究领域。

 

 

 

Liphard说道:“通常,我们得到的大肠杆菌荧光图像都只有20像素,甚至更低,现在突然有一幅几千像素的图片摆在你面前,你可以想象那是一种什么感觉。”

 

 

 

Liphard现在正与Betzig以及其他一些研究人员一起研究大肠杆菌的趋化现象(chemotaxis)。Liphard还提到:“我从没想到这项技术达到的分辨率有这么高,可以如此清楚地看到细胞内单个蛋白质分子的定位,甚至还能定量。而对我来说,每天的工作实际上就是在弄清楚这些蛋白质在什么位置,什么时候存在。而之前我们的研究主要采用间接方法。但超高分辨率显微镜这项新技术是我从事科研工作这么长时间以来,感触最深,获益最大的一项科技成果。”

 

 

 

美国丹佛市科罗拉多州立大学医学院(Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver)的助理教授Nicholas Barry也正在和Betzig合作,他们使用了一台蔡司的全内反射荧光成像系统(total internal reflection fluorescence imaging, TIRF)来研究肾细胞顶端胞膜上的蛋白质簇。

 

 

 

Barry指出,只需要一台蔡司显微镜和普通电脑,差不多就足够了。此外,他们还花费3万美元添置了两台激光发射器。现在,Barry等人可以在8分钟内得到一幅图像,这幅图像由10000帧图像合成,每一帧图像上显示10个分子。最后的图像文件大小大约是0.3GB。Barry等人还使用Perl语言自己开发了一套免费程序。Barry表示:“这里面包含了每帧图像的资料信息,客户可以根据这些信息进行相关计算。”Barry充满信心地提到,很快就会有人为NIH的那套免费图像分析软件ImageJ开发出一套运算程序作为插件使用。

 

 

 

美国斯坦福大学(Stanford University)化学及应用物理系教授W.E. Moerner曾于1989年第一个在试验中使用光学显微镜得到了单分子图像。W.E. Moerner教授表示,这几年来,超高分辨率显微镜研究领域已经取得了巨大的进展,终于达到了纳米级单分子分辨率。他兴奋地说:“经过了近20年对单分子成像课题的研究,我们终于取得了完美的成果。”

 

 

 

 

4 展望

 

自从2006年STORM技术和PALM技术问世以来,科技工作者就一直在不断努力,对它们进行改进、完善和提升。2008年,Lippincott-Schwartz的研究团队将PALM技术和单颗粒示踪技术(single-particle tracking)结合,成功地观测到活体细胞胞膜蛋白的运动情况。同年,庄小威研究组在《科学》(science)杂志上也发表了他们的3D STORM成像成果,该技术的空间分辨率比以往所有光学3D成像技术的分辨率都要高出10倍。论文中,他们展示了用3D STORM成像技术拍摄的肾细胞内微管结构图和其它的分子结构图。随后,他们又进一步将该技术发展成了多色3D成像技术(multicolor 3D imaging)。Gustafsson,还有其他一些科研工作者使用3D SIM技术(该技术使用3束干涉光,而不是常见的2束)观察到了共聚焦显微镜(confocal microscopes)无法观测到的哺乳动物细胞核内结构。位于德国的世界知名光学仪器制造公司蔡司公司进一步发展了SIM和PALM技术,不过他们将PALM称为PAL-M。蔡司公司预计将于2009年末推出全新的成像产品。

 

 

 

2008年,Hell小组使用STED技术通过抗体标记目标蛋白,观察到了活体神经元细胞中突触小泡(synaptic vesicles)的运动过程。同年稍晚些时候,他们又使用4Pi显微镜和STED技术得到了固定细胞内线粒体的3D图像,分辨率达到了40至50nm。最近,他们又使用超高分辨率显微镜成像技术对脑切片组织中的形态学变化进行了研究,并得到了活体神经元细胞树突棘(dendritic spines)的3D图像。

 

 

 

由于最近几年这些新技术的不断涌现,现在可以对活体细胞进行三维观察了。Gustafsson指出,随着PALM技术和STORM等新技术的出现,以前很多看起来不可能的事情现在都变得可能了。

 

 

 

尽管已有许多科学家从这项技术进展中获益,但是仍然可以进一步提高,以使更多的研究人员能够在自己的工作中使用它。到目前为止,那些成功应用此项技术的实验室都采取了正确的技术组合:研究人员可以很好地将物理学与生物学相结合——他们将显微镜装配并做适当的调节,然后用它对生物学样品进行检测。Moerner指出,软件的编写也不容小觑:对检测到的光子进行定位和报告需要进行准确计算,从而得到合适的分辨率。

 

 

 

仅仅是显微镜的价格就已经限制了它的普及性,Leica’s TCS STED显微镜高达100万美元。因此,如何获得相应的资金来购置显微镜仍然是摆在研究人员面前的一个难题,位于丹佛市的科罗拉多大学(University of Colorado)光学显微镜组主任Bill Betz这样说道。

 

 

 

Betz曾申请用于显微镜购置的资金,但遭到了拒绝。但他表示,他们已经计划再次申请相关资金。而Stefan Hell曾指出,激光领域的技术进展已经可以使得研究人员自己在实验室内构建一个STED平台,花费只需不到10万美元。

 

 

 

除了要将这一技术方法普及,使生物学家能够加以利用之外,该项技术的研发人员还表示,他们已经开始致力于研究更宽范围及更多样的荧光探针了。更好的探针当然能够为我们带来更高的分辨率及更快速的图像处理。美国纽约阿尔伯特•爱因斯坦医学院(Albert Einstein College of Medicine)解剖学及结构生物学副教授Vladislav Verkhusha说到:“为了对活体哺乳动物细胞进行研究,你就需要有一整套的荧光标记蛋白和可通过光控开关控制的蛋白质。”他本人在荧光蛋白领域的研究工作就受益于PALM的出现。

 

 

 

庄晓威的众多项目之一便是与Alice Ting及其在麻省理工学院(MIT)的实验室合作,对蛋白标记技术进行研究,希望能够找到一种方法可以将小和明亮的光控开关可控的探针标记于细胞的特异蛋白上,从而可以对活细胞进行成像。她提到:“将遗传标记方法与小而明亮且可被光控开关控制的探针结合在一起,将是今后发展分子级别超高分辨率成像的十分理想的一种方法。”

 

 

 

尽管研发人员还将继续努力,以进行相应技术的提高,但是超高分辨率荧光显微镜更加广泛的应用还是毫无疑问地成为新的一年的标志。Harald Hess说:“这一技术的确会为生物学家的工作带来很大的帮助。同时,我们也在不断询问,‘你们想要用它做什么精彩的实验?’事实上,我们也得到了许多精彩的答案。”

 

 

 

 

 

筱玥/编译


 

 

原文检索:Nature Methods Published online: 17 December 2008; doi:10.1038/ Nmeth.f. 234

 

 

 

Kelly Rae Chi/原文作者。

 

Kelly Rae Chi是一名自由撰稿人,现居美国北卡罗来纳州罗利市(Raleigh),联系方式:kellyraechi@gmail.com。

- 作者: snail 2009年04月24日, 星期五 01:12  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

3月10日是个特殊的日子

06年的今天,琳琳早上在北京离开了我们,以后每年的今天我都会想起那个永远16岁的小女孩!

去年的今天我也又去北京了,在二炮总医院的病房里徘徊了一番,但是我们深爱的小家伙却再也不会在那个楼梯里面出现了。我们在哪个下雪的日子扶着她进了3楼的病房,但是我却没有能扶着她离开那里。

每年的今天我都会想起我的妹妹,哪个可爱的女孩,她的一辈子就定格在了今天!

06年3月10日,那天我在车上哭的一塌糊涂,下午我到了苏州。09年3月10日,三年过去了,叔叔也走了,那天我一直在忙,我要处理很多的事情,那天的晚上我又到苏州了!只是时过境迁,物是人已非……

好久以来都不写这些伤感的东西了,因为身上的责任更重了,因为我还要坚强起来照顾我周围的人。

有时候我会在凌晨回去的时候告诉自己——要坚强,要无畏的坚强,因为你要为别人好好活着!

- 作者: snail 2009年03月10日, 星期二 23:59  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

转机……

很久以来,每天都从起床兴奋到晚归

worms终于有了转机

这才是科学最吸引人的东西——发现和探索未知

做一个科研工作者,保持自己最初的兴趣

享受追求真理的旅程,及旅程中那些单纯的快乐

像个孩子一些对待那些天真未知的世界

记住——无论这个世界多么吵杂,我们内心需要追求一些崇高的东西!

享受这个过程吧,我所有的伙伴们……

- 作者: snail 2009年01月22日, 星期四 18:37  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

天天扯淡……

TMD,不得不说脏话了

最近忙的一塌糊涂,其实尽在扯淡!

祈祷虫子状态好一些,能够继续我们的试验生活。

下周,我就回归了,回归正常的工作和生活,worms也要表现神勇,回归你们的原始的活跃状态吧,因为你们有了新鲜的食物和水源,你们要尽力的reproduction and fission,然后维持你们庞大的种群,让那帮检验检疫的家伙们见鬼去吧。

GFP获奖了,同学在美国如火如荼的做实验,western啊,IP啊……

天啊,我要做试验,我要做实验!!!!!!!

我还就不信,那么多的paper怎么就没有我的一篇?

真的有那么难么?

毕业,毕业,奔向更好的lab……

我就要做实验了,没日没夜的做~

- 作者: snail 2008年10月9日, 星期四 23:29  回复(1) |  引用(0) 加入博采

转帖:PS
以 TIFF 格式为例 一般图片没有刻意留意图片的分辨率,保存的都为72dpi或者是96dpi,这个远不足投稿要求,具体要求如下:
line artwork = minimum of  1000dpi
halftone artwork = minimum of  300dpi
combination artwork = minimum of  500dpi

打开PS,不要载入你的图片,否则就会使图片在分辨率提高的同时,像素也相应增加,造成你的图片超大,动辄几十MB,甚至上百兆,所以先 文件→新建→调整宽度和高度→将分辨率调整为刊物要求的大小,e.g.500dpi(模式为位图时,此值还要达到1000dpi)→ok 然后将你的jpg或bmp等不合格图片格式的图象用浏览图象的软件打开,比如ACDSee,复制你要得图片到打开的新建PS文件中,好了,然后 文件→保存(选择TIFF*TIF),可以了,能保证你的新TIFF文件和原来的图片格式文件大小相同。

此外,如果图片文件太大,给上传造成困难,怎么办呢? 很简单,你有最常用的 WinRAR压缩/解压的软件吧,点即图片,鼠标右键,选择 “添加到压缩文件(A)” 选择“ZIP”,注意 “RAR”格式不允许上传,一个 几兆的文件 就被压缩到 一两百K了。

简单的东西,希望能有用

:P:o;):D:):P:o;):D:(:):rol::mad::cool::P:o;):D:(:):rol::mad::cool::P:o;):D:(:):rol::mad::cool:
P.S.: PS就是Photoshop

转DXY:
line artwork 纯的黑白图没有中间颜色-又叫monochrome 单色的 [P.S. Artwork made of solid blacks and whites, with no tonal (gray) values]
halftone artwork有颜色深浅差别的灰度图 [P.S. A method of generating on press or on a laser printer an image that requires varying densities or shades to accurately render the image. This is achieved by representing the imge as a pattern of dots of varying size. Larger dots represent darker areas, and smaller dots represent lighter areas of an image.]
combiantion artwork是前两者的混合图有时也指彩色图与line artwork的组合 [P.S. An image that is comprised of elements of both a halftone and line art. The most common occurrences are images where the labeling of the image is outside of the halftone area. The requirements for this particular type of image are that the text be crisp and clear, while the quality of the halftone is unchanged. The only way to do this is by combining the properties of the two image types. ]

- 作者: snail 2008年09月19日, 星期五 00:09  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

cited-An Interview With...: David Baltimore

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 9, 670-671 (September 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrm2482

An Interview With...David Baltimore

Errol C. Friedberg1

Author affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390-9072, USA.
    Email: errol.friedberg@utsouthwestern.edu
David Baltimore

David Baltimore was born in 1938. He attended Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, as an undergraduate and obtained his Ph.D. from the Rockefeller Institute, New York, USA. He was a faculty member of the Salk Institute, California, and of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for many years. While at MIT, Baltimore received (at the age of 37) the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with Howard Temin, for the discovery of reverse transcriptase. He was founding director of the Whitehead Institute, an academic affiliate of MIT. He has served as President of Rockefeller University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He is currently President Emeritus and a professor at Caltech.

How does the second half of the twentieth century, which is sometimes referred to as the 'golden age' of molecular biology, compare with the field today?

I see the golden age of molecular biology as an absolutely miraculous time. My own interest in molecular biology dates back to around 1958, a time when our knowledge of cellular biology was very rudimentary. I remember wondering a lot then about how the genetic code works, trying to imagine how molecular processes were organized, what the Jacob–Monod paradigm of gene regulation really meant for the future and so on. In my mind, the breakthrough in recombinant DNA and genomics, not to mention everything that came before and in between, has been nothing short of miraculous. My own research interests have always been in mammalian systems, but animal cells weren't tractable then and so I began to work with mammalian viruses. Once the recombinant DNA revolution transpired, it opened an entirely new way of studying mammalian cells and cancer. The revolution in cancer research and the way that it has revealed insights into the biology of mammalian cells has been most remarkable.

"In my mind, the breakthrough in recombinant DNA and genomics, not to mention everything that came before and in between, has been nothing short of miraculous".

As to the present, there are still very important questions out there. MicroRNA biology is a good example, and stunning new developments will surely continue to unfold. Epigenetics is another exciting area in molecular biology. There are many exciting opportunities for young scientists to push the frontiers of biomedicine. But the present generation of up-and-coming scientists faces serious infrastructural problems that are intrinsic to the research enterprise. Consider faculty positions, for example: a large number of qualified people compete for a limited number of positions. So, unless one is extraordinarily brilliant, most people that enter biomedical research face a kind of Darwinian selection for those who have accomplished something substantial. And because the length of training has become so extended, it takes a long time before one can really be in a position to make substantial contributions. Nowadays, people need to stretch longer and longer to publish first-class papers in top-ranked journals, a reality that is reflected in the rising average age of people getting their first significant research grant. The system is trying hard to support young investigators and does that rather well, but this support also tends to delay the time before people really learn how to write credible grant proposals. The aerospace industry uses the term 'fresh-outs' to describe people who are just out of training. There are a lot of fresh-outs in biomedical research, many of whom are already 40 years old or older when they are beginning their careers as independent investigators.

David Baltimore

In the same vein, I have concerns about the combined M.D.–Ph.D. phenomenon, in which young folks are spending lots of time preparing themselves to become investigators, perhaps at the cost of shortening their peak years of productivity. It's a fundamental truism that many scientific breakthroughs come from young people — people in early stages of their careers as independent investigators. If young people are first preparing themselves for careers as doctors, and then as residents and clinical fellows at the same time as they are trying to learn how to do basic research, then this can delay the time when they can begin to be really creative. When students talk to me about combined M.D.–Ph.D. programmes I try to discourage them. But I am usually unsuccessful because of the many pressures — fom family and from educational institutions that offer such programmes — to experience a so-called broad education.

In light of these issues, what advice would you give to graduate students?

The first piece of advice I would offer is to realize that there is a lot of exciting research and development going on in modern biomedicine at the basic level, at the translational level and at the therapeutic level. In my view, a career in biomedical research is as exciting now as it has ever been. I agree with David Botstein and others, however, who state that the graduate students of the future need to have more quantitative training. They need to be more facile in handling mathematics, physics and physical chemistry and in applying these skills to biological research, especially for the development of new technologies.

Given the massive body of established scientific information that must be acquired by the present generation of graduate students, do students and postdoctoral fellows, in your view, have to specialize too soon?

I do think that graduate students need to specialize early, but I don't necessarily think that this is bad. I have an hourglass notion of university education. College students should initially try to learn everything — they should have wide-ranging and diverse intellectual interests. If one is going to become an authority in any field, however, one has to progressively narrow one's interests and knowledge base. I think that graduate school is a time to learn how to acquire expert knowledge, although one obviously doesn't have to spend an entire career on a particular research focus. Indeed, the hourglass should widen again, and one's interests should become broader on becoming a postdoctoral fellow, and even broader when one becomes a faculty member and begins teaching.

Given that the academic research enterprise is now very crowded and competitive, how can we creatively deal with the logjam that has been created by the build-up of scientists of retirement age?

This is a real and serious problem. I certainly do not think that we will ever put specific retirement requirements in place — at least not in the United States. But I also believe that if at age 60 one is doing the same sort of research using the same kinds of technologies that one used as a graduate student, something is seriously wrong. One of the things we can do — and we very much encourage this at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) — is to encourage ageing faculty investigators to reinvent themselves to avoid becoming stale. But it can be very difficult for institutions to support this, especially when the granting agencies favour people with experience and proven track records as opposed to those who want to branch out into something new. Some academic institutions use incentive packages to encourage early retirement. Additionally, many scientists these days can afford to continue working as productive scientists with reduced salaries, which frees up funding. All of these initiatives are useful.

I believe, however, that tenure is so fundamental to the pulse of academic life that we must preserve it at all costs. I also believe that the protection that tenure affords can, and should, provide opportunities for thinking in new ways. Indeed, the moment one acquires tenure should be the moment to strike out in new research directions. A non-tenured system will discourage creative thinking in my view. One has to think about the different ways in which tenure might be modified so as to retain academic freedom but to still provide mobility in the academic system — by rolling tenure, for example.

What are your thoughts on the present system of peer review for research proposals and scientific manuscripts?

I have concerns about this system. What bothers me most is the level of nit-picking that is going on as a consequence of the intense competition for scarce resources. Money for research is scarce and so is space in first-rate journals. But that is no excuse for what I sense is happening — reviewers becoming distressingly ungenerous to their colleagues, presumably because, in turn, someone is being ungenerous to them. But I am encouraged by the fact that some senior people are thinking seriously and creatively about completely overhauling the grant-review process. I know that Richard Klausner, the former Director of the National Cancer Institute, is one of them. He is trying to develop a system that allows all National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that come to a given NIH institute to be considered together, instead of the current system in which grants in exciting areas compete with each other and grants in less exciting fields compete with each other, such that fewer exciting grants get funded overall. The system of peer review also requires the participation of a much larger number of scientists with a lot of research experience and expertise in order to make more sound judgements.

"I also believe that the protection that tenure affords can, and should, provide opportunities for thinking in new ways".

I believe that we would go a long way to improving the system of peer review if study sections and other grant-reviewing bodies placed more emphasis on the track records of established investigators, instead of on their proposals in isolation. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Maryland, does that very well. The question they always ask is: 'what have you done for us recently?' They do not just ask 'what do you plan to do in the future?' I think that the NIH does not sufficiently focus on past accomplishments.

Do you think that the incidence of scientific fraud is increasing?

I'm not sure. One could certainly make convincing arguments as to why one might expect more fraud, given the intense competitiveness in science nowadays. And we certainly seem to hear more about fraud these days. But there's also an increase in the volume of research, so I'm not sure that the increase in fraud is disproportionate to the number of active scientists. My impression is that most scientists are rigorously honest and sometimes honest errors are unfortunately labelled as fraud. One has to be careful in that regard.

Who are the three most important scientific mentors in your life?

The most important mentor in my career was someone who I never actually worked with, but who watched over me from the time that I was a young graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Salvador Luria. 'Salva' was a very generous man who loved identifying promising young students and giving them a boost wherever and whenever he could. He was wonderful! Richard Franklin, my research advisor at the Rockefeller Institute when I was a graduate student, was also a wonderful man. He had an almost child-like enthusiasm for science and he drove me to accomplish for my own career rather than to accomplish for his career. He gave me tremendous freedom to effectively develop my own scientific interests. The person who really got me started in science, however, was my mother. She was an experimental psychologist who was very interested in understanding brain function. She recognized my scientific potential and strongly encouraged me to pursue such a career. She pushed me to work for a summer at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, after my junior year at high school, and that experience motivated me to become a biomedical researcher.

- 作者: snail 2008年08月29日, 星期五 11:08  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

CCTV——你太SB了

奥运晚会个人感觉还好,因为我没有更好的创意,所以不敢妄自评论别人的作品。

不过,最为恶心的是CCTV的转播,画面中简直是恶搞各国领导人:普金一脸无奈,布什昏昏欲睡,jiang主席夫人的老态龙钟……,导播太业余了吧!

还用了大量时间聚焦各国美女的腿,以及诸国运动员的鞋子,就是没有给火炬手陈中,李宁几个正脸。(在火炬传递中间镜头还剧烈晃动了一下)

那些CCTV的导播是脑子进水了,还是TMD的被运动鞋赞助商收买了?加上CCTV导播动辄封杀超级女声(演唱会不给正脸)的卑劣行为,本人极端怀疑CCTV转播的能力。

再好的创意,遇上了这么一帮转播的废物,也是白搭了啊!

对于CCTV,我们最好戒了丫这个垄断的大鳄!

本人极端推荐海洋同学博文    http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1230702395

- 作者: snail 2008年08月9日, 星期六 23:27  回复(3) |  引用(0) 加入博采

我们都老了

08级学生还没有入学,09级的新生就要进来做实验了,时间在催我们老去!

我上学的时候经常是班级里面最小的学生,加上个子比较小,那时候经常会得到老师的青睐,觉得我这小孩还算比较聪明机灵。我一直乐于成为最小的学生。直到来这里以后才发现山东的,河南的同学比我还小,同一班级要小3岁,优越感就彻底的消失了。

这些天以来出现的小孩子让我感觉更加震撼了,88年生的小孩都在读研究生了,87年的小孩已经在国外大学在读博士了。

他们确实很聪明,很有天赋,他们懂得太多的东西,喜欢聊天,喜欢小说,喜欢哈根达斯,喜欢电影明星,喜欢哈利波特,擅长口语,夸夸其谈,六级照样能考600多分,综合成绩照样全年级排名第一……

我不得不承认在他们面前我自己是个老古董,是个笨拙的老牛,顽固,不懂情调,不入流。

隔了几岁,仿佛老了许多,感觉自己要和这样一帮人竞争简直就是要了老命。

难道真的老了?

我们这些家伙二三十岁了,还TMD的在国内混,大部分文章是狗屁,一大半idea是狗屁,撑死发个10分左右的文章。口语结结巴巴,语法一塌糊涂,去国外做n年的postdoc,然后呢?不停的做postdoc,直到某一天熬出几篇CNS,可能才会有机会有个assistant 的offer。剩下没有这个运气的TMD就要做一辈子的工人。

老了,不行了,小孩子给了我们巨大的压力。

- 作者: snail 2008年08月6日, 星期三 22:37  回复(1) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Don't Become a Scientist!

Jonathan I. Katz

 Professor of Physics Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.

[my last name]@wuphys.wustl.edu

Are you thinking of becoming a scientist? Do you want to uncover the mysteries of nature, perform experiments or carry out calculations to learn how the world works? Forget it! Science is fun and exciting. The thrill of discovery is unique. If you are smart, ambitious and hard working you should major in science as an undergraduate. But that is as far as you should take it. After graduation, you will have to deal with the real world. That means that you should not even consider going to graduate school in science. Do something else instead: medical school, law school, computers or engineering, or something else which appeals to you. Why am I (a tenured professor of physics) trying to discourage you from following a career path which was successful for me? Because times have changed (I received my Ph.D. in 1973, and tenure in 1976). American science no longer offers a reasonable career path. If you go to graduate school in science it is in the expectation of spending your working life doing scientific research, using your ingenuity and curiosity to solve important and interesting problems. You will almost certainly be disappointed, probably when it is too late to choose another career. American universities train roughly twice as many Ph.D.s as there are jobs for them. When something, or someone, is a glut on the market, the price drops. In the case of Ph.D. scientists, the reduction in price takes the form of many years spent in ``holding pattern'' postdoctoral jobs. Permanent jobs don't pay much less than they used to, but instead of obtaining a real job two years after the Ph.D. (as was typical 25 years ago) most young scientists spend five, ten, or more years as postdocs. They have no prospect of permanent employment and often must obtain a new postdoctoral position and move every two years. For many more details consult the Young Scientists' Network or read the account in the May, 2001 issue of the Washington Monthly. As exmples, consider two of the leading candidates for a recent Assistant Professorship in my department. One was 37, ten years out of graduate school (he didn't get the job). The leading candidate, whom everyone thinks is brilliant, was 35, seven years out of graduate school. Only then was he offered his first permanent job (that's not tenure, just the possibility of it six years later, and a step off the treadmill of looking for a new job every two years). The latest example is a 39 year old candidate for another Assistant Professorship; he has published 35 papers. In contrast, a doctor typically enters private practice at 29, a lawyer at 25 and makes partner at 31, and a computer scientist with a Ph.D. has a very good job at 27 (computer science and engineering are the few fields in which industrial demand makes it sensible to get a Ph.D.). Anyone with the intelligence, ambition and willingness to work hard to succeed in science can also succeed in any of these other professions. Typical postdoctoral salaries begin at $27,000 annually in the biological sciences and about $35,000 in the physical sciences (graduate student stipends are less than half these figures). Can you support a family on that income? It suffices for a young couple in a small apartment, though I know of one physicist whose wife left him because she was tired of repeatedly moving with little prospect of settling down. When you are in your thirties you will need more: a house in a good school district and all the other necessities of ordinary middle class life. Science is a profession, not a religious vocation, and does not justify an oath of poverty or celibacy. Of course, you don't go into science to get rich. So you choose not to go to medical or law school, even though a doctor or lawyer typically earns two to three times as much as a scientist (one lucky enough to have a good senior-level job). I made that choice too. I became a scientist in order to have the freedom to work on problems which interest me. But you probably won't get that freedom. As a postdoc you will work on someone else's ideas, and may be treated as a technician rather than as an independent collaborator. Eventually, you will probably be squeezed out of science entirely. You can get a fine job as a computer programmer, but why not do this at 22, rather than putting up with a decade of misery in the scientific job market first? The longer you spend in science the harder you will find it to leave, and the less attractive you will be to prospective employers in other fields. Perhaps you are so talented that you can beat the postdoc trap; some university (there are hardly any industrial jobs in the physical sciences) will be so impressed with you that you will be hired into a tenure track position two years out of graduate school. Maybe. But the general cheapening of scientific labor means that even the most talented stay on the postdoctoral treadmill for a very long time; consider the job candidates described above. And many who appear to be very talented, with grades and recommendations to match, later find that the competition of research is more difficult, or at least different, and that they must struggle with the rest. Suppose you do eventually obtain a permanent job, perhaps a tenured professorship. The struggle for a job is now replaced by a struggle for grant support, and again there is a glut of scientists. Now you spend your time writing proposals rather than doing research. Worse, because your proposals are judged by your competitors you cannot follow your curiosity, but must spend your effort and talents on anticipating and deflecting criticism rather than on solving the important scientific problems. They're not the same thing: you cannot put your past successes in a proposal, because they are finished work, and your new ideas, however original and clever, are still unproven. It is proverbial that original ideas are the kiss of death for a proposal; because they have not yet been proved to work (after all, that is what you are proposing to do) they can be, and will be, rated poorly. Having achieved the promised land, you find that it is not what you wanted after all. What can be done? The first thing for any young person (which means anyone who does not have a permanent job in science) to do is to pursue another career. This will spare you the misery of disappointed expectations. Young Americans have generally woken up to the bad prospects and absence of a reasonable middle class career path in science and are deserting it. If you haven't yet, then join them. Leave graduate school to people from India and China, for whom the prospects at home are even worse. I have known more people whose lives have been ruined by getting a Ph.D. in physics than by drugs. If you are in a position of leadership in science then you should try to persuade the funding agencies to train fewer Ph.D.s. The glut of scientists is entirely the consequence of funding policies (almost all graduate education is paid for by federal grants). The funding agencies are bemoaning the scarcity of young people interested in science when they themselves caused this scarcity by destroying science as a career. They could reverse this situation by matching the number trained to the demand, but they refuse to do so, or even to discuss the problem seriously (for many years the NSF propagated a dishonest prediction of a coming shortage of scientists, and most funding agencies still act as if this were true). The result is that the best young people, who should go into science, sensibly refuse to do so, and the graduate schools are filled with weak American students and with foreigners lured by the American student visa.

- 作者: snail 2008年07月25日, 星期五 23:35  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Mowiol
One of the researchers here gave me a  recipe for a mounting media called
Mowiol. I am making up and using for my aqueous IHC as it is far superior to
anything else I have used. Great resolution, dries quickly and can add a
component to reduce fading of fluorescence. I do not know how expensive it
is to make up as all the chemicals are on hand here. Should be better than
anything store bought. Might want to give this a try. Do not know if cover
slips can be removed after drying.

Mowiol

-Add 2.4g of Mowoil 4-88 [Calbiochem] to 6 g of glycerol. Stir to mix
-Add 6ml of water, leave stirring @RT for several hours
-Add 12ml of 0.2M Tris [pH8.5} and heat to 50C for 10 min with occasional
mixing
-Clarify by centrifugation @ 5,ooog for 15 minutes
-OPTIONAL: Add DABCO [1,4,-diazobicycli-[2.2.2]-octane, Aldrich] to 2.5% w/v
to reduce fading of fluorophores
-Aliquot into airtight containers and store @-20C


Stable @RT for a few weeks if in airtight tubes.

I have only used this a few times and am making up a stock for myself so I
do not know how long it can be left @RT.

- 作者: snail 2008年07月16日, 星期三 17:05  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Baccalaureate address to Class of 2008( harvard university)

cited from http://www.president.harvard.edu/speeches/faust/080603_bacc.html

The Memorial Church

As prepared for delivery

In the curious custom of this venerable institution, I find myself standing before you expected to impart words of lasting wisdom. Here I am in a pulpit, dressed like a Puritan minister — an apparition that would have horrified many of my distinguished forebears and perhaps rededicated some of them to the extirpation of witches. This moment would have propelled Increase and Cotton into a true “Mather lather.” But here I am and there you are and it is the moment of and for Veritas.

You have been undergraduates for four years. I have been president for not quite one. You have known three presidents; I one senior class. Where then lies the voice of experience? Maybe you should be offering the wisdom. Perhaps our roles could be reversed and I could, in Harvard Law School style, do cold calls for the next hour or so.

We all do seem to have made it to this point — more or less in one piece. Though I recently learned that we have not provided you with dinner since May 22. I know we need to wean you from Harvard in a figurative sense. I never knew we took it quite so literally.

But let’s return to that notion of cold calls for a moment. Let’s imagine this were a baccalaureate service in the form of Q & A, and you were asking the questions. “What is the meaning of life, President Faust? What were these four years at Harvard for? President Faust, you must have learned something since you graduated from college exactly 40 years ago?” (Forty years. I’ll say it out loud since every detail of my life — and certainly the year of my Bryn Mawr degree — now seems to be publicly available. But please remember I was young for my class.)

In a way, you have been engaging me in this Q & A for the past year. On just these questions, although you have phrased them a bit more narrowly. And I have been trying to figure out how I might answer and, perhaps more intriguingly, why you were asking.

Let me explain. It actually began when I met with the UC just after my appointment was announced in the winter of 2007. Then the questions continued when I had lunch at Kirkland House, dinner at Leverett, when I met with students in my office hours, even with some recent graduates I encountered abroad. The first thing you asked me about wasn’t the curriculum or advising or faculty contact or even student space. In fact, it wasn’t even alcohol policy. Instead, you repeatedly asked me: Why are so many of us going to Wall Street? Why are we going in such numbers from Harvard to finance, consulting, i-banking?

There are a number of ways to think about this question and how to answer it. There is the Willie Sutton approach. You may know that when he was asked why he robbed banks, he replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” Professors Claudia Goldin and Larry Katz, whom many of you have encountered in your economics concentration, offer a not dissimilar answer based on their study of student career choices since the seventies. They find it notable that, given the very high pecuniary rewards in finance, many students nonetheless still choose to do something else. Indeed, 37 of you have signed on with Teach for America; one of you will dance tango and work in dance therapy in Argentina; another will be engaged in agricultural development in Kenya; another, with an honors degree in math, will study poetry; another will train as a pilot with the USAF; another will work to combat breast cancer. Numbers of you will go to law school, medical school, and graduate school. But, consistent with the pattern Goldin and Katz have documented, a considerable number of you are selecting finance and consulting. The Crimson’s survey of last year’s class reported that 58 percent of men and 43 percent of women entering the workforce made this choice. This year, even in challenging economic times, the figure is 39 percent.

High salaries, the all but irresistible recruiting juggernaut, the reassurance for many of you that you will be in New York working and living and enjoying life alongside your friends, the promise of interesting work — there are lots of ways to explain these choices. For some of you, it is a commitment for only a year or two in any case. Others believe they will best be able to do good by first doing well. Yet, you ask me why you are following this path.

I find myself in some ways less interested in answering your question than in figuring out why you are posing it. If Professors Goldin and Katz have it right; if finance is indeed the “rational choice,” why do you keep raising this issue with me? Why does this seemingly rational choice strike a number of you as not understandable, as not entirely rational, as in some sense less a free choice than a compulsion or necessity? Why does this seem to be troubling so many of you?

You are asking me, I think, about the meaning of life, though you have posed your question in code — in terms of the observable and measurable phenomenon of senior career choice rather than the abstract, unfathomable and almost embarrassing realm of metaphysics. The Meaning of Life — capital M, capital L — is a cliché — easier to deal with as the ironic title of a Monty Python movie or the subject of a Simpsons episode than as a matter about which one would dare admit to harboring serious concern.

But let’s for a moment abandon our Harvard savoir faire, our imperturbability, our pretense of invulnerability, and try to find the beginnings of some answers to your question.

I think you are worried because you want your lives not just to be conventionally successful, but to be meaningful, and you are not sure how those two goals fit together. You are not sure if a generous starting salary at a prestigious brand name organization together with the promise of future wealth will feed your soul.

Why are you worried? Partly it is our fault. We have told you from the moment you arrived here that you will be the leaders responsible for the future, that you are the best and the brightest on whom we will all depend, that you will change the world. We have burdened you with no small expectations. And yu have already done remarkable things to fulfill them: your dedication to service demonstrated in your extracurricular engagements, your concern about the future of the planet expressed in your vigorous championing of sustainability, your reinvigoration of American politics through engagement in this year’s presidential contests.

But many of you are now wondering how these commitments fit with a career choice. Is it necessary to decide between remunerative work and meaningful work? If it were to be either/or, which would you choose? Is there a way to have both?

You are asking me and yourselves fundamental questions about values, about trying to reconcile potentially competing goods, about recognizing that it may not be possible to have it all. You are at a moment of transition that requires making choices. And selecting one option — a job, a career, a graduate program — means not selecting others. Every decision means loss as well as gain — possibilities foregone as well as possibilities embraced. Your question to me is partly about that — about loss of roads not taken.

Finance, Wall Street, “recruiting” have become the symbol of this dilemma, representing a set of issues that is much broader and deeper than just one career path. These are issues that in one way or another will at some point face you all — as you graduate from medical school and choose a specialty — family practice or dermatology, as you decide whether to use your law degree to work for a corporate firm or as a public defender, as you decide whether to stay in teaching after your two years with TFA. You are worried because you want to have both a meaningful life and a successful one; you know you were educated to make a difference not just for yourself, for your own comfort and satisfaction, but for the world around you. And now you have to figure out the way to make that possible.

I think there is a second reason you are worried — related to but not entirely distinct from the first. You want to be happy. You have flocked to courses like “Positive Psychology” — Psych 1504 — and “The Science of Happiness” in search of tips. But how do we find happiness? I can offer one encouraging answer: get older. Turns out that survey data show older people — that is, my age — report themselves happier than do younger ones. But perhaps you don’t want to wait.

As I have listened to you talk about the choices ahead of you, I have heard you articulate your worries about the relationship of success and happiness — perhaps, more accurately, how to define success so that it yields and encompasses real happiness, not just money and prestige. The most remunerative choice, you fear, may not be the most meaningful and the most satisfying. But you wonder how you would ever survive as an artist or an actor or a public servant or a high school teacher? How would you ever figure out a path by which to make your way in journalism? Would you ever find a job as an English professor after you finished who knows how many years of graduate school and dissertation writing?

The answer is: you won’t know till you try. But if you don’t try to do what you love — whether it is painting or biology or finance; if you don’t pursue what you think will be most meaningful, you will regret it. Life is long. There is always time for Plan B. But don’t begin with it.

I think of this as my parking space theory of career choice, and I have been sharing it with students for decades. Don’t park 20 blocks from your destination because you think you’ll never find a space. Go where you want to be and then circle back to where you have to be.

You may love investment banking or finance or consulting. It might be just right for you. Or, you might be like the senior I met at lunch at Kirkland who had just returned from an interview on the West Coast with a prestigious consulting firm. “Why am I doing this?” she asked. “I hate flying, I hate hotels, I won’t like this job.” Find work you love. It is hard to be happy if you spend more than half your waking hours doing something you don’t.

But what is ultimately most important here is that you are asking the question — not just of me but of yourselves. You are choosing roads and at the same time challenging your own choices. You have a notion of what you want your life to be and you are not sure the road you are taking is going to get you there. This is the best news. And it is also, I hope, to some degree, our fault. Noticing your life, reflecting upon it, considering how you can live it well, wondering how you can do good: These are perhaps the most valuable things that a liberal arts education has equipped you to do. A liberal education demands that you live self-consciously. It prepares you to seek and define the meaning inherent in all you do. It has made you an analyst and critic of yourself, a person in this way supremely equipped to take charge of your life and how it unfolds. It is in this sense that the liberal arts are liberal — as in liberare — to free. They empower you with the possibility of exercising agency, of discovering meaning, of making choices. The surest way to have a meaningful, happy life is to commit yourself to striving for it. Don’t settle. Be prepared to change routes. Remember the impossible expectations we have of you, and even as you recognize they are impossible, remember how important they are as a lodestar guiding you toward something that matters to you and to the world. The meaning of your life is for you to make.

I can’t wait to see how you all turn out. Do come back, from time to time, and let us know.

- 作者: snail 2008年07月13日, 星期日 23:03  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

cDNA文库构建注意事项

构建全长cDNA文库分为噬菌体文库和质粒文库,二者大同小异。无论怎样,应当注意如下几个方面: 
    一、保证获得数量足够的高质量的起始RNA。构建cDNA文库要求的RNA量比做RACE和Northern blot的要多,在材料允许的情况下一般的试剂盒均推荐采用纯化总mRNA后进行反转录,这比直接采用总RNA进行反转录而构建的cDNA文库好,虽然后者也并不是不能做。老版本CLONTECH的SMART 4的中级柱子要求纯化后的总mRNA量最好在0.05-0.5微克左右,这就要求起始总RNA量较多。虽然有的试剂盒声称少至几十个纳克的总RNA也可以构建cDNA文库,但这是针对材料极为稀缺者而言,但起始RNA太少还是会或多或少影响文库构建成功的风险和文库的代表性。至于RNA的质量,如果采用纯化总mRNA后反转录,则对总RNA的杂质方面要求稍松,但对RNA的完整性则一丝不苟,要求未降解。如果直接采用总RNA进行反转录,则对总RNA的质量要求非常高,不仅要求RNA相当完整而无降解,而且要求多酚、多糖、蛋白、盐、异硫氰酸胍等杂质少,最好是试剂盒抽提的。
     二、反转录成功与及反转录效率是关键中的关键。这是构建cDNA文库中最贵的一步,也是核酸质变的一步,它将易降解的RNA变成了不易降解的cDNA。反转录不成功,说明一次文库方案的夭折。反转录效率不高表现在一是部分mRNA被反转录了,但还有相当一部分本该反转录的mRNA未被反转;二是只有少部分mRNA被反转录通了即达到帽子结构最近处,而很大一部分mRNA没有反转录完全,总的全长cDNA太少,这就难以构建好的全长cDNA文库。少量程度的mRNA降解或反转录不完全在SMART 4等试剂盒及手工方法构建中对文库的滴度影响不大,但对文库的全长性则有很大影响。Invitrogen公司基于去磷酸化、去帽、RNA接头连接后再反转录的新技术(可参考其GeneRacer说明书)从原理上是保证最终获得全长cDNA的最好方法,但对mRNA的完整性要求非常高,理论上讲必须是带有帽子结构和Poly A结构的全长mRNA且反转录完全,才能进入文库中。反转录完成后点样检测cDNA的浓度及分子量分布是很重要的。
      三、反转录后至包装到噬菌体外壳蛋白之前的诸多步骤的操作相对容易,但其中的层析柱cDNA分级很关键。这一步稍不注意会影响成功性或影响获得的cDNA的片段分布特点。这一步的操作要小心,尤其要在加入cDNA之前通过反复悬浮和试滴保证柱子能正常工作,cDNA的加入和收集要精力集中。获得的每一级的cDNA量很少,检测时带型很暗,所以要用新鲜做的透明薄胶检测,根据检测结果一定要舍弃太短的cDNA(一般400bp以下就不要了,因为短片段太多会严重影响后面的连接转化效果及文库质量)。
     四、噬菌体文库或质粒文库均对载体与cDNA的连接效率要求很高,也对连接产物转染或转化大肠杆菌的效率要求很高。连接效率高低直接关系到文库构建是否成功,更要注意的是文库连接与一般的片段克隆的连接不一样。一般的片段克隆连接是固定长度的载体与固定长度的目的DNA连接,而文库连接是固定长度的载体与非固定长度的目的DNA连接,目的基因cDNA长的有10kb以上,短的只有500bp或更短。一系列长度不等的cDNA与载体在一起连接的结果,不同长度cDNA的连接效率就不一样。有的专家的经验是,根据分级结果,有意识地将长度不同的cDNA群分别与载体连接,再分别转化或转染大肠杆菌,分别完成滴度检测,最后将不同长度级别的文库混合在一起供杂交筛选。

cited from http://www.ibioo.com/experiment/rna/cdna/2007/2188.html

- 作者: snail 2008年06月15日, 星期日 21:53  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

CYTOKINES IN WOUND HEALING

The complex interplay between multiple cytokines, cells and extracellular matrix is central to the initiation, progression and resolution of wounds.

Contents

Introduction

The response to injury is a phylogenetically primitive, yet essential innate host immune response for restoration of tissue integrity. Tissue disruption in higher vertebrates, unlike lower vertebrates, results not in tissue regeneration, but in a rapid repair process leading to a fibrotic scar. Wound healing, whether initiated by trauma, microbes or foreign materials, proceeds via an overlapping pattern of events including coagulation, inflammation, epithelialization, formation of granulation tissue, matrix and tissue remodeling. The process of repair is mediated in large part by interacting molecular signals, primarily cytokines, that motivate and orchestrate the manifold cellular activities which underscore inflammation and healing (Figure 1).

Response to injury is frequently modeled in the skin,1 but parallel coordinated and temporally regulated patterns of mediators and cellular events occur in most tissues subsequent to injury. The initial injury triggers coagulation and an acute local inflammatory response followed by mesenchymal cell recruitment, proliferation and matrix synthesis. Failure to resolve the inflammation can lead to chronic nonhealing wounds, whereas uncontrolled matrix accumulation, often involving aberrant cytokine pathways, leads to excess scarring and fibrotic sequelae. Continuing progress in deciphering the essential and complex role of cytokines in wound healing provides opportunities to explore pathways to inhibit/enhance appropriate cytokines to control or modulate pathologic healing.

Platelet Activation and Cytokine Release


Fig. 1. Wound healing is a complex process encompassing a number of overlapping phases, including inflammation, epithelialization, angiogenesis and matrix deposition. During inflammation, the formation of a blood clot re-establishes hemostasis and provides a provisional matrix for cell migration. Cytokines play an important role in the evolution of granulation tissue through recruitment of inflammatory leukocytes and stimulation of fibroblasts and epithelial cells. [Note: figure is adapted from reference 1.]

Most types of injury damage blood vessels, and coagulation is a rapid-fire response to initiate hemostasis and protect the host from excessive blood loss. With the adhesion, aggregation and degranulation of circulating platelets within the forming fibrin clot, a plethora of mediators and cytokines are released (Table 1), including transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), that influence tissue edema and initiate inflammation. VEGF, a vascular permeability factor, influences the exravasation of plasma proteins to create a temporary support structure upon which not only activated endothelial cells, but also leukocytes and epithelial cells subsequently migrate (see reference 2 for a review). Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), the ligand for Tie-2 receptors, is a natural antagonist for VEGF's effects on permeability, a key regulatory checkpoint to avoid excessive plasma leakage.

Latent TGF-β1, released in large quantities by degranulating platelets, is activated from its latent complex by proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanisms3 to influence wound healing from the initial insult and clot formation to the final phase of matrix deposition and remodeling.4 Active TGF-β1 elicits the rapid chemotaxis of neutrophils and monocytes to the wound site5 in a dose-dependent manner through cell surface TGF-β serine/threonine type I and II receptors and engagement of a Smad3-dependent signal.6 Autocrine expression of TGF-β1 by leukocytes and fibroblasts, in turn, induces these cells to generate additional cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and PDGF, as well as chemokines, as components of a cytokine cascade.7 Such factors act to perpetuate the inflammatory cell response, mediating recruitment and activation of neutrophils and monocytes. In response to TGF-β and other cytokines, which engage their respective cell surface receptors, intracellular signaling pathways are mobilized to drive phenotypic and functional responses in target cell populations.8 Among the upstream signaling cascades engaged in acute tissue injury are NF-κB, Egr-1, Smads, and MAP kinases, which result in activation of many cognate target genes, including adhesion molecules, coagulation factors, cytokines and growth factors.8,9

Inflammation

Of the myriad of cytokines that have been investigated in terms of wound healing, TGF-β1 has undoubtedly the broadest effects. Despite the vast number of reports documenting the actions of TGF-β in this context, both in vitro and in vivo, controversy remains as to its endogenous role. The paradoxical actions of TGF-β are best appreciated in inflammation, where dependent upon the state of differentiation of the cell and the context of action, TGF-β acts in a bi-directional manner.10 Moreover, this understanding of the nature of TGF-β has led to the hypothesis that it may act as a therapeutic tool in some circumstances, but also a target for therapeutic intervention in others.10,11 Recent studies, in particular those utilizing genetically manipulated animal models, have highlighted the impact of TGF-β on various aspects of wound healing, and surprisingly, not all of its effects are conducive to optimal healing. Intriguingly, mutations within the TGF-β1 gene, or in the cell signaling intermediate Smad3, lead to normal or even accelerated cutaneous wound healing responses.6 The rate of healing of full-thickness wounds in Smad3 null mice was significantly greater than in their wild-type counterparts, associated with enhanced epithelialization and keratinocyte proliferation, and a markedly diminished inflammatory response. These observations have broad implications for understanding the role of TGF-β in the endogenous wound healing response, in that an excess of TGF-β may be a normal constituent of the response for rapid and optimal protection of the host. In the absence of infection, however, reduction of this overexuberant recruitment, inflammation and keratinocyte suppression may result in a more cosmetically acceptable scar. This knowledge may allow us to optimize the response by modulating selective cell pathways and to tailor therapy to specific cellular defects in pathological conditions such as chronic ulcers and fibrotic processes.

With the initial barrage of mediators, including TGF-β, a chain reaction is set in motion, with recruitment, proliferation and activation of the cellular participants. Among the first cells to respond are the vascular endothelial cells, which not only respond to cytokines, but release them as well. Cytokine-induced enhancement of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ELAM-1, ICAM-1) on the endothelium provides the platform upon which circulating leukocytes expressing counter-adhesion molecules (integrins, selectins, Ig superfamily members) tether, slowing them down to sense the microenvironment and respond to chemotactic signals at the site of tissue injury.12 Adhesion molecule interactions between blood leukocytes and endothelium enables transmigration from inside to outside the vessel wall in response to multiple chemotactic signals. In addition to the powerful chemotactic activity of TGF-β1 for neutrophils and monocytes,5,10 multiple chemokines are released to entice leukocytes into the site of tissue injury. Chemokines are represented by several families of related molecules based on the spatial location of the cysteine residues. Deletion of genes for chemokines leads to specific alterations in wound healing, underlying their role in this process (see references 13-15 for reviews).

Migrating through the provisional matrix (scaffolding) provided by the fibrin-enriched clot, leukocytes release proteases and engage in essential functions including phagocytosis of debris, microbes and degraded matrix components. Proteolytic activity is not constitutive, but transcriptionally driven by the cytokines, TGF-β, IL-1β and TNF-&alhpa;, released from multiple cellular sources (Table 1). Neutrophil recruitment typically peaks around 24-48 hours post wounding, followed by an increasing representation of monocytes which are essential for optimal wound healing.16,17 Activation of these cells in the context of the wound microenvironment results in enhanced release of chemokines, recruitment of reinforcements, and amplification of the response, with the further release of cytokines, TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6, that act as paracrine, autocrine and potentially, endocrine mediators of host defense. Antigen stimulation drives lymphocytic recruitment and activation, but at a delayed pace compared to the rapid acute response essential to maintain tissue integrity. Beyond the neutrophil, monocyte/macrophage and lymphocyte participants, mast cells have become increasingly recognized as active participants with increased numbers noted at sites of cutaneous injury.18 Mast cells respond to monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1) and TGF-β1, -β2 and -β3, and within the lesion, release mediators (histamine, proteoglycans, proteases, platelet activating factor, arachidonate metabolites) and cytokines, including TGF-β and IL-4 (Table 1). Once the inflammatory cells are activated, they become susceptible to TGF-β1 mediated suppression to reverse the inflammatory process.7,10 Moreover, IL-4 may also dampen the inflammatory response as the inciting agent/trauma is dealt with and promote collagen synthesis during the repair phase.

Re-epithelialization

Clearance of debris, foreign agents, and/or infectious organisms promotes resolution of inflammation, apoptosis, and the ensuing repair response that encompasses overlapping events involved in granulation tissue, angiogenesis, and re-epithelialization. Within hours, epithelial cells begin to proliferate, migrate and cover the exposed area to restore the functional integrity of the tissue. Re-epithelialization is critical to optimal wound healing not only because of reformation of a cutaneous barrier, but because of its role in wound contraction. Immature keratinocytes produce matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and plasmin to dissociate from the basement membrane and facilitate their migration across the open wound bed in response to chemoattractants. The migration of epithelial cells occurs independently of proliferation, and depends upon a nmber of possible processes including growth factors, loss of contact with adjacent cells, and guidance by active contact. TGF-β1 stimulates migration of keratinocytes in vitro,6,19 possibly by integrin regulation and/or provisional matrix deposition.20 Behind the motile epidermal cells, basal cell keratinocyte proliferation is mediated by the local release of growth factors, with a parallel up-regulation of growth factor receptors including TNF-α, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF or FGF-7).21-23 Such growth factors are released not only by keratinocytes themselves, acting in an autocrine fashion, but also by mesenchymal cells and macrophages (Table 1), as paracrine mediators.24,25 Numerous animal models in which cytokine genes have been deleted or over-expressed have provided further evidence that such factors are involved in the process of epithelialization.23 TGF-β1, and -β2 are potent inhibitors of keratinocyte proliferation, with the Smad3 pathway implicated as the negative modulator.6 Since epithelialization is significantly accelerated in mice null for the Smad3 gene, with unchecked keratinocyte proliferation, but impaired migration in response to TGF-β1, the implication is that the early proliferative event is critical to normal epithelialization.6 Once contact is established with opposing keratinocytes, mitosis and migration stop, and in the skin, the cells differentiate into a stratified squamous epithelium above a newly generated basement membrane. Other factors secreted by keratinocytes may exert paracrine effects on dermal fibroblasts and macrophages. One such factor is a keratinocyte-derived non-glycosylated protein termed secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), which inhibits elastase, mast cell chymase, NF-?B and TGF-β1 activation. In rodents, SLPI is a macrophage-derived cytokine with autocrine and paracrine activities,26, 27 but production by human macrophages has not yet been demonstrated. In mice, an absence of this mediator of innate host defense (SLPI null) is associated with aberrant healing.26

Granulation Tissue and Angiogenesis


Fig. 2. The remodeling phase (i.e. re-epithelialization and neovascularization) of wound healing is also cytokine-mediated. Degradation of fibrillar collagen and other matrix proteins is driven by serine proteases and MMPs under the control of the cytokine network. Granulation tissue forms below the epithelium and is composed of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts and newly formed and forming vessels. [Note: figure is adapted from reference 1.]

Granulation tissue forms below the epithelium and is composed of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts and newly formed and forming vessels (Figure 2). This initial restructuring of the damaged tissue serves as a temporary barrier against the hostile external environment. Within granulation tissue, angiogenesis (i.e. the generation of new capillary blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature to provide nutrients and oxygen) is potentiated by hypoxia, nitric oxide (NO), VEGF and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) (reviewed in references 2, 28) and by the chemokines, MCP-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-1a).29 VEGF, released from wound epithelium and from the extracellular matrix by endothelial-derived proteases, stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and increases vascular permeability.2,30,31 VEGF may be transcriptionally up-regulated in response to NO, which also influences vasodilatation, an early step in angiogenesis. In a cyclic fashion, VEGF also drives nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in endothelial cells. Endothelial cells express high affinity receptors for VEGF, VEGF R1 (Flt-1) and VEGF R2 (Flk-1), and represent a primary target of this angiogenic and vascular permeability factor.31 Mice heterozygous for targeted inactivation of VEGF or homozygous for inactivation of its receptors are embryonically lethal, confirming the essentiality of VEGF in angiogenesis.32,33 Besides VEGF, FGFs transduce signals via four protein tyrosine kinase receptors34 to mediate key events involved in angiogenesis. FGFs recruit endothelial cells, and also direct their proliferation, differentiation and plasminogen activator synthesis. Clearly a multifactorial process, the cellular events underlying neovascularization are also impacted by TGF-β1, EGF, TGF-α, endothelin 1, leptin, and indirectly, TNF-α and IL-1β.

Of necessity, angiogenesis is a tightly controlled process. It is characterized not only by the presence of endogenous inducers, but also inhibitors which mediate a decline in the process as the granulation tissue, named for the granular appearance of the blood vessels in the wound, matures and scar remodeling continues. Among the identified endogenous inhibitors of re-vascularization are thrombospondin (TSP-1), IFN-γ, IP-10, IL-12, IL-4 and the tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs), in addition to the recently recognized activities of angiostatin and endostatin (reviewed in reference 2). Since loss of angiogenic control may have negative consequences as evident in tumors, rheumatoid arthritis, and endometriosis, identification of potential endogenous and therapeutic modulators continues.

Matrix Production and Scar Formation

With the generation of new vasculature, matrix-generating cells move into the granulation tissue. These fibroblasts degrade the provisional matrix via MMPs and respond to cytokine/growth factors by proliferating and synthesizing new extracellular matrix (ECM) to replace the injured tissue with a connective tissue scar. Although the stage is being set for tissue repair from the beginning (provisional matrix, platelet release of PDGF and TGF-β, cytokine reservoir), fibroblasts migrate into the wound and matrix synthesis begins in earnest within a couple of days, continuing for several weeks to months. TGF-β contributes to the fibrotic process by recruiting fibroblasts and stimulating their synthesis of collagens I, III, and V, proteoglycans, fibronectin and other ECM components.4,35 TGF-β concurrently inhibits proteases while enhancing protease inhibitors, favoring matrix accumulation. In vivo studies have confirmed that exogenous TGF-β1 increases granulation tissue, collagen formation, and wound tensile strength when applied locally or given systemically in animal models. Increased levels of TGF-β are routinely associated with both normal reparative processes, as well as fibropathology. In Smad3 null mouse wounds, matrix deposition (fibronectin) could be restored by exogenous TGF-β, implying a Smad3-independent pathway, whereas collagen deposition was not restored, suggesting a dichotomous Smad3-dependent regulation.6 The progressive increase in TGF-β3 over time and its association with scarless fetal healing have implicated this member of the TGF-β family in the cessation of matrix deposition.36 Other members of the TGF-β superfamily may also contribute to the wound healing response. Activin A when over-expressed in basal keratinocytes stimulates mesenchymal matrix deposition,37 whereas BMP-6 over-expression inhibits epithelial proliferation.38

PDGF, released at the outset by degranulating platelets, represents a family of cytokines consisting of two polypeptide chains (A and B) which form the dimers PDGF-AA, AB and B.39 In addition to platelets, PDGF is released by activated macrophages, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells (Table 1) and is a major layer in regulating fibroblast and smooth muscle cell recruitment and proliferation through PDGF specific receptor-ligand interactions.40 Beyond its role in fibroblast migration and matrix deposition, PDGF-A and -B also up-regulate protease production, in contrast to the anti-protease activity of TGF-β.41,42 PDGF represents the only FDA approved cytokine/growth factor for the clinical enhancement of delayed wound healing. Also central to repair are the FGFs, which signal mitogenesis and chemotaxis,34 underlying granulation tissue formation, and the production of MMPs.43 FGF-1 (acidic FGF) and FGF-2 (basic FGF) have been the most intensely studied, but the additional members of this family may also support tissue repair and/or have clinical application.44 The role of FGF-2 has been confirmed in the FGF-2 null mouse which shows not only retarded epithelialization but also reduced collagen production.45

With many overlapping functional properties with FGFs, epidermal growth factor (EGF) orchestrates recruitment and growth of fibroblasts and epithelial cells in the evolution of granulation tissue. EGF and TGF-α, which share sequence homology, enhance epidermal regeneration and tensile strength in experimental models of chronic wounds.46 TNF-α and IL-1β, key mediators of the inflammatory process, also contribute to the reparative phase either directly by influencing endothelial and fibroblast functions or indirectly, by inducing additional cytokines and growth factors. IL-6 has also been shown to be crucial to epithelialization and influences granulation tissue formation, as shown in the wound healing studies of mice null for the IL-6 gene.47 As repair progresses, fibroblasts display increased expression levels of adhesion molecules and assume a myofibroblast phenotype, mediated in part by TGF-β and PDGF-A and -B, to facilitate wound contraction.48

Remodeling Phase

The remodeling phase, during which collagen is synthesized, degraded and dramatically reorganized (as it is stabilized via molecular crosslinking into a scar), is also cytokine-mediated. Although repaired tissue seldom achieves its original strength, it provides an acceptable alternative. Degradation of fibrillar collagen and other matrix proteins is driven by serine proteases and MMPs under the control of the cytokine network. MMPs not only degrade matrix components, but also function as regulatory molecules by driving enzyme cascades and processing cytokines, matrix and adhesion molecules to generate biologically active fragments. TIMPs provide a natural counterbalance to the MMPs and disruption of this orderly balance can lead to excess or insufficient matrix degradation and ensuing tissue pathology.49 Similarly, there exists a naturally occurring inhibitor of elastase and other serine proteases (i.e. SLPI).26,27 The coordinated regulation of enzymes and their inhibitors ensures tight control of local proteolytic activity. In physiologic circumstances, these molecular brakes limit tissue degradation and facilitate accumulation of matrix and repair.

Aberrant Healing

Rapid clearance of the inciting agent and resolution of inflammation during healing minimizes scar formation, whereas persistence of the primary insult results in continued inflammation and chronic attempts at healing. Prolonged inflammation and proteolytic activity prevent healing as evident in ulcerative lesions. On the other hand, continued fibrosis in the skin leads to scarring and potentially, disfigurement, whereas progressive deposition of matrix in internal organs such as lungs, liver, kidney or brain compromises not only their structure, but also function, causing disease and death. Inhibitors of TGF-β (e.g. antibodies, decorin, Smad 7, antisense oligonucleotides)50-52 reduce scarring, as does local administration of exogenous TGF-β336 or systemic delivery of TGF-β1.53 IFN-γ is a natural antagonist of fibrogenesis through its ability to inhibit fibroblast proliferation and matrix production and has been shown to have clinical efficacy.54,55 IL-10 may be considered anti-fibrotic via its anti-inflammatory activities,56 as are inhibitors of TNF-α.57

Wound healing is a complex process encompassing a number of overlapping phases, including inflammation, epithelialization, angiogenesis and matrix deposition. Ultimately these processes are resolved or dampened leading to a mature wound and macroscopic scar formation. Although inflammation and repair mostly occur along a proscribed course, the sensitivity of the process is underscored by the consequences of disruption of the balance of regulatory cytokines. Consequently, cytokines, which are central to this constellation of events, have become targets for therapeutic intervention to modulate the wound healing process. Depending on the cytokine and its role, it may be appropriate to either enhance (recombinant cytokine, gene transfer) or inhibit (cytokine or receptor antibodies, soluble receptors, signal transduction inhibitors, antisense) the cytokine to achieve the desired outcome.

References

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  4. Wahl, S.M. (1999) "Transforming growth factor beta." in Inflammation: Basic Principles and Clinical Correlates, Third Edition, J. Gallin and R. Snyderman, eds., Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, pp. 883-892.
  5. Wahl, S.M. et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:5788.
  6. Ashcroft, G.S. et al. (1999) Nat. Cell Biol. 1:260.
  7. McCartney-Francis, N.L. & S.M. Wahl (2001) "TGF-beta and macrophages in the rise and fall of inflammation." in TGF-beta and Related Cytokines in Inflammation, Breit, S.N. and S.M. Wahl, ed., Birkhauser, Basel, pp. 65-90.
  8. Heldin, C.H. et al. (2001) "Signal transduction mechanisms for members of the TGF-beta family." in TGF-beta and Related Cytokines in Inflammation, Breit, S.N. and S.M. Wahl ed., Birkhauser, Basel, pp. 11-40.
  9. Braddock, M. (2001) Ann. Med. 33:313.
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  13. Gillitzer, R. & M. Goebeler (2001) J. Leukoc. Biol. 69:513.
  14. Cacalano, G. et al. (1994) Science 265:682.
  15. Morales, J. et al. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:14470.
  16. Leibovich, S.J. & R. Ross (1975) Am. J. Pathol. 78:71.
  17. Clarke, R.A.F. (1996) "Wound repair: overview and general considerations" in The Molecular and Cellular Biology of Wound Repair, Clark, R.A.F. ed., Plenum, New York, pp. 3-50.
  18. Huttunen, M. et al. (2000) Exp. Dermatol. 4:258.
  19. Hebda, P.A. (1998) J. Invest. Derm. 91:440.
  20. Wikner, N.E. et al. (1998) J. Invest. Derm. 91:207.
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  22. Higashiyama, S. et al. (1991) Science 251:936.
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  26. Ashcroft, G.S. et al. (2000) Nt. Med. 6:1147.
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  28. Conway, E.M. et al. (2001) Cardiovascul. Res. 49:507.
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  36. Niesler, C.U. & M.W.J. Ferguson. (2001) "TGF-beta superfamily cytokines in wound healing" in TGF-beta and Related Cytokines in Inflammation (Breit, S.N. and S.M. Wahl, ed., Birkhauser, Basel, pp. 173-198.
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- 作者: snail 2008年06月14日, 星期六 23:59  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

ONCOMODULIN: THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE AND NERVE REGENERATION

Like other areas of the mammalian central nervous system, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons of the optic nerve are resistant to regeneration following injury. However, some treatments have been shown to enhance their regrowth and/or survival. Elevating cAMP or suppressing the known growth-inhibiting activities of myelin-associated proteins has been shown to promote modest regrowth of damaged axons.1-3 Under some circumstances, certain factors associated with inflammation may also be potent inducers of axonal regeneration.4,5 For instance, promoting intraocular inflammation, either through lens injury or pharmacological treatment, enhances RGC axon outgrowth following optic nerve damage.6 Remarkably, inflammation-induced RGC regeneration may occur over long distances, supporting axon regrowth through the optic chiasm and to the superior colliculus where new synaptic connections have been demonstrated.7 Recently, it has been shown that factors secreted by eye-infiltrating macrophages play a significant role in this effect, but until now, the identity of the macrophage-derived growth factor has remained elusive.8

Figure 1
Figure 1. Inflammation can promote retinal ganglion cell regeneration following optic nerve injury. A recent study provides evidence that the calcium-binding protein oncomodulin, combined with elevated cAMP and the presence of mannose, are ­important for the effect. Infiltrating macrophages appear to be the main source of oncomodulin in the eye. Oncomodulin is also upregulated at the site of nerve injury by an unknown mechanism.

Oncomodulin is a small, ~12 kDa calcium-binding protein in the parvalbumin family.9 It exhibits an EF hand domain found in several related proteins including a-parvalbumin, calmodulin, calbindin, and S100b. Not previously known for its growth-promoting effects, a recent study provides several lines of evidence suggesting that oncomodulin is the macrophage-derived factor capable of inducing RGC axon regeneration.10 Oncomodulin is constitutively secreted by activated macrophages in the vitreous and retina in response to inflammatory conditions that promote optic nerve regeneration, and it is upregulated by an unclear mechanism at the site of experimental optic nerve injury (Figure 1).10 In addition, active macrophage-conditioned medium significantly stimulates retinal ganglion cell axon outgrowth in vitro, an activity blocked by depleting oncomodulin and mimicked by treatment with the recombinant protein.8,10 These proregeneration effects appear to significantly exceed those of more traditional neurotrophic factors including BDNF, CNTF, and GDNF.10 Importantly, oncomodulin does not appear to have growth-promoting activity by itself. Also required are elevated levels of cAMP and the presence of the small sugar mannose. The reason is not definitively known, but cAMP may be required for translocation of the oncomodulin receptor to the membrane. Indeed, oncomodulin binds RGCs with high affinity in vitro, but only when cAMP is pharmacologically elevated or if the membrane is permeabilized allowing oncomodulin access to the cytosolic compartment.10 Oncomodulin exhibits a similar dependence on cAP in vivo. When a combination of the recombinant protein and cAMP analogs are injected into the vitreous, the regrowth of damaged optic nerve axons increases several fold above that stimulated by either compound alone. The other required component, mannose, is found endogenously in the vitreous.

Given the relatively limited treatments available for patients with CNS injury or neurodegenerative disease, the mechanisms underlying the novel role of oncomodulin in promoting nerve regeneration warrant further study. For instance, what is the identity of the receptor? Evidence seems to exclude certain receptor subtypes known to promote similar activities. Signaling cascades often associated with growth/neurotrophic factors including PI 3-Kinase, MAP Kinase, and JAK/STAT play little role, while CaM Kinase II activity may be important.10 In addition, the pro-growth activity of oncomodulin is not accompanied by an increase in cell survival.10 Does oncomodulin affect regeneration elsewhere in the nervous system? Inflammatory factors have been shown to enhance dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurite outgrowth in vivo, and macrophage injections into regions of transected spinal cord can support partial return of motor function.4,11 Pre-treatment with oncomodulin does support DRG neurite outgrowth in vitro, even on a growth-inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan substrate.10 Whether it has pro-outgrowth potential in other areas of the nervous system remains to be determined.

References

  1. Monsul, N.T. et al. (2004) Exp. Neurol. 186:124.
  2. Weibel, D. et al. (1994) Brain Res. 642:259.
  3. Fischer, D. et al. (2004) J. Neurosci. 24:1646.
  4. Lu, X. & P.M. Richardson (1991) J. Neurosci. 11:972.
  5. Richardson, P.M. & X. Lu (1994) J. Neurol. 242 (1 Suppl 1):S57.
  6. Leon, S. et al. (2000) J. Neurosci. 20:4615.
  7. Fischer, D. et al. (2001) Exp. Neurol 172:257.
  8. Yin, Y. et al. (2003) J. Neurosci. 23:2284.
  9. Pauls, T.L. et al. (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1306:39.
  10. Yin, Y. et al. (2006) Nat. Neurosci. 9:843.
  11. Rapalino, O. et al. (1998) Nat. Med. 4:814.

- 作者: snail 2008年06月14日, 星期六 19:24  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Lily Jan(叶公杼), Yuh nung Jan(詹裕农)成功故事的背后
The success of such couples isn't just luck. In fact, scientists who manage to
share both pillows and pipettes generally have certain traits in common: mutu
al respect for each other's work; separate, carefully carved-out research nich
es; more or less equal status and a feeling of shared success. They also have  
uncommonly good marriages. Most think their spouse the smartest person they kn
ow and the person whose opinion matters most. Their mutual delight in the wond
ers of the lab deepens their relationship: Stalking elusive science with someo
ne you love is serious fun.  

Take [b]Lily[/b] Y. [b]Jan[/b] and Yuh Nung [b]Jan[/b], one of several collaborating couples within
HHMI. The Jans, both HHMI investigators at the University of California, San  
Francisco, have shared a marriage since 1971 and a lab since 1979. Both study  
the nervous system of flies, searching for themes common to other organisms, a
nd most of the time they simply alternate authorship prominence on their publi
cations. Their theory is that when two people work together, the whole of thei
r work is greater than the sum of the two separate parts. "Inevitably you figh
t, and then you figure out how to avoid fighting," says [b]Lily[/b]. "But if you trul
y care about a question, you want to find the right way. So you argue until yo
u figure out how to make it work."  

But harmony—not argument—seems to dominate the Jans' life. They met as physi
cs students at the National Taiwan University in Taipei and married as graduat
e students in biology at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. T
heir first mentor, the late molecular biologist Max Delbrück, who won the 196
9 Nobel Prize in Medicine, kept their work separate, urging them to tackle pro
blems independently. Still, the pair loved talking science together, the way s
ome people like arguing politics or philosophy. As [b]Lily[/b] puts it, "We're both c
urious about the questions the other is addressing. It's just simple curiosity
."  

In 1974, when the Jans had to choose partners in a neurobiology course, they c
hose each other, taking advantage of what seemed to them an obvious opportunit
y. In essence, they began sharing fruit flies the way other couples share chin
a and silver. Nothing seemed more natural, says Yuh Nung. "In our case, workin
g together works out very well. She is very patient, and I'm a little the oppo
site. She is capable of focusing on one area and learning everything about it.
I tend to come out with wild and crazy ideas, and occasionally there is a goo
d one. So with our combination, we can turn some good ideas into useful work."
  

As he speaks, Yuh Nung sits at his computer in a small office filled with pile
s of papers—papers written by postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, jou
rnal articles, graduate applications—and a painting of fruit flies done by hi
s daughter, Emily, when she was in high school. (Down the hall, Lily's office  
looks much the same.) [b]Lily[/b] looks at him, nodding occasionally. She waits for a
few seconds until she is certain he has finished speaking and then tackles th
e same question. Yuh Nung and [b]Lily[/b] are calm, respectful and complementary to e
ach other. It is easy to imagine them working together.



It's also easy to see that the Jans are not joined at the hip. They have done  
what most successful collaborators do: They have each developed their own area
of expertise. Yuh Nung focuses on the development of the nervous system, [b]Lily[/b]
on its function. "Then we each have some independence in the lab and in the c
ommunity," explains [b]Lily[/b]. The arrangement is practical as well: Yuh Nun goes  
to meetings related to development and [b]Lily[/b] to those about function, a divisio
n that proved especially valuable when their daughter, now 25, was small. It w
as during those years that teamwork mattered most. "We basically worked on rai
sing our daughter and collaborating on projects," says [b]Lily[/b], recalling that ea
ch evening Yuh Nung would walk her home so she could relieve her mother, who w
atched Emily (Max, their 17-year-old son was not yet born.). "Then he would go
back and stay with the prep until 2 a.m. We had to work shifts on the same ex
periments."  

Even as the two talk about the tough times, when both kids and petri dishes ne
eded tending, they seem unsurprised, almost unaware that they have accomplishe
d what many spouses would find impossible. "It's the only life we've had," say
s Yuh Nung, shrugging.

  
The Jans' collaboration was made easier by their simultaneous entry into scien
ce. Neither was more advanced than the other. Not all couples share that advan
tage, however. When HHMI investigator and cancer biologist Charles J. Sherr me
t Martine F. Roussel, he was running a laboratory at the National Institutes o
f Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. Roussel, six years his junior, was a Ph.
D. student in cancer biology at Villejuif Hospital in Paris and later at the P
asteur Institute in Lille, France. The two maintained a long-distance relation
ship until 1980, when Roussel went to NIH as a Fogarty Scholar.  

At first, Roussel and Sherr merged households but not beakers. "I refused to w
ork with him for three years," says Roussel. "My concern was that I wouldn't g
et credit for what I did. But even though we were in two labs, we spent so muc
h time thinking about science together. It was so clear that we were working t
ogether intellectually. So Chuck said, 'Do experiments with me. At least we wi
ll get something out of it.' And as soon as we started working together, our p
rojects were successful."  

Working together was one thing; building careers was another. What Roussel and
Sherr understood about each other—that they were intellectual equals—wasn't
as easy for outsiders to grasp, since one scientist was junior to the other a
nd a woman to boot. In 1983,  

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, recruited Sherr t
o head its new department in tumor cell biology and added his new wife as a ju
nior faculty member. "There weren't many women scientists then," says Sherr. "
Every time she did something, they would say it was my work. There was an unde
rlying prejudice because she was a woman."  

Roussel agrees that her path was a rocky one. "I was an appendage. I was there
because they wanted Chuck. I didn't like it, but there was not much I could d
o." Sherr was also his wife's department chair, which made decisions about pro
motions and raises tricky at best. "I was the worst paid," says Roussel, "and  
Chuck didn't want to promote me because he didn't want people to think he was  
favoring me." He's still her department chair, but now she reports to someone  
else.  

As Sherr puts it, "I was her greatest supporter and her greatest obstacle. Tha
t ambiguity was always there. We've just handled it better than most people."  


Roussel faced other obstacles as well. She spoke little English when the pair  
met, and writing, whether in English or in French, was never her strong suit.  
While presentations about oncogenes were difficult in French, they were terrif
ying in English. As Roussel struggled to master these professional skills, she
found that she would soon need to master a new skill, mothering. In 1985, she
and Sherr had a son, Jonathan, and Roussel took three weeks of maternity leav
e—with unexpected results. Other scientists in the lab had taken over Roussel
's experiments in her absence, so she was forced to develop projects independe
nt of Sherr's. Soon she began to get her own funding, which, in turn, led to p
romotion and independent recognition.  

Today, both Sherr and Roussel are full members (the equivalent of full profess
ors) at St. Jude's. Struggle is a verb they use in the past tense, although Ro
ussel notes there is occasionally friction about who gets credit for what. "We
have tough discussions. In science, you have to discuss every fact, and the f
acts have to be right, and so you apply this to your relationship as well. You
learn how to speak up, to say what you think, even if it's not pleasant. But  
two strong people cannot be at the top simultaneously all the time. You have t
o give in at some point."  

Sherr tells a revealing story. Roussel, a gardener, wanted a computerized wate
ring system for their yard in East Memphis. Sherr balked at the expense, the i
nevitable complications. But Roussel persisted. Every day, says Sherr, she'd m
ention how nice a watering system would be. Finally, Sherr agreed to review so
me information, and Roussel called for quotes. Sherr grilled the contractors a
nd settled on a system just high-tech enough to interest him. Suddenly he was  
a kid with a new toy, and she had a blossoming garden. With gardens or shared  
careers, "each person has to get something," says Roussel.


      
  
Martine Roussel has worked hard to step out of husband Charles Sherr's shadow.

   
  
Not all married scientists choose to cultivate their garden together, or at le
ast not the same patch. HHMI investigators Eric Wieschaus and Trudi Schüpbach
, both molecular biologists at Princeton University, have drawn firmer lines b
etween their careers than either the Jans or Sherr and Roussel. Wieschaus and  
Schüpbach met in Zurich in 1975, as Schüpbach was completing graduate work a
nd Wieschaus a postdoctoral fellowship. Initially, they published a few papers
together, but when they arrived at Princeton in 1981, he as an assistant prof
essor and she as a nontenured research biologist, they set out on different re
search paths. Wieschaus studied embryo development in flies, and Schüpbach st
udied oogenesis, or what happens in mother flies as eggs form.  

"The lines were pretty clear between our research programs early on," says Wie
schaus. "We had to keep them distinct initially, in part because she didn't ha
ve a professorship. It would not have been good for her to be seen as just ano
ther member of my group."  

By the mid-1980s, Schüpbach had funding for her own laboratory, and, as their
professional identities became more distinct, they began to tiptoe back toget
her. Now Wieschaus' lab is on the same floor as Schüpbach's; they hold joint  
lab meetings, and postdoctoral students float between the labs to exchange ide
as and information. "We confer on each other's projects," says Sch焢bach. "Tha
t's one of the pleasures of being in the same field. You can share little dail
y triumphs—like when something works or when someone finds something out. And
you can share your depression when the experiments didn't work—for the fifth
time."  

When people have their own successes, they can gracefully share huge triumphs &nbs;
too, as Schüpbach did when Wieschaus won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology o
r Medicine. "I knew how important the work was, so it was really gratifying to
see it honored in that way," says Schüpbach. "A lot of people working with f
lies were very happy. It validated the work we're doing. And I've never felt t
hat I was toiling away, with no one noticing what I do. But I can imagine that
if one were working very hard and no one was saying anything, it would be har
der."  

Both Schüpbach and Wieschaus are quick to acknowledge their ambitions. Knowin
g what it takes to cross a scientific border helps them to accept each other's
long hours in the lab and to share household tasks. Most days, Wieschaus ride
s home from the lab on his bicycle, thinking about what he'll cook for dinner,
while Schüpbach helps their 17-year-old daughter, Laura, with homework. Wies
chaus likes to cook, mostly because he knows the work will result in success—
a prediction less certain in a lab.  

When their three daughters (Ingrid, 27; Eleanor, 20 and Laura) were young, how
ever, dreamy bike rides were a luxury. "There was a lot of pressure on our tim
e trying to bring up the children, do the housework," says Schüpbach. "It was
really important that both partners equally respected each other's work so th
at each one would take on these other responsibilities. I never felt that Eric
saw his work as more important than mine. When our children were sick, for in
stance, we would check with each other about who was doing what and who could  
take off work. In science, in the middle of an experiment, you have to be ther
e or lose a lot of work."  

Being there, being supportive, being forthright—these themes surface again an
d again as couples dissect their collaborations. The point is, good marriages  
make better science. The 19th-century Spanish scientist Santiago Ramón y Caja
l put it slightly differently. The perfect spouse for a scientist can be "the  
helium that propels him skyward," he wrote in his 1897 book Advice for a Young
Investigator. "And if fame should smile, its brilliance will surround the two
foreheads with a single halo."  

Download this story in Acrobat PDF format.  
(requires Acrobat Reader)  

Photos: Steve Jones, David Graham

Reprinted from the HHMI Bulletin,  
December 2002, pages 18-21.
©2002 Howard Hughes Medical Institute

- 作者: snail 2008年06月12日, 星期四 22:32  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

3月10日随笔

好久没有更新了,也说不上很忙,因为就像种粮食,要是没有收成,再忙也是枉费,是不好意思和别人说你忙了满满一个季节的。只能归结为懒了,懒又有什么好炫耀的?

生活就是些象现在零碎但又貌似很重要的事情组成,所以每天就如此的循环往复啊,循环往复啊,就像每天骑着自行车来回往复啊,来回往复啊,不知道骑了多少年以后才会是尽头。

两年后去北京再次见华南的时候忽然觉得竟然是好几年没有见面了,她整天忙于采访,在北京做个记者或许也是件很有意思的事情,你能在城市中跑来跑去,接触到各种各样的人,尽管那些人可能并不会和我们的生活有什么交叉。我能想象的到若干年之后她跳到报社以后会有更大的发展空间。苗壮也貌似发福了一些,不过很精神,几年后也将是一个中文的博士了。从清华转了一圈然后去人大看我姐姐林青了,那个永远波澜不惊的姐姐也即将读博士了,幸运的是她终于找到自己温暖的爱情了。当初在辽大的那些孩子们,都长大了很多,感谢生活,让那些曾经一起走过的人还能保持当初的天真和激情。

310,琳琳离开正好两年了,那天早上我特意去二炮总医院三楼那个我们曾经待过的地方看了一下,水房,走廊,病房,所有的东西都是原样,早上七点钟的时候还是有人去取盒饭,有家属刚刚起床,只是我不知道妹妹现在在哪里,那是她最后呆过的地方,也是我最后见她的地方,时间真是个恐怖的东西,几天的时间我就失去了那个小姑娘。北京,其实也是琳琳的长眠的地方,我真想带她回家。

回来几天了,时间还是流水一样,LG考试的时间也是慢慢的接近了,我的试验还是那么没慢,周围的一切仿佛都是压力,在研究所这个四角的天空仰望阳光的出现,时间一定不会很远吧!

- 作者: snail 2008年03月10日, 星期一 21:31  回复(3) |  引用(0) 加入博采

解决问题……

对于研究生来说,重要的是不仅仅是你解决问题,更为重要的是训练认识问题的能力,知道那些问题是最最重要的,然后尽可能的细化这个问题到可以解决的水平上,最后才是解决掉它,这才是科学训练的最重要的目的。

对于中国的研究生而言,Copy试验思路是比较擅长的,照葫芦画瓢也是我们最拿手的,这样当然能做到科学家的水平上,但是离一流还是有差距,一流的科学家是需要原创性的东西的,也只有原创性的IDEA和原创性的思路才是最最关键的,重复和验证固然重要,但是终究缺乏革命的意义。

因此,对于Ph.D来说,训练他的分析认识问题的能力可能比解决问题的能力显得更加迫切,因为他不能永远都是学生,他需要自己建立自己的实验室,开始自己的课题,在这个科学竞争异常激烈的年代,思路和眼界无疑是关系生存的,而很多的导师却一直在扼杀学生的这种认知能力。

我当然有很多很多的不足,但是,需要认识到这个重要性,虽然自己并不具备天赋做的多么的好,但是要把自己训练为一个独立的,善于思维,分析的研究生,即使在几年中文章不是顶尖,也依然要坚持学习,去了解自己所进行的课题中的重要的东西。

很久没有更新,基本荒废了博客,随意瞎写一点东西,算是给自己今年定个基调。

有感于科学紧张的飞速,每天无数的文章和我们meet, 一方面说明了我们还是紧跟国际潮流的,但是另外一方面,这是异乎寻常的激烈竞争。

没有人会同情弱者,科学尤其如此。

- 作者: snail 2008年01月7日, 星期一 23:37  回复(1) |  引用(0) 加入博采

上周推荐文章

Review

Nature Reviews Cancer 7, 899-910 (December 2007) | doi:10.1038/nrc2271

Roles of HMGA proteins in cancer

Alfredo Fusco1,2,3 & Monica Fedele1,2,3  About the authors

Top

The high mobility group A (HMGA) non-histone chromatin proteins alter chromatin structure and thereby regulate the transcription of several genes by either enhancing or suppressing transcription factors. This protein family is implicated, through different mechanisms, in both benign and malignant neoplasias. Rearrangements of HMGA genes are a feature of most benign human mesenchymal tumours. Conversely, unrearranged HMGA overexpression is a feature of malignant tumours and is also causally related to neoplastic cell transformation. Here, we focus on the role of the HMGA proteins in human neoplastic diseases, the mechanisms by which they contribute to carcinogenesis, and therapeutic strategies based on targeting HMGA proteins.

Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts by Defined Factors
Kazutoshi Takahashi, Koji Tanabe, Mari Ohnuki, Megumi Narita, Tomoko Ichisaka, Kiichiro Tomoda,
and Shinya Yamanaka
DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2007.11.019

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Somatic Cells

Junying Yu 1*, Maxim A. Vodyanik 2, Kim Smuga-Otto 1, Jessica Antosiewicz-Bourget 1, Jennifer L Frane 3, Shulan Tian 4, Jeff Nie 4, Gudrun A. Jonsdottir 4, Victor Ruotti 4, Ron Stewart 4, Igor I. Slukvin 5, James A. Thomson 6*

1 Genome Center of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA.; Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715-1299, USA.
2 Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715-1299, USA.
3 Genome Center of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA.
4 WiCell Research Institute, Madison, WI 53707-7365, USA.
5 Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715-1299, USA.; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
6 Genome Center of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA.; Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715-1299, USA.; Department of Anatomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1509, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Junying Yu , E-mail: jyu@primate.wisc.edu
James A. Thomson , E-mail: thomson@primate.wisc.edu

Somatic cell nuclear transfer allows trans-acting factors present in the mammalian oocyte to reprogram somatic cell nuclei o an undifferentiated state. Here we show that four factors (OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28) are sufficient to reprogram human somatic cells to pluripotent stem cells that exhibit the essential characteristics of embryonic stem cells. These human induced pluripotent stem cells have normal karyotypes, express telomerase activity, express cell surface markers and genes that characterize human ES cells, and maintain the developmental potential to differentiate into advanced derivatives of all three primary germ layers. Such human induced pluripotent cell lines should be useful in the production of new disease models and in drug development as well as application in transplantation medicine once technical limitations (for example, mutation through viral integration) are eliminated.


Producing primate embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer

J. A. Byrne1,5, D. A. Pedersen1, L. L. Clepper1, M. Nelson3, W. G. Sanger3, S. Gokhale3, D. P. Wolf1 & S. M. Mitalipov1,2

  1. Oregon National Primate Research Center and,
  2. Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 N.W. 185th Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97006, USA
  3. Munroe-Meyer Institute, 985450 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
  4. Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
  5. Present address: Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.

Correspondence to: S. M. Mitalipov1,2 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to S.M.M. (Email: mitalipo@ohsu.edu).

Top

Derivation of embryonic stem (ES) cells genetically identical to a patient by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) holds the potential to cure or alleviate the symptoms of many degenerative diseases while circumventing concerns regarding rejection by the host immune system. However, the concept has only been achieved in the mouse, whereas inefficient reprogramming and poor embryonic development characterizes the results obtained in primates. Here, we used a modified SCNT approach to produce rhesus macaque blastocysts from adult skin fibroblasts, and successfully isolated two ES cell lines from these embryos. DNA analysis confirmed that nuclear DNA was identical to donor somatic cells and that mitochondrial DNA originated from oocytes. Both cell lines exhibited normal ES cell morphology, expressed key stem-cell markers, were transcriptionally similar to control ES cells and differentiated into multiple cell types in vitro and in vivo. Our results represent successful nuclear reprogramming of adult somatic cells into pluripotent ES cells and demonstrate proof-of-concept for therapeutic cloning in primates.

- 作者: snail 2007年11月27日, 星期二 02:27  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Induction of Pluripotency:From Mouse to Human

Induction of Pluripotency:From Mouse to Human
Holm Zaehres1 and Hans R. Schöler1,*


In this issue of Cell, Takahashi et al. (2007) transfer their seminal work on somatic cell reprogramming from the mouse to human. By overexpressing the transcription factor quartet of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc in adult human fibroblasts, they successfully isolate human pluripotent stem cells that resemble human embryonic stem cells by all measured criteria. This is a significant turning point in nuclear reprogramming research with broad implications for generating patient-specific pluripotent stem cells for research and therapeutic applications.

This year’s three Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Laureates—Martin Evans,
Mario Capecchi, and Oliver Smithies—
will be honored in Stockholm in 10
days time for their discovery of DNA
recombination and the development
of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell
technology. It was Martin Evans who
discovered how to make mouse ES
cells, enabling any genetic alteration
to be transferred to the germline and
hence to the next generation (Evans
and Kaufman, 1981; Martin, 1981).
Before this breakthrough, researchers
studied mouse embryonal carcinoma
cells derived from tumors, which
could form every mouse cell lineage
except the germline. Combining DNA
recombination and mouse ES cell
technology revolutionized an entire
field of research, forming the basis for
studying and understanding the roles
of numerous genes in embryonic
development, adult physiology, disease,
and aging. To date, more than
500 mouse models of human disorders
have been geneated. Now, with
the study by Takahashi et al. (2007)
published in this issue of Cell, another
important revolution is taking place.
Last summer, Takahashi and
Yamanaka (2006) stunned the scientific
community with their study showing
molecular reprogramming of mouse
somatic cells into induced pluripotent
stem (iPS) cells using just four factors:
Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. Their
elegant but demanding approach of
screening for a cocktail of factors that
could reprogram mouse fibroblasts
starting from 24 candidate genes paid
off with their detailed description of iPS
cells, which are almost indistinguishable
from mouse ES cells. As with all
scientific discoveries, these exciting
findings had to be reproduced. Several
studies published this year not
only reproduced but also extended
the Takahashi and Yamanaka findings
by demonstrating the pluripotency and
differentiation potential of mouse iPS
cells in rigorous developmental assays
(Maherali et al., 2007; Okita et al., 2007;
Wernig et al., 2007).
In their new study, Takahashi,
Yamanaka, and their colleagues
(Takahashi et al., 2007) now translate
their remarkable findings from mouse
to human (see Figure 1). They selected
adult human dermal fibroblasts and
two other human fibroblast populations
(from synovial tissue and neonatal
foreskin) from different human
donors as their reprogramming target
cell populations. They then transduced
the human fibroblast cultures with retroviral vectors carrying transgenes
for the human versions of Oct4,
Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc and cultured
the cells under human ES cell culture
conditions. Thirty days after transduction,
the culture plates were covered
with human ES cell-like iPS colonies
(among other colonies), which could
be further propagated and expanded.
The retroviral vectors enabled silencing
of all four transgenes after human
iPS formation (as found in the mouse
system) indicating that the iPS cells
are fully reprogrammed and no longer
depend on transgene expression.
Unlike the mouse study, human
iPS cells were generated without any
genetic selection procedures. Given
the lower mitotic index of human ES
cells, it is not surprising that the generation
of human iPS cells takes notably
longer than in the mouse system.
The authors subjected their human
iPS cells to a panel of assays to compare
them with human ES cells. These
assays included morphological studies,
surface-marker expression, epigenetic
status, formation of embryoid
bodies in vitro, directed differentiation
into neural cells and beating cardiomyocytes
(according to human
ES cell differentiation protocols), and
finally teratoma formation in vivo.
DNA microarray analysis revealed
the remarkable degree of similarity
between the global gene expression
patterns of human iPS cells and
human ES cells. Notably, genomic
DNA analysis as well as analysis of
short tandem repeats demonstrated
the genetic origin of independent
human iPS clones from their parental
fibroblast populations.
The derivation of mouse and then
human ES cells (Thomson et al., 1998)
as the gold standard of pluripotent
stem cell populations has necessarily
led to emphasis on differences in the
regulation of self-renewal between
mouse and human ES cells. For
example, human ES cells depend on
bFGF for self-renewal, whereas their
mouse counterparts depend on the
Lif/Stat3 pathway; BMP is involved in
mouse ES cell self-renewal, whereas
in human ES cells it induces differentiation.
Extrinsic factors and signals
for maintaining pluripotency may differ
between mouse and human. However,
the ability to translate somatic
cell reprogramming from mouse to
human using the same transcription
factor quartet further emphasizes the
conserved nature of the Oct4/Sox2
transcription factor network that
controls self-renewal of mouse and
human ES cells (Boyer et al., 2005).
Given that Klf4 and c-Myc are chromatin
modifiers and can immortalize
cells, one might be able to find
other factors or small molecules that
could replace these two factors in the
cocktail (Yamanaka, 2007). In these
studies, the possibility of retroviral
insertional mutagenesis, resulting
in the activation of other genes contributing
to reprogramming, cannot
be excluded, providing an opportunity
to potentially identify new reprogramming
factors beyond the current
quartet. Also, taking a broader
screening approach for reprogramming
human fibroblasts (as Takahashi
and Yamanaka did for their mouse
study) might yield other combinations
of reprogramming factors.
Direct reprogramming of somatic
cells to a pluripotent state, thus reversing
the developmental arrow of time,
is considered by some to be the “holy
grail” of stem cell research. Once the
results in human cells are confirmed,
these advances will enable the creation
of patient-specific stem cell lines
to study different disease mechanisms
in the laboratory. Such cellular models
also have the potential to dramatically
increase the efficiency of drug discovery
and to provide valuable tools for
toxicology testing. Furthermore, this
reprogramming system could make
the idea of customized patient-specific
screening and therapy both possible
and economically feasible. Finally, the
work will have a powerful impact on
the intense debate regarding the moral,
religious, and political aspects of ES cell
research. However, a big mistake now
would be to consider human ES cells
obsolete. There are still many hurdles
to overcome before we fully understand
pluripotency and before we have human
iPS cells in hand that are suitable for
therapeutic application. For example,
a significant proportion of mice derived
from mouse iPS cells develop tumors
due to reactivation of the c-Myc retrovirus
(Okita et al., 2007) compared to
mice derived from ES cells, which are
normal. The search is now on to find a
way to reprogram somatic cells without
retroviruses and maybe even using a
cocktail of small molecules. Given this,
it should be emphasized that human
ES cell research is more important than
ever for it will shed light on how iPS
cells can best be maintained in their
pluripotent state and how they can be
induced to differentiate into the cell
lineage of interest. The field of nuclear
reprogramming has come a long way
from the initial nuclear transplantation
studies in frogs 50 years ago, to the
birth of Dolly, the first mammal cloned
from adult somatic cells (Wilmut et al.,
1997), to the fallout from the fabricated
human nuclear transfer experiments
of several years ago, to the landmark
studies of Takahashi, Yamanaka, and
their colleagues, first in mice and now
in humans.
References
Boyer, L.A., Lee, T.I., Cole, M.F., Johnstone,
S.E., Levine, S.S., Zucker, J.P., Guenther,
M.G., Kumar, R.M., Murray, H.L., Jenner, R.G.,
et al. (2005). Cell 122, 947–956.
Evans, M.J., and Kaufman, M.H. (1981). Nature
292, 154–156.
Maherali, N., Sridharan, R., Xie, W., Utikal, J.,
Eminli, S., Arnold, K., Stadtfeld, M., Yachenko,
R., Tchieu, J., Jaenisch, R., et al. (2007). Cell
Stem Cell 1, 55–70.
Martin, G.R. (1981). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
78, 7634–7638.
Okita, K., Ichisaka, T., and Yamanaka, S.
(2007). Nature 448, 313–317.
Takahashi, K., and Yamanaka, S. (2006). Cell
126, 663–676.
Takahashi, K., Tanab, K., Ohnuki, M., Narita,
M., Ichisaka, T., Tomoda, K., and Yamanaka, S.
(2007). Cell, this issue.
Thomson, J.A., Itskovitz-Eldor, J., Shapiro,
S.S., Waknitz, M.A., Swiergiel, J.J., Marshall,
V.S., and Jones, J.M. (1998). Science 282,
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Wernig, M., Meissner, A., Foreman, R., Brambrink,
T., Ku, M., Hochedlinger, K., Bernstein,
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Yamanaka, S. (2007). Cell Stem Cell 1, 39–49.

- 作者: snail 2007年11月27日, 星期二 02:19  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

干细胞研究和诺贝尔奖……

最近凌晨头脑的状态出奇的好,所以经常要在做完实验以后安静地看文章直到很晚,很多的思路和想法在凌晨格外的清晰,或许是周围极其安静的缘故。本周预计会忙死的,等到周末汇报完了以后或许能好过一些!

振奋人心的消息是最近的几篇关于干细胞的文章。成体干细胞研究从来没有如此受到全世界的关注,韩国的黄禹锡曾经给了我们足够的惊喜,让全世界都开始关注干细胞研究,并且激起了全世界科学家对于干细胞应用于临床研究的热情,但是那些结果被证明是造假以后曾经让所有为之沉郁。

最近一周,首先是细胞杂志,在线版发表了日本Shinya Yamanaka研究组利用四个因子(Oct3/4,Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc.)逆转人类成纤维细胞到干细胞的研究论文,同时,James A. Thomson 实验室在科学杂志上发表了另外四个因子逆转成纤维细胞命运的文章,不同的是他们的四个因子是OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28。几乎同期的自然杂志发表了将成人体细胞核移植到去核的卵母细胞中,诱导胚胎进入囊胚期的论文,再次得到克隆干细胞。

巨大的发现一个接一个,回想去年Shinya Yamanaka研究组利用四个因子(Oct3/4,Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc.)逆转小鼠成纤维细胞到干细胞,冰山才显一角,一年之后他们就在人类细胞上获得了成功,不久的将来,越来越多的细胞将会被逆转为胚胎干细胞,这是多么振奋人心的消息啊,他让我们人类治疗性克隆研究迈出了巨大的一步,这个日本研究组无疑也获得了巨大的成功,Shinya Yamanaka最近被Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease聘为教授,这对于这个年轻的日本人来说,无疑是一个巨大的鼓励,转战美国,将会为他提供更为宽广的研究空间。

毋庸置疑,如果所有的结果都是真实的话,Shinya Yamanaka一定会因此而获得奖,而中国北大毕业的_ junying yu 也突然间离诺贝尔奖很近很近。

历史也许会记住这个伟大的突破!

干细胞和诺贝尔奖在今年结合以后一定会再次碰面的,那一定是不久的将来。

那么再生医学呢!深层次讲,再生医学是干细胞研究的in vivo状态,也许你会诧异干细胞研究为什么还是体外的,其实我们无论怎么去改变干细胞的状态,那终究不过需要我们体外的前期处理成体细胞,然后通过合适的方式导入我们人体达到治疗的目的,所以它不过是对于体内的组织器官的体外修补以后在导入体内的过程。但是再生医学的研究可以使我们了解机体在正常条件下是如何进行损伤后修复的,一旦我们扩大这种损伤后修复的能力,那么我们就可以治愈或者治疗大部分的疾病,所以再生医学应该是干细胞研究成熟以后下一个时代的热点。

 

- 作者: snail 2007年11月27日, 星期二 02:14  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

Exploring the New RNA World

by Thomas R. Cech
1989 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
3 December 2004

Not too long ago, most people considered RNA to be just a disposable copy of the really important nucleic acid, DNA. It is the double helix of DNA, after all, that shows up on magazine covers and television; DNA is the material of our genes and chromosomes, the stuff that determines our genetic inheritance. RNA – ribonucleic acid – is a copy of the DNA instructions that serves as a messenger to direct protein synthesis, which is then destroyed after it has fulfilled its function.

My research group in Colorado played a role in discovering novel activities of RNA in the early 1980s. Yale University's Sidney Altman, who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with me in 1989, made independent discoveries. We both found that RNA could fold into complex shapes and catalyze biochemical reactions, a function previously thought to be restricted to protein enzymes. Thus, RNA was sometimes an active participant in the chemistry of life, not just a passive messenger. We named these RNA enzymes "ribozymes."

ribozyme
DNA is copied into RNA, which is single-stranded and therefore folds into complex shapes.


An Explosion of Breakthroughs

Within the past few years, RNA research has reached new heights. It's now clear that RNA catalysis has a much more central role in biology than many would have guessed. Furthermore, RNA often controls the expression of genes, another role that had been thought to be at least mostly the domain of proteins called "repressors" and "transcription factors."


An RNA Machine Makes Proteins

One of the most important molecular "machines" in living cells is the ribosome. It translates the message encoded on the mRNA (messenger RNA) to synthesize specific proteins that do most of the work in biology. Proteins can be hormones like insulin or sex hormones; other proteins make muscles contract and hearts beat, and yet other proteins catalyze the digestion of food. Each mRNA encodes a specific protein. The ribosome is remarkable in that it can decode a limitless number of different mRNAs. Think of a videotape: the same tape player can "translate" any videotape into a movie. The tape player is like the ribosome, the tape is the mRNA and the movie is the protein product.

The ribosome is an unusual catalyst, composed of three RNA molecules (four in some species) as well as dozens of proteins. Over the past thirty years there's been a growing body of evidence that RNA might lie at the catalytic "heart" or active site of the ribosome, with the proteins playing supporting roles. Some of the best evidence has come from the laboratory of Prof. Harry Noller (University of California Santa Cruz, USA). But in biochemistry, "one picture is worth a thousand words," and obtaining the actual structure of the ribosome was a hugely challenging project despite years of progress by Prof. Ada Yonath (The Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel).

Then, in 2000, the atomic-level picture of the ribosome emerged, showing the complex fold of the RNA molecules buttressed and supported by numerous proteins. One structure showed the site where amino acids are strung together into proteins (the peptidyltransferase center); it is in fact composed of RNA, with no proteins in the vicinity (1). This provides the most direct evidence yet that the ribosome is indeed a ribozyme, an RNA catalyst. Other structures showed how the ribosome is inhibited by antibiotics, how it promotes the interaction of mRNA with transfer RNAs, and how the whole assembly is organized (2, 3, 4).

ribosome
The large subunit of the ribosome. Starburst, active site for protein synthesis. The active site consists of RNA (white strands), not protein (orange), supporting the conclusion that the ribosome is a ribozyme.
Figure by Nenad Ban and Thomas Steitz
Copyright © Howard Hughes Medical Institute

This work may seem esoteric, but in fact it has spurred new approaches to developing antibiotics against pathogenic microbes. After all, protein synthesis is essential for life, and human ribosomes are similar but not identical to microbial ribosomes, so it's possible to find drugs that inactivate only the latter.


Riboswitches

The switching on and switching off of genes in response to an organism's needs is one of the most basic of biological control mechanisms. When François Jacob and Jacques Monod were mapping out the genetic regulatory circuit that controls metabolism of a simple sugar (lactose) in a bacterium, they thought for a while that the gene repressor might be RNA. Soon afterwards, however, the lac repressor was isolated – it turned out to be a protein, as were the next hundred or so repressors that were identified. So the idea of an RNA gene-repressor lay dormant for decades.

Very recently, howeer, this issue has been revisited. In another branch of the bacterial kingdom, RNA elements built into messenger RNAs can directly sense the concentration of small metabolites and turn gene expression on or off in response. These riboswitches fold into intricate structures that can distinguish one metabolite from another (5). Three distinct tricks for switching gene expression have been revealed: the RNA element can cause premature termination of transcription of the mRNA, it can block ribosomes from translating the mRNA, or it can even cleave the mRNA and thereby promote its destruction. This last activity involves an RNA unit directly binding a small-molecule metabolite, which switches the RNA into a conformation that activates its intrinsic self-cleavage activity (6). This "ribozyme riboswitch" represents a new type of biological activity for a catalytic RNA.


RNA Interference

The past few years have witnessed the emergence of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a potent regulator of gene expression in higher organisms including humans (7). dsRNA had previously received little attention. Although the DNA of our chromosomes is famously double-stranded, only one strand of the DNA is typically copied into RNA, so the resulting RNA is normally a single strand. (Because it has no partner strand, it folds back onto itself to form a variety of intricate shapes.) dsRNA was mainly studied as a transient intermediate in the replication of RNA viruses, an intermediate that tipped off animal cells to mount an anti-viral response because, after all, double-stranded RNA was "unnatural".

Now we see that dsRNA isn't so unnatural after all. Cells maintain a multi-step pathway for dealing with dsRNAs, either endogenous (those made by transcription of their own genes) or exogenous. First, an enzyme called "dicer" cuts the dsRNAs into 20-base pair fragments. One of the two strands is then transferred to a matching sequence on a messenger RNA, and an enzyme called "slicer" then cleaves the mRNA at the position of the duplex (8). The cleaved mRNA is rapidly degraded. In other cellular systems, instead of the mRNA being degraded it stays intact, but the presence of the short RNA duplex renders it somehow untranslatable, so no protein product is made.

degradation

On the one hand, the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has led to the identification of many small cellular RNAs that do not encode proteins (and therefore escaped identification in the Human Genome Project) but instead act to regulate the expression of other genes (9). These microRNAs form extensively base-paired "foldback" structures that are then processed by RNAi.

On the other hand, scientists have developed robust new technologies for targeted gene inactivation based on RNAi. They synthesize dsRNA with a sequence that matches the intended target; this dsRNA is often called siRNA (small interfering RNA). They then introduce the dsRNA (or DNA encoding it) into cells, where the RNAi machinery takes over and completes the gene inactivation. Thus, RNAi has become a powerful tool for understanding which genes are important for which biological events. There is currently great excitement concerning the possibility that this research tool could be turned into pharmaceuticals directed against disease-causing genes.


Ribozymes at the Chemical Level

Coincident with all these new RNA discoveries, great progress is also being made in understanding at the detailed chemical level how the original ribozymes work. Chemists think about chemical reactions in the context of detailed atomic structures of molecules, but for many years catalytic RNAs evaded structural analysis. The RNA molecules simply refused to form well-ordered crystals suitable for x-ray diffraction. This problem was first solved for some of the smaller self-cleaving ribozymes (10, 11), revealing unanticipated intricate folding patterns and the use of RNA bases as proton donors and acceptors to speed the chemical reactions.

Finally this year, the first well-resolved structures of self-splicing introns were solved. The long-anticipated catalytic metal ions can now be directly visualized, held into place by RNA phosphate groups that are in turn positioned by the complex fold of the RNA chain (12, 13, 14). The metal ions in the active site help to stabilize the mid-point or "transition state" of the reaction by neutralizing charge and by orienting the reacting atoms. Exciting crystal structures of portions of the Ribonuclease P ribozyme have also been announced (15). Thus, both subjects of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry are now seen in atomic detail, making them more amenable to mechanistic analysis.

ribozyme
The three-dimensional structure of the original ribozyme, the self-splicing intron of Tetrahymena (13). Green and blue ribbons indicate the path of the RNA backbone in the two major domains of the RNA, and the red star marks the active site.
Figure by Feng Guo



Bibliography

1. Nissen, P., Hansen, J., Ban, N., Moore, P.B. & Steitz, T.A. Science 289, 920-930 (2000).

2. Carter, A.P., Clemons, W.M., Brodersen, D.E., Morgan-Warren, R.J., Wimberly, B. & Ramakrishnan, V. Nature 407, 340-348 (2000).

3. Yusupova, G.Z., Yusupov, M.M., Cate, J.H. & Noller, H.F. Cell 106, 233-241 (2001).

4. Bashan A., Agmon I., Zarivach R., Schluenzen F., Harms J., Berisio R., Bartels H., Franceschi F., Auerbach T., Hansen H.A., Kossoy, E., Kessler M., & Yonath, A. Mol. Cell 11, 91-102 (2003).

5. Batey, R.T., Gilbert, S.D. & Montange, R.K. Nature 432, 411-415 (2004).

6. Winkler, W.C., Nahvi, A., Roth, A., Collins, J.A. & Breaker, R.R. Nature 428, 281-286 (2004).

7. Fire, A., Xu, S., Montgomery, M.K., Kostas, S.A., Driver, S., & Mello, C.C. Nature 391, 806-811 (1998).

8. Song, J.-J., Smith, S.K., Hannon, G.J. & Joshua-Tor, L. Science 305, 1434-1437 (2004).

9. Ruvkun, G. Science 294, 797-799 (2001).

10. Ke, A., Zhou, K., Ding,F., Cate, J.H. & Doudna, J.A. Nature 429, 201-205 (2004).

11. Rupert, P.B. & Ferre-D'Amare, A.R. Nature 410, 761-763 (2001).

12. Adams, P.L., Shahley, M.R., Kosek, A.B., Wang, J. & Strobel, S.A. Nature 430, 45-50 (2004).

13. Guo, F., Gooding, A. & Cech, T.R. Mol. Cell 16, 351-362 (2004).

14. Golden, B., Kim, H. & Chase, E. Nat. Struct. & Mol. Biol., in press (2004).

15. Krasilnikov, A.S., Yang, X., Pan, T. & Mondragon, A. Nature 421, 760-764 (2003).

- 作者: snail 2007年11月23日, 星期五 01:52  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

the RNA world

The RNA World

by Sidney Altman
1989 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry

The phrase "The RNA World" was coined by Walter Gilbert in 1986 in a commentary on the then recent observations of the catalytic properties of various RNAs. The RNA World referred to an hypothetical stage in the origin of life on Earth. During this stage, proteins were not yet engaged in biochemical reactions and RNA carried out both the information storage task of genetic information and the full range of catalytic roles necessary in a very primitive self-replicating system. Gilbert pointed out that neither DNA nor protein were required in such a primitive system if RNA could perform as a catalyst. At that time, it had only been demonstrated that RNA could cleave or ligate phosphodiester bonds. Nevertheless, as is a frequent occurrence in science, a general hypothesis was constructed from a few specific instances of a phenomenon. This hypothesis proved to be very effective in stimulating thought about the origin of life on Earth. Ensuing discoveries of other natural catalytic RNAs that could cleave and ligate phosphodiester bonds, and the very recent observation that the region surrounding the peptidyl transferase center of a bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit contains RNA and no protein, further buttress the hypothesis. Finally, the so-called "evolution in vitro" methodology, which is able to scan an enormous number of nucleic acid sequences in vitro for any given function, has revealed that RNA, indeed, can have many different catalytic functions as so can, presumably, DNA.

On further reflection, many doubts have been raised about whether or not the original genetic/catalytic material could have been RNA as we know it today because extreme conditions on the primitive Earth might have led to the rapid chemical degradation of RNA. Nevertheless, even if the precise chemical nature of the early genetic/catalytic material differed from present-day RNA, it seems reasonable to conclude that the RNA World did exist at some time. If very primitive life on Earth did not arise until about 3.5

billion years ago, there was, perhaps, a period of 0.5 billion years in which to sample many polymer sequences that originally arose through non-biochemical mechanisms and that ultimately evolved directed the first self-replicating systems.

My involvement in the discovery of the first catalytic RNA began in innocence during a study of tRNA biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. I was fortunate enough to isolate and characterize a precursor tRNA, one of the intermediates in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of mature tRNA. As in all biochemical pathways, if one has an intermediate compound, there must be an intra-cellular enzyme that acts on this intermediate to take it to the next step in the pathway. This enzyme, ribonuclease P (RNase P), was readily identifiable. Its function was to cleave a phosphodiester bond at the start of the mature tRNA nucleotide sequence, thereby releasing the upstream extra or "precursor" nucleotides.

The total purification of RNase P proved to be a very difficult task. However, a perceptive and hard-working graduate student, Ben Stark, noticed that an RNA copurified with the protein in the enzyme preparation. He then devised a test to see if the RNA molecule was essential for the function of the enzyme. This test used the same strategy that Avery, MacLeod and McCarty had used to prove that DNA was the essential ingredient in bacterial transformation. In Stark's experiment, the test showed that the RNA was essential for RNase P function. This result explained why the purification, which had been designed to isolate a proteinaceous complex, was so difficult. It also led to much disbelief in the community of enzymologists.

We soon suggested that the RNA subunit of RNase P was part of the active center of the enzyme, by analogy to the then current picture of the ribosome. A few years later, however, Cecilia Guerrier-Takada, a postdoctoral fellow, demonstrated that this RNA, itself, was a true enzyme in vitro. At that time, Tom Cech had recently and independently observed phosphoester bond cleavage and ligation by a different RNA molecule. Cech's observation and ours, while still greeted skeptically by some members of the enzymological community, were soon universally accepted and within a few years other catalytic RNAs derived from plant pathogens and the human delta RNA were also found.

The chemical details of catalysis by RNase P remain to be fully worked out although a rough picture of this reaction is now available. A fascinating aspect of the RNase P "problem" is the vast difference in chemical make-up of subunits and catalytic mechanism of this enzyme as it is found in eukaryotes (e.g., the RNA subunit is not active in vitro) compared to these properties in prokaryotes. Evolution has presented us with contemporary versions of this enzyme that undoubtedly will someday tell us an interesting story of its progression from an RNA to various complexes of RNA and protein.


References

Orgel, L. E., The origin of life on the Earth. Scientific American, October 1994, Volume 271, pages 76-83.

Orgel, L. E., The origin of life - a review of facts and speculations, Trends in Biochemical Sciences, December 1998, Volume 2-3, pages 491-495.

- 作者: snail 2007年11月23日, 星期五 01:45  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

How responsible are scientists for science ?

In a recent issue of the journal Science the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Sir Joseph Rotblat, proposes a Hippocratic oath for scientists. He is strongly opposed to the idea that science is neutral and that scientists are not to be blamed for its misapplication. Therefore, he proposes an oath, or pledge, initiated by the Pugwash Group in the United States (Science 286, 1475 1999). "I promise to work for a better world, where science and technology are used in socially responsible ways. I will not use my education for any purpose intended to harm human beings or the environment. Throughout my career, I will consider the ethical implications of my work before I take action. While the demands placed upon me might be great, I sign this declaration because I recognise that individual responsibility is the first step on the path to peace."

These are indeed noble aims to which all citizens should wish to subscribe, but it does present some severe difficulties in relation to science.

Contrary to Rotblat's view I claim that reliable scientific knowledge is morally and ethically neutral and ethics only enter when science is applied to making a product, for example genetically modified foods (Is science dangerous? Nature 398, 281). If genes are responsible for determining some of our behaviour, that is the way the world is - it is neither good nor bad. Knowledge can be used for both good and evil. Of course, scientists in their work have the responsibilities of all citizens to do no harm and be honest. Their additional responsiblity is to put their work and its possible applications in the public domain.

Rotblat does not want to distinguish between scientific knowledge and its application, but the very nature of science is that it is not possible to predict what will be discovered or how these discoveries could be applied. Cloning provides a nice example. The original studies related to cloning were largely the work of biologists in the 1960s. They were studying how frog embryos develop and wanted to find out if genes which are located in the cell nucleus were lost or permanently turned off as the embryo developed. This involved putting the nuclei of cells from later stages in development, including adult cells, back into an egg from which the nucleus had been removed to determine whether the genes in that nucleus would allow the egg to develop. Nuclei from some adult cells could allow the egg to develop and this showed that the genes were still capable of being expressed in the correct way. It was incidental to the experiment that the frog that developed was a clone of the animal from which the nucleus was obtained. The history of science is filled with such examples.

There are, indeed, few cases where scientists as a group have behaved immorally, the main example being the false claims of eugenics. In terms of the pledge, no scientist should ever work for the army or be involved in the defence industry. Should Western scientists have refused to be involved in the building of the atom bomb? That could have been their ethical stance. But imagine if the Germans then had built a bomb and then won the war. Would one then have praised the scientists for their lofty, moral position?

I do not believe that scientists, or any other group of experts, should have the right to take ethical decisions on their own that affect the lives of the public. Their ethical beliefs may not reflect the public view and that is why I have always argued that their responsibility is to put their knowledge, and its possible applications, in the public domain. As Robert Oppenheimer made clear in relation to the bomb, the duty of scientists is to understand how the world works; but how this knowledge is used ultimately lies in a democracy, with the people's elected representatives. Moreover, scientists rarely have power in relation to applications in science; this rests with those with the money, industry and government. The way scientific knowledge is used raises ethical issues for everyone involved, not just scientists.

Should ethical issues relating to the application of genetics for example, lead to stopping research in this field? The individual scientist cannot decide for a science like genetics is a collective activity with no single individual controlling the process of discovery. I regard it as ethically unacceptable and impractical to censor any aspect of trying to understand the nature of our world.

- 作者: snail 2007年11月23日, 星期五 01:38  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

On Being A Scientist

: Responsible Conduct In Research

by John C. Polanyi*
1986 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
12 March 2001

Doing Science

Science never gives up searching for truth, since it never claims to have achieved it. It is civilizing because it puts truth ahead of all else, including personal interests. These are grand claims, but so is the enterprise in which scientists share. How do we encourage the civilizing effects of science? First, we have to understand science.

Scientia is knowledge. It is only in the popular mind that it is equated with facts. That is of course flattering, since facts are incontrovertible. But it is also demeanng, since facts are meaningless. They contain no narrative.

Science, by contrast, is story-telling. This is evident in the way we use our primary scientific instrument, the eye. The eye searches for shapes. It searches for a beginning, a middle, and an end.

What we see is as a consequence, culturally conditioned. This is open to misunderstanding. It might be construed to mean that our conclusions are simply a matter of taste, which they are not. Though we explore in a culturally-conditioned way, the reality we sketch is universal. It is this, at its most basic, that makes science a humane pursuit; it acknowledges the commonality of people's experience.

This in turn, implies a commonality of human worth. If we treasure our own experience and regard it as real, we must also treasure other people's experience. Reality is no less precious if it presents itself to someone else. All are discoverers, and if we disenfranchise any, all suffer.

It is important that we reflect upon our craft, since our understanding of science will inform public policy towards it – 'science policy' as it is called. For example, if seeing is a skill, then we should rely on those who have that skill to determine what science we do.

In Canada, we routinely offend against this principle. We have, for example, numerous 'Centres of Excellence' because we recognize that the skill on which discovery depends is possessed by a few. But then we proceed in evaluating such centres, to give only a legislated twenty percent weight to 'excellence'. A preposterous eighty percent is reserved for considerations having to do with 'socio-economic worth'.

Our assessment of socio-economic worth is largely a sham. We scientists should not lend ourselves to it - though we routinely do. We should, instead, insist on applying the criterion of quality. That this criterion is real, is evidenced by the awesome success of science – peer-reviewed science – in this century.

Have we failed, as scientists, to explain science? Seemingly. Have we, too often, kept silent because we thought it expedient? Undoubtedly.


Being a Citizen

Though neglectful of their responsibility to protect science, scientists are increasingly aware of their responsibility to society. But what is this responsibility?

Some dreamers demand that scientists only discover things that can be used for good. That is impossible. Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only say nice things.

Others think it the responsibility of scientists to coerce the rest of society, because they have the power that derives from special knowledge. But scientists, like any other group, are not permitted to seize the levers of power. Nor should they be blamed for failing to do so. They must work through democratic channels. Anything else would be incredible arrogance.

What responsibilities remain? Plenty. Scientists are only beginning to come to terms with them.

In the time that I have been a scientist, I have seen huge changes in our perception of these responsibilities. Let me give some examples.

In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons. The United States was trying to get Canada to do the decent thing, and arm itself with nukes. The weapons were, after all, for the defense of North America.

Individual scientists like myself – and many more conspicuous – pointed to the dangers of radioactive fallout over Canada if we were to launch nuclear weapons to intercept incoming bombers. On the face of it, this was technical advice. But more truthfully it was a philosophical position. We chose to make our calculations concerning fall-out because we were opposed to the acquisition of nuclear weapons; not the reverse.

I do not mean to discount the technical element. I merely want to stress (as I did in the context of discovery) that what the scientist sees is influenced by what he believes.

Much the same applied to the next public debate, which had to do with nuclear fall-out shelters. Technical arguments were once more advanced (by myself, among others) to illustrate the absurdity of sheltering a nation from a determined nuclear attack. At a deeper level, however, we were objecting to an outlook according to which security was to be found in the life of a troglodyte.

We were appalled by the abandonment of attempts at coexistence in favour of the life of a mole. Better to die in the pursuit of civilized values, we believed, than in a flight underground. We were offering a value system couched in the language of science.

Around 1970 my scientist friends in the U.S. indoctrinated me in a fresh question of policy. In the war in Vietnam, the United States was using herbicides (Agent Orange) and a tear gas (CS2). This could well be construed as being in contravention of the Geneva Protocol, which for almost half a century had banned the use of chemical weapons. It was, at that date, one of the few instruments of international law regulating the use of weapons, and was correspondingly precious.

I went off to see our Ministers of Defence and of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Prime Minister. God knows how I got into their offices, but I did. They gave me a hard time – as was proper – protesting, "these things are used for killing weeds and for riot control; how can you say they are weapons of war?" The answer was that when employed to prosecute a war, they had become weapons of war. They were being used to expose the enemy, so as to kill him.

One does not need to be a chemist to make that point. But it helps to come from a community with a commitment to objectivity, and a degree of independence from special interests. Under this scientific and moral pressure, the Canadian government conceded publicly that the use of these weapons in Vietnam was, in their view, a contravention of the Geneva Protocol. The government of the United States was not pleased.

What we in the scientific community were seeking, in our idealism, was a world ruled by law. The moral force that we brought to this debate derived from our membership in an international community ruled by law – albeit unwritten law. For without the acceptance and enforcement of standards of probity, there would be no functioning scientific community.

And without steps being taken to widen this realm of rule-based co-operation, beyond the narrow bounds of science and similar professions, there will be anarchy leading ultimately to all-out war. But technology had made such war intolerable. The solution is to be found not in more technology, but in less war.

When in March 1983 President Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), popularly known as Star Wars, this issue was clearly joined. President Reagan was offering a technical fix to the threat of nuclear war. The SDI, he made it clear, was to be the scientist's antidote to the nuclear poison. However, in the process of distributing this illusory antidote, we were to abandon the only genuine defence against nuclear missiles, which lay as it still lies, in institutionalised restraint.

The SDI was an invitation to a new arms race; one in nuclear-shields which would proceed in parallel to the continuing arms race in swords. With missile-defences back in the news today, this is a lesson to remember.

In the course of these political struggles, scientists became increasingly aware of themselves as an international non-governmental organization. This NGO bases itself, I claim, not primarily on its technical expertise but on its moral tenets. In science, we have a group of individuals supporting one another, world-wide, in an endeavour whose success depends upon placing the truth ahead of personal advantage.

Not all succeed in doing this, but all are agreed in its necessity. In science, truth must take precedence not only over individual advantage, but also over 'group advantage' – sectional interests such as nationality, creed or ethnicity.

This asserion of higher purpose has made scientists (and all scholars) supporters of human rights. Our championing of human rights puts to rest the notion that what we are offering is primarily technical expertise. Technical expertise has nothing directly to do with human rights. It is once more the moral force of science – evident in such individuals as Einstein, Russell, Pauling, and Sakharov – that makes it effective.

Our community's voyage of self-discovery is not over. I believe that it will lead us to a more active support of democracy, wherever it is threatened.

That notion would have seemed preposterous when I began my life as a scientist. But no longer. Today, Academies of Science use their influence around the world in support of human rights. They should do the same for democracy, for the death of democracy is the death of free enquiry. The bell tolls for us.

*This article was published previously in The Globe and Mail (Canada), 29 April 2000 issue.

- 作者: snail 2007年11月23日, 星期五 01:37  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

小涡,快跑!

一两个月了,好多事情来了又去,好多人走了又来,所有的事情夹杂在一起,已经懒得去思考如何才有一个更好的performance,如何才能让事情的结果变的更好,所以懒得总结,懒得写任何的东西,甚至由于大实验安排的较少,连实验报告都减少了许多.

日子就这个样子,所有的时间都是那么的紧凑,终于在这个凌晨狠下心写点东西.权当记几个流水帐吧.

 

从国庆开始写起吧,已经一个多月了,104,那天我站在火葬厂的火化炉前,和叔叔一起,周围的人都走了,就那样我和叔叔最后一次单独呆在一起半个小时,但是这次叔叔是被蒙着黄色的袋子,几分钟以后叔叔就样永远的化成了灰烬,我还记得我对叔叔说的最后的一句话二叔,你就放心的走吧,你那么有能力,我相信你在任何地方都能混的不错的” .那天我出奇的安静,眼睁睁的看着叔叔被推了进去,然后出来的是一堆炉渣。生活太残酷了,43年前,叔叔出生在一个偏僻的山村,42年后,叔叔客死他乡.那个中午,离开家的时候我拍下了公司门前的仆告——曾**同志,因病长期医治无效,102日早7时去世……一个生命就这样的结束了,那个曾经在工地上,在办公室里拼命的工程师,那个曾经在家里孝顺体贴的儿子,那个曾经为人和善的叔叔,永远的没有了.

生命太渺小了,或许我们的到来和我们的离开对于这个世界来说太微不足道了.

 

  10月中旬,收到了从国外寄来的小虫子,一共65只小虫子特别的可爱,小虫子是实验工具,可以从整体上用于生物学研究,一群有潜力的小家伙,特别的受宠,终于理解了LTX老师为什么对斑马鱼那么的热爱,这个小东西或许就是我们以后的潜力股呢,师兄说你们可以指望它毕业,呵呵,幸好老板比较支持,最近得赶紧把这个平台建起来.

 

11月初,第一次作为正式注册代表参加会议,而且是国际干细胞研讨会,全程听完了报告,虽然并不是完全的都懂,但是有些自己感兴趣的和与我们实验室相关的报告听的还是不错的,很有收获啊,科学无所谓大小,关键的是你提出一个好的问题,构建一个简单的模型去解决这个问题,太有意思了.虫子来了, LG同学要快些做出点东西啊,要争取明年这个时候我们也能去主席台汇报我们的工作,独一无二的工作.

 

……

事情太多了,今天去参加小实验动物培训,明天是中科院上海分院运动会,事情一堆堆的,最近每天1点以后睡觉,早上7点半左右起床,有些吃不消了,所以要好好的休息,抓紧整理实验数据,下周连续两次会议,而且有一次还要自己做报告,第一次在大会上做报告,要好好的准备呢!

小涡,快跑;小涡,move!

- 作者: snail 2007年11月11日, 星期日 01:10  回复(3) |  引用(0) 加入博采

说点和科学没有关系的……

累死了,终于把所里的晚会忙活完了,说是生活部的头,其实就是晚会的最辛苦的劳工,昨天(不是,现在已经是前天的下午了),所里出车把我们送到城隍庙,然后在那里狂转了一下午,买了若干的奖品和礼物,回来的时候走路都走不动了。今天从下午开始忙起,一直在布置会场,准备奖品,来回奔波,夜晚吃饭也是在十分钟内搞定的,好不容易报会场的布置搞定了,背上都汗湿了。感觉最遗憾的事情是我的毛笔字真的是越来越烂了,去年写的横幅还是毛笔的行笔方式,今年的压根不在调上,我荒废了毛笔字和我的篆刻呢,多么可惜的两个手艺啊,前天我哈特异买了个好的印泥,还要好好的篆刻呢,这些东西可是修身养性的好东东呢。

我喜欢行云流水的书法和刚劲的篆刻……

好些天没有好好睡觉了,周五开始的中德干细胞研讨会,每天早上9点开始,可是我夜晚睡的比较晚了,最近还那么忙,去听的也是很累,况且德国人讲的英语简直就是一个直调,还唧唧呱呱的快,可怜我有很多的话都没有听懂,幻灯还不错,有很多可以学的东西呢,还是值得花点时间总结的。

姑姑也来上海看病了,还要花时间陪她去医院,真是搞笑,我不陪她她连公车都能坐过站,去医院找不到病房和医生办公室,这是那个我依赖的姑姑么?小的时候我被她牵着去那里都不会丢的,怎么到这里都迷糊了?

或许是她和我一起,就不愿意去记忆了,走什么地方也不愿意去记路,还是很放心我的哈!就跟LG一样,和我在一起就不会去担心那么多的事情了。所以我总喜欢说她。小样还总不服气,气鼓鼓的,可是每次后来我警告的都应验了,可还是不听我的话,吃亏了才知道自己不对。我当然可以做很多事情,当然可以遇见很多事情,可是我不能永远在你身边啊,所以你需要自己处理事情,要不然我会很累的,我本来就是个很喜欢操心的人,就不要总是让那么小的事情来烦我了好不好?我喜欢听你告诉我你解决问题的想法,至于是不是对,那没有关系的,关键的是你去想了。

中秋节了,祝我的朋友们中秋快乐!

对了,田姐好像在准备结婚照唉,上次任华南来上海也不来找我,太不够意思了,我就在市中心的……抗议一下哈。

- 作者: snail 2007年09月25日, 星期二 02:05  回复(2) |  引用(0) 加入博采

东拼西凑……

需要坦白的是,我一直在等待一些机会,来记录自己的心路历程,但是一切总不是那么如愿,所以一直不愿意动笔,因为在期待思想里面的火花,但是生活往往还没有等到燃起火焰,便很快的熄灭了。

起因是离开,已经记不清这是第几个亲戚朋友离开了。我的表叔——一个善良的人,一个一生勤劳的中年人,和我父亲相当的年纪,我奶奶的唯一一个侄子,奶奶家族中曾经唯一一个亲人,在上周病逝于肺癌。我还记得年初的时候看见他的时候,他还是精神焕发的,儿子女儿都有了很好的归宿,在天津买了房子,作为一个农村出来的家庭,他们似乎是已经摆脱了农村的生活,应该享福的时候了,但是今年6月份的时候诊断出是肺癌,随后很快离开了。我还记得小时候每次到我们家他都是带好多好吃的东西,他的职业是做伞,手工的阳伞是一个手艺活,方圆几十里地的人都是用他的手工做的伞,那些手工出来的东西既耐用又好看,就这样他一直在我们那里做了几十年的伞,并且把几个子女抚养成人了,直到后来他把孩子都送到了城市才结束了手工业的生活。生活就是这么残酷,一个那么好的人,说走就走了。

这两年经历的死伤似乎已经是太多了,早就习以为常了,即使眼睁睁看着一个人躺在白布下面被推出电梯,我已经没有什么感觉了,生活本来就是有来有去的,但是更多的时候我们庆幸的是那个闭上眼睛的人和我们并没有什么关系,可是这些次,很不幸,那些人和我有关系,他们曾经关心爱护过我。

算了,沮丧的东西让人很沉闷。

说点实验室的事情?想一想也懒得说了,别人和我有什么关系,管好自己就行了,我以往对人太苛刻了吧,不喜欢的人和事还是不要去说为好,为什么每件事情都要较真呢?总结一句话——这个世界的人,不是我们能用常规能预测了的。不管怎么样,自己要乐观,积极,向上,不要总是那么苛刻。

还有其他的,学术上的事情。还是很着迷那些科学研究,每一点发现都能让我激动很久,我原来是这么一个容易满足的人,满足于自己的一点点成就,满足于实验的一点点进步,我真的需要那些进步来鼓舞,支撑自己前行,我也需要忙碌起来,这样让我感觉自己每一天都是那么充实。

我需要科学,他让我感觉到自己存在的价值……

科学是什么?其实就是兴趣和责任,有为人类工作的热情和对发现的痴迷,这或许就是科学的源动力。

- 作者: snail 2007年09月8日, 星期六 00:10  回复(3) |  引用(0) 加入博采

转——我们家的牧羊人!
朋友发给我一个故事,让我看完选择答案:
    故事说,在一个暴风雨的夜里,你驾车经过一个车站。车站上有三个人在等巴士,其中一个是病得快死的老妇人,一个是曾经救过你命的医生,还有一个是你长久以来的梦中情人。如果你只能带上其中一个乘客走,你会选择哪一个?
    我的第一印象是要带那个老妇人走,可是转念一想,她那么虚弱、天气那么糟糕,如果在去医院的路途上病情恶化了怎么办?那么好吧,我把车子交给医生,让他带老人去医院,我留下和喜欢很久的那个人一起等车。把答案发给她后,她说很多人都只想到选择其中惟一一个选项,而最好的答案就是你做出的选择。 嘿嘿得意……
 
    这个故事后来还有一句话::“是因为我们从来不想放弃任何好处吗,就象那车钥匙?有时候,如果我们可以放弃一些固执、限制甚至是利益,我们反而可以得到更多。”
    虽然我作了这样的选择,但看到这段话时还是颇多感慨。显然我当时并没有想到那么多关于取和舍的深层问题。稀饭曾经说,什么才是最难舍弃的,是一种道义,还是一段感情?为什么不能抛开和牺牲一些利益,去获得另外一些永恒?
    还记得很久之前的《卧虎藏龙》里李慕白对师妹说的话吗?“把手握紧,什么都没有,但把手张开就可以拥有一切。”
    我们知道要得到一些就要放弃另一些,我们也听说过很多以退为进的故事,可是身体力行,还是困难的。每件事情每样东西都有它的好处所在,哪样都舍不得放手。是我们太贪心了吧。
    有些东西,你以为这次放弃了,就再也不会出现了,可当你真的放手了,会发现它在日后仍然不断出现;而有些东西,你以为暂时放过它,它还会一再地出现就象当初它来到你身边时那样,可真的一旦错过,它就是美景不再的回忆,就是日后无法回头的遗憾。
    无法看到未来具体将描绘成什么样子。但是我应该有自己的原则和底线。我应该根据它们来作人生里的任何一次取舍,对自己既不委屈,也不纵容。而且我现在终于知道,很多的世事与感情是经不起一再地错过与等待的,我必须在适当的时候作出一个选择,而不是等到无可奈何花落去的时候,再来体会那种悲凉。就好像,为什么一定要等到不再相爱的时候再说再见呢?我宁愿在最爱你的时候离开,如果我清楚地知道我们不会再有让这种爱继续的能力。可是这样的选择,真的艰难……
 
    最近总是纵容自己想好多这样的问题。关于取舍,关于选择。在睡眠不够的情况下,在效率不高的情况下,做这样的思考算不上罪过吧,嘻嘻o(∩_∩)o……
    又是三点钟才睡,今天早晨是无论如何都爬不起来了。今天在中科院的图书馆上最后一天自习,明天搬家到健康所那边的宿舍,以后就在交大医学院自习了。


 
 
 
 

- 作者: snail 2007年09月7日, 星期五 23:13  回复(1) |  引用(0) 加入博采

假的终究是假的——绿谷集团的双灵固本散和丹参注射液!!

中华灵芝宝(双灵固本散)和丹参多酚酸盐粉针剂的虚假广告几乎在国内所有的肿瘤医院都可以看见,他们打着上海生科院的牌子,说什么中科院上海生科院绿谷研究院的研究成果,我们在大院里面的人谁听说过这个研究院?公然的吹嘘和造假!骗取钱财,而且是癌症病人的钱财,终于有人开始澄清这个骗局了!只有揭露这些骗局你才知道国内的保健品的广告的水分有多大了,简直就是闭着眼睛往死里吹……

中国科学院上海药物研究所上海市白玉兰律师事务所共同声明

2007-08-13     兹就中国科学院上海药物研究所(以下简称“药物所”)与绿谷(集团)有限公司(以下简称“绿谷集团”)的相关事宜,声明如下:  

  一、坚决反对夸大和混淆药物所与绿谷集团之间合作关系的宣传和广告  

  绿谷集团多年来以经营保健品为主。2000年药物所与绿谷集团联合投资成立了上海绿谷制药有限公司,该公司主要生产药物所研制的新药―――丹参多酚酸盐粉针剂,同时也开展一些其它新药的研发工作,但不涉及任何保健品。药物所历届和现任领导从未担任过绿谷集团的任何职务。药物所没有参与绿谷集团任何保健品的发明、申报、生产、销售、经营以及宣传、广告等活动,对这些活动一概不知情,没有任何关系。药物所没有为绿谷集团的保健品进行过任何研制、监制工作。任何夸大双方之间限定性合作关系的宣传和广告都是虚假的、完全不负责任的,也是药物所坚决反对的。  

  二、澄清中华灵芝宝(双灵固本散)的检测结果的有限性  

  上世纪90年代末和本世纪初,药物所接受绿谷集团的技术服务委托,为中华灵芝宝(双灵固本散)做过体外细胞试验和动物抗肿瘤活性检测,但从未为中华灵芝宝做过人体试验,众所周知,实验性研究与人体内实际情况是两个概念。体外检测结果表明中华灵芝宝在低浓度下对被测的肿瘤细胞株是无效的;在高浓度下,虽然对被测肿瘤细胞具有生长抑制作用,但该作用是由包括渗透压影响等物理因素在内的众多其他因素参与的综合性效果,而且此浓度在人体内无法达到,因此不能代表中华灵芝宝在人体内的实际效果。  

  绿谷集团在双灵固本散宣传材料中对上述检测结果没有进行全面报道,更缺乏科学的解释,这种断章取义的宣传对于缺乏抗肿瘤药物研究基本知识的患者起了严重的误导作用。另外这种宣传是在药物所和相关研究人员完全不知情的情况下开展的。我所科研人员也从未在所谓的“中华医药杂志”上发表过任何文章。  

  药物所在过去数年中曾多次通过多途径向绿谷集团严正指出上述虚假宣传的严重危害性,指出任何误导消费者的宣传都是极不负责任的,并申明保留追究法律责任的权利。药物所以及本所专家没有在中华灵芝宝(双灵固本散)的虚假宣传和销售中获得过任何利益。  

  三、严正谴责一切利用药物所和相关专家的名义进行虚假宣传的不法行为  

  作为国家药物研究机构,药物所一贯反对虚假和不真实的商业广告和宣传。药物所在此再次严正声明,谴责所有利用药物所以及本所专家名义进行虚假宣传的一切不法行为。上述不法行为不仅极大地损害了药物所及本所专家的名誉和社会公众形象,更为严重的是误导了广大消费者、特别是癌症患者及其家属,造成极坏的社会影响。  

  如有任何单位或个人利用药物所和相关专家的名义继续进行虚假宣传的,上海市白玉兰律师事务所都将接受药物所的委托采取法律措施,追究其相应的法律责任。中国科学院上海药物研究所上海市白玉兰律师事务所  



  陈志坚律师  

  林钧律师二○○七年八月十三日

- 作者: snail 2007年08月14日, 星期二 19:53  回复(0) |  引用(0) 加入博采

新学期第一篇——满腹牢骚

坐了一夜晚的车,今早在疲惫中返回生科院,困的要死,也累得要死,可是假期就这样结束了!

回去14天,在奶奶家占去了大部分时间,然后是回到老家,平均一年多回去一趟的农村似乎变化不大,但是村子里面的癌症病人的大量出现还是让我感觉到农村环境,农村人生活质量似乎随着经济的增长而呈现负向变化。健康,一个巨大的,压抑的,但是我们每个人不得不面对的问题,现在困扰着越来越多的百姓。

中国医学科学院有专家在2005年指出,到2020年,中国的癌症患者将比2005年增加60%以上,但这个数据现在看起来已经有些保守了。最新的数据提示,发展中国家人口,正在面临着新的一轮癌症危机,主要的原因是环境的恶化,食品安全问题,生活的压力,以及受到的较差的医疗待遇,这些无疑是我们现今社会人们普遍遇到的问题。

科学家在努力的时候,公众要清楚科学的力量在解决这些问题上至少在现在是很乏力的,在环境保护上我们政府的政策始终是先污染后治理,在问题处理上政府也往往是消极对待发展中的出现的新问题,未雨绸缪的预防措施对于政绩积累来说效用有限,所以也很少为当政者所采用,所以,政府的不作为往往对于这些社会性问题起到很重要的负面影响。

所以,更多的时候我们不要总是寄所有希望于科学家,也不要把责任推到科学家头上。政府和企业留下的烂摊子和造成的恶果,怎么能都留给科学家去解决?一个简单的例子就是太湖水质污染的事件。事情发生以后再去挽救那些受害者的身体,我想那要付出的努力和投入将会是巨大的,所以政府选择的是回避恶果,只单单解决水质问题,那么那些已经对市民造成潜在的健康威胁该谁去承担责任?现实生活中没有造成这种明显过失或者恶果的决策行为更加惊人。它们可能正在侵蚀着我们公众的健康。而财富却流向了少数人。

这才是社会真正的不公,潜在的不公!而这是比明显的抢掠对社会底层大众的威胁更大。

 

 

瞎写了一通和自己完全不相干的东西!明天开始新的一学期,还是要好好干,要更加努力,我无力挽救不公,唯一能做的是手头的一丁点事情,一定要尽力做好啊!

- 作者: snail 2007年08月12日, 星期日 21:11  回复(2) |  引用(0) 加入博采