Yau Wai Lok. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-205). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.vii / 撮要 --- p.x / PUBLICATIONS --- p.xii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.xiii / Chapter CHAPTER 1: --- GENERAL INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Hematopoiesis & Leukemia --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- An Overview on Hematopoiesis --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- An Overview of Leukemia --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Classification and Epidemiology of Leukemia --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.3 --- Conventional Approaches to Leukemia Therapy --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.2.4 --- Novel Approaches to Leukemia Therapy --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1.2.4.1 --- Differentiation Therapy --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.2.4.2 --- Induction of Apoptosis --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.2.4.3 --- Natural Products as a Source of Anti-leukemia Drug --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2 --- Cytokinins --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Historical Development and Occurrence of Cytokinins --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Functions of Cytokinins and the Signal Transduction of Cytokinins in Plants --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Phytochemistry and Metabolism of Cytokinins --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.3.1 --- Chemical Structures of Cytokinins --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.3.2 --- Biosynthesis of Cytokinins in Plants --- p.19 / Chapter 1.2.3.3 --- Metabolisms of Cytokinins in Plants and Animals --- p.22 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Biological and Pharmacological Activities of Cytokinins in Animals --- p.23 / Chapter 1.2.4.1 --- Anti-aging Effect --- p.24 / Chapter 1.2.4.2 --- Anti-thrombosis Effect and Inhibition of Blood Platelet Aggregation --- p.24 / Chapter 1.2.4.3 --- Anti-tumor Effect --- p.25 / Chapter 1.3 --- Aims and Scopes of This Investigation --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER 2: --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 2.1 --- Materials --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Animals --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Cell Lines --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- "Cell Culture Medium, Buffers and Other Reagents" --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Reagents and Buffers for Flow Cytometry --- p.37 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Reagents for DNA Extraction --- p.41 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- Cellular DNA Fragmentation ELISA Kit --- p.42 / Chapter 2.1.7 --- Reagents for Total RNA Isolation --- p.44 / Chapter 2.1.8 --- Reagents and Buffers for Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.46 / Chapter 2.1.9 --- Reagents and Buffers for Gel Electrophoresis for Nucleic Acids --- p.50 / Chapter 2.1.10 --- Reagents for Measuring Caspase Activity --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2 --- Methods --- p.54 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Culture of the Tumor Cell Lines --- p.54 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- "Isolation, Preparation and Culture of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages" --- p.55 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Determination of Cell Proliferation by [ 3H]-TdR Incorporation Assay --- p.55 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Cytotoxicity Measurement by LDH Release Assay --- p.56 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Determination of Cell Viability --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Determination of Anti-leukemic Activity In Vivo --- p.58 / Chapter 2.2.7 --- Analysis of Cell Cycle Profile/DNA Content by Flow Cytometry --- p.59 / Chapter 2.2.8 --- Measurement of Apoptosis --- p.59 / Chapter 2.2.9 --- Assessment of differentiation-associated characteristics --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2.10 --- Gene Expression Study --- p.67 / Chapter 2.2.11 --- Measurement of Caspase Activity --- p.68 / Chapter 2.2.12 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.70 / Chapter CHAPTER 3: --- STUDIES ON THE ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE EFFECT OF CYTOKININS ON LEUKEMIA CELLS / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2 --- Results --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Effect of Various Cytokinins and Their Riboside Derivatives on the Proliferation of Murine Myelomonocytic Leukemia WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Cytotoxicity of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on the WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.86 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Effects of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on the Proliferation of Various Leukemia Cell Lines In Vitro --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Cytotoxicity of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on Non-tumor Cell Lines and Primary Myeloid Cells In Vitro --- p.103 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Kinetic and Reversibility Studies of the Anti-proliferative Effect of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on the WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.107 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Effects of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on the Cell Cycle Profile of WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.115 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Expression of Cell Cycle Related Genes in Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.118 / Chapter 3.2.8 --- Effects of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on the In Vivo Tumorigenicity of WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.123 / Chapter 3.2.9 --- In Vivo Anti-tumor Effect of Kinetin and Kinetin Riboside on WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.126 / Chapter 3.3 --- Discussion --- p.129 / Chapter CHAPTER 4: --- STUDIES ON THE APOPTOSIS-INDUCING EFFECT OF CYTOKININS / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.134 / Chapter 4.2 --- Results --- p.136 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Induction of DNA Fragmentation of Cytokinins in the Murine Myeloid Leukemia WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.136 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Mitochondrial Membrane Potential of Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.144 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Caspase Activities of Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.147 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Induction of Reactive Oxygen Species in Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.154 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Expression of Apoptosis Regulatory Genes in Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells In Vitro --- p.157 / Chapter 4.3 --- Discussion --- p.163 / Chapter CHAPTER 5: --- STUDIES ON THE DIFFERENTIATION-INDUCING EFFECT OF CYTOKININS / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.168 / Chapter 5.2 --- Results --- p.170 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Morphology of Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.170 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Cell Size and Granularity of Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.175 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Changes in Surface Antigen Expression of Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.178 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Monocytic Serine Esterase Activity in Kinetin- and Kinetin Riboside-treated WEHI-3B JCS Cells --- p.185 / Chapter 5.3 --- Discussion --- p.188 / Chapter CHAPTER 6: --- CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES --- p.190 / REFERENCES --- p.195