ABSTRACT
Stem cells are cells with high regeneration ability and potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Stem cells are able to differentiate into specialized cell of different tissues in vitro and are used for cell therapy. In the present study, the ability of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate in to cardiomyocytes like cells in vitro was investigated. In this experimental study, the effect of heart extract on differentiation of mesenchimal stem cells was assessed in vitro. First, MSCs were isolated from mouse NMRI umbilical cord on E16-18 and cultured in plate under a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air at 36.5 C. The day 7-10 of culture, these cells received 40 lambda heart extract from 2 weeks old mice every 4 days. After induction for 21 days, mesenchymal cells started to differentiate into cardiomyocytes like cells. Immunocytochemistry methods were used to detect the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin protein. Morphological changes and immunocytochemistry studies showed the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin and indicated that the MSCs could have the potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes like cells in vitro. These results indicate that umbilical cord mesenchimal stem cells can differentiate into cardiomyocytes like cells in vitro by some growth factors existing in the heart extract