ABSTRACT
Background: myocardial infarction is the main cause of death worldwide. Angiogenesis, a promising new therapy for the treatment of diffuse coronary artery disease, shows a poor response to conventional revascularization techniques. This study focused on improving myocardial function using endothelial cells [ECs] and mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs] in a sheep animal model
Methods: acute myocardial infarction was induced in 18 sheep [12 treated cases and 6 controls]. Autologous MSCs and ECs were injected in the infarcted area and the border zone. Two months after transplantation, echocardiography, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry were performed
Results: echocardiography in both MSC and EC groups revealed a significant improvement in the ejection fraction compared with the control group [p value < 0.05]. Vascular density, estimated by antibodies against the von Willebrand factor and smooth muscle actin, increased in both study groups. The pattern of vascularity in the MSC and EC groups was diffused. The electron microscopic evaluation of the infracted areas revealed cardiomyocytes in variable stages of development in the border zone in both EC and MSC groups
Conclusion: both ECs and MSCs were able to promote angiogenesis and improve cardiac function. Presumably, MSCs differentiate into ECs and cause angiogenesis as it occurs for ECs
ABSTRACT
Wharton's Jelly-Mesenchymal Stem Cells [WJ-MSCs] are pluripotent cells with differentiation capability into most cell lineages. The aim of the current work was to examine the role of Retinoic Acid [RA] in differentiation process of these cells into hepatocyte-like cells and determine the morphological and functional patterns. Human WJ-MSCs were extracted, cultured and expanded; after approximately 95% of confluence, the cells were treated with hepatogenic media containing RA. The cells were subsequently analyzed for morphological changes, glycogen storage, albumin production, and specific gene expression. WJ-MSCs expressed high levels of CD90 [93.6%] and CD105 [90.7%], but low levels of CD34 [0.3%] and CD45 [0.8%]. Albumin production had significant difference in the two groups [p
ABSTRACT
Mesenchymal Stem Cells [MSCs] are multipotent cells that can be collected from different sources. Under specific conditions, MSCs can be differentiated to tissue specific cells in vitro. Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells [hUCMSCs] can easily be harvested and cultured in in vitro conditions. Production of germ cells from mesenchymal stem cells is a very interesting and promising area in the field of reproductive medicine. In the present study, the possible trans-differentiation of hUCMSCs into Primordial like Germ Cell [PGC] was performed in vitro under specific condition. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured and expanded in DMEM medium containing 10% FBS. The cultured cells were studied for differentiation ability to adipocytes and osteocytes. Furthermore, MSCs related markers were identified by flow cytometry method. For PGC differentiation, hUCMS cells were cultured in differentiation medium containing Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 [BMP4] and it was followed by retinoic acid [RA]. Real time PCR and immunocytochemistry analysis were performed to evaluate the expression of PGC specific genes and proteins, respectively. Our results showed that hUCMSCs cultured in the presence of BMP4 and RA are able to trans differentiate in to PGC like cells in vitro. Real time PCR and immunocytochemistry results showed that differentiated cells expressed PGC specific markers after 14 days of culture. Based on these results, it was concluded that hUCMSC may be considered as a promising alternative cell source in reproductive medicine. More studies including laboratory and also animal models are needed to evaluate the functionality of differentiated PGCs before introducing them to clinical applications