ABSTRACT
Objective To explore whether the neurons induced from mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) have synapse function or not.Methods Passage 4-5 MSCs in good shape was induced by Salvia miltiorrhiza with optimized protocol for several times,and then the observation under inverted phase contrast microscope,immunofluorocytochemistry and the measurement of neurophysiological function were carried out.Ca2+ influx and synapse function were detected with laser-scanning confocal microscopy(LSCM),taking 50 mmol/L KCl as stimuli to evoke action potential.Results The cells that had been induced for 5 h at 4th time from MSCs,looked like neurons and displayed that the processes stretched out to form complex net.Immunofluorocytochemistry presented that the rate of TUJ-1 expression was(96.7?2.8)% and that of synaptophysin was(96.2?2.1)%.When the neuron-like cells were stimulated by high concentration of KCl,intracellular Ca2+ influx enhanced quickly.When the neuron-like cells were stimulated by high KCl solution for the first time,SynaptoRed-C2 anchored onto the membrane,and after the second excitation,the fluorescence intensity decreased quickly.Conclusion The neuron-like cells derived from MSCs that are induced by salvia miltiorrhiza with optimized protocol have synapse function.