Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To explore an ideal method to induce the differen-tiation of human umbilical cord mesenchy-mal stem cells (hUCMSCs) into neuron-like cells and to provide some evidence for the transplantation of hUCMSCs for spi-nal cord injury .METHODS:The hUCMSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord digested with collagenase Ⅱ.The hUCMSCs was verified by flow cytometry analysis .The passage 5 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups.The differentiation of hUCMSCs was induced by bFGF in group A , bFGF and BDNF in group B, or BHA, bFGF and BDNF in group C, while the cells in group D served as a control group cultured with DMEM-F12 and 10%FBS.Two weeks later , the expression of nestin , neurofilament protein H ( NEFH) and glial fibrillary acidic protein ( GFAP) was detected by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry .The morphological changes of cells were observed under an atomic force microscope . RESULTS:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from human umbilical cord by enzyme digestion .hUCMSCs expressed CD29, CD44 and CD105, but no CD34, CD45 or HLA-DR.After cultured with inducing medium for 2 weeks, the cells were successfully induced into neuron-like cells.The appearance of the cells had great change .The induced hUC-MSCs developed round cell bodies with multiple neurite-like extensions observed under an atomic force microscope .The re-sult of real-time PCR showed that nestin was positive in A , B and C groups , and NEFH was positive in A and B groups , but GFAP was negative in 4 groups.The difference of nestin and NEFH expression among the induced groups was signifi -cant (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from human umbilical cord by en-zyme digestion in vitro, and all the hUCMACs presented stable biological properties .Moreover, hUCMSCs were induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells in vitro via bFGF combined with BDNF .