Isolation and identification of human fetal bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their differentiation to hepatocyte like cells / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To separate and identify the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human fetal bone and to study their differentiation to hepatocyte like cells under the action of chemical induction.METHODS: The MSCs from human fetal bone were isolated and purified according to the different growth characteristic of attaching to the wall of cell culture flask. The cell cycle and surface markers of MSCs were identified using flow cytometry. The MSCs were pre-induced by adding DMSO, ?-Me and 5-aza for 24 h, then adding the inductive medium of H-DMEM and rh-HGF to induce their differentiation to hepatocyte like cells (HLCs). HLCs were identified by the typical morphological change and the expression of special protein with the method of immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: The MSCs derived from human fetal bone expressed adhesion molecules CD29+, CD44+, but not antigens of hematopoietic CD34, CD45, and not antigens related to GVHD, such as HLA-DR, CD80 and CD86. Exposure of these cells to above-mentioned inductive agents resulted in obvious morphological change and an increase in expression of AFP and ALB. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the existence of plentiful MSCs in human fetal bone. MSCs derived from human fetal bone can easily differentiate to HLCs, and they have a lower immunogenic nature, which may provide the ideal source for tissue engineering (bioartificial liver) for cellular therapeutics.