Ultrastructure and function of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the cytoskeleton of mesench ymal stem cells (MSCs), the ultrastructure and function relationship by using atomic force microscope (AFM). METHODS: The ultrastructures and morphological feature of MSCs c ultured for 1 d and 5 d were studied by AFM. RESULTS: The special structures that possess peculiar morphologi cal characteristic of MSCs such as cytoskeleton, pseudopod, microfilament etc we re identified by AFM, and these special structures are difficult to observe unde r electronic microscopy or other conventional optical microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: AFM is a powerful tool to study ultrastructures, mo rphological features, and cytoskeleton of stem cells in near physiological condi t ions. Its application prospect in cellular biology is extensive. The special cyt oskeleton and other structures of MSCs observed above may represent the structur al base of multi-differentiation potential of MSCs.