Differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neurons induced by neural cells by co-culture method

Nailong YANG; Fen YANG; Lili XU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

There are no studies on differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into neurons directly induced by neural cells.

OBJECTIVE:

To establish the co-culture system between BMSCs and neural cells in vitro, and to study the influence of neural cells on the differentiation of BMSCs into neuron in the co-culture system. DESIGN, TIME AND

SETTING:

The in vitro cytology control experiment was performed at the Central Laboratory of Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Qingdao University from December 2006 to December 2007. MATERIALS BMSCS were harvested from bone marrow of patients with diabetes meliuts, who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation at the Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Qingdao University. Neural cells were collected from brain tissues of infants die of asphyxia during delivery. The third passage of neural cells was used in this study. Transwell double-deck culture dish was purchased from Corning Costar, with a pore diameter of less than 3.0 ?m. Cells could not traverse, but the medium could traverse.

METHODS:

Neural cells were incubated in Transwell double-deck culture dish at a density of 1?106 in the co-culture group. BMSCs were incubated in the upper layer in LG-DMEM medium for 4-5 days. BMSCs were incubated in both layers in the control group. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

The morphological changes of BMSCs were observed and the special markers of neurons cells in BMSCs were examined by immunofluorescence.

RESULTS:

BMSCs in the co-culture group grew slowly, showing radial processes and connected each other. Positive rate of neuron specific enolase was (32.7?11.5)%. BMSCs in the control group were flat and wide, and negative for neuron specific enolase.

CONCLUSION:

Microenvironment provided by neural cells promotes the differentiation of BMSCs into neurons.