Multi-directional differentiation potential of subpopulations of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human skeletal muscle expressing different myogenic and endothelial markers / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Mesenchymal stem cells from human skeletal muscle exhibit multi-directional differentiation potential under the influence of osteogenic proteins such as bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). But the differentiation of a specific cell subpopulation is not yet clear.OBJECTIVE:To characterize the multi-directional differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells from human skeletal muscle based on the expression of different surface markers.METHODS:Four different subpopulations were isolated from the human skeletal muscle by fluorescence-activated cell sorting based on their expression of the myogenic-specific marker CD56 and the endothelial-specific markers CD34 and CD144, including CD56+, CD56+CD34+CD144+, CD34+CD144+, and unsorted groups. Osteogenic differentiation of the four groups of the cells was displayed by Von Kossa staining after the treatment with BMP4 alone or BMP4 plus transforming growth factor β3. Chondrogenic differentiation of these cells was displayed by Alcian blue staining. Bone metabolism was assessed by alkaline phosphatase staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:No significant difference in the bone metabolism was found among four groups after the treatment with BMP4 (P > 0.05). Osteogenic and chondrogenic potentials of the four cell subpopulations were significantly different. Under the same osteogenic induction, the CD56+ cells exhibited strongest potential for osteogenic differentiation; and under the same chondrogenic induction, the CD56+CD34+CD144+ cells exhibited better potential for chondrogenic differentiation than the CD56+ cells. These findings indicate that the osteogenic and chondrogenic potentials are intimately associated with the type of mesenchymal stem cells from human skeletal musclethe CD56+ cells are closely related to the osteogenic potential, while the CD56+CD34+CD144+ cells have stronger chondrogenic potential.