Coculture with embryonic stem cells improves neural differentiation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells secrete some soluble factors which may affect the differentiation potential of adult stem cells toward different lineages. In the present study, we evaluated neural differentiation of mouse adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) following coculture with ES cells. For this purpose, ADSCs were induced in a medium supplemented with a synthetic serum replacement and various concentrations of retinoic acid (RA). Then, third-passaged ADSCs were indirectly cocultured with ES cells, and the expression levels of pluripotency markers, OCT4 and Sox2, mesenchymal stem cell markers, CD73 and CD105, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), were assessed in the cocultured ADSCs. Moreover, the control and cocultured ADSCs were differentiated with or without RA treatment. We showed here that 2-week differentiated ADSCs expressed several neuron-specific genes, and RA treatment improved neural differentiation of the ADSCs. The expression levels of OCT4, Sox2 and PCNA were upregulated in the cocultured ADSCs. Moreover, coculture with the ES cells significantly improved neural differentiation of the ADSCs. Treatment of the cocultured ADSCs with RA diminished the expression of neural maturation markers. Coculture with the ES cells efficiently improves neural differentiation of the ADSCs. Non-contact coculture with the ES cells may be used as an efficient strategy to improve differentiation potential of adult stem cells for developmental studies and regenerative medicine.

Effect of bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) on adipocyte differentiation from mouse embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate spontaneously into various lineages in vitro. However, spontaneous commitment of ES cells to the adipocyte lineage is rare. In the present study, bone morphogenic protein-4 (BMP-4) is described as a factor inducing adipocyte differentiation from ES cells at a high rate. For this reason, ES-cell-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) in suspension cultures were exposed to different doses of BMP-4 for 5 days before they were plated onto gelatin-coated tissue culture plates. Moreover, the effect of serum-containing and serum-free media in three different combinations was assessed. Plated EBs, stained with Sudan Black and processed for transmission and scanning electron microscopy, were observed daily for adipocyte formation. Treatment with BMP-4 resulted in the appearance of adipocyte clusters in EBs' outgrowth, depending on the doses applied. Early in differentiation, many small fat droplets were observed in adipocytes, while later on they coalesced and formed a few large fat droplets. Adipocyte clusters had a fibrillar and vascular stroma, and each adipocyte was surrounded with a reticular external lamina. Furthermore, the appearance and development of adipocytes and their changes following 2-3 weeks of starvation mimicked live adipose tissue. In fact, understanding the biological activity of growth and differentiation factors is needed to regulate and direct stem cell differentiation to specific cell types in vitro.