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Differentiation into neurons of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

  • Research Article
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European Cytokine Network Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

It has been reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into neurons as an effect of adding extraneous factors, such as β-mercaptoethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide and butylated hydroxyanisole. However, many of these compounds could harm MSCs and the human body, which restricts their application. We examined whether MSCs could differentiate into neuron-like cells under the influence of natural growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, and neurotrophin 3 (NT-3).

Methods

MSCs were collected from rat bone marrow using the plastic adherent selection method, and induced in culture media to which was added different combinations of EGF, bFGF, IGF-1 and NT-3. The shape of the induced cells was observed daily and the differentiated cells were characterized by immunocytochemistry with neural-specific markers.

Result

With bFGF and NT-3 in the medium, the induced cells became slim, gradually developing protruding processes, with parts of them forming net- or ring-like structures. Cells with processes showed expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and nestin (NES), which was enhanced when bFGF and NT-3 were added in combination. However, with IGF-1 added to the medium, there was no evidence of neurite-like processes or any net- or ring-like structures; the MSCs retained their round or slim shape.

Conclusion

Using natural cytokines in vitro, MSCs successfully differentiated into neuron-like cells. Our study confirms that bFGF and NT-3 exerts a neural-induction effect on the differentiation of MSCs, but that IGF has a rather negative effect on this process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, P.R. China

    Ming Guan

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, P.R. China

    Yaping Xu & Shan Lin

  3. Department of Pathology, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, P.R. China

    Wei Wang

Authors
  1. Ming Guan
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  2. Yaping Xu
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  3. Wei Wang
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  4. Shan Lin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ming Guan.

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Cite this article

Guan, M., Xu, Y., Wang, W. et al. Differentiation into neurons of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Eur Cytokine Netw 25, 58–63 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2014.0357

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2014.0357

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