ISOLATION AND INDUCED DIFFERENTIATION OF NEUROEPITHELIAL STEM CELLS FROM SPINAL CORD NEURAL TUBE / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To isolate neuroepithelial stem cells from the spinal cord neural tube of the embryonic rat and induce them to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons. Methods Serum free cells suspension culture and single cell cloning technique were used to isolate neuroepithelial stem cells. 5 bromo 2 deoxyuridine(BrdU) to label new cells combined with single or double immunocytochemistry staining to detect nestin antigen before differentiation and neural cell specific antigens after differentiation, such as neurofilament (NFM 160?kD), glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), galactocerebroside(GalC) and tyrosine hydroxylase(TH). Striatal extracts were used to induce neuroepithelial stem cells to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons. Results The cells isolated from the spinal cord neural tube of the embryonic rat expressed nestin antigen. They had the potential to serially passage and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Striatal extracts could induce 12% of them to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons compared with 3% in controls.Conclusion The cells, which express nestin antigen, isolated from neural tube are multipotent and have the ability to self renew, therefore, they are neural stem cells. These stem cells can be induced to differentiate into specific neurons in vitro. Which can provide materials for neural transplantation.