Umbilical cord blood cell-derived neurospheres differentiating into Schwann-like cells / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the phenotypic and biological characteristics of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (CB-MSCs) differentiating into a Schwann cell lineage.Methods Initially, we induced human CB-MSC into floating neurospheres,and then, neurospheres were induced to differentiating into Schwann-like cells using glia growth factors.Differentiated CB-MSCs showed morphological changes eing similar to those of Schwann cells.Expression of the Schwann cell markers was determined by immunocytochemical staining and Western blotting.Furthermore,differentiated CB-MSCs were co-cultured with dorsal root ganglia neurons to promote the neurite outgrowth.Results The stained nestin,GFAP and S-100 of the undifferentiated CB-MSCs were barely expressed. When CB-MSCs were induced into neurospheres,the nestin positive cells were (82.38±3.70)％,but the expressions of GFAP and S-100 were still negative.After inoculated 36 h,the positive rates of nestin, GFAP,S-100 were (43.78±3.21)％,(35.42±1.82)％ and (29.49±2.54)％,respectively.Compared to those of the undifferentiated group,differentiated axons of CB-MSC were significantly longer and the numbers of them were obviously larger (P＜0.05).Conclusion CB-MSCs could be onverted into neurospheres and then induced into Schwann-like cells in terms of morphology,phenotype and functional capacities.CB-MSCs can be used as an alternative source for bone marrow derived-MSCs,suggesting their potential values in the treatment of neurological diseases.