Human cord blood-derived cells attain neuronal and glial features in vitro.
Neural stem cells are clonogenic, self-renewing cells with the potential to differentiate into brain-specific cell lines. Our study demonstrates that a neural-stem-cell-like subpopulation can be selected and expanded in vitro by the use of human umbilical cord blood cells, which are a relatively easily available starting material. Through a combination of antigen-driven magnetic cell sorting and subfractionation according to cell surface adhesive properties, we have isolated a clonogenic fraction devoid of hematopoietic or angiogenetic properties but with relatively high self-renewal potency. The resulting clones express nestin, a neurofilament protein that is one of the most specific markers of multipotent neural stem cells. In the presence of selected growth factors or in the rat brain co-culture system, the progeny of these cells can be oriented towards the three main neural phenotypes: neurons, astroglia and oligodendroglia. The cells show high commitment (about 30% and 40% of the population) to neuronal and astrocytic fate, respectively. Interestingly, upon differentiation, the neural-type precursor cells of cord blood origin also give rise to a relatively high proportion of oligodendrocytes - 11% of the total population of differentiating cells.
Buzańska
L
L
Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego St. 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
Machaj
E K
EK
Zabłocka
B
B
Pojda
Z
Z
Domańska-Janik
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D012333:RNA, Messenger