[In vitro differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells induced by vitamin A acid etc].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the feasibility of inducing rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) to differentiate into neuron-like cells with the use of Vitamin A acid, zinc and rat injured spinal cord extracts in vitro.


METHODS
The BMSC were isolated from rat, cultured for 4 passages, and were treated with 10 ng/ml basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for 24 h before induction. Then the medium was replaced by an induction media containing Vitamin A acid, zinc and rat injured spinal cord extracts. The morphological changes of the cells were observed. At day 12 of induction, the cells were stained immunocytochemically with neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament (NF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies.


RESULTS
At day 12 of induction, a certain number of BMSC became neuron-like cells and showed NSE and NF expression. But the neuron-like cells did not express GFAP.


CONCLUSIONS
The BMSC can be induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells with the use of Vitamin A acid, zinc and rat injured spinal cord extracts.
Tang
Yun'an
Y
Department of Toxicology, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wang
Ruishu
R
Zhang
Cheng
C
Liu
Yuqing
Y
Xu
Peiyu
P
Huang
Hui
H
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D014212:Tretinoin; D015032:Zinc