title: [Identification of ectomesenchymal stem cells of human fetal facial processes and spontaneous differentiation to smooth muscle cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristic and phenotype of ectomesenchymal stem cells of human fetal facial processes and the procedure of spontaneous differentiation to smooth muscle cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary ectomesenchymal cells of E 50 human fetal facial processes were isolated by 2.5 g/L trypsin and cultured with DMEM/F 12 with 10(-6) U/L leukemia inhibitor factor(LIF). The morphology and growth rate were observed by inverted microscop. After being withdrawn LIF, the characteristic of cells were identified by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cultured cells displayed monolayer growth and were fibroblast-like with 2-4 processes. The cells were stainely positived for anti-human natural killer cell marker-1, Vimentin, S-100, neuron specific enolase, myoglobin and VIII factor, but negatively for glial fibrillary acidic protein, neural fiblament, alpha-SMA and cytokeratin in immunohistochemistry. Two days after being withdrawn the LIF, cells expressed alpha-SMA in protein and mRNA levels. The cells were rich in muscular filament-like structure and dense bodies under transmission electron microscope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cultured cells are undifferentiated ectomesenchymal stem cells. The cells have the potential for differentiating spontaneously to smooth muscle cell.
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, P. R. China 710032.
authors.forename: Man-jing
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jun-nan
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004475:Ectoderm; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000196:embryology; D005333:Fetus; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003470:Culture Media; D015850:Interleukin-6; C507837:LIF protein, human; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor