[Induced differentiation of human cord blood monocytes into neuron-like cells in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To probe the conditions for inducing human cord blood monocytes to differentiate into neuron-like cells.


METHODS
The mononuclear cells were isolated from human umbilical cord blood samples and plated in 25-mm culture flasks containing DMEM/F12 medium. The fifth passage of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were induced by beta-mercaptoe- thanol (beta-ME), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and conditioned medium for neuron induction, respectively, to differentiate into neuron-like cells. The expression of nestin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and neurofilament (NF) on the treated cells were detected by immunocytochemical method.


RESULTS
Nestin expression were found in 6.7% of the primary, 12.4% of the second passage, 20.8% of the fifth passage of MSCs, respectively. Thirty-six percent of cell cultures treated with the conditioned medium for neuron induction were immunoreactive for NSE and NF, and 33% of the cells induced by beta-ME and 25% of the cells by DMSO also expressed NSE and NF.


CONCLUSIONS
Cord blood MSCs possess some features of neural stem cells, and have the capacity to differentiate into neuron-like cells under proper conditions.
Liu
Tai-Yun
TY
Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510089, China. ltylxlf@gzsums.edu.cn
Zhang
Cheng
C
Xiao
Lu-Lu
LL
Yao
Xiao-Li
XL
Feng
Shan-Wei
SW
Zeng
Ying
Y
D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D003543:Cysteamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D003543:Cysteamine; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide