title: [Study on the differentiation of marrow stromal stem cells into neural cells in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the neural markers' expression in the differentiation of marrow stromal stem cells (MSCs) into neural cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats MSCs were expanded as undifferentiated cells in vitro for 5 to 7 generations and cultured in a modified neuronal medium (MNM) after 24 hours of all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) pretreatment. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the expression of nestin, neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) at different time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After ATRA and MNM treatment, MSCs progressively assumed neuronal morphological characteristics. Nestin occurred first after 24 hours of ATRA treatment; then NeuN expressed after 2 hours of MNM treatment; the last one was MAP-2 and it was detected after 9 hours of MNM treatment. Other markers continuously expressed except that the expression of nestin peaked after 18 hours of MNM induction and remarkably decreased after 36 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ATRA and MNM could promote the differentiation of MSCs into neural cells and the expression of neural-specific markers was consistent with current knowledge regarding the time points of markers expression in the neuronal development which provides a good model in vitro for neuronal development research.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing, 400014, PR China. zhuo-yao@sina.com
authors.forename: Benhui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Hebi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media