title: Spontaneous differentiation of adult rat marrow stromal cells in a long-term culture.
abstract: It is well recognized that bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) can differentiate into neuron-like cells when supplemented with growth factors and/or chemical treatments. We demonstrated that primary MSCs obtained from adult rats could spontaneously differentiate into neural precursor cells after long-term culture. During the outset of in vitro culture, less than 0.1% of adult rat primary MSCs expressed nestin, the common protein of neural precursors. These MSCs didn't show neuronal morphology nor express neuronal antigens. In contrast, after continuous maintenance for 6 weeks, a significant subpopulation of MSCs formed cellular clumps and expressed nestin (32.3 +/- 6.3%). Less than 0.1% of cells expressing immature neuron marker betaIII-tubulin could be detected in these prolonged cultured MSCs. After serum deprivation and growth factor supplement, these nestin-positive cells could express neuron-like morphology and neuron-specific markers NF-H, betaIII-tubulin, tau, and neurotransmitter GABA. In contrast, the MSCs without prolonged culture didn't show neuronal morphology nor neuronal markers even after serum withdrawal and growth factors stimulation. These results demonstrated that neural precursors could be obtained from long-term cultured MSCs, and suggested that MSCs should be useful as a potential source for treatment of neurological disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pang-Yen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Chun-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.forename: Chen-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yong-San
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D016875:tau Proteins; C051774:neurofilament protein H; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid