title: Simultaneous expression of Oct4 and genes of three germ layers in single cell-derived multipotent adult progenitor cells.
abstract: Future application of adult stem cells in clinical therapies largely depends on the successful isolation of homogeneous stem cells with high plasticity. Multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) are thought to be a more primitive stem cell population capable of extensive in vitro proliferation with no senescence or loss of differentiation capability. The present study was aimed to find a less complicated and more economical protocol for obtaining single cell-derived MAPCs and understand the molecule mechanism of multi-lineage differentiation of MAPCs. We successfully obtained a comparatively homogeneous population of MAPCs and confirmed that single cell-derived MAPCs were able to transcribe Oct4 and genes of three germ layers simultaneously, and differentiate into multiple lineages. Our observations suggest that single cell-derived MAPCs under appropriate circumstances could maintain not only characteristics of stem cells but multi-lineage differentiation potential through quantitative modulation of corresponding regulating gene expression, rather than switching on expression of specific genes.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Developmental Biology, Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Second Military Medical University, Xiangyin Road 800, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kai-Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Kai-Meng
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Li-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Hou-Qi
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000235:genetics*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; D012313:RNA