title: Differentiation of rat adipose tissue-derived stem cells into Schwann-like cells in vitro.
abstract: In this study, we explored the competence of adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into Schwann cells in vitro. Rat adipose-derived stem cells were sequentially treated with various factors beta-mercaptoethanol, all-trans-retinoic acid, followed by a mixture of forskolin, basic fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor and heregulin. We found that differentiated adipose-derived stem cells displayed the morphology of Schwann cells. Western blotting and dual immunofluorescence staining confirmed that they produced proteins characteristic for Schwann cells, including S100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Furthermore, differentiated adipose-derived stem cells could enhance neurite outgrowth in coculture with sensory neurons. These results demonstrate that adipose-derived stem cells can differentiate into Schwann-like cells with morphological, phenotypic, and functional characteristics of Schwann cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Microsurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Center for Stem cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jia-Kai
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D014212:Tretinoin; D008623:Mercaptoethanol