Neural potential of a stem cell population in the adipose and cutaneous tissues.
OBJECTIVE
A significant amount of recent interest has been focused on the possibility that adult human stem cells are a realistic therapeutic alternative to embryonic stem cells. Multipotent stem cells that have characteristics reminiscent of embryonic neural crest stem cells have been isolated from several postnatal tissues, including skin, gut, dental pulp and the heart, and are potentially useful for research and therapeutic purposes. However, their neurogenic potential, including their ability to produce electrophysiologically active neurons, is largely unexplored. In the present work, we investigated this issue with regard to skin-derived precursors (SKPs) and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSc)


METHODS
Adult stem cells isolated from skin and from adipose tissue derived from the same adult donor were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Neurospheres obtained were first expanded and evaluated in term of proliferative ability, and then their neuronal differentiation potential was analysed.


RESULTS
Adipose- and skin-derived neurospheres grew in suspension as spheres in the presence of the mitogens FGF2 and EGF. With this protocols, the spheres have been able to proliferate and to originate Schwann and glial-like cells.


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, we have demonstrated in this work that multipotent adult precursor cell can be isolated and expanded from two accessible adult tissue sources: skin and adipose tissue. The work described in this paper provides the framework for our attempts to use SKPs or ADSc as autologous adult stem cell population for cell replacement and discovery research.
Zavan
Barbara
B
Department of Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. barbara.zavan@unipd.it
Michelotto
Lisa
L
Lancerotto
Luca
L
Della Puppa
Alessandro
A
D'Avella
Domenico
D
Abatangelo
Giovanni
G
Vindigni
Vincenzo
V
Cortivo
Roberta
R
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D013997:Time Factors
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor