title: Neural differentiation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells by sub-sonic vibration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adult stem cells, such as umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs), have the potential to differentiate into various types of cells, including neurons. Research has shown that mechanical stimulation induces a response in MSCs, specifically, low and high intensity sub-sonic vibration (SSV) has been shown to facilitate wound healing. In this study, the effects of SSV were examined by assessing the proliferation and differentiation properties of MSCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  hUC-MSCs were isolated from Wharton's jelly, including the smooth muscle layer of the umbilical cord. During subculture, the cells were passaged every 5-6 days using nonhematopoietic stem cell media. To measure the effect of sonic vibration, SSV was applied to these cells continuously for 5 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, the morphology of hUC-MSCs was altered to resemble neurons by SSV. Further, the mRNA and protein levels of neuron-specific markers, including MAP2, NF-L, and NeuroD1, increased. In addition, other neural cell markers, such as GFAP and O4, were increased. These results suggest that hUC-MSCs differentiated into neural cells upon SSV nonselectively. In a mechanism study, the ERK level increased in a time-dependent manner upon SSV for 12 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that SSV caused hUC-MSCs to differentiate into neural cells via ERK activation.
authors.affiliation: Dongguk University Research Institute of Biotechnology, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunjin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Young-Kwon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Songhee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Hee-Hoon
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Yun-Kyong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung-Keug
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology*; D014732:Vibration; D059631:Wharton Jelly / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017931:DNA Primers; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases