title: Combination of media, biomaterials and extracellular matrix proteins to enhance the differentiation of neural stem/precursor cells into neurons.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to induce the differentiation of neural stem/precursor cells (NSPC) more towards neurons than glial cells by the combination of media, biomaterials and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Considering the role of serum, 10% fetal bovine serum or its fractions were added to DMEM/F12 medium to examine the effect of the differentiation-promoting potential on cultured NSPC isolated from embryonic rat cerebral cortex. The NSPC were cultured for 7 days, after which differentiation was assayed using immunocytochemistry for lineage specific markers. It was demonstrated that molecules promoting neuron differentiation were present in serum with molecular weight <100 kDa, which could dominate the differentiation of NSPC principally into neurons in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor. In contrast, NSPC were induced to differentiate predominantly into glial cell phenotypes in the presence of whole serum components. Based on medium containing serum fraction, semi-quantification showed that the MAP2-positive percentage of the immunoreactive ratio within migrated cells could be promoted over 85% by combining poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) biomaterial and fibronectin matrix protein. These results are very encouraging, since an environment favorable for neuronal differentiation should be useful in the development of strategies for controlling the behavior of NSPC in neuroscience research.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-Chong
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tai-Horng
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008970:Molecular Weight; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044967:Serum
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003470:Culture Media; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C073804:FM1 43; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds