title: Differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neural-like cells by co-culture with retinal pigmented epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the differentiation effects of retinal cells or extracts on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Human fetal BMSC were previously labelled by carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE), and co-cultured with retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells which were pre-treated with ultraviolet irradiation at a ratio of 1:1 to induce the differentiation of BMSC for up to 14 days. In some assays, a retinal extract of bovine retinal extract (BRE) was added to detect the potential effects of retinal component on the differentiation of BMSC. In addition, Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), Nestin and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining were performed to determine the characteristics of BMSC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that by co-cultured with RPE cells, fetal BMSC were differentiated into neural-like cells expressing special neuronal markers Nestin, GFAP and NSE. And the expression of these markers was obviously increased by BRE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retina derived cells and extracts can induce the differentiation of BMSC into neural-like cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qing-Jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wang