title: Characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from bone marrow of giant panda.
abstract: In present study, we report on bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are isolated from giant pandas. Cells were collected from the BM of two stillborn giant pandas. The cells were cultured and expanded in 10% fetal bovine serum medium. Cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscopy, and the proliferation potential of the cells was evaluated by counting cell numbers for eight consecutive days. Differentiation potentials of the cells were determined by using a variety of differentiation protocols for osteocytes, adipocytes, neuron cells, and cardiomyocytes. Meanwhile, the specific gene expressions for MSCs or differentiated cells were analyzed by RT-PCR. The isolated cells exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology; expressed mesenchymal specific markers such as cluster of differentiation 73 (CD73), SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX-2), guanine nucleotide-binding protein-like 3 (GNL3), and stem cell factor receptor (SCFR); and could be differentiated into osteocytes and adipocytes that were characterized by Alizarin Red and Oil Red O staining. Under appropriate induction conditions, these cells were also able to differentiate into neuroglial-like or myocardial-like cells that expressed specific myocardial markers such as GATA transcription factors 4 (GATA-4), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and myosin heavy chain 7B (MYH7B), or neural specific markers such as Nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This study demonstrated stem cells recovery and growth from giant pandas. The findings suggest that cells isolated from the BM of giant pandas have a high proliferative capacity and multiple differentiation potential in vitro which might aid conservation efforts.
authors.affiliation: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, People's Republic of China. sdliuyuliang@163.com
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shangmian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yie
authors.forename: Jingchao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Jinkui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pi
authors.forename: Zhihe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kailai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Hairui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015870:Gene Expression; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000166:cytology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020107:Troponin T / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001503:Ursidae
chemical_list: D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D020107:Troponin T; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains