title: Endometrial stem cell differentiation into smooth muscle cell: a novel approach for bladder tissue engineering in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate manufacturing smooth muscle cells (SMCs) for regenerative bladder reconstruction from differentiation of endometrial stem cells (EnSCs), as the recent discovery of EnSCs from the lining of women's uteri, opens up the possibility of using these cells for tissue engineering applications, such as building up natural tissue to repair prolapsed pelvic floors as well as building urinary bladder wall.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human EnSCs that were positive for cluster of differentiation 146 (CD146), CD105 and CD90 were isolated and cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle/F12 medium supplemented with myogenic growth factors. The myogenic factors included: transforming growth factor β, platelet-derived growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Differentiated SMCs on bioabsorbable polyethylene-glycol and collagen hydrogels were checked for SMC markers by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot (WB) and immunocytochemistry (ICC) analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histology confirmed the growth of SMCs in the hydrogel matrices. The myogenic growth factors decreased the proliferation rate of EnSCs, but they differentiated the human EnSCs into SMCs more efficiently on hydrogel matrices and expressed specific SMC markers including α-smooth muscle actin, desmin, vinculin and calponin in RT-PCR, WB and ICC experiments. The survival rate of cultures on the hydrogel-coated matrices was significantly higher than uncoated cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human EnSCs were successfully differentiated into SMCs, using hydrogels as scaffold. EnSCs may be used for autologous bladder wall regeneration without any immunological complications in women. Currently work is in progress using bioabsorbable nanocomposite materials as EnSC scaffolds for developing urinary bladder wall tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem cell and Tissue Engineering, Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine (RCSTiM), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shoae-Hassani
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian
authors.forename: Seyed Abdolreza
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mortazavi-Tabatabaei
authors.forename: Sassan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verdi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D012313:RNA
keywords: bladder augmentation; calponin; desmin; endometrial stem cell; hydrogels; regenerative medicine