title: Stem cell properties and neural differentiation of sheep amniotic epithelial cells.
abstract: This study was designed to verify the stem cell properties of sheep amniotic epithelial cells and their capacity for neural differentiation. Immunofluorescence microscopy and reverse transcription-PCR revealed that the sheep amniotic epithelial cells were positive for the embryonic stem cell marker proteins SSEA-1, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81, and the totipotency-associated genes Oct-4, Sox-2 and Rex-1, but negative for Nanog. Amniotic epithelial cells expressed β-III-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, nestin and microtubule-associated protein-2 at 28 days after induction with serum-free neurobasal-A medium containing B-27. Thus, sheep amniotic epithelial cells could differentiate into neurons expressing β-III-tubulin and microtubule-associated protein-2, and glial-like cells expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein, under specific conditions.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China ; College of Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuemin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Xiumei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Guifang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: College of Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Fengjun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Yinfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Liaoning Center for Animal Epidemic Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang 110164, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: amniotic epithelial cells; differentiation; differentiation potential; grants-supported paper; immunofluorescence microscopy; isolation and culture; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; reverse transcription-PCR; sheep; stem cell characteristics; stem cells