title: Differentiation of human umbilical cord matrix-derived mesenchymal stem cells into germ-like cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that can be collected from different sources. Under specific conditions, MSCs can be differentiated to tissue specific cells in vitro. Human Umbilical Cord mesenchymal Stem Cells (hUCMSCs) can easily be harvested and cultured in in vitro conditions. Production of germ cells from mesenchymal stem cells is a very interesting and promising area in the field of reproductive medicine. In the present study, the possible trans-differentiation of hUCMSCs into Primordial like Germ Cell (PGC) was performed in vitro under specific condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured and expanded in DMEM medium containing 10% FBS. The cultured cells were studied for differentiation ability to adipocytes and osteocytes. Furthermore, MSCs related markers were identified by flow cytometry method. For PGC differentiation, hUCMS cells were cultured in differentiation medium containing Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 (BMP4) and it was followed by retinoic acid (RA). Real time PCR and immunocytochemistry analysis were performed to evaluate the expression of PGC specific genes and proteins, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that hUCMSCs cultured in the presence of BMP4 and RA are able to transdifferentiate in to PGC like cells in vitro. Real time PCR and immunocytochemistry results showed that differentiated cells expressed PGC specific markers after 14 days of culture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, it was concluded that hUCMSC may be considered as a promising alternative cell source in reproductive medicine. More studies including laboratory and also animal models are needed to evaluate the functionality of differentiated PGCs before introducing them to clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Latifpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yadollah
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shakiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fardin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mazaheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Aligholi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sobhani
keywords: Bone morphogenetic protein; Germ cells; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Retinoic acid