title: Isolation, characterization and cardiac differentiation of human thymus tissue derived mesenchymal stromal cells.
abstract: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are promising candidate donor cells for replacement of cardiomyocyte loss during ischemia and in vitro generation of myocardial tissue. We have successfully isolated MSCs from the discarded neonatal thymus gland during cardiac surgery. The thymus MSCs were characterized by cell-surface antigen expression. These cells have high ability for proliferation and are able to differentiate into osteoblasts and adipocytes in vitro. For cardiac differentiation, the cells were divided into 3 groups: untreated control; 5-azacytidine group and sequential exposure to 5-azacytidine, bone morphogenetic protein 4, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Thymus MSCs showed a fibrolast-like morphology and some differentiated cells increased in size, formed a ball-like appearance over time and spontaneously contracting cells were observed in sequential exposure group. Immunostaining studies, cardiac specific genes/protein expression confirmed the cardiomyocyte phenotype of the differentiated cells. These results demonstrate that thymus MSCs can be a promising cellular source for cardiac cell therapy and tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ze Bang
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yu Zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xu Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Kai Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049108:Cell Enlargement; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D001374:Azacitidine
keywords: CARDIOMYOCYTE; DIFFERENTIATION; MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS; THYMUS TISSUE