title: Progesterone promotes neuronal differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in culture conditions that mimic the brain microenvironment.
abstract: In this study, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells from full-term neonates born by vaginal delivery were cultured in medium containing 150 mg/mL of brain tissue extracts from Sprague-Dawley rats (to mimic the brain microenvironment). Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated that the cells differentiated into neuron-like cells. To evaluate the effects of progesterone as a neurosteroid on the neuronal differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, we cultured the cells in medium containing progesterone (0.1, 1, 10 μM) in addition to brain tissue extracts. Reverse transcription-PCR and flow cytometric analysis of neuron specific enolase-positive cells revealed that the percentages of these cells increased significantly following progesterone treatment, with the optimal progesterone concentration for neuron-like differentiation being 1 μM. These results suggest that progesterone can enhance the neuronal differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in culture medium containing brain tissue extracts to mimic the brain microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China ; The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xianying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Bethune International Peace Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shijiazhuang 050082, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Honghai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Bethune International Peace Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shijiazhuang 050082, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Gai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China ; Bethune International Peace Hospital of Chinese PLA, Shijiazhuang 050082, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yanning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
keywords: brain tissue extracts; differentiation; mesenchymal stem cells; neural regeneration; neuron; progesterone