title: Different Tissue-Derived Stem Cells: A Comparison of Neural Differentiation Capability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into a wide range of cell types with multiple clinical and therapeutic applications. Stem cells are providing hope for many diseases that currently lack effective therapeutic methods, including strokes, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However, the paucity of suitable cell types for cell replacement therapy in patients suffering from neurological disorders has hampered the development of this promising therapeutic approach.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The innovative aspect of this study has been to evaluate the neural differentiation capability of different tissue-derived stem cells coming from different tissue sources such as bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, human endometrium and amniotic fluid, cultured under the same supplemented media neuro-transcription factor conditions, testing the expression of neural markers such as GFAP, Nestin and Neurofilaments using the immunofluorescence staining assay and some typical clusters of differentiation such as CD34, CD90, CD105 and CD133 by using the cytofluorimetric test assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amniotic fluid derived stem cells showed a more primitive phenotype compared to the differentiating potential demonstrated by the other stem cell sources, representing a realistic possibility in the field of regenerative cell therapy suitable for neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Institute of Neurological Sciences, Italian National Research Council, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonaventura
authors.affiliation: Unità di Medicina della Riproduzione, Fondazione Hera, Sant'Agata Li Battiati (CT), Italy.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chamayou
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiological Sciences (OGiRA), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liprino
authors.affiliation: Unità di Medicina della Riproduzione, Fondazione Hera, Sant'Agata Li Battiati (CT), Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guglielmino
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiological Sciences (OGiRA), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fichera
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinic and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barcellona
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*