title: Cochlear epithelial of dog fetuses: a new source of multipotent stem cells.
abstract: Hearing loss caused by the damage of cochlea sensory cells or neurons is a common human disease, but also affects dogs and other animals. To test their progenitor nature as potential value for future therapies, we characterized cells derived from the cochlear epithelium in dog fetuses. In total, 8 fetuses of 35-40 days of gestation, derived from castration campaigns, were investigated. Cells were analysed by the MTT colorimetric assay and in regard to cell cycle, differentiation capacities, immunophenotypes and qPCR analysis. In culture, cells had a fibroblast-like morphology. Phenotypic immunocharacterization showed positive staining for mesenchymal stem cell and pluripotency markers and were negative for hematopoietic cell markers. Cells possessed differentiation capacity for the three main cell lineages: osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic, altogether indicating their nature as mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, cells derived from fetal cochlear tissues indeed may provide valuable sources of progenitor cells for cell therapy of canine deafness and other diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina M
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil. jehborghesi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jéssica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borghesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lara Carolina
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mario
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Raquel A
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Anunciação
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mess
authors.affiliation: NUCEL (Cell and Molecular Therapy Center) and NETCEM (Center for Studies in Cell and Molecular Therapy), Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Claudia O
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Carreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Phelipe O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Favaron
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Angélica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miglino
keywords: Animal model; Cell therapy; Hearing loss; Stem cells