Adult bone marrow stromal cells differentiate into neural cells in vitro

Exp Neurol. 2000 Aug;164(2):247-56. doi: 10.1006/exnr.2000.7389.

Abstract

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) normally give rise to bone, cartilage, and mesenchymal cells. Recently, bone marrow cells have been shown to have the capacity to differentiate into myocytes, hepatocytes, and glial cells. We now demonstrate that human and mouse BMSC can be induced to differentiate into neural cells under experimental cell culture conditions. BMSC cultured in the presence of EGF or BDNF expressed the protein and mRNA for nestin, a marker of neural precursors. These cultures also expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN). When labeled human or mouse BMSC were cultured with rat fetal mesencephalic or striatal cells, a small proportion of BMSC-derived cells differentiated into neuron-like cells expressing NeuN and glial cells expressing GFAP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Differentiation / biosynthesis
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / drug effects
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / pharmacology
  • Cell Differentiation* / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Corpus Striatum / cytology
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Fibronectins / metabolism
  • Growth Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6*
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
  • Lymphokines / pharmacology
  • Mesencephalon / cytology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neuroglia / cytology
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Stromal Cells / cytology*
  • Stromal Cells / drug effects
  • Tretinoin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Fibronectins
  • Growth Inhibitors
  • Interleukin-6
  • LIF protein, human
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
  • Lif protein, mouse
  • Lymphokines
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Tretinoin
  • Epidermal Growth Factor