Astrocytes Facilitate the Growth and Differentiation of Co-cultured Mesenchymal Stem Cells

• Published in: Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical sciences Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 333 - 336
• Main Author: 褚倩 喻志源 张苏明 于世英
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Huazhong University of Science and Technology 01.06.2008; Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China%Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
• Subjects: Animals; Astrocytes - cytology; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Cell Transplantation; Coculture Techniques - methods; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Neuroglia - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stem Cells - cytology; 星形胶质细胞; 神经细胞; 间叶干细胞; neural like cells; differentiation; astrocyte; mesenchymal stem cells
• ISSN: 1672-0733; 1993-1352
• DOI: 10.1007/s11596-008-0323-2

The effect of astrocytes on the growth and differentiation of co-cultured mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） was studied. MSCs of Wistar rats were isolated, cultured and labeled with Hoechst33342. The labeled MSCs were co-cultured with astrocytes in DMEM/F12/10%FBS. The growth status and morphologic change of MSCs were observed. The expression of specific protein NeuN, GFAP and CNP was detected by using immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that the two kinds of co-cultured cells grew well. Some labeled MSCs stretched out long processes with spin, triangle and star shapes. Immunofluorescence stain showed that these cells expressed NeuN, GFAP or CNP. It was suggested that astrocytes could promote the prolifevation of co-cultured MSCs and induce them to differentiate into neural like cells.