Rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be induced to differentiate into corneal epithelial cells.docVIP

 PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 18 Rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be induced to differentiate into corneal epithelial cells Author: JIANG Ting-Shuai Cai Yan-Nian Hui Yan Feng AbstractAIM: To explore the plasticity of transdifferentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) into corneal epithelial cells. METHODS: MSC of adult rats that were isolated and purified by density gradient centrifugation combined with an attachment culture method. The transdifferentiation of MSC into corneal epithelial cells were induced in vitro by co-cultured with corneal stromal fibroblasts. The expression of K12 on MSCs which is expressed specially in corneal epithelial cells was identified by immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: MSC cultured in vitro showed great potential of proliferation. CD29 was positive, and CD34, CD45 were negative in cultured cells, indicating that the cultured cells were MSC. After co-cultured with corneal stromal fibroblasts for one week, MSC expressed K12, indicating that they had been transdifferentiated into corneal epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: The data suggests that MSC have the potential to transdifferentiate into corneal epithelial cells in vitro. * KEYWORDS: mesenchymal stem cell; corneal epithelial cells; transdifferentiation Abstract Objective: To investigate the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mesenchymal stem cell, MSC) to differentiate into corneal epithelial cell plasticity and the possibility of reconstruction of corneal epithelium. Methods: The combination of density gradient centrifugation purified adherent culture method of rat bone marrow MSC, in vitro co-culture with corneal stromal cells induced differentiation, immune assay of corneal epithelial cell-specific markers K12 expression. Results: In vitro cultured rat bone marrow MSC showed a strong proliferative potential of primary cultured bone marrow MSC CD29 immunofluorescence staining, CD34 and CD45 negative, consistent with the characteristics of bo