Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Robust Differentiation of Human iPSCs into a Pure Population of Adipocytes to Study Adipocyte-Associated Disorders
Published on: February 9, 2022
Down-regulation of Wnt signaling could promote bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into
Zunfu Ke1, Feng Zhou, Liantang Wang
1Department of Pathology, Medical School of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road 74, Guangzhou 510080, Province Guangdong, PR China.
Abstract:
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been demonstrated to be able to differentiate into hepatocytes, but the precise mechanisms controlling this process are unclear. Our aim is try to explore the role of Wnt signaling on the differentiation of BMSCs into hepatocytes. Our study demonstrated that BMSCs could successfully differentiate into hepatocytes under in vitro induction of the tissue extract of damaged liver. The mRNA level of Wnt-1, Wnt-5a, Frizzled1, DSH (disheveled), GSK-3beta (glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta) and beta-catenin on day 21 when the differentiation direction was determined, was lower than that on days 0, 7, and 11. Furthermore, blocking Wnt-1 signaling by treating BMSCs with Dkk1 could induce BMSCs to express albumin earlier and up-regulation of Wnt signaling by treating BMSCs with Wnt-1 could inhibit BMSCs to differentiate into hepatocytes. Above results indicated that inhibition on Wnt signaling can promote BMSCs to differentiate into hepatocytes.
Related Concept Videos
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways
Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells
However, failure of such a system...

