Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Development of an Insert Co-culture System of Two Cellular Types in the Absence of Cell-Cell Contact
Published on: July 17, 2016
Induction of bone marrow stromal cells into cholinergic-like cells by nerve growth factor
Majid Naghdi1, Taki Tiraihi1, Seyed Alireza Mesbah-Namin2
1Dept. of Anatomy, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) are used as a source for cell therapy in different model for neurological disorder such as stroke and spinal cord injury. However, the transdifferentiation of BMSC into cholinergic phenotype requires more investigation.
Methods:
BMSC were isolated from adult rats, pre-induced with beta-mercaptoethanol (BME) and followed by nerve growth factor (NGF) induction. Neurofilaments of 68 kDa, 160 kDa and 200 kDa (NF-200, NF-160 and NF-68, respectively) immuno-staining were used for evaluating the transdifferentiation of BMSC into neuronal phenotype. The percentage of neurofilaments immuno-reactive cells was applied in order to evaluate the results at the pre-induction and the induction stages. Also, NeuroD and Oct-4 expressions, using RT-PCR, were used in assessing the progression of BMSC into neuronal lineage. Choline acetyltransferase immuno-reactive cells were used for estimating the percentage of cholinergic neuronal phenotype. Immuno-staining with anti-microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and anti-synapsin-I antibodies was done in order to evaluate cell tendency for synaptogenesis.
Results:
The yield of cholinergic neurons with BME as pre-inducer and NGF as inducer was 80%. Also, NF-200, NF-160, NF-68, MAP-2 and synapsin-I were detected in the transdifferentiated cells. RT-PCR showed the expression of NeuroD, while Oct-4 was not detected.
Conclusion:
BME as pre-inducer and NGF as inducer for BMSC transdifferentiation into cholinergic phenotype are potential sources in traumatic injury therapy in the central nervous system.
