Plasticity of human mesenchymal stem cell phenotype and expression profile under neurogenic conditions

Human bone marrow MSC cultured in neurogenic medium containing EGF and FGFbeta demonstrated alteration of the phenotype and expression of neuronal precursor/early neuron markers nestin and NSE. Signals of expression of neuronal and oligodendroglial markers MAP-2, dm-20, and MBP were detected after prolongation of incubation in neurogenic medium to 2 weeks. Cells with neuronal morphology were immunopositive to early neuronal marker beta-III-tubulin. Replacement of neurogenic medium for alpha-MEM with 10% fetal calf serum induced reversion of the phenotype to that typical for human MSC. This indicates high plasticity of the phenotype and expression profile of neuronal markers in MSC cultured under neurogenic conditions or possibility of dedifferentiation of MSC reaching the stage of neuronal precursors/early neurons.