Induction of Nestin-expressing Spheroids from Human Dermal Fibroblasts in a bFGF-dependent Manner

Neural stem/precursor cells are found in relatively inaccessible neurogenic regions of the adult brain, making them difficult to harvest for therapeutic purposes.

In this study, nestin-expressing spheroids were induced from primary cultures of newborn and adult foreskin-derived dermal fibroblasts using a novel, two-step induction method. Approximately 80% of dermal fibroblasts became nestin-expressing cells within 12 days. Nestin expression and spheroid-forming capacity were both blocked by removal of bFGF from the induction medium. The bFGF-induced, nestin-expressing spheroids possessed most of the features distinctive of skin-derived precursor cells.

Our findings support the possibility of inducing nestin-expressing spheroids from purified human dermal fibroblasts in a bFGF dependent manner. This is important because it may be impossible to induce spheroids from the small pool of residual neural crest-related precursor cells found in adults.