Synthetic nanostructures inducing differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into neuronal lineage.

ABSTRACT: Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been shown to trans-differentiate into neuronal-like cells by culture in neuronal induction media, although the mechanism is not well understood. Topography can also influence cellular responses including enhanced differentiation of progenitor cells. As extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo comprises topography in the nanoscale, we hypothesize that nanotopography could influence stem cell differentiation into specific non-default pathways, such as transdifferentiation of hMSCs. Differentiation and proliferation of hMSCs were studied on nanogratings of 350 nm width. Cytoskeleton and nuclei of hMSCs were aligned and elongated along the nanogratings. Gene profiling and immunostaining showed significant up-regulation of neuronal markers such as microtubul

SUBMITTER: Yim EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2038987 | biostudies-literature | 2007 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature