[Method of differentiation of adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell into Schwann-like cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method of committedly induced adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiating into schwann' s-like cells in vitro. METHODS: Adult human bone marrow mononuclear cells were separated by gradient centrifugation on Percoll(density 1.073 g.ml-1). The cells were incubated in low-glucose DMEM with 10% fetal bovine serum. Cell surface antigenic features were analyzed by flow cytometry technique. Passages 2, 3, 5 and 8 of MSCs were committedly induced to differentiate into Schwann-like cells. S-100, GFAP was detected by immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS: The mesenchymal stem cells separated by percoll were expanded for more than 16 passages, increased about 6 x 10(7) folds. Flow cytometry results showed that: the CD29+ CD44+ CD34- CD45- cells separated from percoll immediately were 32.47% +/- 3.49%; The CD29+ CD44+ CD34- CD45- cells incubated in DMEM-LG with 10% fetal bovine serum were around 94.38% +/- 1.50%. Immunohistochemistry staining results indicated that induced with beta-ME + bFGF S-100 positive cells were 90% +/- 4%, while about 21% +/- 5% cells expressed GFAP. CONCLUSION: MSCs in human adult bone marrow are capable of being committedly induced to differentiate into Schwann-like cells in vitro.