Directed Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells to Fate-Committed Schwann Cells

Publication date: Available online 7 September 2017 Source:Stem Cell Reports Author(s): Sa Cai, Yat-Ping Tsui, Kin-Wai Tam, Graham Ka-Hon Shea, Richard Shek-Kwan Chang, Qiang Ao, Daisy Kwok-Yan Shum, Ying-Shing Chan Our ultimate goal of in vitro derivation of Schwann cells (SCs) from adult bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) is such that they may be used autologously to assist post-traumatic nerve regeneration. Existing protocols for derivation of SC-like cells from BMSCs fall short in the stability of the acquired phenotype and the functional capacity to myelinate axons. Our experiments indicated that neuro-ectodermal progenitor cells among the human hBMSCs could be selectively expanded and then induced to differentiate into SC-like cells. Co-culture of the SC-like cells with embryonic dorsal root ganglion neurons facilitated contact-mediated signaling that accomplished the switch to fate-committed SCs. Microarray analysis and in vitro myelination provided evidence that the human BMSC-derived SCs were functionally mature. This was reinforced by repair and myelination phenotypes observable in vivo with the derived SCs seeded into a nerve guide as an implant across a critical gap in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. Teaser Ying-Shing Chan and colleagues demonstrate that the human bone marrow harbors neuro-ectodermal progenitors that can be enriched, expanded, and directed to differentiate into functionally mature, fate-committed SCs. This work holds promise for f...
Source: Stem Cell Reports - Category: Stem Cells Source Type: research