The present study aims to evaluate the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on cold stress induced neuronal changes in hippocampal CA1 region of Wistar rats. Bone marrow mes-enchymal stem cells were isolated from a 6-week-old Wistar rat. Bone marrow from adult femora and tibia was collected and mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in minimal essential medium containing 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum and were sub-cultured. Passage 3 cells were analyzed by lfow cytometry for positive expression of CD44 and CD90 and negative expression of CD45. Once CD44 and CD90 positive expression was achieved, the cells were cultured again to 90% conlfuence for later experiments. Twenty-four rats aged 8 weeks old were randomly and evenly divided into normal control, cold water swim stress (cold stress), cold stress + PBS (intra-venous infusion), and cold stress + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (1 × 106; intravenous infusion) groups. The total period of study was 60 days which included 1 month stress period followed by 1 month treatment. Behavioral functional test was performed during the entire study period. After treatment, rats were sacriifced for histological studies. Treatment with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells signiifcantly increased the number of neuronal cells in hippocampal CA1 region. Adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells injected by intravenous administration show potential therapeutic effects in cognitive decline associated with stress-related lesions.

骨髓间充质干细胞向神经细胞分化及移植研究进展

骨髓间充质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)又称骨髓基质细胞(bone marrow stromal cells,BMSCs),是干细胞研究的又一新的发现,是目前干细胞研究的热点和前沿.MSCs具有方便获取、易于分离培养和扩增纯化,在体外培养条件下多代扩增后仍保持多向分化潜能的特点,且遗传背景稳定,体内植入免疫排斥反应弱,体外基因转染率高并能稳定高效表达外源基因.近年研究发现MSCs具有跨系统、跨胚层分化的潜能,即不仅具有向中胚层分化的能力,而且具有向内胚层和神经外胚层来源的组织细胞分化的能力[1].MSCs在体外适宜的条件下可分化为神经细胞[2],在体内神经系统MSCs移植可通过多种途径进行,移植的MSCs,可存活并分化为神经细胞,改善、修复神经系统功能,在神经移植应用方面展现了诱人的前景,成为神经细胞移植的理想组织工程种子细胞.本文就MSCs向神经细胞方向分化和细胞移植做一综述.