Abstract:

BACKGROUND: There is no a mature program for identifying islet like cells differentiated from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of human fetal BMSCs differentiating into insulin-secreting cells in appropriate condition.
METHODS: The fetal BMSCs were co-cultured with fetal insulin cells on Transwell double-layer culture plate. In the control group, the BMSCs were cultured in culture medium containing islet cells. Morphological changes in fetal BMSCs and islet cells were analyzed under a phase contrast microscopy. The morphological changes and insulin secretions of BMSCs under the stimulation of fetal islet cells were detected by radioimmunoassay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The fetal BMSCs were isolated and purified, identical cell morphology liked plants spindle-like arrangement. Fetal islet cells were confirmed by panccreatic β endocrine cells under electron microscopy. The undifferentiated BMSCs exhibited were adherent and long spindle-shaped cells. After induction, cells gradually became round and formed clusters. Cells secreted abundant insulin and formed islet-like cell clusters that exhibited positive dithizone staining and immunocytochemical staining at 9 days. No insulin was detected in the control group. It is indicated that fetal BMSCs have the potentiality to differentiate into insulin-producing cells in appropriate condition．