The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into inner ear hair cell-like cells in vitro

Abstract

Conclusion. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the ability to differentiate into hair cells, and this method of culturing MSCs provides a useful tool for studies on mammalian cochlear hair cell regeneration. Objective: To investigate a method to induce bone marrow MSCs to differentiate into inner ear hair cells. Methods: Rat bone marrow MSCs were isolated from healthy rats and cultured in vitro. To make sure that the cultured cells were bone marrow MSCs, the expression of MSC markers such as SH2, CD31, CD34, and CD44 genes on the cultured cells was assessed by RT-PCR. Adipogenic cells and osteogenic cells were induced by the differentiation of the cultured cells, respectively, suggesting that the cultured cells have the characteristic of pluripotent differentiation. Then they were induced to differentiate into neural stem cells and hair cell progenitor cells. Immunohistochemistry experiments were carried out to detect the expression of molecular markers. Scanning electron microscope samples were prepared for observation of the morphology of the cells. Results: Rat bone marrow MSCs were successfully isolated, purified, cultured, and identified in vitro. They were also successfully induced to differentiate into neural progenitor cells and then hair cell-like cells that expressed myosin VIIa.

Keywords::

• Regeneration
• cochlea
• hair cell

View correction statement:

The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into inner ear hair cell-like cells in vitro

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (863) (#2007AA02Z150), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (#30871398, 30730040, 30571017) to S.M.Y. and National Eleventh Scientific Program (2006BAI02B06) to S.Q.Z.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.