Exploring the Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Tubule Communication Network through Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Cells use several mechanisms to transfer information to other cells. In this study, we describe micro/nanotubular connections and exosome-like tubule fragments in multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human arteries. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy allowed characterization of sinusoidal microtubular projections (700 nm average size, 200 µm average length, with bulging mitochondria and actin microfilaments); short, uniform, variously shaped nanotubular projections (100 nm, bidirectional communication); and tubule fragments (50 nm). This is the first study demonstrating that MSCs from human arteries constitutively interact through an articulate and dynamic tubule network allowing long-range cell to cell communication.

• Human mesenchymal stem cells
• cell to cell communication
• tunneling nanotubes
• electron microscopy

Declaration of Interest

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