Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The microenvironment plays a critical role in directing the progression of stem cells into differentiated cells. So we investigated the role that cardiac microenvironment plays in directing this differentiation process. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were cultured with cardiomyocytes directly ("co-culture directly") or by cell culture insert ("co-culture indirectly"). For co-culture indirectly, differentiated ADSCs were collected and identified. For co-culture directly, ADSCs were labeled with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE), Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to extract and examine the differentiated ADSCs. The ultrastructure and the expression of cardiac specific proteins and genes were analyzed by SEM, TEM, western blotting, and RT-PCR, respectively. Differentiated ADSCs experienced the co-culture presented cardiac ultrastructure and expressed cardiac specific genes and proteins, and the fractions of ADSCs expressing these markers by co-culture directly were higher than those of co-culture indirectly. These data indicate that in addition to soluble signaling molecules, direct cell-to-cell contact is obligatory in relaying the external cues of the microenvironment controlling the differentiation of ADSCs to cardiomyocytes.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s11010-008-9990-3

Type

Journal article

Journal

Mol Cell Biochem

Publication Date

04/2009

Volume

324

Pages

117 - 129

Keywords

Adipose Tissue, Biomarkers, Cell Adhesion, Cell Differentiation, Cell Lineage, Coculture Techniques, Humans, Molecular Probes, Myocardium, Myocytes, Cardiac, Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Stem Cells