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Isolation, Characterization and Cardiac Differentiation of Human Thymus Tissue Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Author(s) -
Lin Ze Bang,
Qian Bo,
Yang Yu Zhong,
Zhou Kai,
Sun Jian,
Mo Xu Ming,
Wu Kai Hong
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/jcb.25072
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , stromal cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cellular differentiation , in vitro , biology , immunostaining , cell , bone morphogenetic protein 4 , chemistry , immunology , cancer research , immunohistochemistry , biochemistry , gene
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are promising candidate donor cells for replacement of cardiomyocyte loss during ischemia and in vitro generation of myocardial tissue. We have successfully isolated MSCs from the discarded neonatal thymus gland during cardiac surgery. The thymus MSCs were characterized by cell‐surface antigen expression. These cells have high ability for proliferation and are able to differentiate into osteoblasts and adipocytes in vitro. For cardiac differentiation, the cells were divided into 3 groups: untreated control; 5‐azacytidine group and sequential exposure to 5‐azacytidine, bone morphogenetic protein 4, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Thymus MSCs showed a fibrolast‐like morphology and some differentiated cells increased in size, formed a ball‐like appearance over time and spontaneously contracting cells were observed in sequential exposure group. Immunostaining studies, cardiac specific genes/protein expression confirmed the cardiomyocyte phenotype of the differentiated cells. These results demonstrate that thymus MSCs can be a promising cellular source for cardiac cell therapy and tissue engineering. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1205–1212, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.