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Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to germ‐like cells under induction of Sertoli cell‐conditioned medium and retinoic acid
Author(s) -
Ghaem Maghami R.,
Mirzapour T.,
Bayrami A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12887
Subject(s) - homeobox protein nanog , mesenchymal stem cell , retinoic acid , biology , germ cell , andrology , wharton's jelly , stem cell , cellular differentiation , umbilical cord , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , cell culture , embryonic stem cell , induced pluripotent stem cell , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Summary The aim of this research was to find a way to differentiate germ cells from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to support in vitro spermatogenesis. A small piece of Wharton's jelly was cultured in high‐glucose Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium in present of 10% foetal calf serum. After the fourth passage, the cells were isolated and cultured in Sertoli cell‐conditioned medium under induction of two different doses of retinoic acid (10 −5 , 10 −6 m ). The differentiation of MSC to germ‐like cells was evaluated by expression of Oct4, Nanog, Plzf, Stra8 and Prm1 genes during different days of culture through qPCR . The results showed that there were downregulation of Oct4 and Nanog and upregulation of pre‐meiotic germ cell marker ( stra8 ) and haploid cell marker ( Prm1 ) when MSCs are differentiated over time. The expression of Bax gene (an apoptotic marker) was significantly observed in high dosage of retinoic acid ( RA ). As a result, RA has positive effects on proliferation and differentiation of MSCs, but its effects are related to dosage. The success of this method can introduce umbilical cord MSC as a source of germ cells for treatment of infertility in future.