Effect of olfactory ensheathing cells on differentiation of bone Marrow stem cells

Olfactory ensheathing cells(OECs) transplantation is a promising orpotential therapy for spinal cord injury(SCI). Bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs) contain mesenchymal stem cells and progenitor cells. BMSCs can differentiate into various cell types, including muscle and brain cells. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using BMSCs as a source of stem cells for the differentiation into OECs by co-culture approach. Only OECs and BMSCs were cultured as control group. The experimental group designed that OECs were transferred on transwell and insert this OECs culturing were co-cultured with BMSCs attached on 6 well bottom. Another experimental group cultured BMSCs in OEC-derived conditioned medium. Cultured cells were fixed at co-culture day 3, 7, 14 and 21. The expression of GFAP and P75 were characterized by immunocytochemistry. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the gene expression of P75, NSE and NF in BMSCs co-cultured with OECs. Our results showed that BMSCs able to differentiate into OEC-like cells using co-culture system in vitro. These findings could be helpful for the development of the cell-based therapeutic strategies for CNS repair.