Different methods for inducing adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into Schwann-like cells

INTRODUCTION The aim of the study was to explore an effective method to induce adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to differentiate into Schwann-like cells in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS Reagents were applied in two different ways (Dezawa inducing method and modified inducing method) in which inducers including β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME), all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), type I collagenase, forskolin, heregulin, basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were used in different ways to induce ADSCs of rats to differentiate into Schwann-like cells. After induction, the cell morphologic characteristics and the cellular immunohistochemical staining positive rate of anti-S100 and anti-GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) antibodies and the gray value of immunocytochemical dye with anti-S100 and anti-GFAP antibodies and cell activity measured by the MTT method were compared with each other to evaluate the induction effects. RESULTS Both methods can induce differentiation of ADSCs of rats into Schwann-like cells, but the cellular morphology of the modified method was more similar to Schwann cells than that of the Dezawa inducing method, there was a higher cellular immunohistochemical staining positive rate and staining grey value in immunocytochemical dye with anti-S100 and anti-GFAP antibodies, and less damage in the cell activity of the modified inducing method than that of the Dezawa inducing method. CONCLUSIONS The effect of the modified method to induce ADSCs to differentiate into Schwann-like cells in vitro is superior to that of the Dezawa inducing method.