DE- AND RE-DIFFERENTIATION OF THE PROGENITOR CELLS TO THE NEURONS

Purpose:

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether adipose progenitor cells may de- and re-differentiate to the neurons. Recently some kinds of progenitor cells have been reported to be able to de- and re-differentiate to other germ layers. From abdominal white adipose tissue(WAT), we derived cells containing adipose progenitor cells. Then we attempted to de- and re-differentiate them to the neurons.

Method:

Five rats were used. Under anesthesia, 4.0g of abdominal WAT was removed. It was soaked for 60min while shaking at 37° Hanks balanced salt solution(BSS) to which 10mg of collagenase, 5mg of glucose and 400mg of BSA had been added. After 60min, the solution was filtered with a nylon mesh (opening 100μm). The filtrate was centrifuged for 2min at 300×g. After centrifugation, the upper layer containing adipose cells was removed. Then the rest of the solution was again filtrated using nylon mesh (opening 25μm) to remove the blood vessel cells. This filtrate was centrifuged for 10min at 100×g to deposit cells containing adipose progenitor cells. Then adipose progenitor cells were labeled with DiI and injected into the brain parenchyma as an autograft. After 2 weeks, rats were sacrificed. Then brain parenchymas were immunostained with Neuron-Specific Enolase(NSE).

Result:

The labeled cells with DiI seemed to be also stained with NSE. This suggested that some adipose progenitor cells become neurons.