Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2013, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (13): 1210-1219.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.13.006

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Stem cell properties and neural differentiation of sheep amniotic epithelial cells

Xuemin Zhu1, 2, Xiumei Wang1, Guifang Cao1, Fengjun Liu2, Yinfeng Yang1, Xiaonan Li3, Yuling Zhang2, Yan Mi1, Junping Liu1, Lingli Zhang1   

  1. 1 Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
    2 College of Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan Province, China
    3 Liaoning Center for Animal Epidemic Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang 110164, Liaoning Province, China
  • Received:2012-12-19 Revised:2013-04-13 Online:2013-05-05 Published:2013-05-05
  • Contact: Guifang Cao, M.D., Professor, Veterinary Medicine College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, guifangcao@126.com.
  • About author:Xuemin Zhu☆, M.D., Lecturer. Xiumei Wang, Xiaonan Li and Xuemin Zhu contributed equally to this paper.

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Abstract:

This study was designed to verify the stem cell properties of sheep amniotic epithelial cells and their capacity for neural differentiation. Immunofluorescence microscopy and reverse transcription-PCR revealed that the sheep amniotic epithelial cells were positive for the embryonic stem cell marker proteins SSEA-1, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81, and the totipotency-associated genes Oct-4, Sox-2 and Rex-1, but negative for Nanog. Amniotic epithelial cells expressed β-III-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, nestin and microtubule-associated protein-2 at 28 days after induction with serum-free neurobasal-A medium containing B-27. Thus, sheep amniotic epithelial cells could differentiate into neurons expressing β-III-tubulin and microtubule-associated protein-2, and glial-like cells expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein, under specific conditions.