Abstract: Objective To study the efficient conversion of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSC) into a neural stem cell-like population (hucNSC). Methods MSCs derived from umbilical cord were cultured and identified with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). They were induced with epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and B27, and identified with FACS and immunocytochemistry. Then they were induced with glial-derived neurotrophic fator(GDNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), and identified with immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. Results hucMSC expressed CD105, CD44 and CD29. Induced
with EGF, bFGF and B27, they expressed CD133 and Nestin. Induced with GDNF, IL-1β and ATRA, they expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein, neuron specific enolase and tyrosine hydroxylase. Conclusion hucMSC may be induced into hucNSC, namely the cells with the characteristic growth, proliferation and differentiation like NSCs.

Key words: human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cell, dopaminergic neurons, differentiation