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Differentiation Of Equine Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Into Cells Of Neural Lineage: Potential For Clinical Applications, Claudia Cruz Villagrán, Lisa Amelse, Nancy Neilsen, John Dunlap, Madhu Dhar

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are able to differentiate into extramesodermal lineages, including neurons. Positive outcomes were obtained after transplantation of neurally induced MSCs in laboratory animals after nerve injury, but this is unknown in horses. Our objectives were to test the ability of equine MSCs to differentiate into cells of neural lineage in vitro, to assess differences in morphology and lineage-specific protein expression, and to investigate if horse age and cell passage number affected the ability to achieve differentiation. Bone marrow-derived MSCs were obtained from young and adult horses. Following demonstration of stemness, MSCs were neurally induced and microscopically assessed …