Neural differentiation of human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells improves the recovery of neurological function after transplantation in ischemic stroke rats

• Main Authors: Lei Zhang, Lin-mei Wang, Wei-wei Chen, Zhi Ma, Xiao Han, Cheng-ming Liu, Xiang Cheng, Wei Shi, Jing-jing Guo, Jian-bing Qin, Xiao-qing Yang, Guo-hua Jin, Xin-hua Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Neural Regeneration Research
• Subjects: nerve regeneration; human Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells; ischemic stroke; cell transplantation; middle cerebral artery occlusion; neural differentiation; neurological function; neural regeneration
• Online Access: http://www.nrronline.org/article.asp?issn=1673-5374;year=2017;volume=12;issue=7;spage=1103;epage=1110;aulast=Zhang

Human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) have excellent proliferative ability, differentiation ability, low immunogenicity, and can be easily obtained. However, there are few studies on their application in the treatment of ischemic stroke, therefore their therapeutic effect requires further verification. In this study, hWJ-MSCs were transplanted into an ischemic stroke rat model via the tail vein 48 hours after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. After 4 weeks, neurological functions of the rats implanted with hWJ-MSCs were significantly recovered. Furthermore, many hWJ-MSCs homed to the ischemic frontal cortex whereby they differentiated into neuron-like cells at this region. These results confirm that hWJ-MSCs transplanted into the ischemic stroke rat can differentiate into neuron-like cells to improve rat neurological function and behavior.