Differentiation, cell fusion, and nuclear fusion during ex vivo repair of epithelium by human adult stem cells from bone marrow stroma
To investigate stem cell differentiation in response to tissue injury, human mesenchymal
stem cells (hMSCs) were cocultured with heat-shocked small airway epithelial cells. A
subset of the hMSCs rapidly differentiated into epithelium-like cells, and they restored the
epithelial monolayer. Immunocytochemistry and microarray analyses demonstrated that the
cells expressed many genes characteristic of normal small airway epithelial cells. Some
hMSCs differentiated directly after incorporation into the epithelial monolayer but other …
stem cells (hMSCs) were cocultured with heat-shocked small airway epithelial cells. A
subset of the hMSCs rapidly differentiated into epithelium-like cells, and they restored the
epithelial monolayer. Immunocytochemistry and microarray analyses demonstrated that the
cells expressed many genes characteristic of normal small airway epithelial cells. Some
hMSCs differentiated directly after incorporation into the epithelial monolayer but other …
