Isolation and analysis of SSEA-4 positive cells derived from fetal marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

A big issue in stem cell research is to derive prospective totipotential stem cells. In this study, fMSC-SSEA-4 cells expressing SSEA-4 antigen were isolated from fetal marrow masenchymal stem cells (fMSCs) using immunomagnetic bead sorting technique. The totipotent cells were identified and their biological characteristics were further studied. The expression of Oct-4 and SSEA-4, carcinogenicity, and the ability to differentiation of fMSC-SSEA-4 cells were evaluated to verify the totipotent potential. fMSC-SSEA-4 cells were isolated successfully from fMSCs (2.5% among fMSCs), while no obvious differences were seen in morphology, growth curve, cell cycle and immunophenotype, Oct-4 and SSEA-4 expression between fMSC-SSEA-4 cells and fMSCs. fMSC-SSEA-4 cells showed normal diploid chromosome karyotype and no carcinoma was induced after inoculation into nude mice. fMSC-SSEA-4 cells could be induced to fat cells, osteogenic cells and neuron-like cells in vitro with different induced factors. The results indicated that there may be a few totipotent cells among the fMSCs and it may offer the experimental basis for the further study and application of fMSCs.