Effects of Schwann cells on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells from rat spinal cord

Objective To evaluate the effect of Schwann cells on in vitro proliferation and differentiation of rat spinal cord derived stem cells.Mellaods We cultured and identified neural stem cells(NSCs)from fetal rat spinal cord and Sehwann cells(SCs)from seiatie nerve of SD rats of 24 hour age.NSCs were cultured under4 eondidom according to group assignment:control group(NSCs+basic culture),group A(NSCs+BDNF+basic culture),group B(NSCs+SCs+basic culture),group C(NSCs+SCs+BDNF+basic culture).Morphological changes of NSCs were observed.The number of cells was counted and their diameters measured.By using inmaunoeytochemical method,expression of specific neuron-like cell markers were detected.The percentage of NSCs differentiated into neuron-like cells was calculated and the average length of processes was measured.Results NSCs from fetal rat spinal cord expressed Nestin and differentiated into neurons and astrocytes The quantity and average diameter of NSCs in groups A,B and C were larger than those of the control group at the 72nd hour of culture(P＜0.05).The percentage of NSCs differentiated into MAP-2 positiVe neuron-like cells and the average length of the processes were also larger in groups A,B and C than in the control group at the 3rd,7th and 14th day of culture(P＜0.05).Conclusion Plat Sehwann cells can promote proliferation of NSCs from fetal rat spinal cord and irtduee its direelional differentiation. Key words: Schwann cells; Spinal cord; Neural stem cells; Differentiation