Objective: To explore the feasibility of directionally inducing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD-MSCs) towards inner ear hair cells.
Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells from human adipose tissue were isolated, purified and cultured in vitro. hAD-MSCs were induced to neural stem/progenitor-like cell, and then co-cultured with embryonic chick otic vesicle cells. Processed hAD-MSCs were tested by immunostaining to ascertain whether they expressed characteristic hair cell markers.
Results: Morphologically, hAD-MSCs were induced to differentiate into neural stem/progenitor cells and expressed specific neural markers. After being co-cultured with embryonic chick otic vesicle cells, hAD-MSCs expressed specific surface markers of inner ear hair cells.
Conclusions: hAD-MSCs can be directionally induced to differentiate towards hair cell-like cells in vitro.