Molecular profile of mouse stromal mesenchymal stem cells

Physiol Genomics. 2007 Apr 24;29(2):128-38. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00197.2006. Epub 2006 Dec 19.

Abstract

We determined a transcriptional profile specific for clonal stromal mesenchymal stem cells from adult and fetal hematopoietic sites. To identify mesenchymal stem cell-like stromal cell lines, we evaluated the adipocytic, osteoblastic, chondrocytic, and vascular smooth muscle differentiation potential and also the hematopoietic supportive (stromal) capacity of six mouse stromal cell lines from adult bone marrow and day 14.5 fetal liver. We found that two lines were quadripotent and also supported hematopoiesis, BMC9 from bone marrow and AFT024 from fetal liver. We then ascertained the set of genes differentially expressed in the intersection set of AFT024 and BMC9 compared with those expressed in the union set of two negative control lines, 2018 and BFC012 (both from fetal liver); 346 genes were upregulated and 299 downregulated. Using Ingenuity software, we found two major gene networks with highly significant scores. One network contained downregulated genes that are known to be implicated in osteoblastic differentiation, proliferation, or transformation. The other network contained upregulated genes that belonged to two categories, cytoskeletal genes and genes implicated in the transcriptional machinery. The data extend the concept of stromal mesenchymal stem cells to clonal cell populations derived not only from bone marrow but also from fetal liver. The gene networks described should discriminate this cell type from other types of stem cells and help define the stem cell state.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / physiology
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cell Line
  • DNA Primers
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks / genetics*
  • Liver / cytology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / physiology
  • Mice
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism*
  • Stromal Cells / physiology

Substances

  • DNA Primers