Comparation of enhanced green fluorescent protein gene transfected and wild-type porcine neural stem cells

The aim of this study was to transfect and express the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene into porcine neural stem cells (NSCs) to determine whether EGFP can be used as a marker to monitor NSCs. NSCs were isolated from embryonic day 30 fetal pig brain and transfected with EGFP gene using lipofection. Transfected and wild-type NSCs were induced to differentiate into cells of neuronal and myogenic lineages. Markers of passage three NSCs and their differentiated cells were tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that EGFP could be expressed in NSCs and the differentiated cells. NSCs expressed Nestin, NogoA, DCX, Hes1, Oct4, CD-90 and Sox2. NSCs could differentiated into astrocyte (GFAP+), oligodendrocyte (GalC+), neuron (NF+, NSE+ and MAP2+) and myocyte (myf-6+ and myoD+). We concluded that EGFP can be used as a marker in monitoring NSCs.