A study in vitro on differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into endometrial epithelial cells in mice

ObjectiveTo investigate the differentiation conditions of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into endometrial epithelial cells and to confirm the effect of 17β-estradiol in this process.Study designBMSCs were cultured alone or co-cultured with endometrial stromal cells (EStCs) in control/differentiation medium (17β-estradiol, growth factors) and were co-cultured with EStCs in different concentrations of 17β-estradiol. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry were used to identify the isolated cells. Real-time RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to test the expression of epithelial cell markers.ResultsThe epithelial markers cytokeratin-7, cytokeratin-18, cytokeratin-19, and epithelial membrane antigen were elevated in real-time RT-PCR (P < 0.05), and cytokeratin was strongly positive in immunofluorescence analysis in the differentiated BMSCs. Cytokeratin-7 and cytokeratin-19 expression levels were highest in the 1 × 10−8 mol/L 17β-estradiol group, as shown in real-time RT-PCR (P < 0.05).ConclusionBMSCs could be differentiated in the direction of endometrial epithelial cells in appropriate conditions in vitro: 17β-estradiol may play a key role in stimulating BMSCs’ epithelial differentiation in the process of endometriosis.CondensationBone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate in the direction of endometrial epithelial cells in a certain microenvironment and appropriate concentration of 17β-E2 can facilitate this differentiation.