Figure 1. Neuronal-like transformation of immortalized hMSCs after treatment with neurogenic factors.

The immortalized hMSCs were treated for 24 hours in serum-free ITS medium with several neurogenic factors, dbcAMP (0.1 mM), PACAP (20 ng/ml), β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME; 1 mM), and retinoic acid (RA; 0.1 µM). The cultures were subjected to immunofluorescence staining for α-internexin (A–F) or synapsin (G–L). Arrows and arrowheads indicate elongation and branching of the processes in hMSCs, respectively. Scale bar in A–L, 100 µm.