Comparative study of the differentiation potential of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and rat muscle-derived stem cells

We present a comparative study of the plasticity of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and rat muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs). The study was performed on two cell populations that were isolated by aspiration from the femur bone marrow and gastrocnemius muscle biopsy of 6-week-old albino rats. Both cell populations were exposed to identical stimulation conditions. The cells were capable of undergoing osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic and epithelial differentiation, as shown by histochemistry and immunostaining techniques. The MDSC population showed behavior and characteristics similar to the bone marrow MSC population; however, the osteogenic and adipogenic potential was more reduced compared to MSCs. Our results indicate a positive expression of E cadherin and Cytokeratin 10 after 28 days under epithelial stimulation, suggesting a potential use for gastrocnemius muscle MDSCs as a promising source for regenerative therapies, including re-epithelialization and skin regeneration.