[Effect of transfection of enhanced green fluorescent protein gene on neuron-like differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells].

OBJECTIVE:To determine the effect of transfection of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) on neuron-like differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSC) with plasmid vector. METHODS:In vitro cultured rMSC was transfected with plasmid vector containing EGFP, and its surface marker and differentiation neuron-like cells were detected. Results There was no significant difference in the morphology and surface markers between the EGFP-rMSC and rMSC. The cell surface markers of EGFP-rMSC including expression of CD44(+),CD11b (-) and CD45(-) remained similar to those of rMSC. EGFP-rMSC presented the differentiated potential to neuron-like cells. There was no statistical difference in the positive ratio of neuron-like differentiation between the EGFP-rMSC and rMSC (P> 0.05). CONCLUSION:EGFP does not affect the neuron-like differentiation potential of rMSC, and can be used as the trace marker in the study of differentiation potential of rMSC.