Presented data suggest an efficient differentiation protocol for in vitro production of MenSC-derived adipocytes. These cells are suggested to be an apt alternative to BMSCs for future stem cell therapy of soft tissue injuries.

In recent years, the advantages of menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs), such as minimal ethical considerations, easy access and high proliferative ability, have inspired scientists to investigate the potential of MenSCs in cell therapy of different diseases. In order to characterize the potency of these cells for future cell therapy of liver diseases, we examined the potential of MenSCs to differentiate into hepatocytes, using different protocols. First, the immunophenotyping properties and potential of MenSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondrocytes were evaluated. Thereafter, the differentiation protocols developed by two concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and oncostatin M (OSM), in combination with other components in serum-supplemented or serum-free culture media, were also investigated. The sequential differentiation was monitored by real-time PCR, immunostaining and functional assays. Our primary data revealed that the isolated MenSCs exhibited mesenchymal stem cell markers in parallel to OCT-4 as an embryonic marker. Regardless of differentiation procedures, the developed cells expressed mature hepatocyte markers, such as albumin, tyrosine aminotransferase and cytokeratin-18 at the mRNA and protein levels. They also showed functional properties of hepatocytes, including albumin secretion, glycogen storage and cytochrome P450 7A1 expression. However, the degree of differentiation was dependent on the concentrations of HGF and OSM. Indeed, omission of serum during the differentiation process caused typical improvement in hepatocyte-specific functions. This study is a novel report demonstrating the differentiation potential of MenSCs into hepatocyte-like cells. We recommend a complementary serum-free differentiation protocol for enrichment of in vitro production of functional MenSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells that could lead to a major step toward applied stem cell therapy of chronic liver diseases.

Menstrual blood is easily accessible, renewable, and inexpensive source of stem cells. In this study, we investigated the chondrogenic differentiation potential of menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) compared with that of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) in two-dimensional culture. Following characterization of isolated cells, the potential for chondrogenic differentiation of MenSCs and BMSCs was evaluated by immunocytochemical and molecular experiments. MenSCs were strongly positive for mesenchymal stem cell markers in a manner similar to that of BMSCs. In contrast to BMSCs, MenSCs exhibited marked expression of OCT4, and higher proliferative capacity. Differentiated MenSCs showed strong immunoreactivity to a monoclonal antibody against Collagen type 2, in a pattern similar to BMSCs. Accumulation of proteoglycans in differentiated MenSCs was also comparable with that in differentiated BMSCs. However, the mRNA expression patterns as judged by RT-PCR of chondrogenic markers such as Collagen 2A1, Collagen 9A1 and SOX9 in MenSCs were different from those in BMSCs. Given these findings, MenSCs appear to be a unique stem cell population with higher proliferation than and comparable chondrogenic differentiation ability to BMSCs in two-dimensional culture. Much quantitative studies at the molecular level may elucidate the reasons for the observed differences in MenSCs and BMSCs.