Int. J. Dev. Biol. 52: 979 - 984 (2008)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.082710ms

Vol 52, Issue 7

Characterization of fibroblast-like cells from the rat olfactory bulb

Short Communication | Published: 1 September 2008

Masoud Soleimani*^,1, Samad Nadri*^,2,3, Mohammad Salehi^2,4, Aligholi Sobhani⁴ and Athena Hajarizadeh⁵

¹Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, ²Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Department, Stem Cell Technology Institute, ³Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, ⁴Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science and ⁵Molecular Biology Department, Stem Cell Technology Institute, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The isolation and characterization of stem cells from an alternative tissue is a subject of intensive investigation. In the present study, we have focused on the characterization of fibroblastic cells in olfactory bulb tissue of the rat. To this end, 4-6 week old rats were killed and their olfactory bulb tissue was dissected out. Olfactory bulb derived fibroblast-like cells were recovered by adhesion to cell culture plastic. The plastic adherent cultivated cells were induced to differentiate along osteoblastic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages. Furthermore, the expression of some surface antigens was investigated. We obtained purified cells with spindle shaped morphology in primary culture, which differentiated into mesenchymal lineages. These cells expressed CD29 and CD90 (Thy1.1) surface antigens, but not CD31, CD34 and CD45. Our results indicate that fibroblast-like cells from the olfactory bulb are mesenchymal stem cells in nature. Taken together, our data suggest that olfactory bulb tissue may constitute a new source of mesenchymal stem cells and could be used for the treatment of injury.

Keywords

fibroblast-like cell, mesenchymal stem cell, surface antigen, differentiation potential