A survey of alpha-crystalline a gene expression in eye lens fiber cells derived from Wharton s Jelly mesenchymal stem cells in 3D culture by vitreous fluid

Wharton s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (WJMSCs) are a potential renewable source of cells in replacement therapies of many diseases. Different biomaterials have been used as a scaffold to mimic the stem cell niche, which is important for promoting cellular interactions, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Encapsulation involves entrapment of living cells within the semipermeable membrane for the exchange of nutrients, oxygen and stimuli, whereas antibodies and host immune cells are kept out. The aim of this research was to study the potency of Alginate biopolymer as a microenvironment for the differentiation of human Wharton s Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs) to eye lens fiber cells. For this purpose, hWJMSCs were isolated from the human umbilical cord and they were encapsulated and cultured in medium contains different ratios (1:3, 1:1 and 3:1) of vitreous fluid. After 14 days, RT-PCR was performed to investigating the expression of alphacrystalline a gene. The encapsulation procedure did not alter the morphology of the encapsulated cells. Postdifferentiation analysis confirmed the expression of Alphacrystalline A as eye lens fiber specific marker. Alginate has potential to be used as a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold for culturing and differentiation of WJMSCs to eye lens fiber cells.

Keywords:

Alginate , Vitreous , Wharton′s jelly mesenchymal stem cells , Alpha-crystalline