Syed A Jamal*
Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.10, No.4, pp. 267-273, 2013, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2013.010.267
Abstract Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hUCMSCs) were subjected to in vitro osteogenic differentiation using a novel combination of signaling molecules including BMP-2 and purmorphamine. Differentiation outcomes were assessed by calcein staining and by microscopic examination of the cytoskeleton. Calcein staining showed appreciable degree of calcium mineralization in cell culture, and changes in the morphological attributes of differentiating cells were observed vis-a-vis the actin cytoskeleton. Finally, positive calcein staining, altered cytoskeletal profile, and stress fiber formation in treated cells demonstrated, for the first time, a potentially synergistic interplay between BMP-2 and the hedgehog agonist, purmorphamine.
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