Transdifferentiation is the conversion of cells from one differentiated cell type into another. How functionally differentiated cells already committed to a specific cell lineage can transdifferentiate into other cell types is a key question in cell biology and regenerative medicine. In the present study we show that porcine ovarian follicular GCs (granulosa cells) can transdifferentiate into o...

The main parenchymal cells of the adipose organ are adipocytes. White adipocytes store energy, whereas brown adipocytes dissipate energy for thermogenesis. These two cell types with opposing functions can both originate from endothelial cells, and co-exist in the multiple fat depots of the adipose organ - a feature that I propose is crucial for this organ's plasticity. This poster review provid...

BACKGROUND Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSC) are appropriate source of multipotent stem cells that are ideally suited for use in various cell-based therapies. It can be differentiated into neuronal-like cells under appropriate conditions. This study examined the effectiveness of co-stimulation of creatine and retinoic acid in increasing the differentiation of BMSC into GABAergic neuron-like...

The separation of the optic neuroepithelium into future retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a critical event in early eye development in vertebrates. Here we show in mice that the transcription factor PAX6, well-known for its retina-promoting activity, also plays a crucial role in early pigment epithelium development. This role is seen, however, only in a background genetically sensi...

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested the differentiation of human endothelial progenitor cells (huEPCs) isolated from peripheral blood into cardiomyocytes. This study investigates whether, when cocultured, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) can induce transdifferentiation of huEPCs into cardiomyocytes. METHODS AND RESULTS Coculture experiments with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyli...

Anterior pituitary (AP) contains some unorthodox multifunctional cells that store and secrete two different AP hormones (polyhormonal cells) and/or respond to several hypothalamic-releasing hormones (HRHs; multiresponsive cells). Multifunctional cells may be involved in paradoxical secretion (secretion of a given AP hormone evoked by a noncorresponding HRH) and transdifferentiation (phenotypic ...

TGF-β1, upregulated in keloid tissue, promotes the proliferation, collagen formation and differentiation of dermal fibroblasts. miR-21 is one of microRNAs first found in human genome. The aim of our study is to explore the mechanisms of miR-21 in TGF-β1-induced scar fibroblasts proliferation and transdifferentiation. In the present study, first we found that TGF-β1 promoted scar fibroblasts pro...