Neurogenesis Is Induced by Electrical Stimulation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Co-Cultured With Mature Neuronal Cells

For electrical stimulation of hMSCs, gold nanoparticles were coated onto polyethyleneimine coated glass cover slips. The effects of pulsed or constant electrical stimulation upon cytotoxicity and differentiation of hMSCs were examined. The effects of co culturing hMSCs with neuronal cells were also tested. The neuronal differentiation of the stem cells was evaluated by determining the expression of neuron-specific genes and proteins using RT-PCR and Western blotting. Morphological changes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The hMSCs co-cultured with mature neuronal cells and stimulated with electrical shock showed the greatest level of neurite outgrowth (> 150mm) and smaller cell body sizes.