EN
In the human body, stem cells are located in niches, which are extremely complex microenvironments (with specified oxygen conditions and cellular together with extracellular matrix components arranged as a 3D structure). The influence of signals from niches seems to play an important role in maintenance of stem cells pluripotency and in their differentiation. We have been investigating the influence of the different niche components on the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells into specific cell types as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying this cell responses. In this study we are investigating the influence of low oxygen tension conditions on proliferation and differentiation of Human Umbilical Cord Blood of Neural Stem Cell (HUCB-NSC). Human Neural Stem Cells (NSC) in their physiological niches are exposed to 2–8% oxygen level. For that purpose, HUCB-NSC, were cultivated in two oxygen tension conditions: 21% and 5% with or without the presence of differentiation factor dBcAMP (N6,2′-O-Dibutyryladenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate sodium salt). We compared the expression of the markers characteristic for proliferation (Ki67) as well as neuronal and astroglial lineage commitment (MAP2, GFAP, β-tubulin, NF200). The presence of tested markers was revealed on the protein (immunocytochemistry) and gene expression level (Real-Time PCR). Our data show, that the low oxygen tension promote HUCB-NSC differentation into neuronal lineage. We also observed that low concentration of oxygen increases cell proliferation.Sponsored by grant from Polish Ministry of Scientific Research and Higher Education No 5978/B/PO1/2010/38