A potential model for studying the plasticity and reprogramming of human epidermal stem cells through preimplantation blastocyst microinjection

Abstract

Microinjection of adult stem cells (ASCs) into blastocysts provides a classic model for studying ASC plasticity. To explore the molecular mechanisms that govern the reprogramming of ASCs, we evaluated the experimental model through microinjection of human epidermal stem cells (hEpiSCs) into mouse blastocysts. Mouse blastocysts underwent regular embryogenesis after microinjection of allogeneic cells, confirmed by morphological observation and embryo cell counting. hEpiSCs survive and integrate into mouse embryos, by monitoring the migration of injected cells at 2, 4, 12, 16 and 24 h. In this xenogeneic system, hEpiSCs could be reprogrammed within 24 h, as evidenced by the silencing of CK15 and Integrin beta 1 gene expression, without activation of Oct4 and Nanog. Microinjection of hEpiSCs into mouse blastocysts provides an efficient model for studying the molecular mechanisms of their plasticity. Moreover, the possibility of inducing pluripotent stem cells without transgenes or viruses can be entertained.

Generation of Human Epidermis-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-like Pluripotent Cells (hEMSCPCs)

“…As embryonic development progresses, these stem cells can redistribute and undergo further transdifferentiation under the influence of site-specific microenvironments. Thus, mice blastocyst injection and chimeras production is the best tool to determine the multi-directional differentiation potential of stem cells47. We found that hEMSCPCs injected into the mice blastocyst cavity formed heterogeneous chimeras.…”