Abstract
Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) have the ability to differentiate into osteoblasts and are thought to be useful for bone regeneration. Although the commitment of hMSC differentiation into osteoblasts has been studied, the molecular-based mechanisms, especially the gene expression profile, are poorly understood. In this study, to identify the genes involved in the differentiation of hMSC into osteoblasts, hMSC were cultured with osteogenic induction medium and gene expression changes were examined using the Affymetrix GeneChip analysis system. Osteomodulin mRNA levels were elevated during the differentiation process and those gene expression changes were successfully confirmed by endpoint reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR. Thus, gene expression profiling of in vitro differentiation cultures of hMSC using GeneChip analysis will be useful for defining the lineage-specific differentiation of hMSC into osteoblasts. Because osteomodulin is found in hard tissues and plays an important role in collagen fibrillogenesis, cellular growth, differentiation, and migration, elevation of osteomodulin transcription may be involved in the differentiation process of hMSC into osteoblasts.
