Differentiation of cord blood stem cells into erythroid progenitor cells in semisolid culture media containing SCF, IL-3, IL-6 and EPO

Objectives: The study of erythropoiesis needs to develop the methods for erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) culture using stem cell potency to differentiate into variety of hematopoietic cells lineages. In this study, we induced differentiation of cord blood stem cells into erythroid progenitor cells in a semisolid culture media.
Materials and Methods: Cord blood mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured in liquid culture media consist of erythroid differentiation factors (phase I). Non-adherent cells were cultured in semisolid media containing SCF, IL-3, IL-6 and EPO (phase II). After one week, the appeared erythroid colonies were picked up. Characterization of differentiated cells was performed by assessment of CD235a and CD36 using flowcytometry, giemsa cytological staining and gene expression analysis of GATA-1, EKLF, α-globin genes by RT-PCR.
Results: Flowcytometry analysis to detect CD235a and CD36 positive cells showed that 94.3% and 95.5% of differentiated cells have erythroid specific cell markers, respectively. Morphology of the cells in giemsa stained slides demonstrated erythroid progenitor cells, ranged from proerythroblast to orthochromatic erythroblast. The RT-PCR results, confirmed the precursor state of erythroid differentiated cells by expression of GATA-1, EKLF, α-globin genes.
Conclusions: Cord blood stem cells have high potency to differentiate into erythroid progenitor cells using described method that can be utilized in the experimental studies.