Very small embryonic‐like stem cells are present in adult murine organs: ImageStream‐based morphological analysis and distribution studies

TLDR

The authors aim to determine whether VSELs isolated from adult human organs possess pluripotent stem cell properties. The authors used flow cytometry, ImageStream, confocal microscopy, and real‑time RT‑PCR to identify and isolate VSELs from multiple adult mouse organs. The study isolated CXCR4⁺ Oct‑4⁺ SSEA‑1⁺ Sca‑1⁺ Lin⁻ CD45⁻ very small embryonic‑like stem cells from adult mouse bone marrow and found the highest numbers in brain, kidneys, muscles, pancreas, and bone marrow, supporting their embryonic deposition and persistence into adulthood. © 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Abstract

Abstract Recently, we purified a population of CXCR4 + /Oct‐4 + /SSEA‐1 + /Sca‐1 + /Lin − /CD45 − very small embryonic‐like stem cells (VSELs) from adult murine bone marrow (BM). After using flow cytometry, ImageStream analysis, confocal microscopy, and real time RT‐PCR, we report that similar cells could be also identified and isolated from several organs in adult mice. The highest total numbers of Oct‐4 + VSELs were found in the brain, kidneys, muscles, pancreas, and BM. These observations support our hypothesis that a population of very primitive cells expressing germ line/epiblast markers (Oct‐4, SSEA‐1) is deposited early during embryogenesis in various organs and survives into adulthood. Further studies are needed to determine whether these cells, after being isolated from various adult human organs similarly to their murine BM‐derived counterparts, are endowed with pluripotent stem cell properties. © 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry