Nahid Ataie nejad - Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fardin Amidi - Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Marziyeh Agha Hoseini - IVF Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Karim Nayer Nia - Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Therapy, Düsseldorf, Germany and GENEOCELL, Advanced Molecular & Cellular Technologies, Tehran, Iran
Mehryar Habibi - Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran
Abdol Mohammad Kajbafzadeh - Pediatric Urology Research Center, Children Hospital Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zohreh Mazaheri - Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Nazila Yamini - Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Objective(s):Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from Wharton’s jelly (WJ-MSCs) are now much more appealing for cell-based infertility therapy. Hence, WJ-MSCs differentiation toward germ layer cells for cell therapy purposes is currently under intensive study. Materials and Methods: MSCs were isolated from human Wharton’s jelly and treated with BMP۴, retinoic acid (RA) or co-cultured on human amniotic epithelial (HAE) and chorionic plate (HCP) placenta feeder cells. profile of POU۵F۱, Fragilis, Plzf, DDX۴, Piwil۲, Stra۸, Dazl, β۱- and α۶-integrins (ITΒ۱, ITA۶) genes expression as germ cell markers were analyzed using RT-PCR and real-time PCR. Immunocytochemistry of surface markers were conducted. Results: After ۳ weeks treatment with different reagents and co-culture system, morphology of WJ-MSCs  changed to shiny clusters and germ cell specific markers in mRNA were up-regulated in both placental feeder + RA and BMP۴ + RA. Induction of hWJ-MSCs with BMP۴ in presence of RA resulted in significant up-regulation (P≤۰.۰۵) of all germ cell specific genes (c-Kit; ۲.۸۴±۰.۵۹, DDX۴; ۱.۶۹±۰.۳۹, Piwil۲; ۱.۱۴±۰.۲۱, Dazl; ۰.۶۵±۰.۲۵, α۶ integrin; ۱.۲۶±۰.۵۳, β۱ integrins; ۱.۱۸±۰.۶۵) compared to control and placental feeder cells + RA. Our results indicated that HAE and HCP followed by RA treatment were involved in human germ cell development. Conclusion: We demonstrated that under the right conditions, hWJ-MSCs have the ability to differentiate to germ cells and this provides an excellent pattern to study infertility cause and treatment.

Mesenchymal stem cell, PGC, Placenta, Spermatogonial stem cell, Wharton’s jelly