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This Article Free via Open Access: OA OA Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data OA All Versions of this Article: 2006-0735v1 2006-0735v2 25/8/2044    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints/Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Park, K. S. Articles by Chai, Y. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Park, K. S. Articles by Chai, Y. G.

TISSUE-SPECIFIC STEM CELLS

Functional Expression of Ion Channels in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Vein

^aDivision of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Korea;
^bDepartment of Neurology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea;
^cBioengineering Institute, CoreStem Inc., Seoul, Korea;
^dDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea

Key Words. Mesenchymal stem cells • Voltage-gated K⁺ currents • Tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na⁺ current • Umbilical cord vein

Correspondence: Young Gyu Chai, Ph.D., Division of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, Korea. Telephone: 82-31-400-5513; Fax: 82-31-406-6316; e-mail: ygchai{at}hanyang.ac.kr; or Yangmi Kim, Ph.D., Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea. Telephone: 82-43-261-2861; Fax: 82-43-272-1603; e-mail: yangmik{at}chungbuk.ac.kr

Received November 13, 2006; accepted for publication May 11, 2007.
First published online in STEM CELLS EXPRESS   May 24, 2007.



Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to renew and differentiate into various lineages of mesenchymal tissues. We used undifferentiated human mesenchymal-like stem cells from human umbilical cord vein (hUC-MSCs), a cell line which contains several mesenchymal cell markers. We characterized functional ion channels in cultured hUC-MSCs with whole-cell patch clamp and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Three types of outward current were found in these cells: the Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel (IK_Ca), a transient outward K⁺ current (I_to), and a delayed rectifier K⁺ current (IK_DR). IK_Ca and IK_DR were totally suppressed by tetraethylammonium, and IK_Ca was sensitive to a specific blocker, iberiotoxin. I_to was inhibited by 4-aminopyridine. Another type of inward rectifier K⁺ current (K_ir) was also detected in approximately 5% of hUC-MSCs. Elevation of external potassium ion concentration increased the K_ir current amplitude and positively shifted its reversal potential. In addition, inward Na⁺ current (I_Na) was found in these cells (30%); the current was blocked by tetrodotoxin and verapamil. In the RT-PCR analysis, Kv1.1, Kv4.2, Kv1.4, Kir2.1, heag1, MaxiK, hNE-Na, and TWIK-1 were detected. These results suggested that multiple functional ion channel currents, IK_Ca, IK_DR, I_to, I_Na, and K_ir, are expressed in hUC-MSCs.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.