Adipogenic differentiation and EGFP gene transfection of amniotic fluid‐derived stem cells from goat fetus at terminal gestational age

Abstract

The aims of this study were to determine whether stem cells could be isolated from amniotic fluid of goat fetus at terminal gestational age and to determine if these stem cells could differentiate into adipogenic cells and be transfected with a reporter gene, EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein). The stem cells were isolated from amniotic fluid of goat fetus at terminal gestational age, induced to differentiate into adipogenic cells in vitro and transfected with the EGFP gene using lipofection. Markers associated with undifferentiated AFS (amniotic fluid‐derived stem) cells were tested by RT (reverse transcription)‐PCR. The results demonstrated that AFS cells could be isolated from amniotic fluid of goat fetus at terminal gestational age and could differentiate into adipogenic cells. The EGFP gene was transfected into AFS cells successfully. EGFP gene transfection efficiency of the three groups of transgenic AFS cells were 26.0, 29.9 and 30.5%, respectively. Both transgenic and wild‐type AFS cells could express Hes1 (hairy and enhancer of split 1), Oct4 (octamer‐binding protein 4) and Nanog.