The potential of mouse skin-derived precursors to differentiate into mesenchymal and neural lineages and their application to osteogenic induction in vivo.

Although previous studies indicate that skin-derived precursors (SKPs) are multipotent dermal precursors that share similarities with neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), a shared ability for multilineage differentiation toward neural crest lineages between SKPs and NCSCs has not been fully demonstrated. Here, we report the derivation of SKPs from adult mouse skin and their directed multilineage differentiation toward neural crest lineages. Under controlled in vitro conditions, mouse SKPs were propagated and directed toward peripheral nervous system lineages such as peripheral neurons and Schwann cells, and mesenchymal lineages, such as osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, and smooth muscle cells. To ask if SKPs could generate these same lineages in vivo, a mixture of SKP-derived mesenchymal stem cells and hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate was transplanted into the rat calvarial defects. Over the ensuing 4 weeks, we observed formation of osteogenic structure in the calvarial defect without any evidence of teratomas. These findings demonstrate the multipotency of adult mouse SKPs to differentiate into neural crest lineages. In addition, SKP-derived mesenchymal stem cells represent an accessible, potentially autologous source of precursor cells for tissue-engineered bone repair.