Human Labial Salivary Gland–Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiated into Schwann-Like Cells as an Alternative to Human Schwann Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Schwann cells play a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration and repair, yet their limited availability and challenging isolation limit clinical application. Recently, human labial salivary gland mesenchymal stem cells (hLSG-MSCs) have gained attention as promising alternative due to their accessibility, multipotency, and regenerative potential. This study aimed to evaluate hLSG-MSCs as a source of Schwann-like cells for nerve repair. hLSG-MSCs were isolated from three donors and differentiated using a basic protocol with 2-mercaptoethanol, all-trans retinoic acid, and growth factors. Then, differentiated MSCs were compared to undifferentiated MSCs and human Schwann cells by assessing morphology, immunofluorescence staining, and viability. Morphologically, Schwann-like cells exhibited a more rounded, bipolar appearance with cytoplasmic projections that were first observed at D3 and became more evident by D7. Immunofluorescence analysis showed upregulation of Schwann cell markers, with GFAP increasing ~4-fold by D3 (p < 0.01). p75NTR expression also increased by ~3.9-fold by D3 (p <0.01), followed by a further ~1.6-fold increase between day 3 to day 7 (p < 0.05). Live/Dead viability assays revealed no significant differences between Schwann-like cells and human Schwann cells, with both maintaining ~91% viability by D7. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that hLSG-MSCs can be differentiated into Schwann-like cells, supporting their use as a practical and promising alternative for peripheral nerve regeneration.