چكيده لاتين :
Silk fibroin is a suitable protein for osteogenesis by inducing markers of bone formation in the
cultures of osteoblasts, so we examined the ability ofthis protein to induce mineralized nodules in the rat bone
marrow stromal cell cultures. Methods: Bone marrow stromal cells obtained from 4 to 6 weeks old SprugeDawely
male rats were grown in primary culture for seven days and then subcultured for 21 days. The
secondary cultures were done on either silk fibroin-coated polystyrene plates or free-silk fibroin ones. After 21
days of grow up, the cultures were examined for nodule formation by scanning electron microscopy, for
mineralization by alizarin red S staining and for expression of gene markets of osteoblast maturation by
reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Results: The stromal cells were observed to fOffil three-dimensional
nodules when cultured on the silk fibroin and compared to the stromal cells cultured on the free-silk fibroin
polystyrene plates, where no nodules were observed in the time-frame studied. These nodules were also found
to be mineralized and expressed the gene markers of osteoblast. Conclusion: Silk fibroin could serve as
suitable inducing factor by stimulating stromal cell differentiation to form mineralized nodules. Iran. Biomed. J.
10 (3): 133-138, 2006
