Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesLaboratory StudyPubMedOpen access

Comparative Analysis of Ectodermal Marker Expression in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Amniotic Epithelial Cells Exposed to Ectoderm-Inducing Conditions.

Sikora B., Skubis-Sikora A., Ciekalski M., Wieczorek P., Prusek-Kucharek A., Czekaj P.

Laboratory Study, published in Int J Mol Sci (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesEvidence level of this study

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
Read the A–D evidence level guide

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Laboratory Study
Journal
Int J Mol Sci (2026)
Country
Switzerland
Reported sample size
—
Source database
PubMed
PMID
42278501
PMCID
PMC13256307
DOI
10.3390/ijms27114976

Abstract (original English)

Nervous system and corneal disorders are major causes of permanent disability worldwide, largely due to the limited regenerative capacity of ectoderm-derived tissues. Therefore, the development of accessible and ethically acceptable cell-based therapies promoting the repair and regeneration of these tissues is of considerable translational importance. In this study, we aimed to comparatively evaluate the ectodermal differentiation potential of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) in vitro, with hAECs serving as a reference cell population with established ectodermal plasticity. Primary ADSCs and hAECs were characterized phenotypically using flow cytometry and functional differentiation assays. Cells were subjected to a directed ectodermal differentiation protocol and assessed via morphological analysis, immunostaining for ectoderm-associated proteins, and RT-qPCR analysis of lineage-specific genes. ADSCs exhibited morphological changes following differentiation, including a more epithelial-like phenotype and an increased nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio. Immunostaining revealed the induction of nestin and OTX2 expression after differentiation, which was particularly pronounced in ADSCs. Gene expression analysis demonstrated statistically significant upregulation of the ectoderm-related genes EN2 , SOX1 , and PAX6 exclusively in hAECs. R

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

How we grade evidence
HumansEpithelial CellsEctodermCell DifferentiationAmnionStem CellsAdipose TissueBiomarkersCells, CulturedPAX6 Transcription Factor

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