Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are multipotent stem cells that differentiate into a variety of cell types and widely used in tissue regeneration engineering. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the cyclic biaxial stretching strain could promote the rat BMSCs (rBMSCs) to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in vitro. The second or third generation of rBMSCs were randomly divided into the cyclic stretching stain group, the control group and the blank group. Those rBMSCs in the cyclic stretching strain group were seeded on a silicone membrane with complete medium were exposed to biaxial stretching strain of 10% of membrane at a frequency of 1 Hz lasting for 6 h, 12 h and 24 h. Those in the control group were seeded on silicone membrane with complete medium. Those in the blank group were seeded in the 6-wells plates with complete medium. The mRNA expression of GATA4 and myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C (MEF-2C) were detected by the real-time fluorescent quantification PCR and the protein expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) was detected by using the Western blot method. The results showed that the mRNA expression level of the GATA4 and MEF-2C, and the protein expression level of Cx43 were significantly higher in the cyclic stretching strain groups, compared with those in the relative control groups (P<0.05). It suggests that cyclic biaxial stretching strain could play a part in the induction of rBMSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in vitro, but the differentiation mechanism is still unclear.
