β-mercaptoethanol induces in vitro adult adipose-derived stromal cells(ADSCs) to differentiate into neurons.However,the ultrastructural features of the differentiated neuronal-like cells remain unknown.In the present study,inverted phase contrast microscopy was utilized to observe β-mercaptoethanol-induced differentiation of neuronal-like cells from human ADSCs,and immunocytochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction were employed to detect expression of a neural stem cells marker(nestin),a neuronal marker(neuron-specific enolase),and a glial marker(glial fibrillary acidic protein).In addition,ultrastructure of neuronal-like cells was observed by transmission election microscopy.Results revealed highest expression rate of nestin and neuron-specific enolase at 3 and 5 hours following induced differentiation;cells in the 5-hour induction group exhibited a neuronal-specific structure,i.e.,Nissl bodies.However,when induction solution was replaced by complete culture medium after 8-hour induction,the differentiated cells reverted to the fibroblast-like morphology from day 1.These results demonstrate that β-mercaptoethanol-induced ADSCs induced differentiation into neural stem cells,followed by morphology of neuronal-like cells.However,this differentiation state was not stable. β-mercaptoethanol induces in vitro adult adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) to differentiate into neurons. Despite, the ultrastructural features of the differentiated neuronal-like cells remain unknown. In the present study, inverted phase contrast microscopy was utilized to observe β- mercaptoethanol-induced differentiation of neuronal-like cells from human ADSCs, and immunocytochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction were employed to detect expression of a neural stem marker (nestin), a neuronal marker (neuron-specific enolase), and a glial In addition, ultrastructure of neuronal-like cells was observed by transmission election microscopy. Results revealed highest expression rate of nestin and neuron-specific enolase at 3 and 5 hours following induced differentiation; cells in the 5- hour induction group exhibited a neuronal-specific structure, ie, Nissl bodies. However, when induction solution was replaced by complete culture medium after 8 -hour induction, the differentiated cells reverted to the fibroblast-like morphology from day 1. These results demonstrate that β-mercaptoethanol-induced ADSCs induced differentiation into neural stem cells, followed by morphology of neuronal-like cells. Host, this differentiation state was not stable.