The estrogen-mediated effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a highly critical factor for the clinical application of MSCs. However, the present study is conducted on MSCs derived from adult donors, which have different physiological status with steroid hormonal changes. Therefore, we explores the important role of 17β-estradiol (E2) in MSCs derived from female and male newborn piglets (NF- and NM-pBMSCs), which are non-sexually matured donors with steroid hormones. The results revealed that in vitro treatment of MSCs with E2 improved cell proliferation, but the rates varied according to the gender of the newborn donors. Following in vitro treatment of newborn MSCs with E2, mRNA levels of Oct3/4 and Sox2 increased in both genders of MSCs and they may be correlated with both estrogen receptor α (ERα) and ERβ in NF-pBMSCs, but NM-pBMSCs were only correlated with ERα. Moreover, E2-treated NF-pBMSCs decreased in β-galactosidase activity but no influence on NM-pBMSCs. In E2-mediated differentiation capacity, E2 induced an increase in the osteogenic and chondrogenic abilities of both pBMSCs, but adipogenic ability may increased only in NF-pBMSCs. These results demonstrate that E2 could affect both genders of newborn donor-derived MSCs, but the regulatory role of E2 varies depending on gender-dependent characteristics even though the original newborn donors had not been affected by functional steroid hormones.

This study classifies the types of spatio-functional differentiation in Korean island areas and analyses typical characters and suggests the development directions by each type. Eup/Myeon-level island areas are classified as six types by the factor analysis and the cluster analysis. First type is the traditional rural center. This type puts emphasis on maintaining phase as the central space and has to maximize development potential of the whole of settlement zone. Second type is the specialized region in manufacturing industry and the qualitative mutual growth of regional industries is able to be suggested. Third type is the specialized region in the neighborhood service provision. This type needs to devise the plan for utilizing potential customers actively and developing into the region specialized in tourism industry. Fourth type is the specialized region in tourism-support service functions. This type has to promote differentiated policies for maintaining amenity infra or value of countryside capital and preservation and utilization of resources by regional features. Fifth type is the fishing industry-dominated region. This type has to promote sustainable fishery development through the policy reflecting regional features and condition. Finally, sixth type is the sluggish region dominated with the traditional agriculture and fishery. This type is needed to aim at developing into the new food production base having the advantage of clean environment by strengthening support in specialized agro-fishery products. The existing researches on spatio-functional differentiation were mostly discussed with respect to land development, but this study highlights the difference in deal with the island areas distinguished from the condition of industry.