It is worth noting that neural cells typically originate from neural stem cells (NSC) but can also transdifferentiate from MSC under certain conditions. This typically occurs via a process called 'contact guidance'. In particular, this is influenced by topographical cues, e.g. ridges and troughs, along which cells align and assume an elongated morphology. Though most neural cell types align in parallel to the topographical features, some specific types align perpendicular. This affects cell signalling process and can induce neuronal differentiation. I recommend that you search for reviews on contact guidance. You may also wish to read the attached review, which touches briefly on MSC transdifferentiation to neural cells and provides sources of original research publications for further reading.

Article Evolving insights in cell-matrix interactions: Elucidating h...

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As described previously by by LI GUO in his artical ( Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Into Dopaminergic Neuron-like Cells in vitro ) :

The heads of new-born Wistar rats were broken and meninges were

removed .. mesencephalon tissue was dissected out, and treated

with 0.25% trypsin. Cells were passed through a 30-μm nylon mesh. Then cells were plated onto Costar 6 well plates at 2×106 cells/mL. After 3 days, the medium was removed, and 2 mL complete medium containing DMEM, 10% FCS, 2.2 g/L NaHCO3,100U/mL benzylpenicillin, 100 U/mL streptomycin,10 mmol/L HEPEs and 100 U/L insulin was added. The cultures were then placed in a -80℃ freezer for 1 h and thawed at room temperature three successive times. Using a Pasteur pipette, 2mL complete medium in each well was drawn and expelled from the pipette several times to place the membrane fragments in suspension. The membrane fragments were then collected and the fragments from one primary culture were added to nine MSCs cultures (10%v/v).Mesencephalic glia cultures and conditioned medium The mesencephalons of 3 to 4 days old new-born Wistar rats were dissected out. Cells were plated at 1×106 cells/mL and passaged using 0.25% trypsin. Three days later, the glia-conditioned medium was collected, and added into MSCs cultures where the glia-conditioned medium accounted for 15%. Differentiation of bone marrow MSCs into dopaminergic neuron-like cells Two to four passaged MSCs were plated onto Costar 24 wells plates where poly-L-lysine-coated coverglasses and 75 mL flasks were placed. MSCs in the control groups were not treated. MSCs in the experimental groupswere cultured in the medium containing 0.5 mmol/LIBMX for 2 days. Then medium was replaced with induction medium containing the following agents Statistical Treatment GDNF (10 ng/mL), IL-1β (100 pg/mL), GDNF (10ng/mL)+IL-1β (100 pg/mL) abbreviated to “G+I”,GDNF (10 ng/mL)+IL-1β (100 pg/mL)+mesencephalic glial-cell-conditioned medium abbreviated to“G+I+conditioned medium”, GDNF (10 ng/mL)+IL-1β (100 pg/mL) + mesencephalic glial-cell-conditioned medium+flash-frozen mesenceph- alic cellular fragments abbreviated to “G+I+conditioned medium+fragments”. After MSCs were treated by IBMX for 2,7, and 15 days by induction medium, the cover glasses were taken out and the surface markers of neurons, such as NSE, nestin, MAP-2a, b and TH were detected by immunocytochemistry. MSCs in 75 mL flasks were collected, and the surface markers of the differentiated cells, such as NSE and MAP-2a, b,were detected by Western blot after MSCs were cultured in induction 

medium for 15days.

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