Class Factors Species of ADSCs Targeted cell type References Transcription factors OSKM Human NPCs, NCs [40 ] Sox2 Mouse NSC-like cells [38 ] Nurr-1 Rat NCs [41 ] Growth factors and cytokines bFGF and EGF Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs Almost all references PDGF Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [9 , 35 , 42 ] BDNF Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [11 , 43 –48 ] LIF Human Schwann-like cells [46 ] Heregulin-beta Human Schwann-like cells [42 ] GGF-2 Rat NCs [9 ] GDNF Rat NCs [11 , 45 ] CNTF Rat NSCs, neurons [11 ] NT-3 Rat NSCs, neurons [11 , 44 , 48 ] Small molecules (epigenetic) VPA Mouse/human NCs [8 , 49 ] SB431542/dorsomorphin Human Neurons [50 ] Signaling factors Retinoic acid Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [11 , 35 , 40 , 45 , 47 , 51 –53 ] Forskolin Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [8 , 9 , 45 , 46 , 54 ] cAMP Human NCs [49 ] IBMX Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [43 , 49 , 55 , 56 ] Hormones Hydrocortisone Mouse NCs [8 ] Dexamethasone Rat Schwann-like cells [55 ] Insulin Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [8 , 43 , 45 , 55 , 56 ] Indomethacin Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [43 , 55 , 56 ] Other factors Conditioned medium Human NCs [57 ] Rat sciatic nerve leachate Rat Schwann-like cells [55 ] Alginate hydrogel Human Neurons [58 ] Electrical stimulation Rat NCs [59 ] Controversial chemicalBHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) Human/mouse/rat NSCs, NCs [8 , 45 , 51 , 60 ] BME (2-mercaptoethanol) Human NCs [51 ] BHA/BME/DMSO/ Human/mouse/rat NCs [7 , 61 –63 ]