Clonal analysis of the differentiation potential of human adipose-derived adult stem cells

✍ Scribed by Farshid Guilak; Kristen E. Lott; Hani A. Awad; Qiongfang Cao; Kevin C. Hicok; Beverley Fermor; Jeffrey M. Gimble

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 382 KB
• Volume: 206
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.20463

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Pools of human adipose‐derived adult stem (__h__ADAS) cells can exhibit multiple differentiated phenotypes under appropriate in vitro culture conditions. Because adipose tissue is abundant and easily accessible, __h__ADAS cells offer a promising source of cells for tissue engineering and other cell‐based therapies. However, it is unclear whether individual __h__ADAS cells can give rise to multiple differentiated phenotypes or whether each phenotype arises from a subset of committed progenitor cells that exists within a heterogeneous population. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that single __h__ADAS are multipotent at a clonal level. __h__ADAS cells were isolated from liposuction waste, and ring cloning was performed to select cells derived from a single progenitor cell. Forty‐five clones were expanded through four passages and then induced for adipogenesis, osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and neurogenesis using lineage‐specific differentiation media. Quantitative differentiation criteria for each lineage were determined using histological and biochemical analyses. Eighty one percent of the __h__ADAS cell clones differentiated into at least one of the lineages. In addition, 52% of the __h__ADAS cell clones differentiated into two or more of the lineages. More clones expressed phenotypes of osteoblasts (48%), chondrocytes (43%), and neuron‐like cells (52%) than of adipocytes (12%), possibly due to the loss of adipogenic ability after repeated subcultures. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that __h__ADAS cells are a type of multipotent adult stem cell and not solely a mixed population of unipotent progenitor cells. However, it is important to exercise caution in interpreting these results until they are validated using functional in vivo assays. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.