Isolation and characterization of bone marrow-derived equine mesenchymal stem cells.
OBJECTIVE
To isolate and characterize bone marrow-derived equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for possible future therapeutic applications in horses.


METHODS
Equine MSCs were isolated from bone marrow aspirates obtained from the sternum of 30 donor horses.


METHODS
Cells were cultured in medium (alpha-minimum essential medium) with a fetal calf serum content of 20%. Equine MSC features were analyzed to determine selfrenewing and differentiation capacity. For potential therapeutic applications, the migratory potential of equine MSCs was determined. An adenoviral vector was used to determine the transduction rate of equine MSCs.


RESULTS
Equine MSCs can be culture-expanded. Equine MSCs undergo cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen without altering morphologic characteristics. Furthermore, equine MSCs maintain their ability to proliferate and differentiate after thawing. Immunocytochemically, the expression of the stem cell marker CD90 can be detected on equine MSCs. The multilineage differentiation potential of equine MSCs was revealed by their ability to undergo adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that bone marrow-derived stromal cells of horses can be characterized as MSCs. Equine MSCs have a high transduction rate and migratory potential and adapt to scaffold material in culture. As an autologous cell population, equine MSCs can be regarded as a promising cell population for tissue engineering in lesions of the musculoskeletal system in horses.
Arnhold
Stefan J
SJ
Department of Anatomy, University of Cologne, Josef-Stelzmann Str 9, 50931 Köln, Germany.
Goletz
Iris
I
Klein
Helmut
H
Stumpf
Gerald
G
Beluche
Lisa A
LA
Rohde
Carsten
C
Addicks
Klaus
K
Litzke
Lutz F
LF
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D010012:Osteogenesis