Mature adipocytes may be a source of stem cells for tissue engineering.
Adipose tissue contains a large portion of stem cells. These cells appear morphologically like fibroblasts and are primarily derived from the stromal cell fraction. Mature (lipid-filled) adipocytes possess the ability to become proliferative cells and have been shown to produce progeny cells that possess the same morphological (fibroblast-like) appearance as the stem cells from the stromal fraction. A closer examination of mature adipocyte-derived progeny cells may prove to be an emerging area of growth/metabolic physiology that may modify present thinking about adipose tissue renewal capabilities. Knowledge of these cells may also prove beneficial in cell-based therapies for tissue repair, regeneration, or engineering.
Fernyhough
M E
ME
Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, P.O. Box 646310, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Hausman
G J
GJ
Guan
L L
LL
Okine
E
E
Moore
S S
SS
Dodson
M V
MV
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*