Culture on fibrin matrices maintains the colony-forming capacity and osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into a number of mesenchymal tissues including bone, cartilage, and tendon. Low numbers in vivo means exponential growth is needed in culture to enable therapeutic applications. MSC can expand rapidly in culture but usually lose their extensive capacity for differentiation that makes them therapeutically attractive. To try and maintain their capacity for differentiation and expansion in vitro, we cultured MSC on fibrin gels of different concentrations to create more physiological growth conditions for the cells. The cells were then re-plated onto tissue culture plastic and analysed. The cells that had been pre-cultured for seven days on fibrin, proliferated and maintained their differential potential to the osteogenic lineage better than tissue culture plastic expanded MSC. A concentration relationship between colony number and fibrin concentration was seen with decreasing numbers as fibrin concentration increased. These data support the concept that substrate signals significantly influence MSC growth and differentiation and that growth on a fibrin matrix could be used to maintain a stem cell phenotype during MSC expansion.
Department of Engineering Materials, Kroto Research Institute, Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, North Campus, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ, UK. h.colley@sheffield.ac.uk
Helen
H
Colley
Sally L
SL
McArthur
Alexandra
A
Stolzing
Andy
A
Scutt
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002417:Cattle; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology*; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D003470:Culture Media; D005782:Gels; D010969:Plastics; D005337:Fibrin