title: Eliminating the need of serum testing using low serum culture conditions for human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell expansion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The conventional expansion of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC) for tissue engineering or (pre-) clinical investigation includes the use of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). However, there exists immense lot-to-lot variability in FBS samples and time consuming as well as cost intensive lot pre-testing is essential to guarantee optimal hMSC proliferation and stem cells characteristics maintenance. Furthermore, lot-to-lot variability impedes the long-term consistency of research and comparability between research groups. Therefore, we investigated the use of defined, invariable, non-synthetic FBS in low serum culture conditions for isolation and expansion of hMSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  hMSC were isolated from bone marrow in Panserin 401 supplemented with growth factors and 2% MSC-tested or non-tested, defined, invariable, non-synthetic FBS and further cultivated in vitro. The surface marker expression, differentiation capacity as well as cell proliferation and cytotoxicity was analyzed and compared between serum samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cells isolated and cultivated with low concentrations of MSC-tested or non-tested FBS demonstrated no differences in surface marker expression or differentiation capacity. Proliferation of hMSC was equal in medium supplemented with either serum with no indication of cell death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low serum concentration in Panserin 401 supplemented with growth factors enables the use of defined, invariable, non-synthetic FBS for the isolation and expansion of hMSC. The required hMSC characteristics like surface marker expression and differentiation capacity are maintained. Importantly, no differences in the cell proliferation could be detected. Therefore, using these low-serum culture conditions, the need for lot-to-lot pre-testing of FBS usually needed for optimal hMSC expansion is abolished leading to long-term consistency and comparability of results.
authors: Department of Urology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Wappler
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Rath
authors: Tanja
authors: T
authors: Läufer
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Heidenreich
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Montzka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry*; D002417:Cattle; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media