title: Human mesenchymal stem cells possess different biological characteristics but do not change their therapeutic potential when cultured in serum free medium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely investigated in clinical researches to treat various diseases. Classic culture medium for MSCs, even for clinical use, contains fetal bovine serum. The serum-containing medium (SCM) seems a major obstacle for MSCs-related therapies due to the risk of contamination of infectious pathogens. Some studies showed that MSCs could be expanded in serum free medium (SFM); however, whether SFM would change the biological characteristics and safety issues of MSCs has not been well answered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were cultured in a chemical defined serum free medium. Growth, multipotency, surface antigen expression, telomerase, immunosuppressive ability, gene expression profile and genomic stability of hUC-MSCs cultured in SFM and SCM were analyzed and compared side by side.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hUC-MSCs propagated more slowly and senesce ultimately in SFM. SFM-expanded hUC-MSCs were different from SCM-expanded hUC-MSCs in growth rate, telomerase, gene expression profile. However, SFM-expanded hUC-MSCs maintained multipotency and the profile of surface antigen which were used to define human MSCs. Both SFM- and SCM-expanded hUC-MSCs gained copy number variation (CNV) in long-term in vitro culture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  hUC-MCSs could be expanded in SFM safely to obtain enough cells for clinical application, meeting the basic criteria for human mesenchymal stem cells. hUC-MSCs cultured in SFM were distinct from hUC-MSCs cultured in SCM, yet they remained therapeutic potentials for future regenerative medicine.
authors.forename: Youwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hehe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhouxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Aibin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Shulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yongjuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Caiyun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhi Bo
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhong Chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019098:Telomerase