Current challenges in dedifferentiated fat cells research.
Dedifferentiated fat cells show great promises as a novel cell source for stem cell research. It has many advantages when used for cell-based therapeutics including abundance, pluripotency, and safety. However, there are many obstacles researchers need to overcome to make the next big move in DFAT cells research. In this review, we summarize the current main challenges in DFAT cells research including cell culture purity, phenotypic properties, and dedifferentiation mechanisms. The common methods to produce DFAT cells as well as the cell purity issue during DFAT cell production have been introduced. Current approaches to improve DFAT cell purity have been discussed. The phenotypic profile of DFAT cells have been listed and compared with other stem cells. Further studies on elucidating the underlying dedifferentiation mechanisms will dramatically advance DFAT cell research.
a Integrated Bioscience Program , The University of Akron , Akron , OH , USA.|b Department of Biomedical Engineering , The University of Akron , Akron , OH , USA.
Mickey
M
Shah
c Department of Surgery , Summa Health System , Akron , OH , USA.|d Department of Surgery , Northeast Ohio Medical University , Rootstown , OH , USA.
Richard L
RL
George
c Department of Surgery , Summa Health System , Akron , OH , USA.
M Michelle
MM
Evancho-Chapman
b Department of Biomedical Engineering , The University of Akron , Akron , OH , USA.
Ge
G
Zhang
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype
adult stem cells; culture purity; dedifferentiated fat cells; dedifferentiation; surface marker