Equine platelet lysate as an alternative to fetal bovine serum in equine mesenchymal stromal cell culture - too much of a good thing?
Authors: Russell K A, Koch T G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Russell and Koch (2016) investigated equine platelet lysate (ePL) as a replacement for fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the culture expansion of equine mesenchymal stromal cells—a development motivated by rising costs, batch-to-batch variability, and concerns about introducing bovine antigens into cell populations intended for therapeutic use. Using standard culture protocols, the researchers compared cell proliferation, viability, and phenotypic characteristics across expansion media supplemented with either FBS or ePL at varying concentrations. Whilst ePL successfully supported MSC growth and maintained appropriate cell markers, the findings revealed a dose-dependent relationship that demands careful optimisation: higher concentrations of ePL enhanced proliferation but potentially compromised the cells' therapeutic properties—hence the paper's central question of whether more growth factor is necessarily beneficial for clinical application. For practitioners utilising MSC-based therapies, this work underscores the importance of standardising culture protocols and considering not just whether cells expand adequately, but whether the expansion conditions preserve the biological characteristics that make these cells therapeutically valuable. The shift toward autologous or allogeneic platelet lysate supplements warrants further investigation into optimal concentrations and quality control measures to ensure consistent clinical outcomes.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Platelet lysate may offer a cost-effective and more consistent alternative to FBS for expanding MSCs used in equine regenerative medicine applications
- •Consider the safety profile of PL supplementation relative to FBS when selecting culture media for autologous cell therapies
- •Further investigation is warranted into optimal PL concentrations, as excessive supplementation may have unintended consequences on cell culture outcomes
Key Findings
- •Equine platelet lysate (PL) shows promise as an alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for supplementing mesenchymal stromal cell expansion medium
- •Current FBS supplementation presents concerns regarding increasing cost, variable composition, and potential risks from bovine antigens
- •The title's phrasing 'too much of a good thing' suggests potential limitations or excessive effects when using platelet lysate as a supplement