Equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMDMSCs) from the ilium and sternum: are there differences?
Authors: Adams M K, Goodrich L R, Rao S, Olea-Popelka F, Phillips N, Kisiday J D, McIlwraith C W
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Practitioners choosing between sternal and ilial bone marrow aspiration for mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) isolation in young horses (2–5 years) need clear guidance on yield and proliferation potential, yet evidence comparing these two common harvest sites was lacking. Adams and colleagues aspirated two sequential 5 ml samples from both the sternum and ilium in seven young horses, then quantified nucleated cell counts and monitored cell expansion through three culture passages to assess both immediate yield and growth kinetics. Nucleated cell concentrations were significantly higher in the first aspirate from either site compared with the second aspirate (P<0.05), whilst growth rates during culture expansion showed no meaningful differences between sternal and ilial MSCs, nor between first and second aspirates. For practitioners in this age group, a single 5 ml draw from either anatomical site provides sufficient progenitor cell density and equivalent proliferative capacity, suggesting that harvest site selection can safely be based on clinical preference, operator familiarity, or patient factors rather than theoretical yield superiority—though accepting that multiple aspirates progressively deplete nucleated cell concentration.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Either the sternum or ilium can be used for bone marrow aspiration in young horses (2-5 years) based on practitioner preference, as cell yields and quality are equivalent between sites
- •Harvest only the first 5 ml aspirate from your chosen site, as subsequent aspirates yield significantly lower nucleated cell counts
- •A single 5 ml draw provides sufficient mesenchymal stromal cell concentration for therapeutic applications without requiring multiple or larger volume aspirations
Key Findings
- •Nucleated cell counts from the first 5 ml aspirate were significantly higher than the second 5 ml aspirate from both sternum and ilium sites (P<0.05)
- •No significant difference in growth rates between cells harvested from sternum versus ilium sites (P>0.05)
- •Both sternum and ilium sites yielded similar concentrations of progenitor cells in horses aged 2-5 years
- •A single 5 ml bone marrow aspirate from either site provides adequate numbers of mesenchymal stromal cells for clinical use