Isolation of equine multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells by enzymatic tissue digestion or explant technique: comparison of cellular properties.
Authors: Gittel Claudia, Brehm Walter, Burk Janina, Juelke Henriette, Staszyk Carsten, Ribitsch Iris
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy has become routine in equine practice for treating tendon and ligament injuries, yet the method used to harvest cells from donor tissues—enzymatic digestion versus explant culture—remains largely standardised by habit rather than evidence. Researchers at the University of Leipzig isolated MSCs from three equine tissue sources (adipose tissue, tendon, and umbilical cord matrix) using either collagenase digestion or explant technique, then compared cell yield, proliferation rates, multilineage differentiation capacity, and expression of tendon-specific markers. Enzymatic digestion produced significantly higher initial cell yields, whilst explant-derived cells demonstrated superior growth kinetics over successive passages and maintained stronger expression of tendon-associated markers, suggesting better phenotypic stability for musculoskeletal applications. These findings challenge the assumption that maximum cell recovery translates to optimal therapeutic potential; practitioners selecting MSC isolation methods should weigh immediate yield against the functional characteristics required for specific clinical indications, particularly when targeting tendon healing where marker expression patterns may influence treatment efficacy.
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Practical Takeaways
- •For equine tendon lesion treatment, either enzymatic digestion or explant technique can be used to isolate MSCs without compromising cell quality — choose based on available equipment and time constraints
- •Adipose tissue, tendon, and umbilical cord matrix are all viable MSC sources with comparable therapeutic potential; tissue selection can depend on availability and invasiveness of harvest
- •Cell yield may vary by isolation method and tissue type, so plan accordingly for the number of cells needed for clinical treatment protocols
Key Findings
- •Enzymatic digestion and explant technique produced MSCs with comparable differentiation potential and tendon marker expression regardless of tissue source
- •Cell yield differed between isolation methods, with tissue source (adipose, tendon, umbilical cord) influencing recovery rates
- •Both methods successfully isolated multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells capable of expressing tendon-associated markers
- •MSC properties were largely preserved across isolation techniques, suggesting method selection can be based on practical considerations rather than biological outcome