Comparative study of equine bone marrow and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.
Authors: Ranera B, Ordovás L, Lyahyai J, Bernal M L, Fernandes F, Remacha A R, Romero A, Vázquez F J, Osta R, Cons C, Varona L, Zaragoza P, Martín-Burriel I, Rodellar C
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Bone Marrow versus Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue represent promising therapeutic options for equine regenerative medicine, yet their in vitro behaviour—particularly regarding proliferation, viability and differentiation capacity—had not been directly compared in horses until this work. Researchers cultured MSCs from both sources in five horses, measuring proliferation rates, cell viability and apoptosis via flow cytometry, characterising surface marker expression through RT-qPCR and flow cytometry, and evaluating osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential through staining, alkaline phosphatase activity and gene expression analysis. Adipose tissue-derived MSCs demonstrated superior early proliferation compared to bone marrow sources, though considerable individual variation existed in both; importantly, bone marrow and adipose tissue cells differed significantly in early apoptosis rates and viability profiles, with the latter showing marked decline in culture after day 7, and CD34 expression appeared exclusively in adipose-derived populations. Osteogenic differentiation proved readily achievable in both cell types by day 7, yet adipogenic differentiation proved inconsistent and highly culture-dependent, being successfully induced in only 2 of 5 horses and requiring optimisation of media formulations. These findings suggest that tissue source substantially influences MSC behaviour and differentiation potential in equine applications, warranting careful consideration of which cell population to harvest depending on intended clinical use and the necessity for individual donor screening before therapeutic application.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •MSC source selection (bone marrow versus adipose tissue) significantly affects in vitro behaviour and differentiation potential; adipose tissue may be preferable for certain applications due to CD34 expression and consistent osteogenic capacity
- •High donor-to-donor variability in MSC growth and adipogenic differentiation suggests rigorous screening and standardisation protocols are necessary before clinical application in equine regenerative medicine
- •Timing of MSC harvest and culture conditions are critical—early culture periods show better cell viability and lower apoptosis, informing optimal protocols for therapeutic use
Key Findings
- •Adipose tissue-derived MSCs and bone marrow-derived MSCs show significantly different proliferation rates in culture, with high interindividual variation particularly in later culture days
- •Statistically significant differences in cell viability and early apoptosis were observed between AT-MSCs and BM-MSCs, with highest early apoptosis in initial culture days and highest necrosis in final days
- •CD34 surface marker was only expressed in AT-MSCs, not BM-MSCs, indicating different cell population characteristics between sources
- •Both cell types demonstrated osteogenic differentiation capacity by day 7, but adipogenic differentiation was achieved only in 2 of 5 BM-MSC donors using 1 of 16 media tested