Expression of surface and intracellular specific markers by human stem cells derived from Lipostem™-treated adipose tissue

Adipose tissue is derived from the embryonic mesoderm, and the human adipose tissue derived stem cells (hADSCS) are multipotent stem cells able to differentiate into different cell lineages such as bone, muscle and neural cells. This study is aimed at isolation and in vitro and in vivo characterization of hADSCs obtained from adipose tissue without enzimatic digestion. Adipose tissue was fragmented by means of Lipostem™. This is a system the allows the fragmentation of adipose tissue into clusters as small as 500µm. The reduced particle size of adipose tissue enriches he content in available stem cells that creep out of the tissue tissue and within 7 days are ready for the first passage. hADSCs are 100% positive to surface markers tipical of mesenchymal stem cells such as CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146 and CD166. About 50% of these express also CD34 and CD45. The phenotypical expression of hADSCs is sensitive to growth medium and to adhesion specific substrates. For instance these cells express Vimentin, Nestin, GFAP and TUJ1, but the switch to different adhesion substrate can modify such expression. For instance the use of Matrigel™ eliminates the expression of GFAP. Thus in addiction to changes in morphology these stem cells change intracellular phenotype according to medium and surface substrates. All hADSCs espresse the potein O4 typical oligodendrocyte precursors when these cells were grown in presence of Human Neural medium. In conclusion our study shows that hADSCs obtained from adipose tissue by means of Lipostem™ grow nicely in vitro, show typical mesenchyme surface proteins, and modify their phenotype accrding to growth medium and surface substrates.