| Abstract |
It has been known for some time that there are precursor cells present in
human adipose (fat) tissue, and that these small, fibroblast-like cells
can be grown and differentiated into mature adipocytes (fat cells) in
culture. Thus, these cells have been generally referred to as
"preadipocytes." Although they have not been routinely used as isolated
populations in human transplantation, these cells may contribute
significantly to the long-term survival of fresh adipose tissue grafted by
injection, as they would be less susceptible than mature adipocytes to
mechanical lysis during re-injection. However, a number of studies have
shown "preadipocytes" to be multipotent, capable of differentiation not
only into adipocytes, but also into chondrogenic, osteogenic and myogenic
lineages (cartilage, bone and muscle, respectively). Thus, such cells of
the stromal-vascular fraction of adipose tissue are now variously referred
to as processed lipoaspirate cells, adipose-tissue-derived stromal cells,
adipose-derived adult stem (ADAS) cells, or adipose stromal/stem cells
(ASCs). The differentiated cell types obtained from adipose stromal cells,
to date, are the same as those reported for the more extensively studied
mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from adult bone marrow, suggesting that ASCs
and MSCs are quite similar. Therefore ASCs, readily isolated from "waste"
fat obtained from tumescent liposuction procedures, may have the same
potential therapeutic applications as MSCs, but can be much more readily
harvested in large numbers. Furthermore, most patients in the United
States could serve as their own donor, obviating any concerns about graft
rejection or disease transmission. Thus, a potentially valuable resource
awaits efficient mechanisms for harvesting, culture, differentiation and
cryopreservation.
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