Identification and characterization of adult stem cells from human orbital adipose tissue.

PURPOSE To identify pluripotential stem cells from human orbital adipose depots. METHODS Pluripotential adipose-derived stem cells were isolated from human orbital adipose during routine blepharoplasty surgery. Fresh adipose tissue was separated in nasal fat and central (preaponeurotic) fat. Individual adipose depots were minced, enzymatically digested, and plated on plastic culture dishes. Adherent populations of cells were expanded in culture, characterized by flow cytometry, and assayed for the potential to differentiate in different cell lineages. RESULTS Orbital adipose-derived cells from the nasal and central adipose depots showed the potential to differentiate into the adipocyte, smooth muscle, and neuronal/glial lineages and expressed a CD marker protein profile consistent with that observed for adipose-derived stem cells from other adipose depots. CONCLUSIONS A population of adherent cells capable of pluripotential differentiation in vitro exists within adult human orbital adipose tissue. These cells are similar to those described in other adipose depots and will help facilitate understanding of orbital diseases and may provide a novel tissue source for the development of ocular regenerative medicine therapies.