Isolation, Characterization and Growth Kinetic Comparison of Bone Marrow and Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells of Guinea Pig

BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources have different characteristics. Moreover, MSCs are not isolated and characterized in Guinea pig for animal model of cell therapy. AIM OF THE WORK was the isolating of bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) and adipose tissue MSCs (AT-MSCs) from Guinea pig and assessing their characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, bone marrow and adipose tissue were collected from three Guinea pigs and cultured and expanded through eight passages. BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs at passages 2, 5 and 8 were seeded in 24-well plates in triplicate. Cells were counted from each well 1~7 days after seeding to determine population doubling time (PDT) and cell growth curves. Cells of passage 3 were cultured in osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation media. RESULTS BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs attached to the culture flask and displayed spindle-shaped morphology. Proliferation rate of AT-MSCs in the analyzed passages was more than BM-MSCs. The increase in the PDT of MSCs occurs with the increase in the number of passages. Moreover, after culture of BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs in differentiation media, the cells differentiated toward osteoblasts and adipocytes as verified by Alizarin Red staining and Oil Red O staining, respectively. CONCLUSION BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs of Guinea pig could be valuable source of multipotent stem cells for use in experimental and preclinical studies in animal models.