Characterization of human adipose tissue-derived adult multipotent precursor cells
Recent literature has proposed the existence of a putative subpopulations of stem cells in the adipose tissue stroma. These adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) under certain conditions express characteristics of various mesenchymal lineages. This thesis showed that 1,25a??dihydroxyvitamin D3 worked synergistically with I?-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid to induce ADSCs towards the osteogenic lineage. In two- and three-dimensional induction studies, ADSC were able to express bone characteristics which were then confirmed in an in vivo model. This work progressed to the identification of candidate genes involved in differentiation of ADSCs. Using microarray technologies, genes of relevance to the osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs were identified. These findings have increased the understanding of mechanisms relevant to osteogenesis of ADSCs and their potential applications in bone regeneration.
stem cells; adipose tissue; bone; scaffolds; precursor cells
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