Objective—To determine the differentiation of canine adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) into endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Animals—3 healthy adult Beagles. Procedures—Canine ASCs were isolated and cultured from adipose tissue, and endothelial differentiation was induced by culturing ASCs in differentiation medium. Morphological and immunophenotypic changes were monitored. Expression of endothelial-specific markers was analyzed by conventional and real-time RT-PCR assay. The in vitro and in vivo functional characteristics of the endothelial-like cells induced from canine ASCs were evaluated by use of an in vitro solubilized basement membrane tube assay, low-density lipoprotein uptake assay, and in vivo solubilized basement membrane plug assay. Results—After differentiation culture, the cells developed morphological changes, expressed EPC markers such as CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, and revealed functional characteristics in vitro. Furthermore, the induced cells allowed vessel formation in solubilized basement membrane plugs in vivo. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that canine ASCs developed EPC characteristics when stimulated by differentiation medium with growth factors. Thus, differentiated canine ASC-EPCs may have the potential to provide vascularization for constructs used in regenerative medicine strategies.

The objective of this study was to validate non-equilibrium gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF), an immunotag-less method of sorting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into subpopulations, for use with MSCs derived from equine muscle tissue, periosteal tissue, bone marrow, and adipose tissue. Cells were collected from 6 young, adult horses, postmortem. Cells were isolated from left semitendinosus muscle tissue, periosteal tissue from the distomedial aspect of the right tibia, bone marrow aspirates from the fourth and fifth sternebrae, and left supragluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Aliquots of 800 3103 MSCs from each tissue source were separated and injected into a ribbon-like capillary device by continuous flow (GrFFF proprietary system). Cells were sorted into 6 fractions and absorbencies [optical density (OD)] were read. Six fractions from each of the 6 aliquots were then combined to provide pooled fractions that had adequate cell numbers to seed at equal concentrations into assays. Equine muscle tissue-derived, periosteal tissue-derived, bone marrow-derived, and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells were consistently sorted into 6 fractions that remained viable for use in further assays. Fraction 1 had more cuboidal morphology in culture when compared to the other fractions. Statistical analysis of the fraction absorbencies (OD) revealed a P-value of ,0.05 when fractions 2 and 3 were compared to fractions 1, 4, 5, and 6. It was concluded that non-equilibrium GrFFF is a valid method for sorting equine muscle tissue-derived, periosteal tissue-derived, bone marrow-derived, and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells into subpopulations that remain viable, thus securing its potential for use in equine stem cell applications and Veterinary medicine.

The objective of this study was to validate non-equilibrium gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF), an immunotag-less method of sorting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into subpopulations, for use with MSCs derived from equine muscle tissue, periosteal tissue, bone marrow, and adipose tissue. Cells were collected from 6 young, adult horses, postmortem. Cells were isolated from left semitendinosus muscle tissue, periosteal tissue from the distomedial aspect of the right tibia, bone marrow aspirates from the fourth and fifth sternebrae, and left supragluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Aliquots of 800 × 10(3) MSCs from each tissue source were separated and injected into a ribbon-like capillary device by continuous flow (GrFFF proprietary system). Cells were sorted into 6 fractions and absorbencies [optical density (OD)] were read. Six fractions from each of the 6 aliquots were then combined to provide pooled fractions that had adequate cell numbers to seed at equal concentrations into assays. Equine muscle tissue-derived, periosteal tissue-derived, bone marrow-derived, and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells were consistently sorted into 6 fractions that remained viable for use in further assays. Fraction 1 had more cuboidal morphology in culture when compared to the other fractions. Statistical analysis of the fraction absorbencies (OD) revealed a P-value of < 0.05 when fractions 2 and 3 were compared to fractions 1, 4, 5, and 6. It was concluded that non-equilibrium GrFFF is a valid method for sorting equine muscle tissue-derived, periosteal tissue-derived, bone marrow-derived, and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells into subpopulations that remain viable, thus securing its potential for use in equine stem cell applications and veterinary medicine.