Adipose stem cells (ASCs) represent a cell population with great potential for tissue engineering
applications. Several articles have been published showing the proliferation and differentiation
potential, the markers and the wide range of potential applications of these cells. In the majority
of these studies the ASCs are isolated using a basic enzymatic procedure, which results in a quite
heterogeneous cell population that compromises their proliferation and differentiation. This paper
reports the development and optimization of a new isolation/purification method that allows
populations of ASCs to be obtained, which significantly reduces (and eventually eliminates) the
‘contamination’ of other cell types. This method is based on the use of immunomagnetic beads
coated with specific antibodies. The first part of the study described here analysed the expression of
marker genes for stem cells and the colony-forming unit (CFU) capacity of the cells isolated, while
the second part is dedicated to the osteogenic differentiation potential of the isolated cells. The
results showed that, using the isolation method based on immunomagnetic beads, it was possible to
obtain ASCs and also underline the existence of several subpopulations of stem cells in the adipose
tissue.
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