Mesenchymal Cells
Mesenchymal cells, also called mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), multipotent stem cells (MSC), mesenchymal progenitor cells and marrow stromal cells are a fibroblastoid-like cell that can be obtained from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and adipose (fat) tissue. The cells adhere to plastic and express CD73, CD90 and CD105 antigens, but not CD34, CD45 or HLA-DR.
In vitro, MSCs exhibit continuous, but limited proliferation. With continued passaging, MSC proliferation and, thus their quality and potency, decreases with time. MSC proliferation is often determined either by cell number using population doubling or using the colony-forming unit - fibroblast (CFU-F) assay, in which adherent MSCs grow into colonies, which must be counted prior to the culture dish becoming confluent with cells.
Preferred Cell Systems™ has developed more reliable and reproducible assays to measure and detect MSCs. These assays are based on MSC biochemical metabolic activity. They therefore measure MSC metabolic viability. The MSC assays and also available with or without a vial of cryopreserved MSCs.
Additionally, specialized assays have been developed for regenerative medicine applications where the quality and potency of MSCs are of vital importance. The MSC potency assays, in particular, have been designed to conform to regulatory potency requirements.
The fluorescence assays developed by Preferred Cell Systems™ are particularly noteworthy, because they can be directly combined with phenotypic identification analysis using flow cytometry of the cells in culture.
Preferred Cell Systems™ has also developed specialized assays to detect and measure toxicity of agents to MSCs that shed light not only on the ability of MSC to allow normal hematopoiesis to occur, but also their immunomodulatory role during cell therapy and regenerative medicine.
Preferred Cell Systems™ also offers its MSC assay products with the choice of either human platelet lysate (HPL) or high performance MSCGro™ medium available in different formulations.
All assays from Preferred Cell Systems™ can be used for MSCs derived from any source, including ES- or iPS-derived MSCs. These assays are:
- MSCGlo™ = Bioluminescence readout
- MSCFluor™ = Fluorescence readout
- MSCLight™ = Absorbance/colorimetric readout
- Use or application goal (research, cellular therapy or toxicity testing).
- Whether you need to measure proliferation, differentiation or both.
- Instrumentation available.
- Other factors such as accuracy, sensitivity, precision etc.
| MSC Use or Application |
MSC Assay / Reagent |
Choice of: |
|---|---|---|
| Research (assay only) |
MSCGlo MSCFluor MSCLight |
MSCGlo Formulated Medium |
| Research (complete with frozen cells) |
MSCGlo Complete MSCFluor Complete MSCLight Complete |
MSCGlo Formulated Medium |
| Cellular Therapy / Regenerative Medicine |
MSCGlo QC MSCGlo SC-IPS |
MSCGlo Formulated Medium |
| In Vitro Toxicity | MSCGlo-Tox HT | MSCGlo Formulated Medium |
| Growth Media | MSCGro |