Characterization of adipose-derived equine and canine mesenchymal stem cells after incubation in agarose-hydrogel.

Adult stem cells are of particular interest for the therapeutic approach in the field of regenerative medicine. Due to their ease of harvest, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are an attractive stem cell source that has become increasingly popular. Critical aspects of applied cell therapies are the circumstances of transport from the laboratory towards the site of operation and cell delivery into the desired area. With regard to these issues, agarose-hydrogel was analyzed as a cell carrier matrix of equine and canine ASCs in vitro, which can be used for minimally invasive application. Isolated ASCs were expanded and 2.5 × 10(6) cells were combined with agarose-hydrogel to build a 0.4% hydrogel-cell solution which was stored at two temperatures (room temperature (RT) vs. 37 °C). Cell viability was investigated (live-dead assay) at different time points (0, 1, 6 and 24 h) in order to determine i) the effect of different temperatures on the cell survival as well as ii) the maximum possible time span before implantation. CFU-assay and WST-1 assay were performed after 24 h incubation in agarose-hydrogel and the cells were induced into adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation to analyze the effects of the incubation on the cell behaviour. No negative effect of the agarose-hydrogel incubation was determined on the different species' cell behaviour at either RT or 37 °C with any of the assays used. We can recommend agarose-hydrogel as a cell carrier for cell implantation with a storage period of up to 24 h at room temperature or at 37 °C prior to implantation.