In vitro proliferation and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells cultured in autologous plasma derived from bone marrow

Expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) has a potential risk of transmitting viral and prion diseases and causing immunological rejection. The aim of our present study was to find a substitute for the traditional FBS in culture of hMSCs to facilitate the clinical application of hMSCs. We used autologous plasma derived from bone marrow (APM) as a substitute for FBS and found that, when cultured with APM, the cell surface markers and the proportion of hMSCs in the G(0)/G(1) phase and the S+G(2)/M phase resembled those cultured with FBS. However, there were fewer early apoptotic cells in APM-supplemented medium than in FBS (p < 0.01). APM resulted in much greater thymidine incorporation than FBS (p < 0.001). There were significantly more alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-positive fibroblast colony-forming units (CFU-Fs) covering larger areas in APM than in FBS (p < 0.01). Also, APM induced greater ALP activity, more mineralized nodules, and greater expression of osteogenic genes than did FBS. In addition, when cultured in adipogenic medium, there were fewer oil-red O-positive cells and lower expression of adipogenic gene with APM than with FBS. In conclusion, expansion of hMSCs in APM-supplemented medium instead of traditional FBS is more advantageous. It could promote cell proliferation, enhance osteogenic differentiation, and suppress adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs and is therefore a safer and more effective substitute for FBS in clinical cytotherapy processes.