[Comparison between CD271 and CD133 used for immunomagnetic positive sorting enriching in mesenchymal stem cells from...

This study was aimed to find a better method to isolate and enrich mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)from bone marrow between CD271 (low affinity nerve growth factor receptor, LNGFR) and CD133 used for immunomagnetic positive selections through comparison of characteristics of MSCs isolated by these two agents. CD271+ and CD133+ cells were isolated from bone marrow and their colony forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) efficiency and proliferative capacity were assessed. Cell surface phenotype, adipogenic and osteogenic inductions were also assayed on the cells (after passage 3) isolated by both methods. The results showed that the purities of immunomagnetically selected CD271+ and CD133+ cells were (89.50+/-0.98)% and (88.03+/-3.06)% respectively. The CFU-F median frequency of CD271+ cells was 3 times as high as that of CD133+ cells, no CFU-F was observed in CD271- cells, while a few CFU-F was found in the CD133- cells. Phenotype of cells (after passage 3) isolated by the two methods was same, that is CD34-, CD14-, CD45-, CD90+, CD29+, CD44+, CD105+, CD73+. CD271+ cells possessed faster proliferation and stronger osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential than that of CD133+ cells. It is concluded that as compared with CD133 positive selection, CD271 positive selection is a better method for isolating and enriching mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow.