IFATS collection: Identification of hemangioblasts in the adult human adipose tissue

The stromal-vascular fraction (SVF) of human adipose tissue contains, among other cell types, mesenchymal stem cells and precursors of adipocyte and endothelial cells. Here we show that, in addition, the nonhematopoietic fraction of the SVF has hematopoietic activity, since all types of hematopoietic colony-forming units (CFUs) developed when cultured in methylcellulose-based medium. This hematopoietic activity was restricted to the CD45(-)CD105(+) cell subset, well correlated with KDR(+) cell content, and increased after culture with a combination of early-acting hematopoietic cytokines. Most of the CD45(-)KDR(+)CD105(+) cells were nonadherent and did not express CD31, and this subset included both CD34(-) and CD34(+) cells. Moreover, these nonadherent cells migrated in response to KDR gradient, and when they were cultured in the presence of both hematopoietic and endothelial growth factors, a wave of CFUs was followed by a wave of mixed colonies comprising adherent elongated and nonadherent round hematopoietic cells. These mixed hematopoietic-endothelial (Hem-End) colonies were able to generate secondary Hem-End colonies and exhibited both hematopoietic and endothelial activity, as demonstrated by in vitro functional assays. These findings demonstrate for the first time the existence of primitive mesodermal progenitors within the SVF of human adipose tissue that exhibit in vitro hematopoietic and hemangioblastic activities, susceptible to being used in cell therapy and basic cell research. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.