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Updated: May 3, 2026
Production of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma for Boosting In Vitro Human Fibroblast Expansion
Published on: February 24, 2021
Human fibroblast-like cultures in the presence of platelet-rich plasma as a single growth factor source: clinical
Javier Ramos-Torrecillas1, Elvira de Luna-Bertos, Francisco J Manzano-Moreno
1Javier Ramos-Torrecillas, PhD, is a member of the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. Elvira de Luna-Bertos, PhD, is a member of the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. Francisco J. Manzano-Moreno, MS, is a PhD student in the Department of Odontology and Stomatology, Faculty of Odontology, University of Granada, Spain. Olga García-Martínez, PhD, is a member of the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. Concepción Ruiz, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to compare the proliferation, morphology, and antigenic expression of human fibroblast-like cells between primary cultures treated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or fetal bovine serum (FBS) as the growth factor source.
Design:
Cells from human gingival tissue samples obtained from healthy volunteers during oral surgery were studied. Isolated cells were cultured in media supplemented with 10% PRP or FBS. Platelet-rich plasma was prepared from the venous blood of each patient. The authors studied short- and long-term cell cultures in the presence of PRP or FBS as the sole growth factor source in order to determine (a) cell growth rate, by MTT (3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay; (b) cell morphology, by electronic microscopy; and (c) antigenic expression, by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.
Results:
In short-term cultures, the cell growth rate was higher with PRP versus FBS treatment. No differences in morphology or expression of vimentin, fibronectin, or α-actin antigens were observed between PRP and FBS cultures. In long-term cultures, PRP and FBS did not significantly differ in cell growth rate but differed in morphology and in the expression of vimentin, fibronectin, and α-actin.
Conclusion:
The PRP enhances cell proliferation over the short term and induces cell differentiation of fibroblast-like cells to myofibroblast-like cells over the long term, suggesting that fibroblast differentiation to myofibroblasts may underlie the action mechanism of PRP in soft tissue regeneration.
