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Decreased contact inhibition in mouse adipose mesenchymal stem cells
Yunmi Jeon1, Myung Sook Lee2, Yong-Pil Cheon1
1Division of Developmental Biology and Physiology, School of Biosciences and Chemistry, Sungshin Womens University, Seoul 142-732, Korea.
Abstract:
The proliferation of embryonic cells or adult stem cells in tissue is critically regulated during development and repair. How limited the proliferation of cells, so far, is not much explored. Cell-cell contact proliferation inhibition is known as a crucial mechanism regulating cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. In this study we examined the characters of mouse subcutaneous adipose derived stem cells (msADSC) whether they lost or get contact inhibition during in vitro culture. The characters of msADSC growth after confluence were analyzed using confocal microscope and the expression profiles of contact inhibition related genes were analyzed according to the morphological changes using real-time PCR method. msADSC showed overlapping growth between them but not after passage 14. The cell shapes were also changed after passage 14. The expression profiles of genes which are involved in contact inhibition were modified in the msADSC after passage 14. The differentiation ability of msADSCs to adipocyte, chondrocyte and osteocyte was not changed by such changes of gene expression profiles. Based on these results, it is revealed that smADSC were characterized by getting of strong cell-cell contact inhibition after passage 14 but the proliferation and developmental ability were not blocked by the change of cell-cell contact proliferation inhibition. These finding will help to understand the growth of adipose tissue, although further studies are needed to evaluate the physiological meaning of the cell-cell contact proliferation inhibition during in vitro culture of msADSC.
Insights
Mouse adipose-derived stem cells gain strong cell-cell contact inhibition after passage 14. This change does not block their proliferation or differentiation abilities, offering insights into adipose tissue growth.
Area of Science:
- Stem cell biology
- Cellular regulation
Background:
- Cell proliferation is tightly regulated during development and repair.
- Cell-cell contact inhibition is a key mechanism controlling cell growth in vitro and in vivo.
- Limited exploration exists regarding how cell proliferation becomes restricted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether mouse subcutaneous adipose-derived stem cells (msADSC) lose or gain contact inhibition during in vitro culture.
- To analyze changes in msADSC growth, morphology, and gene expression related to contact inhibition after extended passaging.
Main Methods:
- Confocal microscopy to analyze msADSC growth patterns after confluence.
- Real-time PCR to examine the expression profiles of contact inhibition-related genes.
- Assessment of differentiation potential into adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes.
Main Results:
- msADSC exhibited overlapping growth initially but ceased overlapping after passage 14.
- Morphological changes and altered expression of contact inhibition genes were observed in msADSC post-passage 14.
- The differentiation capacity of msADSC remained unaffected despite changes in gene expression and contact inhibition.
Conclusions:
- msADSC acquire robust cell-cell contact inhibition after passage 14.
- This acquired contact inhibition does not impede msADSC proliferation or developmental potential.
- Findings contribute to understanding adipose tissue growth, though further research is needed on the physiological significance of in vitro contact inhibition.
