In-vitro Augmentation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Using Adult Bovine Serum

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) are increasingly being utilized for immune-related disease therapies due to their low immunogenicity. However, the primary culture of UC-MSCs requires the supplementation of serum in the growth medium, which has posed a challenge due to ethical issues related to the collection method of the fetal bovine serum (FBS) that is routinely used in cell culture.

In order to address this, the purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of adult bovine serum (ABS) as a different and more affordable source of serum for the in-vitro cultivation of UC-MSCs. UC-MSCs were isolated from the umbilical cord of Wharton's jelly of cow immediately after birth, by digestion with Collagenase type I.

ABS was collected from fresh bovine sources and heat-inactivated. The morphology of UC-MSCs was observed under an inverted microscope, and growth patterns, proliferative index, and doubling time were calculated every two days to compare the efficacy of ABS with FBS. Immunocytochemistry for specific markers was also conducted on the MSCs.

The results showed a notable difference in morphology, growth rate, population doubling, and proliferative index between ABS and FBS.

Intriguingly, ABS proved to be an effective supplement in the growth medium for expanding UC-MSCs in vitro, providing a viable alternative to FBS.