Characterization and Angiogenic Potential of Human Neonatal and Infant Thymus Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. (23rd February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Shuyun; Mundada, Lakshmi; Johnson, Sean; Wong, Joshua; Witt, Russell; Ohye, Richard G.; Si, Ming-Sing
• Is Part Of: Stem cells translational medicine. Volume 4:Number 4(2015)
• Page Start: 339
• Page End: 350
• Publication Date: 2015-02-23
• Subjects: Thymus gland -- Mesenchymal stromal cells -- Cardiac surgery -- Neonatal -- Angiogenesis; Stem cells -- Periodicals; Regenerative medicine -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.0277405
• DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2014-0240
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2157-6564

Abstract

Abstract : Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are present in large numbers in discarded neonatal and infant thymus tissue and can be isolated by an explant culture method. Explant culture-isolated thymus MSCs demonstrate the classical characteristics of bone marrow MSCs. Thymus MSCs also possess proangiogenic qualities and deserve further consideration as a potential cell therapeutic agent to promote tissue regeneration and repair and for use in strategies to vascularize engineered tissues. Abstract: Resident mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are involved in angiogenesis during thymus regeneration. We have previously shown that MSCs can be isolated from enzymatically digested human neonatal and infant thymus tissue that is normally discarded during pediatric cardiac surgical procedures. In this paper, we demonstrate that thymus MSCs can also be isolated by explant culture of discarded thymus tissue and that these cells share many of the characteristics of bone marrow MSCs. Human neonatal thymus MSCs are clonogenic, demonstrate exponential growth in nearly 30 population doublings, have a characteristic surface marker profile, and express pluripotency genes. Furthermore, thymus MSCs have potent proangiogenic behavior in vitro with sprout formation and angiogenic growth factor production. Thymus MSCs promote neoangiogenesis and cooperate with endothelial cells to form functional human blood vessels in vivo. These characteristics make thymus MSCs a potential candidate for use as an angiogenic cell therapeutic agent and for vascularizing engineered tissues in vitro.