Isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stem cell population entrapped in bone marrow collection sets

Bone marrow is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and a promising tool for cytotherapy. MSC utilization is limited by low cell yields obtained under standard isolation protocols. Herein, used bone marrow collection sets were evaluated as a valuable source of MSCs. Adherent cells washed from the collection sets were examined for widely accepted criteria defining MSCs. Significant numbers of cells (median 9 million per set in passage 1) with colony-forming activity and high proliferative potential at low seeding densities were obtained. These cells were positive for essential MSC surface molecules (CD90, CD105, CD166, CD44, CD29) and negative for most haematopoietic and endothelial cell markers (CD45, CD34, CD11a, CD235a, HLA-DR, CD144). The cells were capable of differentiation along adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic pathways. Washing out bone marrow collection sets may constitute a highly ethical source of MSCs for research purposes and may be utilized also in clinical applications.