In Vitro Adult Canine Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cell Growth Characteristics

Stromal cells are undifferentiated cells found in embryonic and adult tissues. Adult mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) possess the properties of self renewal, long-term viability, multipotentiality, and immune privilege, which make them attractive candidates for regenerative medicine applications. In order to develop targeted adult stromal cell therapies for diseased and injured tissues in animals and humans, it is essential to have large-animal models. The dog represents not only a patient population, but is also a valuable experimental model. The dog has contributed significantly to the understanding of various human diseases such as genetic and musculoskeletal disorders. In order to optimize the use of stromal cell therapy in the dog as a patient or disease model, a comprehensive characterization of the cells is required.