Characterization of companion animal pluripotent stem cells

• Published in: Cytometry. Part A Vol. 93; no. 1; pp. 137 - 148
• Main Authors: Paterson, Y.Z., Kafarnik, C., Guest, D.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2018
• Subjects: Animal models; Animal species; Animals; Bans; Cats; Cell culture; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Cell Culture Techniques - veterinary; Cell Differentiation; Cell Lineage; characterization; Cytometry; Disease Models, Animal; Dogs; embryonic stem cells; Embryonic Stem Cells - cytology; Embryos; Horses; Humans; induced pluripotent stem cells; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology; Injuries; Medical treatment; Models, Animal; Pets; Pluripotency; Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology; Regenerative Medicine; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; Translational Medical Research; dogs; induced pluripotent stem cells; cats; characterization; embryonic stem cells; horses
• ISSN: 1552-4922; 1552-4930
• DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23163

Pluripotent stem cells have the capacity to grow indefinitely in culture and differentiate into derivatives of the three germ layers. These properties underpin their potential to be used in regenerative medicine. Originally derived from early embryos, pluripotent stem cells can now be derived by reprogramming an adult cell back to a pluripotent state. Companion animals such as horses, dogs, and cats suffer from many injuries and diseases for which regenerative medicine may offer new treatments. As many of the injuries and diseases are similar to conditions in humans the use of companion animals for the experimental and clinical testing of stem cell and regenerative medicine products would provide relevant animal models for the translation of therapies to the human field. In order to fully utilize companion animal pluripotent stem cells robust, standardized methods of characterization must be developed to ensure that safe and effective treatments can be delivered. In this review we discuss the methods that are available for characterizing pluripotent stem cells and the techniques that have been applied in cells from companion animals. We describe characteristics which have been described consistently across reports as well as highlighting discrepant results. Significant steps have been made to define the in vitro culture requirements and drive lineage specific differentiation of pluripotent stem cells in companion animal species. However, additional basic research to compare pluripotent stem cell types and define characteristics of pluripotency in companion animal species is still required. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry