Characterization of a mesenchymal stem cell line that differentiates to bone and provides niches supporting mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells

Abstract

Identification of mouse cell lines with properties of primary multipotential mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) is required to facilitate the use of mouse models for evaluation of mechanisms in bone formation, hematopoiesis and cellular the- rapies for regenerative medicine. Primary mur- ine MSC vary between strains, are difficult to grow in vitro and have inconsistent properties. The main aim of the study was to establish OMA- AD cells as an appropriate model system to conduct studies on MSC, bone formation and hematopoiesis. OMA-AD cells were isolated by differential trypsinization of C57BL/6J mouse bone marrow (BM) cells. The cells were then re- passaged, cloned and characterized. OMA-AD cells were immortal and non-tumorigenic, dif- ferentiated readily to all mesenchymal cell types including bone, supported mouse and human hematopoiesis and were immunosuppressive. Our results demonstrated that OMA-AD cells possessed the properties of primary MSC. In addition, these cells grew readily and consis- tently, thereby facilitating future studies of bone formation, hematopoiesis and mesenchymal cells for regenerative medicine.