Adipose-derived adult stem cells: isolation, characterization, and differentiation potential.

Adipose tissue is an abundant, accessible, and replenishable source of adult stem cells that can be isolated from liposuction waste tissue by collagenase digestion and differential centrifugation. These adipose-derived adult stem (ADAS) cells are multipotent, differentiating along the adipocyte, chondrocyte, myocyte, neuronal, and osteoblast lineages, and can serve in other capacities, such as providing hematopoietic support and gene transfer. ADAS cells have potential applications for the repair and regeneration of acute and chronically damaged tissues. Additional pre-clinical safety and efficacy studies will be needed before the promise of these cells can be fully realized.