Characteristics of stem cells derived from rat fascia: in vitro proliferative and multilineage potential assessment.

Fascia‑derived stem cells (FDSCs) were previously isolated from the fascia of the gluteus maximus of the rat. However, the use of FDSCs as a cell source for musculoskeletal tissue engineering has not been compared with that of adipose‑derived stem cells (ADSCs) and bone marrow‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and self‑renewal stem cell markers, proliferative capacity and multilineage differentiation potential of these stem cells in vitro. The MSC and embryonic stem cell (ESC) marker profiles were compared using flow cytometry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Their proliferative capacities were compared using 5‑bromo‑2'‑deoxyuridine and MTT assays. Their osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potentials were compared using standard staining assays and qPCR. The FDSCs possessed similar cell morphology and immunophenotypic profiles with BMSCs and ADSCs. FDSCs demonstrated a similar expression pattern of ESC markers with ADSCs, which has higher expression of sex determining region Y‑box (Sox)2 and octamer‑binding transcription factor 4, and lower expression of Krüppel‑like factor 4, when compared with BMSCs. FDSCs exhibited higher proliferation under serum‑deprived conditions (0.5% FBS growth medium), and attained higher expression levels of collagen type I, α 2 and type II, α 1 as well as Sox9 mRNA than ADSCs and BMSCs upon chondrogenic induction. An increased amount of proteoglycan deposition was also observed in the FDSC group. However, lower levels of adipogenic and osteogenic marker expression in FDSCs were detected compared with ADSCs and BMSCs upon adipogenic and osteogenic induction, respectively. FDSCs possessed high chondrogenic potential, low osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential and were responsive to the induction signals for collagen‑rich fascial structure regeneration. Therefore, FDSCs may represent an improved alternative cell source to conventional ADSCs and BMSCs for musculoskeletal tissue repair and tissue engineering, particularly for collagen‑rich structures with poor vasculature.