Differentiation potential of rabbit CD90-positive cells sorted from adipose-derived stem cells in vitro.

To investigate the differentiation potential of purified CD90+ cells sorted from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), CD90+ cells were sorted from rabbit ADSCs using flow cytometry. Then, cell expansion of CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was observed using an inverted microscope. Furthermore, cell surface markers including CD40, CD105, and CD90 on CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs were quantified using flow cytometry. Additionally, multi-lineage differentiation ability between CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was compared, and expression of adipocyte-related genes PPAR-r and CEBPA as well as stem cell-related gene SOX2 in CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was determined using real-time quantitative PCR. We found that CD90+ cells had a stronger cell proliferation ability than unsorted ADSCs. CD90+ cells showed a stronger ability of osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation than unsorted ADSCs and CD90- cells, whereas the adipose differentiation ability of CD90+ cells was similar to that of ADSCs and CD90- cells. CD14, CD105, and CD90 on CD90+ cells were expressed more highly than those on ADSCs. Additionally, the mRNA expression level of SOX2 in CD90+ cells was significantly higher than that in ADSCs, whereas the expression of PPAR-r and CEBPA was markedly lower than that in ADSCs. These results suggested that the purified CD90+ cells sorted from ADSCs exhibit a stronger differentiation potential than the unsorted ADSCs.