DIFFERENTIATION POTENTIAL OF OVINE BONE MARROW DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow were harvested from femur of adult sheep and tripotential property of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was accessed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells present in all post-natal organs, which can differentiate into different tissues originating from mesoderm ranging from bone and cartilage to cardiac muscle. BM-MSCs have been identified as a multipotent stem cells that have been shown to differentiate in-vitro into osteocytes, chondrocytes and adipocytes. In the present study BM-MSCs were isolated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation, cultured to a confluent monolayer. BM-MSCs were subcultured for further passages. Cells harvested at passage 4 were maintained in differentiation medium for an optimal time period of 21 days and their differentiation into oteocytes, chondrocytes and adipocytes was observed by histochemical staining. Differentiated cells in osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic medium were positive for Alizarin Red S, Toluidine blue and Oil Red ‘O’ respectively with a distinct cell morphology. This findings suggested that ovine bone marrow as a reliable source of adult stem cells which can differentiate into mesodermal lineages.