Increased adipogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells on polycaprolactone fiber matrices

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 24;9(11):e113620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113620. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

With accelerating rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes world-wide, interest in studying the adipocyte and adipose tissue is increasing. Human adipose derived stem cells--differentiated to adipocytes in vitro--are frequently used as a model system for white adipocytes, as most of their pathways and functions resemble mature adipocytes in vivo. However, these cells are not completely like in vivo mature adipocytes. Hosting the cells in a more physiologically relevant environment compared to conventional two-dimensional cell culturing on plastic surfaces, can produce spatial cues that drive the cells towards a more mature state. We investigated the adipogenesis of adipose derived stem cells on electro spun polycaprolactone matrices and compared functionality to conventional two-dimensional cultures as well as to human primary mature adipocytes. To assess the degree of adipogenesis we measured cellular glucose-uptake and lipolysis and used a range of different methods to evaluate lipid accumulation. We compared the averaged results from a whole population with the single cell characteristics--studied by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy--to gain a comprehensive picture of the cell phenotypes. In adipose derived stem cells differentiated on a polycaprolactone-fiber matrix; an increased sensitivity in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was detected when cells were grown on either aligned or random matrices. Furthermore, comparing differentiation of adipose derived stem cells on aligned polycaprolactone-fiber matrixes, to those differentiated in two-dimensional cultures showed, an increase in the cellular lipid accumulation, and hormone sensitive lipase content. In conclusion, we propose an adipocyte cell model created by differentiation of adipose derived stem cells on aligned polycaprolactone-fiber matrices which demonstrates increased maturity, compared to 2D cultured cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / cytology
  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Adipogenesis*
  • Adipose Tissue / cytology*
  • Adipose Tissue / metabolism
  • Adult
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glucose / pharmacokinetics
  • Humans
  • Lipids / analysis
  • Lipolysis
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton
  • Polyesters*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods
  • Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

AE, AP and DR are funded by the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme FP7(2007-2013) under REA grant agreement n° [607842]. AE is also funded by the Swedish Research Council and a VINNOVA VINNMER grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.