Lonza's enhanced human MSCs

Life science company Lonza has enhanced its range of Poietics human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by expanding the characterisation of the cells to meet industry guidelines for translational and cell therapy research applications.

The enhanced Poietics hMSCs help to ensure that researchers commence their experiments with a high-quality starting population of multipotent stem cells. This robust starting population is important for translational research and a number of other applications where stem cells can play a vital role, including gene therapy and transplantation, cell differentiation and cell-based screening assays (such as those commonly employed in drug discovery labs).

“Ensuring our hMSCs meet industry guidelines is absolutely essential for the cutting-edge research our customers perform,” said Dr Minh Hong, marketing manager for Stem Cells at Lonza Bioscience Solutions. “The improved characterisation of our hMSCs provides end users with confidence when utilising our cells and represents our ongoing commitment to developing the best tools for stem cell researchers.”

hMSCs are useful cells because of their versatility. They are capable of replication as undifferentiated cells and can also differentiate into bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, tendon and marrow stroma. Poietics hMSCs are quality tested to differentiate into adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages when cultured in the recommended differentiation medium.

In accordance with the 2006 International Society for Cellular Therapy criteria, the hMSCs are also now tested to ensure the expression of CD90 and CD73, as well as confirming the absence of HLA-DR and CD19. The cells also express CD29, CD44, CD105 and CD166, and do not express CD14, CD34 or CD45.

All cells are free from mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi, and all donors and/or cell lots test negative for HIV-1, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. In addition, a certificate of analysis is provided for each cell lot purchased.

The improved hMSCs are part of a portfolio of cell culture products that form a streamlined workflow specifically optimised to deliver accurate results, encompassing Lonza’s primary adult stem cells, growth and expansion media, differentiation kits and cell-based assays.

Image credit: © Lonza