Stem Cells

  • Adult stem cells - isolation, characterization, and potential for therapy
  • Umbilical cord blood stem cells

Two review papers published in Canadian Veterinary Journal:

Current and future regenerative medicine - principles, concepts, and therapeutic use of stem cell therapy and tissue engineering in equine medicine. Koch TG, Berg LC, Betts DH. Can Vet J. 2009 Feb;50(2):155-65. PubMed
Concepts for the clinical use of stem cells in equine medicine. Koch TG, Berg LC, Betts DH. Can Vet J. 2008 Oct;49(10):1009-17. PubMed

Two Danish language review papers:

Stamceller - del 1: Hvad er de, og hvad kan de bruges til? Dansk Veterinærtidsskrift. 2008 Juli 14:8-11.
Stamceller - del 2: Led- og senebehandling nu og i fremtiden. Dansk Veterinærtidsskrift. 2008 Aug 15/16:10-14.

Adult stem cells - isolation, characterization, and comparison of chondrogenic potential

Aim: To investigate and compare equine stem cells isolated from a range of clinically relevant adult tissues including bone marrow, adipose tissue (fat) from various regions including periarticular and gluteal, synovial fluid, and blood.

Short description: Cells are isolated from tissues using standard cell culture methods utilizing the preference of stem cells of adhere to plastic surfaces. Cells are investigated for gene and protein expression of established and novel markers, and for their differentiation potential using specific culture media.

Main investigator: Lise C. Berg

Umbilical cord blood stem cells - isolation, characterization, and chondrogenic potential

Aim: To investigate the potential of MSCs isolated from umbilical cord blood, and to compare their properties to MSCs isolated from adult tissues.

Short description: Umbilical cord blood MSCs appear to have stronger differentiation potential than adult MSCs (Berg et al., 2009). This study is designed to investigate why these cells are different.

Main investigator: Lise C. Berg
Collaborators: Thomas G. Koch, Dean H. Betts

Publications:
Chondrogenic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from equine bone marrow and umbilical cord blood.  Berg LC, Koch TG, Heerkens T, Besonov K, Thomsen PD, Betts DH. Vet Comp Orthop Trauma. 2009;22(5):363-370. Schattauer