In vitro comparison of aged and young osteogenic and hemopoietic bone marrow stem cells and their derivative colonies
The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in the number and size of the osteogenic and hematopoietic cells from the bone marrow stem cells in adult versus young rats. Stem cells were harvested from 23 adult aged male rats and 47 young adult male rats. Cell suspensions were cultured for 14 days and assessed by light microscopy for number and size. A computerized histomorphometric linear measuring system also was used to assess colony area in square millimeters. Cells harvested from adult aged rats showed less osteogenic and hematopoietic colony formation. Osteogenic colonies in aged rats were 0.45 + 0.7 compared to 3.5 + 2.35 colonies in young rats. Hematopoietic colonies showed the same pattern, 5.25 + 2.24 in aged rats and 8.23 + 3.36 in the young rats. Differences in the size of both osteogenic and hematopoietic colonies compared were not statistically significant. This study demonstrated a striking difference in the number of osteogenic stem cells present in young as compared to aged rats.
In conclusion, the results of this study clearly demonstrated the biologic advantage that young animals have over aged animals with regard to osteogenic and hematopoietic potential. [C.C.]
Dodson, S.A., G.W. Bernard, E.B. Kenney, and F.A. Carranza, J Periodont, 67:184,1996