Comparison of Equine Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Behavior and Differentiation Potential Under the Influence of 3% and 21% Oxygen Tension

Equine multipotent mesenchymal stem cells can be isolated from different tissues and are capable of differentiating into various organ progenitor cells. Physiological oxygen conditions in diverse tissues in vivo are hypoxic, even when standard culture conditions are normoxic. Here, equine adipose tissue-derived stem cells were used to analyze their behavior and differentiation potential into the adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineage under 3% and 21% oxygen tension. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α is an indicator for hypoxic stress sensed by cells. Its expression was similar under both oxygen conditions, which could be a sign for low oxygen tension being sensed as normoxic by those stem cells. Furthermore, it was observed that hypoxia inhibits cell proliferation. Adipogenesis and chondrogenesis showed better results under 3% oxygen; for osteogenesis, an oxygen tension of 21% was more effective. This knowledge may help to improve conditions of stem cell differentiation and consequently their application in tissue engineering.