Marrow stromal cells are adult stem cells from bone marrow that can differentiate into multiple nonhematopoietic cell lineages. Previous reports demonstrated that single-cell-derived colonies of marrow stromal cells contained two morphologically distinct cell types: spindle-shaped cells and large flat cells. Here we found that early colonies also contain a third kind of cell: very small round cells that rapidly self-renew. Samples enriched for the small cells had a greater potential for multipotential differentiation than samples enriched for the large cells. Also, the small cells expressed a series of surface epitopes and other proteins that potentially can be used to distinguish the small cells from the large cells. The results suggested it will be important to distinguish the major subpopulations of marrow stromal cells in defining their biology and their potential for cell and gene therapy.B one marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells and stem cells for nonhematopoietic tissues (1-26), variously referred to as mesenchymal stem cells or marrow stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs are of interest because they are easily isolated from a small aspirate of bone marrow and readily generate single-cell-derived colonies (1-5, 25, 27); the single-cell-derived colonies can be expanded through as many as 50 population doublings in about 10 weeks (25), and they can differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes (1-13), myocytes (9), astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons (17,23,26,27). For these reasons, the cells are currently being tested for their potential use in cell and gene therapy for a number of human diseases (22,24). Previous reports (3,11,12) demonstrated that single-cell-derived colonies of human MSCs are heterogeneous in that they contain at least two morphologically distinct kinds of cells: spindle-shaped cells and large cuboidal or flattened cells. Here we have extended our previous observations (25) to demonstrate that the colonies also contain extremely small cells that are rapidly self-renewing (RS cells). The RS cells appear to be the earliest progenitors in the cultures and have the greatest potential for multilineage differentiation. They differ from more mature cells in the same cultures by a series of surface epitopes and expressed proteins.
MethodsIsolation and Growth of MSCs. To isolate human MSCs, bone marrow aspirates of 10-20 ml were taken from the iliac crest of normal donors ranging in age from 19 to 49 years old under an Institutional Review Board approved protocol. Nucleated cells were isolated with a density gradient [Ficoll͞Paque (Pharmacia)] and resuspended in complete culture medium [␣ MEM, GIBCO͞BRL; 20% FBS, lot-selected for rapid growth of MSCs (Atlanta Biologicals); 100 units/ml of penicillin͞100 g/ml of streptomycin͞2 mM L-glutamine (GIBCO͞BRL)]. All of the cells were plated in 25 ml of medium in a 175-cm 2 culture dish (Falcon) and incubated at 37°C with 5% humidified CO 2 . After 24 h, nonadherent cells were discarded, and adherent cells ...