Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent an attractive source within the field of tissue engineering. However, their harvesting often requires invasive medical procedures. Urine-derived stem cells (UDSCs) display similar properties to MSCs, and their obtention and further processing is non-invasive for the donors as well as low cost. Here, we offer a comprehensive analysis of their biological properties. The goal of this study was to analyze their morphology, stemness, differentiation potential and cytokine profile. We have successfully isolated UDSCs from 25 urine samples. First colonies emerged up to 9 days after the initial seeding. Cell doubling time was 45 ± 0.24 SD, and when seeded at the density of 100 cells/cm2, they formed 42 ± 6.5 SD colonies within 10 days. Morphological analyzes revealed that two different types of the cell populations have been present. The first type had a rice-grain shape and the second one was characterized by a polyhedral shape. In several cell cultures, dome-shaped cells were observed as well. All examined UDSCs expressed typical MSC-like surface markers, CD73, CD90 and CD105. Moreover, conditioned media from UDSCs were harvested, and cytokine profile has been evaluated showing a significantly higher secretory rate of IL-8, IL-6 and chemokines MCP-1 and GM-CSF. We have also successfully induced human UDSCs into chondrogenic, osteogenic and myogenic cell lineages. Our findings indicate that UDSCs might have immense potential in the regeneration of the damaged tissues.
Highlights
Introduction conditions of the Creative CommonsThe functional urinary tract plays crucial role in maintaining physiological internal environment of the human body
We focused on their morphological characterization, typical biological behavior, stemness, secretory activity and differentiation capabilities
A total of 25 urine samples were obtained from 10 adult volunteers, 4 women and 6 men aged between 25–45 years with no history of chronic illness or urinary tract infection symptoms
Summary
The functional urinary tract plays crucial role in maintaining physiological internal environment of the human body. One of its major functions involves urine production together with its excretion [1]. Urine is a liquid product made by a complex filtering process. It consists mainly of water, salts, electrolytes and other chemical compounds such as urea and uric acid [2]. The composition of urine is vastly affected by components in the circulating blood. That is why proper urine voiding is crucial for delivery of any toxic metabolites from the human body. From the scientific point of view, urine is no longer considered just a waste material.
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