Volumetric mass density measurements of mesenchymal stem cells in suspension using a density meter

Abstract

To use regeneratively active cells for cell therapeutic applications, the cells must be isolated from their resident tissues. Different isolation procedures subject these cells to varying degrees of mechanical strain, which can affect the yield of cell number and viability. Knowledge of cell volumetric mass density is important for experimental and numerical optimization of these procedures. Although methods for measuring cell volumetric mass density already exist, they either consume much time and cell material or require a special setup. Therefore, we developed a user-friendly method that is based on the use of readily available instrumentation. The newly developed method is predicated on the linear relationship between the volumetric mass density of the cell suspension and the volumetric mass density, number, and diameter of the cells in the suspension. We used this method to determine the volumetric mass density of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and compared it to results from the established density centrifugation.