Water jet-assisted lipoaspiration and Sepax cell separation system for the isolation of adipose stem cells with high adipogenic potential.

[INTRODUCTION] Water jet-assisted liposuction has gained popularity due to favourable fat grafting outcomes. In this study, we compared stem cells obtained from fat isolated with manual or the water jet-assisted procedure.

[METHODS] Liposuction of abdominal fat was performed using the two methods on each donor (n = 10). Aspirate samples were collagenase digested and the isolated cells seeded in vitro prior to proliferation, adipogenic differentiation and angiogenic activity analyses.

[RESULTS] Cells from either procedure proliferated at similar rates and exhibited a similar colony-forming ability. The cells expressed stem cell markers CD73, CD90 and CD105. In the water jet cell preparations, there were higher numbers of cells expressing CD146. Robust adipogenic differentiation was observed in cultures expanded from both manual and water jet lipoaspirates. Gene analysis showed higher expression of the adipocyte markers aP2 and GLUT4 in the adipocyte-differentiated water jet cell preparations, and ELISA indicated increased secretion of adiponectin from these cells. Both cell groups expressed vasculogenic factors and the water jet cells promoted the highest levels of in vitro angiogenesis. Given these positive results, we further characterised the water jet cells when prepared using an automated closed cell processing unit, the Sepax-2 system (Cytiva). The growth and stem cell properties of the Sepax-processed cells were similar to the standard centrifugation protocol, but there was evidence for greater adipogenic differentiation in the Sepax-processed cells.

[CONCLUSIONS] Water jet lipoaspirates yield cells with high adipogenic potential and angiogenic activity, which may be beneficial for use in cell-assisted lipotransfers.