PERFUSION CELL CULTURE REVEALS A PARACRINE OR AUTOCRINE SIGNALLING PATHWAY INVOLVED IN ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION INTO ADIPOCYTES

Microfluidic cell culture has advantages compared to conventional static cell culture regarding spatial and temporal control of near-cell environment. Differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) into adipocytes was studied under microfluidic perfusion culture conditions. Constant removal of cell released components from a culture had large negative impact on differentiation. Adding supernatant from cells, undergoing differentiation into adipocytes in static culture, to the perfusion medium restored efficient differentiation. The results suggest that a paracrine or autocrine signalling pathway is involved in differentiation of ASC into adipocytes.