Heparin Differentially Impacts Gene Expression of Stromal Cells from Various Tissues

This study investigates how heparin, a common anticoagulant, affects stromal cells derived from different tissues: bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord (UC), and white adipose tissue (WAT). Stromal cells are important for tissue repair and are being tested for various therapies. The research found that heparin is taken up differently by stromal cells depending on their tissue origin, with BM and UC cells internalizing more heparin than WAT cells. This uptake influences the expression of various genes involved in cell functions like proliferation and adhesion. Despite these changes in gene expression, heparin did not significantly affect the long-term growth or differentiation potential of these stromal cells. This suggests that using heparin in cell culture for therapeutic purposes may be acceptable.

• 1
  Heparin is internalized by stromal cells in a tissue-dependent manner, with BM- and UC-derived cells internalizing significantly more heparin than WAT-derived cells.
• 2
  Heparin influences gene expression in stromal cells differently depending on the cell source, affecting genes involved in cell signaling, adhesion, inflammation, and angiogenesis.
• 3
  Despite alterations in gene and protein expression, heparin does not substantially affect the long-term proliferation or in vitro differentiation of stromal cells.