We acknowledge the Mayo Clinic Microscopy Cell Analysis Core Flow Cytometry Facility for assistance with FACS sorting.

All animal experimental procedures were performed under approval by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
1. Solution preparation 
<ol>
	<li>Prepare collagenase 2% (w/v) solution by dissolving collagenase II 2 g in 100 mL Hanks&#39; balanced salt solution (HBSS). Aliquot 200 &#181;L each for each use.</li>
	<li>Prepare neutralization medium by mixing 84 mL F-12 medium, 15 mL horse serum, and 1 mL penicillin/streptomycin.</li>
	<li>Prepare flow cytometry buffer by dissolving 500 mg of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 400 &#181;L of 0.5 M EDTA in 100 mL of Dulbecco&#39;s phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS).</li>
</ol>
2. Dissection of epididymal fat pad and tissue dissociation
<ol>
	<li>Humanely euthanize (isoflurane/cervical dislocation) one male mouse. In this protocol, a four-month-old FVB mouse was used.</li>
	<li>Apply/spray 70% ethanol on the abdomen and expose the lower abdominal cavity using clean scissors and forceps.</li>
	<li>Locate epididymal fat pad (proximal/attached to testes). Hold the junction between testes and epididymal fat pad with blunt forceps and pull gently to liberate the epididymal fat pad.</li>
	<li>Remove testes by cutting using scissors and incubate epididymal fat pad in 5 mL of HBSS supplemented with 3% BSA in a 50 mL conical tube at room temperature for 15 min.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge at 150 x g for 7 min at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Take floating epididymal fat pad from the 50 mL conical tube and finely mince the tissue using clean scissors.</li>
	<li>Add 200 &#181;L collagenase 2% solution into 3.8 mL of HBSS in a 13 mL culture tube. Add the minced tissue and incubate in a rotating incubator at 5 rpm for 1 h at 37 &#176;C. Instead of a rotating incubator, cell culture incubator at 37 &#176;C can be alternatively used with occasional agitations.</li>
	<li>Transfer entire contents into a 50 mL conical tube and add 10 mL of neutralization medium. Mix gently by inverting the tube 2-3 times.</li>
	<li>Prepare another 50 mL conical tube fitted with a 70 &#181;m cell strainer. Filter the digested tissue into the new tube using the cell strainer.</li>
	<li>Transfer the flow-through to a 15 mL conical tube and centrifuge at 350 x g for 10 min at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Carefully remove the supernatant and resuspend cell pellets with 5 mL of DPBS. Centrifuge at 350 x g for 10 min at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Carefully remove the supernatant and add 50 &#181;L of flow cytometry buffer. Mix well by pipetting gently and keep cells on ice. Due to the volume of the cell pellets and small amount of residual supernatant, total volume of cells in the flow cytometry buffer will be greater than 50 &#181;L (approximately 100 &#181;L).</li>
</ol>
3. Antibody labeling and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS)
<ol>
	<li>After mixing the cells well with gentle pipetting, transfer 54 &#181;L of the cell suspension into a 1.7 mL microcentrifuge tube. Add 6 &#181;L of FcR blocking reagent and mix well by pipetting gently. Incubate at 4 &#176;C for 10 min. Save any leftover cells after taking 54 &#181;L and keep them in the ice to use as an unstained control in step 3.5 and step 3.6.</li>
	<li>During the incubation in step 3.1, prepare an antibody cocktail by combining 11 &#181;L each of anti-Sca1-APC, anti-Ter119-FITC, anti-CD31-FITC, and anti-CD45-FITC antibodies in a microcentrifuge tube. Mix well by gentle pipetting and keep on ice protected from light.</li>
	<li>After incubation with FcR blocking reagent for 10 min, add 40 &#181;L of the antibody cocktail and mix well by gentle pipetting. Incubate at 4 &#176;C for 10 min.</li>
	<li>Add 500 &#181;L of flow cytometry buffer supplemented with 1 &#181;g/mL of DAPI into the stained cells. Mix well by gentle pipetting and filter cells using a 5 mL test tube with cell strainer snap cap. Keep cells on ice.</li>
	<li>Add 500 &#181;L of flow cytometry buffer to remaining cells in step 3.1 and mix well by gentle pipetting. Filter cells using a 5 mL test tube with cell strainer snap cap. Keep these cells on ice and use as an unstained control in the following step.</li>
	<li>Take the stained cells and unstained control to FACS analysis or sorting instrument.
	<ol>
		<li>Identify and isolate the APC+/FITC-/DAPI- population with gating strategies shown in Figure 1. These cells represent viable Sca1+/Ter119-/CD31-/CD45- cells. Debris and cell aggregates are depleted using forward (FSC) and side scatter (SSC) plots. Then, DAPI- population is gated, followed by gating of APC+/FITC- population. Unstained controls should be used to aid in setting gating parameters.</li>
		<li>Collect the cells into 500 &#181;L of flow cytometry buffer in a 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube. Moving forward, all procedures should be performed under sterile conditions to minimize a contamination. Approximately 50,000 &#8211; 100,000 cells are collected from one mouse.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Count cells using a hemocytometer to evaluate cell viability. Since cell aggregates can interfere with further downstream analyses, the presence of cell aggregates is also evaluated to ensure a minimal presence (&#60;5% of viable cell number) of these aggregates.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Krotkiewski, M., Bjorntorp, P., Sjostrom, L., Smith, U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+obesity+on+metabolism+in+men+and+women.+Importance+of+regional+adipose+tissue+distribution.">Impact of obesity on metabolism in men and women. Importance of regional adipose tissue distribution.</a> The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 72, 1150-1162 (1983).</li><li>Salans, L. B., Horton, E. S., Sims, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Experimental+obesity+in+man:+cellular+character+of+the+adipose+tissue.">Experimental obesity in man: cellular character of the adipose tissue.</a> The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 50, 1005-1011 (1971).</li><li>Trayhurn, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hypoxia+and+adipose+tissue+function+and+dysfunction+in+obesity.">Hypoxia and adipose tissue function and dysfunction in obesity.</a> Physiological Reviews. 93, 1-21 (2013).</li><li>Halberg, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hypoxia-inducible+factor+1alpha+induces+fibrosis+and+insulin+resistance+in+white+adipose+tissue.">Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha induces fibrosis and insulin resistance in white adipose tissue.</a> Molecular and Cellular Biology. 29, 4467-4483 (2009).</li><li>Upadhyay, J., Farr, O., Perakakis, N., Ghaly, W., Mantzoros, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Obesity+as+a+Disease.">Obesity as a Disease.</a> Medical Clinics of North America. 102, 13-33 (2018).</li><li>Cawthorn, W. P., Scheller, E. L., MacDougald, O. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adipose+tissue+stem+cells+meet+preadipocyte+commitment:+going+back+to+the+future.">Adipose tissue stem cells meet preadipocyte commitment: going back to the future.</a> Journal of Lipid Research. 53, 227-246 (2012).</li><li>Cho, D. S., Lee, B., Doles, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Refining+the+adipose+progenitor+cell+landscape+in+healthy+and+obese+visceral+adipose+tissue+using+single-cell+gene+expression+profiling.">Refining the adipose progenitor cell landscape in healthy and obese visceral adipose tissue using single-cell gene expression profiling.</a> Life Science Alliance. 2, 201900561 (2019).</li><li>Burl, R. B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Deconstructing+Adipogenesis+Induced+by+beta3-Adrenergic+Receptor+Activation+with+Single-Cell+Expression+Profiling.">Deconstructing Adipogenesis Induced by beta3-Adrenergic Receptor Activation with Single-Cell Expression Profiling.</a> Cell Metabolism. 28, 300-309 (2018).</li><li>Hepler, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+functionally+distinct+fibro-inflammatory+and+adipogenic+stromal+subpopulations+in+visceral+adipose+tissue+of+adult+mice.">Identification of functionally distinct fibro-inflammatory and adipogenic stromal subpopulations in visceral adipose tissue of adult mice.</a> eLife. 7, 39636 (2018).</li><li>Merrick, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+a+mesenchymal+progenitor+cell+hierarchy+in+adipose+tissue.">Identification of a mesenchymal progenitor cell hierarchy in adipose tissue.</a> Science. 364, 2501 (2019).</li><li>Schwalie, P. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+stromal+cell+population+that+inhibits+adipogenesis+in+mammalian+fat+depots.">A stromal cell population that inhibits adipogenesis in mammalian fat depots.</a> Nature. 559, 103-108 (2018).</li><li>Raajendiran, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+Metabolically+Distinct+Adipocyte+Progenitor+Cells+in+Human+Adipose+Tissues.">Identification of Metabolically Distinct Adipocyte Progenitor Cells in Human Adipose Tissues.</a> Cell Reports. 27, 1528-1540 (2019).</li><li>De Matteis, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+physiological+transdifferentiation+of+adult+adipose+cells.">In vivo physiological transdifferentiation of adult adipose cells.</a> Stem Cells. 27, 2761-2768 (2009).</li><li>Hanamsagar, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+optimized+workflow+for+single-cell+transcriptomics+and+repertoire+profiling+of+purified+lymphocytes+from+clinical+samples.">An optimized workflow for single-cell transcriptomics and repertoire profiling of purified lymphocytes from clinical samples.</a> Scientific Reports. 10, 2219 (2020).</li><li>Marinovic, M. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Crotamine+induces+browning+of+adipose+tissue+and+increases+energy+expenditure+in+mice.">Crotamine induces browning of adipose tissue and increases energy expenditure in mice.</a> Scientific Reports. 8, 5057 (2018).</li><li>Takahashi, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biological+and+clinical+availability+of+adipose-derived+stem+cells+for+pelvic+dead+space+repair.">Biological and clinical availability of adipose-derived stem cells for pelvic dead space repair.</a> Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 1, 803-810 (2012).</li><li>Cowan, C. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adipose-derived+adult+stromal+cells+heal+critical-size+mouse+calvarial+defects.">Adipose-derived adult stromal cells heal critical-size mouse calvarial defects.</a> Nature Biotechnology. 22 (5), 560-567 (2004).</li><li>Hagberg, C. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Flow+Cytometry+of+Mouse+and+Human+Adipocytes+for+the+Analysis+of+Browning+and+Cellular+Heterogeneity.">Flow Cytometry of Mouse and Human Adipocytes for the Analysis of Browning and Cellular Heterogeneity.</a> Cell Reports. 24, 2746-2756 (2018).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is rapidly gaining traction as a powerful tool to simultaneously study diverse cell populations at the single cell level. Due to high costs associated with sample preparation and high throughput sequencing, it is imperative to optimize cellular inputs (high viability and purity) to increase the likelihood of experimental success. Some cell preparation protocols rely on removal of dead cells and debris using low-spin washes and column-based separation without FACS sorting<sup class="...

Adipose tissue plays a key role in energy metabolism. Excess energy is stored in the form of lipids, and adipose tissue is capable of significant expansion or retraction depending on nutritional status and energetic demand. Expansion of adipose tissue can result from an increase in adipocyte size (hypertrophy) and/or from an increase in adipocyte number (hyperplasia); the latter process tightly regulated by proliferation and differentiation of adipose progenitor cells1,2. During obesity, adipose tissue excessively expands, and tissue dysfunction &#8211; including hypoxia, inflammation, and insulin resistance &#8211; often develops3,4. These complications are risk factors to many chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer5. Hence, limiting uncontrolled adipose tissue expansion and mitigating adipose tissue pathologies are top biomedical research priorities. During adipose tissue expansion, resident adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) proliferate and differentiate sequentially into preadipocytes (committed progenitor cells) and then into mature adipocytes6. Recent single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies show that these adipose progenitor cell (APC) populations (ASCs and preadipocytes) exhibit substantial molecular and functional heterogeneity7,8,9,10,11,12. For example, ASCs display a reduced adipogenic differentiation capacity, while also exhibiting higher proliferation and expansion capabilities, compared to preadipocytes7. Further molecular differences are reported within ASC and preadipocyte populations, although the functional relevance of these differences remains unclear7. Together, these data highlight the complexity of the adipose progenitor cell pool and underscore the need to develop and standardize tools to better understand and manipulate these critical cell populations.
This protocol details the isolation of high viability Sca1+ adipose progenitor cell populations from mouse epididymal fat pads that are suitable for sensitive downstream analyses, including single-cell studies (scRNA-sequencing) and cell culture. Isolation and dissociation of epididymal fat pads was performed as previously described7,13 with slight modifications that improve the viability of isolated APCs. In brief, dissociated cells from epididymal fat pads are stained with antibodies against Sca1, a marker for both ASCs and preadipocytes6,7, and other lineage (Lin) markers: Ter119 (erythroid cells), CD31 (endothelial cells), and CD45 (leukocytes). Viable Sca1+/Ter119-/CD31-/CD45-/DAPI- cells are then sorted by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Importantly, this protocol was validated by successful isolation and analysis of viable Sca1+/Lin- adipose progenitor cells reported in a recent single cell RNA sequencing study that identified functionally heterogeneous subpopulations within ASCs and preadipocytes7.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:799px;" width="799">
	<colgroup>
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">1.7 mL microcentrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">87003-294</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">13 mL culture tube</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">50-809-216</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">15 mL conical tube</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Greiner Bio-one</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">188 271</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">5 mL test tube with cell strainer snap cap</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">08-771-23</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">50 mL conical tube</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Greiner Bio-one</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">227 261</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">70 &#181;m cell strainer</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">22-363-548</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Anti-CD31-FITC antibody</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-102-519</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Anti-CD45-FITC antibody</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-102-491</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Anti-Sca1-APC antibody</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-102-833</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Anti-Ter119-FITC antibody</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-112-908</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">BSA</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Gold Biotechnology</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A-420-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Collagenase type II</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">17101-015</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">DAPI</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D1306</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Dulbecco&#39;s phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS)</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14190-144</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">F-12 medium</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11765-054</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">FcR blocking reagent</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-092-575</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Hanks&#39; balanced salt solution (HBSS)</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14025-092</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Horse serum</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">16050-122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Penicillin-streptomycin</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">15140-122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:332px;">Propidium iodide solution</td>
			<td style="width:181px;">Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">130-093-233</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

preparation of adipose progenitor cells from mouse epididymal adipose tissues

Obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, are all associated with dramatic adipose tissue remodeling. Tissue-resident adipose progenitor cells (APCs) play a key role in adipose tissue homeostasis and can contribute to the tissue pathology. The growing use of single cell analysis technologies &#8211; including single-cell RNA-sequencing and single-cell proteomics &#8211; is transforming the stem/progenitor cell field by permitting unprecedented resolution of individual cell expression changes within the context of population- or tissue-wide changes. In this article, we provide detailed protocols to dissect mouse epididymal adipose tissue, isolate single adipose tissue-derived cells, and perform fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to enrich for viable Sca1+/CD31-/CD45-/Ter119- APCs. These protocols will allow investigators to prepare high quality APCs suitable for downstream analyses such as single cell RNA sequencing.

Four-month-old male FVB mice were used in this experiment. After exclusion of debris and doublets using FSC/SSC plots, viable cells (DAPI- population) were gated, followed by the selection of APC+/FITC- population (Figure 1). DAPI, APC, and FITC gates were drawn based on the unstained control. Gating strategies are shown in Figure 1.
After 1 h of sorting, the quality of isolation was quantitatively eva...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation of Adipose Progenitor Cells from Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissues at JoVE.com

Preparation of Adipose Progenitor Cells from Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissues

We present a simple method to isolate highly viable adipose progenitor cells from mouse epididymal fat pads using fluorescence activated cell sorting.

Obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, are all associated with dramatic adipose tissue remodeling. Tissue-resident ...

preparation-adipose-progenitor-cells-from-mouse-epididymal-adipose

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

5.5K Views.  Mayo Clinic. We present a simple method to isolate highly viable adipose progenitor cells from mouse epididymal fat pads using fluorescence activated cell sorting.

Video: Preparation of Adipose Progenitor Cells from Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissues

Manual Isolation of Adipose-derived Stem Cells from Human Lipoaspirates

In 2001, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, described the isolation of a new population of adult stem cells from liposuctioned adipose tissue that they initially termed Processed Lipoaspirate Cells or PLA cells. Since then, these stem cells have been renamed as Adipose-derived Stem Cells or ASCs and have gone on to become one of the most popular adult stem cells populations in the fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. Thousands of articles now describe the use of ASCs in a variety of regenerative animal models, including bone regeneration, peripheral nerve repair and cardiovascular engineering. Recent articles have begun to describe the myriad of uses for ASCs in the clinic. The protocol shown in this article outlines the basic procedure for manually and enzymatically isolating ASCs from large amounts of lipoaspirates obtained from cosmetic procedures. This protocol can easily be scaled up or down to accommodate the volume of lipoaspirate and can be adapted to isolate ASCs from fat tissue obtained through abdominoplasties and other similar procedures.

In 2001, researchers at UCLA described the isolation of a population of adult stem cells, termed Adipose-derived Stem Cells or ASCs, from adipose tissue. This article outlines the isolation of ASCs from lipoaspirates using a manual, enzymatic digestion protocol using collagenase.

In 2001, researchers at the University of  California, Los Angeles, described the isolation of a new population of adult  stem cells from liposuctioned ...

Differentiation Capacity of Human Aortic Perivascular Adipose Progenitor Cells

Adipose tissue is a rich source of multi-potent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) capable of differentiating into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic lineages. Adipogenic differentiation of progenitor cells is a major mechanism driving adipose tissue expansion and dysfunction in response to obesity. Understanding changes to perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is thus clinically relevant in metabolic disease. However, previous studies have been predominately performed in the mouse and other animal models. This protocol uses human thoracic PVAT samples collected from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Adipose tissue from the ascending aorta was collected and used for explantation of the stromal vascular fraction. We previously confirmed the presence of adipose progenitor cells in human PVAT with the capacity to differentiate into lipid-containing adipocytes. In this study, we further analyzed the differentiation potential of cells from the stromal vascular fraction, presumably containing multi-potent progenitor cells. We compared PVAT-derived cells to human bone marrow MSC for differentiation into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages. Following 14 days of differentiation, specific stains were utilized to detect lipid accumulation in adipocytes (Oil red O), calcific deposits in osteogenic cells (Alizarin Red), or glycosaminoglycans and collagen in chondrogenic cells (Masson&#8217;s Trichrome). While bone marrow MSC efficiently differentiated into all three lineages, PVAT-derived cells had adipogenic and chondrogenic potential, but lacked robust osteogenic potential.

The goal of this protocol is to test the ability of progenitor cells derived from human perivascular adipose tissue to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Differentiation was compared to mesenchymal stem cells derived from human bone marrow, which is known to differentiate into adipocyte, osteocyte, and chondrocyte lineages.

Adipose tissue is a rich source of multi-potent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) capable of differentiating into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic ...

Identification and Dissection of Diverse Mouse Adipose Depots

Adipose tissues are complex organs with a wide array of functions, including storage and mobilization of energy in response to local and global needs, uncoupling of metabolism to generate heat, and secretion of adipokines to regulate whole-body homeostasis and immune responses. Emerging research is identifying important regional differences in the developmental, molecular, and functional profiles of adipocytes located in discrete depots throughout the body. Different properties of the depots are medically relevant since metabolic diseases often demonstrate depot-specific effects. This protocol will provide investigators with a detailed anatomic atlas and dissection guide for the reproducible and accurate identification and excision of diverse mouse adipose tissues. Standardized dissection of discrete adipose depots will allow detailed comparisons of their molecular and metabolic characteristics and contributions to local and systemic pathologic states under various nutritional and environmental conditions.

Adipocytes exist in discrete depots and have diverse roles within their unique microenvironments. As regional differences in adipocyte character and function are uncovered, standardized identification and isolation of depots is crucial for advancement of the field. Herein, we present a detailed protocol for the excision of various mouse adipose depots.

Adipose tissues are complex organs with a wide array of functions, including storage and mobilization of energy in response to local and global needs, ...

Isolation and Identification of Vascular Endothelial Cells from Distinct Adipose Depots for Downstream Applications

Vascular endothelial cells lining the wall of the vascular system play important roles in a variety of physiological processes, including vascular tone regulation, barrier functions, and angiogenesis. Endothelial cell dysfunction is a hallmark predictor and major driver for the progression of severe cardiovascular diseases, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The ability to isolate and perform analyses on endothelial cells from various vascular beds in their native form will give insight into the processes of cardiovascular disease. This protocol presents the procedure for the dissection of mouse subcutaneous and mesenteric adipose tissues, followed by isolation of their respective arterial vasculature. The isolated arteries are then digested using a specific cocktail of digestive enzymes focused on liberating functionally viable endothelial cells. The digested tissue is assessed by flow cytometry analysis using CD31+/CD45&#8722; cells as markers for positive endothelial cell identification. Cells can be sorted for immediate downstream functional assays or used to generate primary cell lines. The technique of isolating and digesting arteries from different vascular beds will provide options for researchers to evaluate freshly isolated vascular cells&#160;from arteries of interest and allow them to perform a wide range of functional tests on specific cell types.

This protocol details a method for the dissection of mouse adipose depots and the isolation and digestion of respective arteries to liberate and then identify the endothelial cell population. Freshly isolated cells used in downstream applications will advance the understanding of vascular cell biology and the mechanisms of vascular dysfunction.

Vascular endothelial cells lining the wall of the vascular system play important roles in a variety of physiological processes, including vascular tone ...

Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Isolation and Characterization

Isolation and Identification of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue of Sprague Dawley Rats

Adult mesenchymal cells have revolutionized molecular and cell biology in recent decades. They can differentiate into different specialized cell types, in addition to their great capacity for self-renewal, migration, and proliferation. Adipose tissue is one of the least invasive and most accessible sources of mesenchymal cells. It has also been reported to have higher yields compared to other sources, as well as superior immunomodulatory properties. Recently, different procedures for obtaining adult mesenchymal cells from different tissue sources and animal species have been published. After evaluating the criteria of some authors, we standardized a methodology that is applicable to different purposes and easily reproducible. A pool of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue allowed us to develop primary cultures with optimal morphology and functionality. The cells were observed adhered to the plastic surface for 24 h, and exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology, with prolongations and a tendency to form colonies. Flow cytometry (FC) and immunofluorescence (IF) techniques were used to assess the expression of the membrane markers CD105, CD9, CD63, CD31, and CD34. The ability of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to differentiate into the adipogenic lineage was also assessed using a cocktail of factors (4 &#181;M insulin, 0.5 mM 3-methyl-iso-butyl-xanthine, and 1 &#181;M dexamethasone). After 48 h, a gradual loss of fibroblastoid morphology was observed, and at 12 days, the presence of lipid droplets positive to oil red staining was confirmed. In summary, a procedure is proposed to obtain optimal and functional ASC cultures for application in regenerative medicine.

Author Spotlight: Isolation and Identification of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue of Sprague Dawley Rats  

This protocol describes a methodology for isolating and identifying adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from Sprague Dawley rats.

Adult mesenchymal cells have revolutionized molecular and cell biology in recent decades. They can differentiate into different specialized cell types, in ...

Culturing Preadipocytes Isolated from Murine Perivascular Adipose Tissue

Isolation, Culture, and Adipogenic Induction of Stromal Vascular Fraction-derived Preadipocytes from Mouse Periaortic Adipose Tissue

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is an adipose tissue depot that surrounds blood vessels and exhibits the phenotypes of white, beige, and brown adipocytes. Recent discoveries have shed light on the central role of PVAT in regulating vascular homeostasis and participating in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. A comprehensive understanding of PVAT properties and regulation is of great importance for the development of future therapies. Primary cultures of periaortic adipocytes are valuable for studying PVAT function and the crosstalk between periaortic adipocytes and vascular cells. This paper presents an economical and feasible protocol for the isolation, culture, and adipogenic induction of stromal vascular fraction-derived preadipocytes from mouse periaortic adipose tissue, which can be useful for modeling adipogenesis or lipogenesis in vitro. The protocol outlines tissue processing and cell differentiation for culturing periaortic adipocytes from young mice. This protocol will provide the technological cornerstone at the bench side for the investigation of PVAT function.

Author Spotlight: The Significance of Isolation, Culture, and Adipogenic Induction of SVF-Derived Preadipocytes from Mouse Perivascular Adipose Tissue 

Here, we describe the isolation, culture, and adipogenic induction of stromal vascular fraction-derived preadipocytes from mouse periaortic adipose tissue, allowing for the study of perivascular adipose tissue function and its relationship with vascular cells.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is an adipose tissue depot that surrounds blood vessels and exhibits the phenotypes of white, beige, and brown ...

Primary Culture of Adipose Tissue Derived Stem Cells from Mouse Epididymis

Isolation, In Vitro Expansion, and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissue

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been extensively studied as a new therapeutic approach, mainly to stop exacerbated inflammation due to their potential to modulate the immune response. The MSCs are immune-privileged cells capable of surviving in immunologically incompatible allogeneic transplant recipients based on low expression of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and in the use of cell-based therapy for allogeneic transplant. These cells can be isolated from several tissues, the most commonly used being the bone marrow and adipose tissues. We provide an easy protocol to isolate, culture, and characterize MSCs from epididymal adipose tissue of mice. The epididymal adipose tissue is surgically excised, physically fragmented, and digested with 0.15% collagenase type II solution. Then, primary adipose tissue-derived stem (ADSCs) cells are cultured and expanded in vitro, and the phenotypic characterization is performed by flow cytometry. We also provide the steps to differentiate the ADSCs into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cells, followed by functional characterization of each cell lineage. The protocol provided here can be used for in vivo and ex vivo experiments, and as an alternative, the adipose-derived stem cells can be used to generate MSCs-like immortalized cells.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Treatment Approaches with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

The adipose tissue is an excellent source of mesenchymal stem cells. Here, we bring the step-by-step extraction, cultivation, and characterization of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) from Swiss mice epididymal adipose tissue.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been extensively studied as a new therapeutic approach, mainly to stop exacerbated inflammation due to their potential ...

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the scBAT in Mice

Dissection, Histological Processing, and Gene Expression Analysis of Murine Supraclavicular Brown Adipose Tissue

Brown adipose tissue (BAT)-mediated thermogenesis plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism, and its morphology and function can be greatly impacted by environmental stimuli in mice and humans. Currently, murine interscapular BAT (iBAT), which is located between two scapulae in the upper dorsal flank of mice, is the main BAT depot used by research laboratories to study BAT function. Recently, a few previously unknown BAT depots were identified in mice, including one analogous to human supraclavicular brown adipose tissue. Unlike iBAT, murine supraclavicular brown adipose tissue (scBAT) is situated in the intermediate layer of the neck and thus cannot be accessed as readily.
To facilitate the study of newly identified mouse scBAT, presented herein is a protocol detailing the steps to dissect intact scBAT from postnatal and adult mice. Due to scBAT&#39;s small size relative to other adipose depots, procedures have been modified and optimized specifically for processing scBAT. Among these modifications is the use of a dissecting microscope during tissue collection to increase the precision and homogenization of frozen scBAT samples to raise the efficiency of subsequent qPCR analysis. With these optimizations, the identification of, morphological appearance of, and molecular characterization of the scBAT can be determined in mice.

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Supraclavicular Brown Adipose Tissue Extraction for Genetic Analysis

Here, we provide a practical procedure for dissecting and performing histological and gene expression analyses of murine supraclavicular brown adipose tissue.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT)-mediated thermogenesis plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism, and its morphology and function can be greatly ...

Methods Article

Preparation of Adipose Progenitor Cells from Mouse Epididymal Adipose Tissues