Objective: To investigate the telomerase activity of human adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) during proliferation and differentiation in vitro.
Methods: ADSCs were highly purified and cultured in vitro. The morphology, phenotype and biological properties of the cultured ADSCs were observed by flow cytometer. Then ADSCs were induced to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblast. The telomerase activity was detected by TRAP.
Results: ADSCs had the ability of multi-directed differentiation, like adipocytes and osteoblast. It could also express the stem cell-related surface markers. The telomerase activity was negative or lowly expressed in ADSCs in vitro within 12 generations. The telomerase activity was up-regulated when ADSCs was adipogenic differentiated, but deceased 3-6 days later.
Conclusions: The telomerase activity of ADSCs is not changed during culture in vitro. It is up-regulated when ADSCs are induced to adipogenic differentiation, but decreased later.