To use Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) in equine patients, isolation and expansion are performed in a laboratory. Cells are then sent back to the veterinary clinic. The main goal of storage conditions during cell transport is to preserve their biological properties and viability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage solutions, temperature and time on the characteristics of equine adipose tissue and Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs. We compared two different storage solutions (plasma and 0.9% NaCl), two different temperatures (4 °C and room temperature) and three time frames (6, 24, 48 h). Cell viability, colony-forming units, trilineage differentiation, the expression of CD45 and CD90 antigens and adhesion potentials were evaluated. Despite the molecular characterization and differentiation potential were not influenced by storage conditions, viability, colony-forming units and adhesion potential are influenced in different way, depending on MSCs sources. Overall, this study found that, despite equine adipose tissue MSCs being usable after 24 h of storage, cells derived from Wharton's jelly need to be used within 6 h. Moreover, while for adipose cells the best conservation solutions seems to be plasma, the cell viability of Wharton's jelly MSCs declined in both saline and plasma solution, confirming their reduced resistance to conservation.
Keywords: Wharton’s jelly; adipose tissue; equine; mesenchymal stromal cells; storage.