EFFECTS OF BETA MERCAPTOETHANOL ON THE PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN OSTEOPROGENITOR CELLSKENTARO INUI, RICHARD O.C OREFFO and JAMES T TRIFFITTMRC Bone Research Laboratory, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Oxford, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK

Abstract

Antioxidants are known to influence metabolism and promote cell survival in a number of cell culture systems. However, their effects on the modulation of bone cell differentiationin vitroare not clearly defined. In the present studies we have investigated the effects of β-mercaptoethanol (βME) and ascorbate alone and in combination on human osteoprogenitors derived from bone marrow fibroblasts. In primary marrow cultures, βME stimulated colony formation (2-fold), alkaline phosphatase activity (3.5-fold) and, increased DNA synthesis (8-fold) after 21 days. Cell proliferation was increased significantly by βME during the first 4 days of a 10-day culture period, indicating stimulation of marrow osteoprogenitor proliferation. Ascorbate did not significantly augment the effects of βME in primary cultures or long-term cultures of passaged bone marrow fibroblasts. These findings indicate a potential beneficial role for βME addition for the optimal maintenance of colony formation, cell proliferation and differentiation of marrow osteoprogenitor cells in primary human bone marrow fibroblast cultures.

Keywords: beta mercaptoethanol, bone marrow, marrow fibroblasts, ascorbate, osteogenesis.

f1To whom correspondence should be addressed

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