Feline Adult Adipose Tissue-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cell Isolation and Differentiation

Cats are among the most popular household pets. However, compared to other species, there is little information specific to feline adult mesenchymal stromal/stem cells. Despite the phylogenetic distance between domesticated cats, Felis silvestris catus, and humans, they share some similar health challenges like kidney disease, asthma, and diabetes. Investigative efforts have been focused on adult adipose-derived stromal/stem cell (ASC) therapies to address feline illnesses, including de novo pancreatic tissue generation for diabetes treatment. Given the relatively small size of domestic cats, optimized cell isolation from small quantities of adipose tissue is important in the development of feline ASC-based therapies. Additionally, there are unique features of feline ASC culture conditions and characterization. This chapter contains a few of the novel aspects of feline ASC isolation, culture, preservation, and differentiation.