Viability and adipogenic potential of human adipose tissue processed cell population obtained from pump-assisted and syringe-assisted liposuction.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Correcting soft tissue defects by autologous fat grafting has been a routine procedure in plastic surgery. Liposuction material for autologous fat grafting is normally obtained using a hand-held syringe. The pump-assisted liposuction technique is not used because of the belief that cells in the harvested fat tissue are necrotic from the physical forces created by the vacuum pump liposuction machine. OBJECTIVE: The metabolism and adipogenic potential of cultured mesenchymal precursor cells processed from pump and syringe lipoaspirates were studied. METHODS: Metabolic estimates were determined with alamarBlue assay. These cells were also induced along the adipogenic lineage with adipogenic induction factors. The extent of adipogenic differentiation was measured using a digital photo counting software. RESULTS: The cells obtained by pump-assisted liposuction are viable, have comparable metabolic activity and adipogenic potential which are comparable to cells using the syringe for aspiration. CONCLUSION: The implications of this study are that pump-assisted liposuction might be a possible alternative to aspirating adipose tissue for reimplantation during reconstruction procedures.