Osteogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells: Advancements and Future Directions for Bone Tissue Engineering

Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) present a promising cell source for tissue engineering applications. ASCs are attractive due to their abundance and ease of procurement through subcutaneous liposuction and subsequent isolation from lipoaspirates. ASCs are also preferable to more controversial stem cell sources due to ethical considerations and potential for teratoma formation. Recent approaches to promote osteogenesis have incorporated potent agents such as exogenous osteogenic growth factors, substrate-induced differentiation using mechanical properties of scaffolds, and genetic modification using viral vectors, RNAi, and nanotechnology. In this manuscript we review current literature on methods for the differentiation of ASCs for the purpose of improving bone tissue engineering.