Circulating factors present in the sera of naturally skinny people may influence cell commitment and adipocyte differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells

Figure 1 Experimental plan. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were isolated from bone marrow of healthy donors and were expanded in vitro for 7–10 d. Cultures were then incubated for 7 d (priming) with sera obtained from normal or skinny people [normal people (NP) or skinny people (SP)]. Cyotokine content of NP and SP sera was evalauted by array analysis. Following priming, several biological and biochemical assay assays were carried out on MSC cultures as depicted. MSCs: Mesenchymal stromal cells; NP: Normal people; SP: Skinny people; CFU: Colony Forming Units.