Background: Human adult stem cells hold the potential for the cure of numerous conditions and degenerative\ndiseases. They possess major advantages over pluripotent stem cells as they can be derived from donors at any\nage, and therefore pose no ethical concerns or risk of teratoma tumor formation in vivo. Furthermore, they have a\nnatural ability to differentiate and secrete factors that promote tissue healing without genetic manipulation.\nHowever, at present, clinical applications of adult stem cells are limited by a shortage of a reliable, standardized,\nand easily accessible tissue source which does not rely on specimens discarded from unrelated surgical procedures.\nMethod: Human tonsil-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) were isolated from a small sample of tonsillar\ntissue (average 0.88 cm3). Our novel procedure poses a minimal mechanical and enzymatic insult to the tissue, and\ntherefore leads to high cell viability and yield. We characterized these MPCs and demonstrated robust multipotency\nin vitro. We further show that these cells can be propagated and maintained in xeno-free conditions.\nResults: We have generated tonsillar biopsy-derived MPC (T-MPC) lines from multiple donors across a spectrum of age,\nsex, and race, and successfully expanded them in culture. We characterized them by cell surface markers, as well as in\nvitro expansion and differentiation potential. Our procedure provides a robust yield of tonsillar biopsy-derived T-MPCs.\nConclusions: Millions of MPCs can be harvested from a sample smaller than 1 g, which can be collected from a fully\nawake donor in an outpatient setting without the need for general anesthesia or hospitalization. Our study identifies\ntonsillar biopsy as an abundant source of adult MPCs for regenerative medicine.
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