Comparative Characterization and Osteogenic/Adipogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Male Rat Hair Follicles and Bone Marrow

The study compared mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from male rat hair follicles (HF-MSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs) in terms of their proliferation rates and differentiation potential. Both HF-MSCs and BM-MSCs exhibited similar cell yields, viability, and surface marker expressions, but HF-MSCs showed a higher proliferation rate. HF-MSCs demonstrated superior adipogenic differentiation with greater lipid accumulation, while BM-MSCs exhibited better osteogenic differentiation with higher bone alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. These findings suggested that HF-MSCs could be a viable and accessible alternative to BM-MSCs for regenerative medicine applications, particularly in adipogenesis.