Keynote Lectures

Adipose tissue is the main energy store of organisms and largely investigated for its involvement in obesity and associated metabolic disorders. This tissue can be easily harvested under local anesthesia and hosts a large pool of immature stroma and hematopoietic cells. The largest pool corresponds to immature stromal cells, called adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs). These adherent cells are multipotent and share numerous features with bone marrow MSC but display stronger angiogenic properties. This potential has been investigated at clinical level in a phase I to treat critical ischemic hindlimb by autologous cells that is now finished. However, although these regenerative properties decrease with aging, it is possible to prevent their decline during the culture process.