HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Advances in equine stem cell biology.

The research article discusses the findings of a symposium on advances in equine stem cell biology, which brought together experts to share their research in the use of stem cells for repair and regeneration in horses focusing on bone, muscle, and cartilage cells.

Symposium Overview

• The Horse Species Symposium themed “Advances in Equine Stem Cell Biology” was organized as part of the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and the Canadian Society of Animal Science. It took place in Kansas City, MO, from July 20 to 24, 2014.
• The aim of the symposium was to discuss new research findings pertaining to the use of equine stem cells, with particular attention to their application in chondrocytes (cartilage cells), muscle satellite cells, and bone.

Presentations Overview and Findings

• Three separate presentations were made during the symposium. The initial presentation was given by J. N. MacLeod from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, focused on the use of developmental progenitor cells of articular chondrocytes. MacLeod (2014) gave the presentation.
• MacLeod’s discussion centered around the challenges faced by equine athletes who frequently suffer from lesions of articular cartilage, a tissue with poor repair capabilities. This makes cell-based therapies an area of great interest for potential treatment solutions. MacLeod highlighted that not all chondrocytes are effective in assisting repair.
• The research presented by MacLeod involved the application of cells from the “interzone” found in mesenchymal tissue. These cells, present during fetal development, are precursors to synovial tissue. MacLeod’s laboratory utilized an amphibian model to illustrate the effectiveness of these interzone cells in joint repair.
• The study found that interzone tissue, recently identified in equine fetal tissue and expanded in culture, has promise as superior cell-based therapy in repairing damage to articular cartilage in horses.