Raman spectroscopy: A powerful tool for the non-contact discrimination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts

Bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine. However, it is challenging to determine whether isolated BM-MSC populations are free of fibroblasts. We employed traditional methods and Raman spectroscopy to distinguish BM-MSCs and human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs). Although in vitro differentiation assays revealed the multipotent character of BM-MSCs, long culture periods are a major disadvantage. Using Raman spectroscopy, we could quickly distinguish between BM-MSCs and hDFs. Therefore we conclude that this method is sufficient for the rapid detection of fibroblastic contaminations in BM-MSC cultures.