5. Conclusions
We compared PSC-derived EV’s ability to differentiate cells in vitro with the well-characterized BMSC-derived EVs and proved the feasibility of utilizing these EVs for bone tissue engineering. We found that ALP activity and calcium deposition of BMSCs significantly increased when treated with late-stage derived EVs, regardless of cell source. We have presented a comparative analysis of the miRNA content of these EVs, as well as identified potential pathways upon which these miRNAs are acting upon the cells. Since PSCs grow at a significantly faster rate than BMSCs, and also yield more potent EVs, they are a promising alternative source to utilizing BMSC-derived EVs for studies that require large amounts of EVs or need a high yield for therapeutic effects. During differentiation, EVs derived from late-stage osteogenic culture enhanced the rate of differentiation and mineralization of BMSCs regardless of stem cell source. This is a result of the uptake and delivery of the biologically active molecules contained within the EVs such as miRNAs. It is our hope that this information can lead to future studies improving the delivery mechanisms of EVs so they can overcome limitations with current bone grafting techniques by increasing native bone cell activity.