Advanced Biomarker Assessment of Adipose Derived Stem Cells and Fibroblasts in Patients With and Without Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Vaginal biopsies and abdominal adipose harvest will be accomplished in patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy for non-prolapse benign conditions (6) and pelvic organ prolapse (6). Samples of tissues will be divided and portions will be snap-frozen, placed into transport medium for subsequent tissue digestion, and receive paraffin processing. Cells in transport medium will be transported to the Mayo Collaborative Research building (lab of Dr. David Lott) for isolation of fibroblasts and adipose derived stem cells.

The other samples will be transported to the lab of Dr. Andre van Wijnen (RST) to isolate RNA and protein for mRNA, microRNA and additional protein analysis.

Isolated fibroblasts and ASC's from the lab of Dr. Lott (MCA) will be expanded and passaged 3-5 times. ASCs phenotype will be confirmed by flow cytometry. Cells lines will be duplicated and biobanked at the Mayo Clinic Rochester Biotrust and separately biobanked at the Arizona State University lab of scaffold collaborator, Dr. Stephen Massia. Additional frozen cell lines will transported to the lab of Dr. Andre van Wijnen for further processing. . All cells and materials will be used for testing and to advance the science of regenerative medicine. No biobanked cells or materials from this specific project will be used for any future intervention or treatment in humans.