Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are a well-characterized population of adult stem cells. MSC have the potential to develop into mature cells that produce fat, cartilage, bone, tendons, and muscle. These properties, in combination with their developmental plasticity, generate interest because of the potential use of MSC in regenerative medicine. MSC isolated from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord can transform into neurons and glia in vitro by using neuron-conditioned medium, sonic hedgehog, and FGF-8. MSC can also differentiate into cells from the adipogenic and osteogenic lineage. Additionally, they have the potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes by culturing them in cardiomyocyte-conditioned medium. MSC express the matrix receptors CD44 and CD105 and mesenchymal stem cell markers SH2 and SH3; but not the hematopoietic lineage marker CD34.