In vitro differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells.

In addition to long-term self-renewal capability, human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess versatile differentiation potential ranging from mesenchyme-related multipotency to neuroectodermal and endodermal competency. Of particular concern is hepatogenic potential that can be used for liver-directed stem cell therapy and transplantation. In this study, we have investigated whether human umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSCs are also able to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells.

Differential gene expression profiling of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells by DNA microarray.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) retain both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capabilities. Despite wide therapeutic potential, many aspects of human MSCs, particularly the molecular parameters to define the stemness, remain largely unknown. Using high-density oligonucleotide micro-arrays, we obtained the differential gene expression profile between a fraction of mononuclear cells of human umbilical cord blood (UCB) and its MSC subpopulation.

In vitro mesengenic potential of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been paid a great deal of attention because of their unprecedented therapeutic merits endowed by powerful ex vivo expansion and multilineage differentiation potential. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a convenient but not fully proven source for hMSCs, and hence, greater experience is required to establish UCB as a reliable source of hMSCs. To this end, we attempted to isolate hMSC-like adherent cells from human UCB.

Skeletal myogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human umbilical cord blood.

Human umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been regarded as an alternative source for cell transplantation and cell therapy because of its hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic (mesenchymal) potential. Although there has been debate about whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are invariably present in UCB, several reports showed that MSC-like cells could be consistently derived from human UCB and, moreover, could differentiate into various cells of a mesodermal origin. However, it remains unclear whether these UCB-derived MSCs are also capable of differentiating into skeletal muscle cells.

Rapid neural differentiation of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Human umbilical cord blood (UCB) contains hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), both of which are regarded as valuable sources for cell transplantation and cell therapy. Adherent cells expressing MSCs-related antigens such as SH2, CD13, CD29, and ASMA, have been isolated from a mononuclear cell fraction of human UCB. Under proneurogenic conditions, these UCB-derived adherent cells rapidly assumed the morphology of multipolar neurons.