Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells: predictive obstetric factors for cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation.

Background: The umbilical cord is becoming a notable alternative to bone marrow (BM) as a source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Although age-dependent variations in BM-MSC are well described, less data are available for MSC isolated from Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSC). We initiated a study to identify whether obstetric factors influenced MSC properties.

Effect of nicotine on the proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of the human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by a progressive and irreversible degeneration of articular cartilage. Among the environmental risk factors of OA, tobacco consumption features prominently, although, there is a great controversy regarding the role of tobacco smoking in OA development. Among the numerous chemicals present in cigarette smoke, nicotine is one of the most physiologically active molecules.