[Regulation and direction of umbilical cord blood stem cells differentiation and their therapeutic application].

Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells with great proliferative potential. There are at least three kinds of stem cells in the umbilical cord blood: hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and embryonic-like stem cells. Each of them is capable of self-renewal, but under special conditions they can differentiate into distinct types of mature cells. The self-renewal and differentiation processes are precisely regulated by numerous factors and signaling pathways. Knowledge of all these factors will allow us to direct stem cell differentiation ex vivo and apply stem cells in the therapy of various diseases.