Open AccessHuman Placenta‐Derived Cells Have Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cell Potential
Author(s) -
Fukuchi Yumi,
Nakajima Hideaki,
Sugiyama Daisuke,
Hirose Imiko,
Kitamura Toshio,
Tsuji Kohichiro
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1634/stemcells.22-5-649
Subject(s) - biology , mesenchymal stem cell , stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , progenitor cell , stem cell transplantation for articular cartilage repair , bone marrow , cellular differentiation , adult stem cell , haematopoiesis , endothelial stem cell , population , immunology , gene , in vitro , genetics , demography , sociology
Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSCs) are widely distributed in a variety of tissues in the adult human body (e.g., bone marrow [BM], kidney, lung, and liver). These cells are also present in the fetal environment (e.g., blood, liver, BM, and kidney). However, MSCs are a rare population in these tissues. Here we tried to identify cells with MSC‐like potency in human placenta. We isolated adherent cells from trypsin‐digested term placentas and established two clones by limiting dilution. We examined these cells for morphology, surface markers, gene expression patterns, and differentiation potential and found that they expressed several stem cell markers, hematopoietic/ endothelial cell–related genes, and organ‐specific genes, as determined by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence‐activated cell sorter analysis. They also showed osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potentials under appropriate conditions. We suggest that placenta‐derived cells have multilineage differentiation potential similar to MSCs in terms of morphology, cell‐surface antigen expression, and gene expression patterns. The placenta may prove to be a useful source of MSCs.