Human Umbilical Cord Matrix Stem Cells: Preliminary Characterization and Effect of Transplantation in a Rodent Model of Parkinson's Disease

¹ Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
² ViaCell Singapore Research Centre, Singapore
³ National Institute of Aging, Bethesda, Maryland
⁴ Children's Hospital, Galveston, Texas

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: weiss{at}vet.ksu.edu.

	Abstract

The umbilical cord contains an inexhaustible, non-controversial source of stem cells for therapy. In the United States, stem cells found in the umbilical cord are routinely placed into biohazardous waste after birth. Here, stem cells derived from human umbilical cord Wharton's Jelly, called umbilical cord matrix stem (UCMS) cells, are characterized. UCMS cells have several properties that make them of interest as a source of cells for therapeutic use. For example, they: 1) are isolated in large number; 2) are negative for CD34 and CD45, 3) grow robustly and can be frozen/ thawed, 4) can be clonally expanded, and 5) can easily be engineered to express exogenous proteins. UCMS cells have genetic and surface markers of mesenchymal stem cells (positive for CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD90, and negative for CD14, CD33, CD56, CD31, CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR), and appear to be stable in terms of their surface marker expression in early passage (passages 4-8). Unlike traditional mesenchymal stem cells derived from adult bone marrow stromal cells, small populations of UCMS cells express endoglin (SH2, CD105) and CD49e at passage 8. UCMS cells express growth factors and angiogenic factors suggesting that they may be used to treat neurodegenerative disease. To test the therapeutic value of UCMS cells, undifferentiated human UCMS cells were transplanted into the brains of hemiparkinsonian rats that were not immune suppressed. UCMS cells ameliorated the apomorphine-induced rotations in the pilot test. UCMS cells transplanted into normal rats did not produce brain tumors, rotatory behavior or a frank host immune rejection response. In summary, the umbilical cord matrix appears to be a rich, non-controversial and inexhaustible source of primitive mesenchymal stem cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. L. Weiss, C. Anderson, S. Medicetty, K. B. Seshareddy, R. J. Weiss, I. VanderWerff, D. Troyer, and K. R. McIntosh Immune Properties of Human Umbilical Cord Wharton's Jelly-Derived Cells Stem Cells, November 1, 2008; 26(11): 2865 - 2874. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Troyer and M. L. Weiss Concise Review: Wharton's Jelly-Derived Cells Are a Primitive Stromal Cell Population Stem Cells, March 1, 2008; 26(3): 591 - 599. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Karahuseyinoglu, C. Kocaefe, D. Balci, E. Erdemli, and A. Can Functional Structure of Adipocytes Differentiated from Human Umbilical Cord Stroma-Derived Stem Cells Stem Cells, March 1, 2008; 26(3): 682 - 691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Jones and D. McGonagle Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vivo Rheumatology, February 1, 2008; 47(2): 126 - 131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Secco, E. Zucconi, N. M. Vieira, L. L.Q. Fogaca, A. Cerqueira, M. D. F. Carvalho, T. Jazedje, O. K. Okamoto, A. R. Muotri, and M. Zatz Multipotent Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord: Cord Is Richer than Blood! Stem Cells, January 1, 2008; 26(1): 146 - 150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Can and S. Karahuseyinoglu Concise Review: Human Umbilical Cord Stroma with Regard to the Source of Fetus-Derived Stem Cells Stem Cells, November 1, 2007; 25(11): 2886 - 2895. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. S. Park, K. H. Jung, S. H. Kim, K. S. Kim, M. R. Choi, Y. Kim, and Y. G. Chai Functional Expression of Ion Channels in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Vein Stem Cells, August 1, 2007; 25(8): 2044 - 2052. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Baksh, R. Yao, and R. S. Tuan Comparison of Proliferative and Multilineage Differentiation Potential of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord and Bone Marrow Stem Cells, June 1, 2007; 25(6): 1384 - 1392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. D. Lund, S. Wang, B. Lu, S. Girman, T. Holmes, Y. Sauve, D. J. Messina, I. R. Harris, A. J. Kihm, A. M. Harmon, et al. Cells Isolated from Umbilical Cord Tissue Rescue Photoreceptors and Visual Functions in a Rodent Model of Retinal Disease Stem Cells, March 1, 2007; 25(3): 602 - 611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Karahuseyinoglu, O. Cinar, E. Kilic, F. Kara, G. G. Akay, D. O. Demiralp, A. Tukun, D. Uckan, and A. Can Biology of Stem Cells in Human Umbilical Cord Stroma: In Situ and In Vitro Surveys Stem Cells, February 1, 2007; 25(2): 319 - 331. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]