title: [Stem cell characteristics of human fetal articular cartilage-derived cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the hypothesis that cells with characteristics similar to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) can be isolated and cultured from human fetal articular cartilage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human fetal articular cartilages were harvested from fetuses aborted between 12 and 20 weeks. Cells were grown in monolayer cultures in IMDM medium containing antibiotics, L-glutamine and fetal calf serum. Cells were induced to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and neurons. At various time points, parental and passaged cells were subjected to FACS analysis to determine cell phenotype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We successfully isolated and cultured MSCs from human fetal articular cartilage. These cells had the same morphology, phenotype, and ability to differentiate in vitro as MSCs of bone marrow origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that cells with characteristics of MSCs can be isolated and cultured from human fetal articular cartilage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China. yingwu2002@163.com
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tian-rui
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xue-pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling-sun
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology