title: Identification of stem cells from human umbilical cord blood with embryonic and hematopoietic characteristics.
abstract: We identified stem cells from the umbilical cord blood, designated cord blood-stem cells (CB-SC). CB-SC displayed important embryonic stem (ES) cell characteristics including expression of ES-cell-specific molecular markers including transcription factors OCT-4 and Nanog, along with stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-3 and SSEA-4. CB-SC also expressed hematopoietic cell antigens including CD9, CD45 and CD117, but were negative for CD34. CB-SC displayed very low immunogenicity as indicated by expression of a very low level of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens and failure to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes. CB-SC could give rise to cells with endothelial-like and neuronal-like characteristics in vitro, as demonstrated by expression of lineage-associated markers. Notably, CB-SC could be stimulated to differentiate into functional insulin-producing cells in vivo and eliminated hyperglycemia after transplantation into a streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model. These findings may have significant potential to advance stem-cell-based therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA. yongzhao@uic.edu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Honglan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazzone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor