title: First-trimester human decidua contains a population of mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether first-trimester human decidua contains multipotent stromal cells capable of differentiating into other cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro-cultured decidual stromal cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and induced to differentiate into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages, endothelial cells, and PRL-secreting mature decidual cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight decidua samples were collected from healthy women aged 26-32 years undergoing elective vaginal surgical terminations of early pregnancy (8-10 gestational weeks).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell suspensions from human decidual stromal cells were cultured at clonogenic concentrations and in bulk under differentiation conditions and analyzed for specific markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multipotent differentiation potential of decidual stromal cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decidual stromal cells express the surface markers specific to cells of mesenchymal origin as analyzed by flow cytometry. A pool of the decidual stromal cells can be induced to differentiate into mature PRL-secreting decidual cells and into osteogenic, adipogenic, and endothelial cells expressing the corresponding specific markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is demonstrated for the first time that first-trimester human decidua contains multipotent mesenchymal stem cells that can be grown in vitro for prolonged periods, have clonogenic properties, can differentiate into different cell lineages, and express surface markers specific to mesenchymal stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Rumen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Dobroslav
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyurkchiev
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timeva
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yunakova
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stamenova
authors.forename: Atanas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shterev
authors.forename: Stanimir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyurkchiev
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D050156:Adipogenesis; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011388:Prolactin