title: The biological characteristics of human third trimester amniotic fluid stem cells.
abstract: Third trimester amniotic fluid (AF)-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be greatly expanded in vitro and induced to differentiate into multiple mesenchymal cell types. This study aimed to investigate the biological characteristics of MSCs from third trimester AF as a new source of therapeutic stem cells. Forty third trimester AF samples were obtained from healthy women who underwent elective caesarean section for breech presentation. A simple culture protocol for MSCs was used. A cell growth curve was drawn, and cell surface antigens and cytokines were analysed by immunofluorescent staining, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. MSCs from third-trimester AF were successfully isolated, cultured and enriched. MSCs expanded extensively without feeders, they were not tumourigenic and were induced to differentiate into osteocytes. Surface antigens were analysed and found to express the pluripotency marker Oct-4. Considering the great feasibility of biomedical engineering using MSCs, third trimester AF may provide a rich source for investigation of human MSCs.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Investigation Centre, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001695:Biology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3