title: Comparative analysis of multilineage properties of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from fetal sources shows an advantage of mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from cord blood in chondrogenic differentiation potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cord blood (CB) and amniotic fluid (AF) could represent new and attractive mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) sources, but their potential therapeutic applications are still limited by lack of standardized protocols for isolation and differentiation. In particular, chondrogenic differentiation has never been deeply investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  MSCs were obtained from CB and AF samples collected during cesarean sections at term and compared for their biological and differentiation properties, with particular interest in cartilage differentiation, in which quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the expression of type 2 collagen, type 10 collagen, SRY-box9 and aggrecan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to isolate MSCs from 12 of 30 (40%) and 5 of 20 (25%) CB and AF units, respectively. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis indicated the fetal origin of isolated MSC strains. Both populations expressed mesenchymal but not endothelial and hematopoietic markers, even though we observed a lower expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) I in CB-MSCs. No differences in proliferation rate and cell cycle analysis could be detected. After osteogenic induction, both populations showed matrix mineralization and typical marker expression. Under chondrogenic conditions, pellets derived from CB-MSCs, in contrast with AF-MSCs pellets, were significantly larger, showed cartilage-like morphology and resulted positive for chondrocyte-associated markers, such as type 2 collagen, type 10 collagen, SRY-box9 and aggrecan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that CB-MSCs and AF-MSCs collected at term differ from each other in their biological and differentiation properties. In particular, only CB-MSCs showed a clear chondrogenic potential and thus could represent an ideal candidate for cartilage-tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pievani
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scagliotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Azario
authors.affiliation: Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rambaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzorati
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Flow Cytometry Unit, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erba
authors.affiliation: Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giudici
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riminucci
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM/San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vergani
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy. Electronic address: serafinim72@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serafini
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D023822:Tissue Engineering
keywords: amniotic fluid; chondrogenic differentiation; cord blood; mesenchymal stromal cells