title: Isolation and Characterization of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Wharton's Jelly and Amniotic Membrane.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a capacity for self-renewal and multi-potential differentiations. These cells are considered powerful sources for cell therapy in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The cells can be isolated from various tissues; however, harvesting from human umbilical cord and amniotic membrane is easy and accessible source.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To isolate and characterize the MSCs derived from human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSC) and amniotic membrane (AM-MSC) with regard to their morphology, immunophenotype and mesodermal differentiation potential in order to obtain an alternative source of MSC for therapeutic clinical applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetal membranes and umbilical cords (n=3) were retrieved from healthy full-term women by elective cesarean delivery. Amniotic membrane and umbilical cord were separately minced and cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS. After reaching 80% of confluency, the umbilical cord WJ-MSC and AM-MSC were characterized by expression of cell surface markers with flowcytometry, stem cell gene expression with adipogenic/osteogenic potential.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both WJ-MSC and AM-MSC were spindle-shaped cells, expressed MSC surface markers in flowcytometry and stem cell transcriptional factors (OCT4 and NANOG). After induction, the cells differentiated into adipogenic and osteogenic lineages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSC were successfully generated from umbilical cord WJ-MSC and AM-MSC with similar mesenchymal markers and properties.
authors.affiliation: Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran ; Islamic Azad University, Fars Science and Research Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pirjali
authors.affiliation: Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran ; Shiraz Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azarpira
authors.affiliation: Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran ; Shiraz Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayatollahi
authors.affiliation: Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aghdaie
authors.affiliation: Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran ; Shiraz Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geramizadeh
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Anatomy, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Talai
keywords: Amnion; Mesenchymal Stromal cells; Umbilical cord