title: Differentiation of human umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal stem cells into neural-like progenitor cells and maturation into an oligodendroglial-like lineage.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are viewed as safe, readily available and promising adult stem cells, which are currently used in several clinical trials. Additionally, their soluble-factor secretion and multi-lineage differentiation capacities place MSCs in the forefront of stem cell types with expected near-future clinical applications. In the present work MSCs were isolated from the umbilical cord matrix (Wharton's jelly) of human umbilical cord samples. The cells were thoroughly characterized and confirmed as bona-fide MSCs, presenting in vitro low generation time, high proliferative and colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) capacity, typical MSC immunophenotype and osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity. The cells were additionally subjected to an oligodendroglial-oriented step-wise differentiation protocol in order to test their neural- and oligodendroglial-like differentiation capacity. The results confirmed the neural-like plasticity of MSCs, and suggested that the cells presented an oligodendroglial-like phenotype throughout the differentiation protocol, in several aspects sharing characteristics common to those of bona-fide oligodendrocyte precursor cells and differentiated oligodendrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Biocant - Technology Transfer Association, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Biocant - Technology Transfer Association, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: N Tatiana
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Blood and Transplantation Center of Coimbra, Portuguese Institute of the Blood and Transplantation, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Blood and Transplantation Center of Coimbra, Portuguese Institute of the Blood and Transplantation, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana Paes
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Faria
authors.affiliation: Biocant - Technology Transfer Association, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro Z
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Crioestaminal Saúde e Tecnologia, S.A., Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carla M P
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Crioestaminal Saúde e Tecnologia, S.A., Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Blood and Transplantation Center of Coimbra, Portuguese Institute of the Blood and Transplantation, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joaquim M S
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Relvas
authors.affiliation: Biocant - Technology Transfer Association, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grãos
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D059631:Wharton Jelly / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*