Isolation and characterization of stem cells from the placenta and the umbilical cord

Vol. 49 No. 4, 2008

ROMANIAN JOURNAL of MORPHOLOGY and EMBRYOLOGY

Carmen Mihaela Mihu, D. Mihu, N. Costin, D. Rus Ciucă, S. Şusman, R. Ciortea

In addition to its essential role in the development, nutrition and immunological tolerance of the product of conception, human placenta is an important source of stem cells. Over the past years, scientific research has been aimed at isolating and characterizing mesenchymal cells and amniocytes, which show a high plasticity and are found in the chorionic villi and the membranes. At the level of the umbilical cord, two types of stem cells can be found: hematopoietic and mesenchymal. The blood of the umbilical cord is already in the focus of attention of researchers, as an important source of hematopoietic stem cells that can be used for transplantation.

Corresponding author: Carmen Mihaela Mihu, MD, PhD, e-mail: carmenmihu2004@yahoo.com

Download PDF
Download cover
Download contents

Journal archive