Miki Toshio, Marongiu Fabio, Ellis Ewa C S, Dorko Ken, Mitamura Keitaro, Ranade Aarati, Gramignoli Roberto, Davila Julio, Strom Stephen C
Departments of Pathology and Surgery and McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Methods Mol Biol. 2009;481:155-68. doi: 10.1007/978-1-59745-201-4_13.
Cells isolated from the placenta have been the subject of intense investigation because many of the cells express characteristics of multipotent or even pluripotent stem cells. Cells from the placental tissues such as amnion and chorion have been reported to display multilineage differentiation and surface marker and gene expression patterns consistent with embryonic stem (ES) and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively. We have reported that epithelial cells isolated from term placenta contain cells that express surface markers such as the stage-specific embryonic antigens (SSEA) and a gene expression profile that is similar to ES cells. When subjected to specific differentiation protocols, amniotic epithelial cells display markers of differentiation to cardiomyocytes, neurons, pancreatic cells and hepatocytes. If specific and efficient methods could be developed to induce differentiation of these cells to hepatocytes, the amnion may become a useful source of cells for hepatocyte transplants. Cells isolated from amnion also have some unique properties as compared to some other stem cell sources in that they are isolated from a tissue that is normally discarded following birth, they are quite plentiful and easily isolated and they do not produce tumors when transplanted. Cells isolated from the amnion may be a uniquely useful and noncontroversial stem cell source.
从胎盘中分离出的细胞一直是深入研究的对象，因为许多细胞表现出多能甚至全能干细胞的特征。据报道，来自羊膜和绒毛膜等胎盘组织的细胞分别表现出多谱系分化以及与胚胎干细胞（ES）和间充质干细胞一致的表面标志物和基因表达模式。我们曾报道，从足月胎盘中分离出的上皮细胞含有表达阶段特异性胚胎抗原（SSEA）等表面标志物以及与ES细胞相似的基因表达谱的细胞。当接受特定的分化方案时，羊膜上皮细胞会表现出向心肌细胞、神经元、胰腺细胞和肝细胞分化的标志物。如果能够开发出特定且有效的方法来诱导这些细胞向肝细胞分化，羊膜可能会成为肝细胞移植有用的细胞来源。与其他一些干细胞来源相比，从羊膜中分离出的细胞还具有一些独特的特性，即它们是从出生后通常会被丢弃的组织中分离出来的，数量相当丰富且易于分离，并且移植后不会产生肿瘤。从羊膜中分离出的细胞可能是一种独特有用且无争议的干细胞来源。
