Chen Ming-Yan, Lie Pu-Chang, Li Zhi-Ling, Wei Xing
Multidisciplinary Research Center, Shantou University, Guangdong, China.
Exp Hematol. 2009 May;37(5):629-40. doi: 10.1016/j.exphem.2009.02.003.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (UC-MSC) and UC can be easily obtained, representing a noncontroversial source of MSCs. UC-MSCs are more primitive than other tissue sources. Previous studies showed that UC-MSCs were still viable and were not rejected 4 months after transplantation as xenografts without the need for immune suppression, indicating that they are favorable cell source for transplantation. In this study, UC-MSCs were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and compared with bone marrow (BM)-MSCs for their endothelial differentiation potential.
UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs were characterized for expression of MSC-specific markers and osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation. They were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and analyzed for expression of the endothelial-specific markers and functions.
UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs showed similarities in expression of the MSC-specific markers and osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation. They showed similar low-density lipoprotein-uptaking capacity following endothelial differentiation. However, UC-MSCs had higher proliferative potential than BM-MSCs. Both real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical analyses demonstrated that UC-MSCs had higher expression of the endothelial-specific markers than BM-MSCs following endothelial differentiation. Both Matrigel and coculture angiogenesis assays showed that UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs after endothelial differentiation were able to form the capillary network and differentiated UC-MSCs had significantly higher total tubule length, diameter, and area than differentiated BM-MSCs.
These results showed that UC-MSCs had higher endothelial differentiation potential than BM-MSCs. Therefore, UC-MSCs are more favorable choice than BM-MSCs for neovascularization of engineered tissues.
间充质干细胞（MSCs）可从脐带华通氏胶（UC-MSC）中分离获得，脐带易于获取，是一种不存在争议的MSCs来源。UC-MSCs比其他组织来源的MSCs更原始。先前的研究表明，UC-MSCs作为异种移植物移植后4个月仍具有活力且未被排斥，无需免疫抑制，这表明它们是移植的良好细胞来源。在本研究中，将UC-MSCs诱导分化为内皮样细胞，并与骨髓（BM）-MSCs的内皮分化潜能进行比较。
对UC-MSCs和BM-MSCs进行MSC特异性标志物表达以及成骨、成脂和成软骨分化的鉴定。将它们诱导分化为内皮样细胞，并分析内皮特异性标志物的表达和功能。
UC-MSCs和BM-MSCs在MSC特异性标志物表达以及成骨、成脂和成软骨分化方面表现出相似性。内皮分化后，它们具有相似的低密度脂蛋白摄取能力。然而，UC-MSCs比BM-MSCs具有更高的增殖潜能。实时逆转录聚合酶链反应和免疫细胞化学分析均表明，内皮分化后UC-MSCs比BM-MSCs具有更高的内皮特异性标志物表达。基质胶和共培养血管生成试验均表明，内皮分化后的UC-MSCs和BM-MSCs能够形成毛细血管网络，且分化后的UC-MSCs的总小管长度、直径和面积显著高于分化后的BM-MSCs。
这些结果表明，UC-MSCs比BM-MSCs具有更高的内皮分化潜能。因此，在工程组织的新生血管形成方面，UC-MSCs比BM-MSCs是更有利的选择。
