Comparative study of Human Wharton’s Jelly and Amniotic Fluid derived Stem Cells differentiation potential

Mesenchymal stem cells ( MSCs), potentially immune-privileged cells, have been isolated from bone marrow, umbilical cord, e.g. umbilical vein and Wharton’s Jelly, and from amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid cells were used for prenatal diagnosis since 1950. Although being a well established diagnostic technique, little is known about the origin and properties of those cells, its embryonic or foetal origin remaining unclear.

In this study, we compared the osteogenic and chondrogenic potential of human Wharton’s Jelly derived cells (WJCs) and am- niotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs). We used MSCs isolated from around the blood vessels (perivascular zone) of umbilical cords col- lected in caesarean surgeries of full-term pregnancies, and hAFSCs from day 6 supernatant of the cultures of amniotic fluid were also obtained from amniocentesis. Flow cytometry analysis was per- formed to characterize both cell populations, by evaluating the presence of stem cell surface markers. Osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation was assessed by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR