Fetal Endothelial and Mesenchymal Progenitors From the Human Term Placenta: Potency and Clinical Potential

Abstract

© Alpha Med Press 2015. Since the isolation of fetal stem cell populations from perinatal tissues, such as umbilical cord blood and placenta, interest has been growing in understanding their greater plasticity compared with adult stem cells and exploring their potential in regenerative medicine. The phenomenonof fetal microchimerism (FMC) naturally occurring during pregnancy through the transfer offetal stem/progenitor cells to maternal blood and tissues has been integral in developing this dogma. Specifically, microchimeric mesenchymal stem cells and en-dothelial progenitors of fetal origin have now demonstrated a capacity for tissue repair in the maternal host. However, the use of similar fetal stem cellsintherapy has been significantly hamperedbythe availabilityofclinically relevant cell numbers and/or contamination with cells of maternal origin, particularly when using the chorionic and decidual placenta. In the present prospective review, we highlight the importance of FMC to the field of fetal stem cell biology and issues of maternal contamination from perinatal tissues and discuss specific isolation strategies to overcome these translational obstacles.