A Review on Umbilical Cord Stem Cells

Background and aim: There are different source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the various compartments of Human umbilical cord (UC), such as Wharton’s jelly, vein, arteries, UC lining and subamnion and perivascular regions.
Methods: In this review, we present current evidence on the properties of human umbilical cord-derived stem cells, including origin, proliferative potential, plasticity, stability of karyotype and phenotype, transcriptome, secretome, and immunomodulatory activity. Also we give a brief introduction to various compartments of UC as a source of MSCs and emphasize the potential clinical utility of UC-MSCs for regenerative medicine and immunotherapy.
Results: UC is a promising source of MSCs. Apart from their prominent advantages, such as a painless collection procedure and faster self-renewal, UC-MSCs have shown the ability to differentiate into three germ layers, to accumulate in damaged tissue or inflamed regions, to promote tissue repair, and to modulate immune response.
Conclusion: Umbilical cord Stem Cells ability to accumulate in damaged tissue and can modulate immune response.