Original Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Jun 26, 2012; 4(6): 53-61
Published online Jun 26, 2012. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v4.i6.53
Isolation and characterisation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human placenta tissue
Shalini Vellasamy, Pratheep Sandrasaigaran, Sharmili Vidyadaran, Elizabeth George, Rajesh Ramasamy
Shalini Vellasamy, Pratheep Sandrasaigaran, Sharmili Vidyadaran, Rajesh Ramasamy, Immunology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Elizabeth George, Haematology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this study.
Supported by Research University Grant Scheme, Universiti Putra Malaysia, No. 04-01-09-0781RU; and Science Fund, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia, No. 02-01-04-SF1022
Correspondence to: Rajesh Ramasamy, PhD, Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. r.rajesh@medic.upm.edu.my
Telephone: +60-3-89472377 Fax: +60-3-89412787
Received: August 22, 2011
Revised: March 6, 2012
Accepted: March 15, 2012
Published online: June 26, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To explore the feasibility of placenta tissue as a reliable and efficient source for generating mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

METHODS: MSC were generated from human placenta tissue by enzymatic digestion and mechanical dissociation. The placenta MSC (PLC-MSC) were characterized for expression of cell surface markers, embryonic stem cell (ECS) gene expression and their differentiation ability into adipocytes and osteocytes. The immunosuppressive properties of PLC-MSC on resting and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated allogenic T cells were assessed by means of cell proliferation via incorporation of tritium thymidine (3H-TdR).

RESULTS: The generated PLC-MSC appeared as spindle-shaped cells, expressed common MSC surface markers and ESC transcriptional factors. They also differentiated into adipogenic and osteogenic lineages when induced. However, continuous cultivation up to passage 15 caused changes in morphological appearance and cellular senescence, although the stem cell nature of their protein expression was unchanged. In terms of their immunosuppressive properties, PLC-MSC were unable to stimulate resting T cell proliferation; they inhibited the PHA stimulated T cells in a dose dependent manner through cell to cell contact. In our study, MSC generated from human placenta exhibited similar mesenchymal cell surface markers; MSC-like gene expression pattern and MSC-like differentiation potential were comparable to other sources of MSC.

CONCLUSION: We suggest that placenta tissues can serve as an alternative source of MSC for future experimental and clinical studies.

Keywords: Mesenchymal Stem Cell; Placenta; Immunophenotyping; Immunomodulation; Growth Kinetics